Nutritional Counseling Services
Keeping your body healthy requires sleep, exercise, and good nutrition. On paper, it is possible to get all of the nutrition you need from a healthy diet alone, however many people struggle to achieve that goal.
Most of us tend to eat the same few meals on a regular basis, either out of genuine preference for those foods or because it is simply more practical to eat out at certain restaurants or the work canteen and to cook certain meals using simple ingredients at home. Repetitive diets may hit the required macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats), but not hit the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that we need to stay healthy.
Feed Your Body and Mind
Many Americans have a diet that is lacking in fiber. Others, even those who are meat eaters, are not getting enough protein. This is especially true for those who are very active. We need protein for muscular health and we need fiber to promote digestive health. We also need fruits and vegetables for micronutrients and oily fish for healthy fats. It can be hard to get everything we need from diet alone unless we make a concerted effort to eat a very wide range of foods.
Identifying Deficiencies
If you are not well versed in nutrition, then figuring out what you are lacking in and what you need to eat more or less of can be tricky. At Henry Chiropractic, one of the most popular services I offer to my clients is nutritional counseling. I interview my clients and take into account their individual needs based on their jobs, exercise habits, and any existing health issues or issues that may run in the family. As a part of the nutritional counseling, I will consider your current diet, and suggest potential improvements.
For many people, supplements are the best option. Protein supplements or multivitamins can help busy people keep their nutrition on point without them having to spend too much time or money on cooking or sourcing specific foods.
Which Supplements are Worth the Money?
If you have spent any time in a health food store you will have noticed that there are hundreds upon hundreds of different supplements to choose from. Do you need BCAAs, creatine, fish oils, melatonin, multivitamins, zinc, or other supplements? The marketing is so powerful that it is easy to become convinced that you should spend a fortune on supplements, but most people do not need a lot of supplements in order to maintain good health.
Henry Chiropractic nutritional counseling services will help you to figure out which supplements are likely to be the most useful for you. For most people, a protein supplement and a multivitamin is a good starting point, however, there are some other supplements which can be useful:
Zinc
Zinc is a good immune booster, and it is useful to have zinc supplements on hand for those times when you feel like you are coming down with something. It probably won’t make a difference if you already have a cold, but it can be a good pick me up if you are just starting to feel run down.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that your body will pass out any excess vitamins in urine, rather than storing them for future use. This means that you have to be proactive about consuming it daily. Even today, there are people who are deficient in Vitamin C but who are a healthy weight, because they do not consume enough fruit or fortified foods in their day to day diets.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D supplements can be useful for shift workers or people who do not get enough sunlight in their day to day life. Not everyone should take vitamin D, however. It is possible to get too much of this supplement, and there are serious health consequences associated with excess Vitamin D, so seek advice before starting supplementation.
Vitamin B12
If you are vegan or vegetarian then you may need to supplement Vitamin B12. Vegans, in particular, are at rich of B12 deficiency. Many foods are fortified with Vitamin B12, but if you do not consume those foods then you will need to supplement it. Our nutritional counseling service will help you to determine whether you need B12 supplements.
Iron
Iron deficiencies are common in vegetarians, and also in women who suffer from heavy menstrual periods. People who are very deficient in iron may suffer from anemia and may need to see their primary care physician for more detailed health care advice. If you are feeling fatigued and run-down, iron supplementation may help you.
ZMA
ZMA is a supplement which contains Zinc, Magnesium Aspartate, and B6. This supplement can be useful for people who are struggling to get high-quality sleep. Not everyone needs ZMA, but it can be helpful for those who feel like they are not getting the quality day-to-day recovery that they need.
Personal Supplementation Advice
If you are not sure what supplements you need, or you just want some general advice about your day to day diet, Henry Chiropractic is here to help you. For many people, supplementation is not necessary and small changes will make a big difference. Swapping soda for water, drinking more milk, or eating whole grain bread instead of white bread could make a huge difference to your overall health.
In some cases, it is possible to spot a nutrient deficiency by looking at someone’s skin, hair, and nails. While you cannot identify all deficiencies by someone’s appearance or by a basic examination, many deficiencies are apparent to the trained eye, and making small changes to your diet can be a big boost to your overall health.
If you would like to know more about your overall health, then be sure to book a nutritional counseling consult. We are happy to advise people on health, fitness, and recovery. Whether that is in the form of lifestyle changes, diet or supplementation, you have the power to improve your overall health and to give yourself the best chance of staying fit and healthy well into old age.
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