Nutritional Counselling Services
In the modern world, people seem to be more conscious than ever of the food they eat.
Some of the internet’s most popular blogs are nutrition based, and even the big processed food companies are offering “natural” versions of their products.
In general, we all know that junk food is bad, vegetables are good, and reducing your sugar intake is wise. But there’s so much more to nutrition than just that simple advice.
A well-designed nutrition plan can help you reduce your risk of developing illnesses, improve your overall health, and help you control the symptoms of existing illnesses.
Dr. Sheila can help.
Through clinical nutrition counselling, Dr. Sheila can help you get a better understanding of what your nutritional needs are.
From there, she can put together a plan designed to give you the nutrients you need to achieve a state of optimal health.
Clinical Nutrition For Digestive Disorders
Digestive disorders are becoming more common in the modern world, and there are many factors at play that cause them. However, one of the biggest impacts these disorders can have is to restrict your ability to absorb nutrients.
Conditions like celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and ulcerative colitis can impair your digestive tract. Often, they can restrict your body’s ability to extract and process the nutrients from the food you eat. This can lead to malnourishment.
A properly designed nutrition plan may be effective in helping you manage the symptoms of a digestive disorder. But if your body can’t absorb the nutrients from the food you eat, this leaves you in the position of being less able to make use of their healing properties. So ironically, digestive disorders can affect you in such a way that the very solution that can help ends up being less effective.
However, there is hope.
Dr. Sheila offers nutritional counseling services designed to help you manage your digestive disorders. The goal is to help you live a healthier, happier life, managing the symptoms of your condition.
There is currently no known cure for digestive disorders. However, nutritional counseling can help you manage the following symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Abdominal bloating
- Rectal pain or bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Reduced appetite
- Heart Burn
- Diarrhea/Constipation
- And more
Contact Dr. Sheila today to find out more.
Nutritional Counseling For Bloating
Are you feeling bloated all the time, but don’t know why?
Do you feel absolutely stuffed after eating a meal, even if it isn’t that big?
Does your stomach look larger than it ought to?
If so, it may have to do with the foods you’re eating.
If you have a food allergy or sensitivity, the presence of certain foods in your diet can create excess gas in your stomach.
Bloating may also be a sign of deeper issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
It may also simply be a result of your eating habits – eating too quickly, for example, or swallowing a lot of air while you do.
Whatever it is that’s causing your bloating, though, Dr. Sheila can help.
Dr. Sheila will work to uncover the root cause of whatever is causing your bloating, and from there provide you with a treatment plan designed to get you feeling great once more.
Nutritional Counseling for Poor Nutrition
One of the great ironies of the modern world is that people can be both overweight and malnourished, a state that was virtually unthinkable just a hundred years ago.
How can this happen? The culprit is the cheap, low-nutrient foods you can find just about anywhere.
Many processed foods include a large number of trans fats, refined sugars, and other artificial additives. These additives offer no nutritional value for your body, but they contribute to an increase in weight. They can also contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and other so-called diseases of civilization.
When you see an overweight person you may think they have access to an abundance of food. That may or may not be true. At the same time, you may have a specific view of what someone who suffers from malnourishment looks like. This also may or may not be true. The reality is that malnourishment comes in many forms. It’s the quality of the food you eat, not the quantity, which has a real impact.
It’s possible to be deficient in any nutrient, but some are more likely depending on the part of the world in which you live. Iodine deficiency, for example, is uncommon in North America but quite common in the developing world. Canadians are generally most at risk of deficiencies in vitamins A, B12, D, and in the minerals magnesium, calcium, and iron.
What are the symptoms of a nutrient deficiency? They can vary widely depending on the nutrient you’re lacking.
But it can be hard to eat a healthy diet. If you work in a frantic, fast-paced environment, you don’t always have the time to sit down and eat a healthy salad or prepare your meals. In these cases, sometimes the best you can hope for from a nutritional standpoint is to scarf down a quick energy bar.
Does the idea of meal planning fill you with anxiety? Are you overwhelmed by the thought of filling your fridge with portioned meals for each day of the week? If so, you’re not alone.
With her background and work history as a registered nurse, Dr. Sheila understands better than most the appeal of quick and easy food during a hectic day. She’ll work to put together a nutritional plan that’s designed to be quick, easy to follow, and to get you the nutrients your body needs.
Contact Dr. Sheila today to find out whether your symptoms are linked to malnutrition, and if so, how you can improve your overall health.
Nutritional Counseling For Type 2 Diabetes
Another so-called disease of civilization, type 2 diabetes is incredibly common.
Some of the risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes include:
- Diet
- Family history
- Ethnicity
- Age
- Level of physical activity
Looking at the above list, you may notice there are some factors you can control, and others you cannot. Knowing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes is important because you can take measures within the factors you can control.
Dr. Sheila can help you address these diet and physical activity factors, and offer you a solution to help reduce your risk.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there are steps you can take from a nutritional standpoint to help manage your symptoms as well. This includes reducing your intake of refined sugars and grains.
Studies also show that certain nutrient deficiencies are common for those with type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Sheila can build you a nutrition plan designed to help reduce your type 2 diabetes symptoms. Recognizing that our relationship with the foods we eat is often deeply ingrained in us, she’ll work with you from the perspective of a nutritionist and a lifestyle counselor. The goal is to help you manage your sugar/junk food habit and balance it out with healthier options that give your body what it needs.
Contact Dr. Sheila today to find out more.
Nutritional Counseling For Other Conditions
There’s a long list of conditions for which nutritional counseling may provide benefits.
If you’ve been diagnosed with any of the conditions listed below, or you believe you may have them, contact Dr. Sheila.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Chronic stress
- Chronic fatigue
- Uterine Fibroids
- Thyroid disorder
- High blood pressure
- Psoriasis
- Eczema
- Obesity
- Irregular periods
- Heart disease
- Sleep apnea
- Osteoporosis
Sensitivities And Allergy Testing For Food
When we think of food allergies, we often think of the allergy to peanuts someone may have had in your public school class growing up. You may remember the extreme reaction someone has had to a food allergy.
Generally, people know when they have a food allergy. Food sensitivities, on the other hand, are a little different.
The presence of an allergen triggers an autoimmune reaction, which can lead to anaphylaxis. The reaction to a food sensitivity, on the other hand, is generally milder. As well, they can often manifest themselves several hours or even days after eating the offending food, which makes them harder to pinpoint.
If you’re dealing with any of the following conditions, you may have a food sensitivity. Speak to Dr. Sheila for naturopathic solutions that may help:
- Chronic fatigue
- Chronic headaches or migraines
- Diarrhea, constipation, or other bowel movement irregularities
- Stomach and bowel cramps
- A persistent cough, runny nose, or other flu-like symptoms
- Difficulty focusing or brain fog
- Gas and bloating
- Hives
- Acne, eczema, psoriasis
Contact Dr. Sheila
Is your diet not at its best?
Are you still feeling any of the above mentioned symptoms despite doing your best to eat healthier?
Do you need someone to hold you accountable and provide guidance?
If so, Dr. Sheila can help.
Call today to book your FREE 15-minute introductory consultation. You’ll get a chance to talk about some of your symptoms, ask any questions you may have, and Dr. Sheila will help you understand how naturopathic medicine can help.
Contact Dr. Sheila to book your naturopathic consultation today.