Introduction to Holistic Nutrition
Holistic nutrition is not a common term, yet I use it all the time thinking everyone knows what it is.
This practice has changed my health significantly and the health of those I work with, so I want to sing it from the rooftops!
In this article, I will describe how I see and use the term holistic in relation to nutrition as well as in my everyday life.
Our lives have a tendency to become unbalanced.
Work and home stuff can easily take over each day leaving the fun and play behind.
Sometimes health and well-being become the focus and other areas lag behind.
This is the normal cyclical flow of life, but too much time spent in one area can throw others out of balance.
What does this all have to do with holistic nutrition?
In this article, you will see:
-
- How holistic nutrition connects all aspects of your life,
- How this definition guides me in my practice of holistic nutrition,
- What a session with me looks like, and
- Why people come to see me.
What Is Holistic?
When I first came to holistic nutrition, the whole idea of it meshed so naturally with how I saw the world that it was a perfect fit.
It was an easy sell.
Definition
When you look up the definition of holistic, you will get something like this:
- understanding that the parts of a system or many systems as working together and connected to each other and the ‘whole.’
Cool.
But what does that actually mean?
How Does Holistic Fit Into Day-to-Day Life?
In practical terms, in relation to your health, this means that:
-the job you have,
-your sleep schedule,
-the food you eat,
-what you do in your free time,
-the thoughts floating around your head,
-the people in your house,
-how you are feeling
-and on and on and on
ALL of it impacts your health.
My Practice of Holistic Nutrition
I like to think that every day my view of the world grows a little bit.
Nothing is ever stationary, and this is true in the world of health too.
I learn from researching and reading, but I also learn from the individuals I work with.
Every time I start working with a new person, I clear out any preconceived notions I may have about their issues (as best I can!) and I get to know them and their lives.
I know that stress, for example, will cause a whole host of issues in the body, but what brings stress to your body and mind?
What stresses you out may not impact your neighbour in the same way.
So I will look at the macro and the micro at the same time as best I can.
I know there are overarching principles that affect hormone balance, and then I let those large principles guide me through your life and body to pinpoint where these issues originate.
This is where the magic happens.
How I Can Help You
People come to see me for 3 reasons:
- Hormonal Issues
- This can mean anything from long, heavy periods; long anovulatory cycles; painful periods; to having low energy consistently or strong emotional swings during specific times of a cycle.
- If you have been diagnosed with PCOS or endometriosis, or have a strong suspicion you may have one of these, nutritional and lifestyle interventions can really help with the symptoms of both.
- A lot of times, clients will notice changes in areas they didn’t know where related to hormonal imbalance – better sleep, more energy, a deeper sense of calm, more alert (but in a good way!)
- Vegan Challenges
- I have been vegan for 11 years at the time of writing, and I love to work with people who want to become vegan, who have been vegan for a short time but are noticing problems, and even long-term vegans going through some challenges.
- There may be one food you are struggling to get out of your diet (like cheese) or you are worried about nutrient deficiencies, or maybe you are not feeling well after being vegan for a while.
- Gut Issues
- bloating, constipation, diarrhea, increasing list of food sensitivities, discomfort after eating, excessive gas
- Eating is a necessary part of daily life, so to struggle through pain or discomfort after every meal is not sustainable.
Luckily, there are always solutions to these obstacles, and I am here to guide you through them with knowledge and understanding.
What To Watch Out For
When I am looking through health magazines, I often laugh at the ads inside.
There is usually one supplement, superfood, or contraption that is going to fix a complex problem (or more than one) if only you try it out.
But when holding the above description of holistic in mind, how can one nutrient or food or input, impact your whole body when there is really an infinite amount of connections going on?
Chances are it will not make a difference.
True balance/health/well-being comes when we are connected to our emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and surroundings, as well as our mental, physical, and spiritual selves.
Our lives are so big and complex (and I mean this in a positive way!) that no one thing is going to change it all.
What You Will Not Get From Me
Working 1-on-1 with people is my favourite part of this job.
I feel great joy when I see a person reach their health goals within the time we work together.
Respect and honesty are core values for me.
Because of this:
- I never judge or critique any choices made.
Being a human being on earth can be hard, and I am not here to make things harder.
The best is being able to work together with a client to help find solutions to challenges faced that work for that individual.
There is a solution to every obstacle, and I love the process of finding them!
- I am not a doctor – nor do I wish to be – so you will not get a diagnosis or ‘cure’ from me.
We work together to find ways to bring in more of the things that will support you and your goals in the easiest ways possible.
I will never claim that I have all the answers for you or that this is the only way for you to get support.
Working with your health care provider and any other people you seek out to support your goals is the most powerful way to work together.
- I am not militant about the food you eat.
This comes from years of being the opposite with myself, and learning over the past few years that we don’t need to give up certain foods in order to be healthy.
There are nutrition coaches out there saying that refined oil is so bad and shouldn’t be eaten unless you want cancer/heart disease or that we are all unable to process gluten and should all be off of it or that sugar is causing all of your problems.
The biggest one in the vegan world is the whole food, plant-based diet.
If you eat this way you will be healthy and if you don’t, you won’t.
Ahhh, if life were that easy!
I like to bend and flow in the middle of these worlds – eat this way 100% and you will be healthy and ‘Screw that, I am eating it all out of spite.’
What does your body want and crave and how do you feel when you eat that food – both physically and emotionally.
You can do a lot more for your body out of love and patience than with anger, hatred, and restrictive food rules.
Final Thoughts
Holistic nutrition has been such a fulfilling and rich area of research for me, and I love to pass on this knowledge.
Our world view tends to put seemingly separate things into different boxes, but a holistic view brings them all back together to show us the connections they all share.
It is a more fluid and natural view, and my life has really opened up and expanded since joining these dots and noticing the relationships through them all.
Is holistic nutrition the right fit for you?
If you think it might be, book your first free session with me here.
We will discuss your goals, your challenges, and if we would be a good fit to work together.
You can also email info@veganholisticnutrition.com with any questions.
If you feel like you need personalized guidance from Carly…
We invite you to book a FREE Hormone Clarity Assessment by clicking on the button below!
Yours in plant love,
Carly
