What is an Integrative and Functional Medicine Dietitian?

Science and evidence-based practice is the foundation of any good practitioner. So many people see a family member or a friend experience positive changes in their health and immediately they want to know what they did, how they did it, how long it took, and how can they get their own hands on this same solution. The problem with the bandwagon mentality is that every individual’s body is different. Even identical twins have a unique microbiome, environmental differences, behavioral differences, diet history differences, I could go on, but I trust you are understanding. Because a friend lost weight eating paleo does not necessarily mean you will too. The friend whose acne cleared up after cutting out dairy does not mean yours will too. The friend who cut gluten out and experienced better sleep does not give a scientific basis for you to experience the same effect with the same change.

While I believe there are very true, time tested tenants: Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food (Hippocrates), this can be a difficult thing to practice without guidance, if you do not know the root of the problem. For instance, an individual with restless leg syndrome and difficulty sleeping may have a magnesium deficiency or they may have an overactive thyroid. Just because magnesium helped me, does not necessarily mean magnesium will help you. If you suffer from chronic heartburn – do you want to pop tums your entire life? Or would you prefer working with an individual invested in getting to the root of the problem? Perhaps you have a food sensitivity or chronic high inflammation that is causing the symptom. Tums is a bandaid- finding the causes and finding solutions is effective treatment.

What sets an integrative and functional dietitian apart is the blending of conventional and alternative treatments when working with clients. It’s an approach that seeks to find root causes of health struggles, underlying reasons for how the body is currently functioning and solutions to these problems. Dietitians working in this way are looking far beyond calorie counting- we look at genetics, lifestyle habits, cultural and religious aspects of food, emotions, stress, sleep, hormones, digestion. We also believe in functional foods- foods that provide a medicinal and health promoting effect on the body.

In many conventional settings, you get 10 minutes with a doctor or a nurse, they are screening for major conditions and common illnesses. Often they do not get to the point of digging deep into root causes. They will also usually hand you a piece of paper outlining an illness and what to do to help. There is less hand-holding, less education, less face to face time and far less empathy than you experience working with a dietitian. Do not get me wrong, dietitians do not diagnose or “treat” disease, however we can provide guidance, education and help with improving your health and incorporating healthy habits into your life.
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Targeted nutrition therapy, the choice of high quality herbs or supplements, instead of slapping a prescription band-aid on issues helps to heal the person. That is the goal in my practice to promote healing and over-all wellness. The goal is a nourished person, a healthy body so you can lead a healthy life to your fullest. 

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