Unlock The Power Of Holistic Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Holistic Nutrition Coach?
A Holistic Nutrition Coach works with clients to improve their overall well-being mentally and physically, by addressing their choices, behaviors, and beliefs surrounding health and wellness.
What does Holistic mean?
Holistic simply means relating to the whole and in terms of health it means what science has proven for years, that the bodily systems and very much connected and they all have an impact on each other. Western medicine treats symptoms and ailments as everything is a separate issue, which specific medicine is given or surgery is warranted to address the pinpointed issue. If you have a headache, its in your head, can be diagnosed with migraines and given migraine medication. In fact, the headaches could be from gut issues, blood pressure issues, a whole slew of things. The medication taken for headaches can then affect multiple other bodily systems, that's why every commercial lists pages of side effects.
With the rise of non-specific symptom complaints such as headache, fatigue, generalized pain, etc., we need to accept and treat the body as what it is, a complex set of systems and networks that are all intertwined.
Is Holistic anti-medicine?
No! No! No!
Holistic health emphasizes diet in health since that is what your body works on and many of our chronic diseases are caused by our diet and lifestyle choices. We do believe medicine should not always be the first line of treatment for every symptom. The only proven way to avoid chronic illness is shown to be prevention which everyone can do if know how.
How is Holistic nutrition science-based?
There is a ton of proven nutrient research out there. Many pharmaceutical drugs actually take their mechanism of action from nutrient research. Acetaminophen’s medicinal compound of salicylic acid for fever and pain was discovered by chewing on willow bark. There is a vast amount of single nutrient and whole food research that has been tested and proven effective. Dr. Leslie has worked previously in a nutritional science research lab.
Why would a client need a holistic nutrition coach?
Almost everyone has suffered from an acute illness, even multiple a year such as the common cold. 50-75% of Americans are unhappy with their current weight. Over 20% of Americans have been diagnosed with a mental illness. 3/5 Americans report feeling tired, a lack of energy. 25-45 million Americans suffer from irritable bowel.
Diet has always been a foundational treatment in all medical systems throughout history. Medications made in labs are based on nutrient, herb, vitamin/mineral mechanisms from the diet. Eastern medicine heavily focuses on herbal and dietary medicine.
Each year more than 1 milliion Americans die from diet-related illnesses. Diet causes cancer, diabetes, hypertension, bowel disease, allergies and more. Modifying your diet is essential for a long disease free life.
The western diet is definitely known as one of the worst diets for disease in the world. Our dependence on processed foods, meat, large portion sizes, sugar and salt from an early age makes it hard to change.
Everything we eat, inhale, absorb creates a response in our body positively or negatively that can effect our physical and mental state.
Why is Diet important?
Over 50% of the US population is diagnosed with a chronic illness. Over half of Americans with chronic illness are diet-related totaling 117 million people! Weight loss is generally 75% diet and 25% exercise.
What can changing my dietary choices do for me?
Healthy dietary changes have been linked to reducing depression and anxiety, increasing energy, decreasing inflammation, maintaining healthy weight etc. A healthy diet can lead to a longer healthier happier, more energetic life.
What does a Holistic Nutrition Coach do?
We work together to take a deep dive into your current diet and health background and use that to make healthy dietary and lifestyle changes. We provide support and encouragement to make those healthy changes to become permanent. We can target specific complaints or just generalized positive health/weight changes.
Do they only address dietary needs?
We use the diet to improve health and lifestyle goals. Being holistic we also incorporate healthy lifestyle choices such as where our food comes from, daily toxins to avoid, and the use herbs to combat negative symptoms and ailments. We will also use lifestyle modifications practices when beneficial to goals.
Does holistic nutrition incorporate herbal medicine?
Yes. After we do an initial work up and discover any issues that you are experiencing and if the use of herbs are of use for you. We do not need to supplement with herbs, but using them with dietary changes could be beneficial depending on your work up. I will not be selling you any supplements or herbs, or pushing you to buy them.
Can children benefit from seeing a holistic Nutrition coach?
Yes. We start forming our “normal” diet from a young age and until school, all our dietary choices are chosen for us by our caregivers. So understanding what is a healthy diet and implementing it at home early on is essential to working with children. As children go to school, or away from primary caregiver, they will start to make their own dietary choices using the information around them. Establishing a healthy basis of information is a great opportunity to set them up for making healthy choices. Kids are bombarded with unhealthy foods everyday. The amount of sugar, salt, and processed foods at their every fingertip makes it easy to make unhealthy decisions leading to the obesity epidemic that is very much affecting our children leading to earlier diagnosis of diabetes and hypertension. The increased amount of screen time has led our children to a more sedentary lifestyle.
What conditions can benefit from a Holistic Nutrition Coach?
Clients with:
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Weight Concerns
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Chronic Illnesses
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Pain Disorders
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Mental Health disorders or concerns
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Stress disorders
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Autoimmune disorders
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Inflammatory disorders
And Clients concerned with their overall well-being, and longevity.
And Clients suffering from symptoms of pain/joint issues, fatigue/insomnia, anxiety/depression, bowel symptoms, headaches, etc. because many of these concerns can benefit from dietary and lifestyle changes.
Specific Coaching Questions:
Do I have to fill out and send back all the paperwork prior to the comprehensive session?
It is very beneficial for your session to have had Dr. Leslie review your filled out paperwork before you meet with her. It is best to send it in at least 24 hours prior to your appointment time. Having this info prior enables Dr. Leslie to make better use of your appointment time with focusing on your goals and how to achieve them.
What exactly is done during the comprehensive session?
Dr. Leslie will use your already completed paperwork to inquire any more details she will need. You will discuss your health concerns and goals. Using your diet and health history, lifestyle, and health concerns we will make a realistic plan in order for you to achieve your goals. We will discuss changes needed and how to achieve those changes. Many of these plans will be multi-step and it has been proven that gradual changes achieve a better long term outcome. At the end of your session, you will receive goals, steps to achieve them, and when to have your first follow up session.
What is done during the Follow-up sessions?
Follow up sessions are important in order to achieve your goals. Nutritional health coaching is a process that involves working together with Dr. Leslie to make sure you see positive change and long term achievement. We will discuss the needed frequency of your visits and is determined by your individualized plan.
What is the cancellation policy?
48 hour cancellation policy prior to appointment time, any issues please contact The Nutritional Way.
When do you need to turn in your paperwork?
Please have paperwork sent in at least 1 hour prior to meeting time.
Can I keep my meeting time if I didn’t turn in my paperwork in time?
Yes! Even if your paperwork is not turned in in time, please keep your appointment time or it will be charged as a missed appointment. We will have to take longer to go through the paperwork longer during the meeting time but we will still work hard to fit everything in. Please remember it is beneficial for the client to have paperwork turned in on time.
What is a “personalized” plan?
A personalized plan is made specifically to you and your needs. We modify your diet to your specific health goals basing it on your lifestyle. Lifestyle involves your family, work, culture, cost effectiveness, housing, location, your time, allergies/intolerances, food availability, health concerns, and personal preferences of likes and dislikes. We use the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of eating.
Do we work on other lifestyle choices besides diet?
Our central focus is on the diet however Holistic nutrition encompasses anything that can interact with the healthy functioning of the body including chemicals/toxins, herbal medicine, exercise, and stress.
How long will it take to reach my goals?
Everyone is different and everyone adapts to change at different rates. Research shows that quick fad dietary changes lead consistently to long term failure. We are taking this journey with you and want you to succeed. The best results take time.