NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING
A consultation with the holistic nutritionist involves a detailed assessment of your current diet and lifestyle habits. By using a series of questionnaires, the Nutri-Systems Profile, Nutri-Body Analysis and Lifestyle Assessments, these tools will evaluate system imbalances and nutrient deficiencies/excesses that give indications your overall health.
From these results, recommendations will be made taking into consideration factors such as height, weight, age, sex, activity level, dietary goals, food preferences, food sensitivities, dietary habits, religious beliefs, and occupation. A special diet and lifestyle plan will be designed to improve system imbalances and nutritional deficiencies.
NUTRITIONAL THERAPY
Diet plays a key role in a person's overall health; yet achieving a good diet may be much more challenging than it sounds. Eating the right foods no longer ensures proper health. Excessive food processing, additives, other chemicals and toxins are contaminating the food supply. Nutrient loss of the soil is a reality of today due to over farming the land.
The western lifestyle has caused too much compromise as far as nutrition is concerned. North Americans should consume far less fat, animal protein, and processed foods, and eat much more complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables.
An example of a cleansing diet follows. It is, of course, best to have supervision or guidance when attempting any detoxification.
Cleansing Diet
FOOD GROUP |
ALLOWED |
AVOID |
Meat, Fish*, Poultry, Legumes, Eggs |
Chicken, turkey, lamb All legumes, dried peas, lentils Cold-water fish like salmon, halibut, mackerel, trout |
Beef, cold cuts, frankfurter, sausage, canned meat, eggs, egg substitutes |
Dairy Products |
Milk substitutes like rice milk, soy milk, nut milks |
Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cream, non-dairy creamers |
Starch* |
White/sweet potato, arrowroot, rice, tapioca, buckwheat, millet, gluten-free products |
All gluten-containing products, pasta, corn and corn-containing products |
Bread/Cereal |
Any made from rice, quinoa, amaranth, teff, millet, buckwheat, soy, potato, tapioca, arrowroot, or gluten-free products |
All made from wheat, rye, barley, oats, kamut, spelt |
Vegetables* |
All vegetables, preferably fresh, frozen or freshly juiced |
Made with foods to be avoided or creamed |
Fruits* |
All fruit, preferably fresh, frozen, freshly juiced or water-packed |
Fruit drinks, ades, cocktails, citrus, strawberries, bananas, dried fruit preserved with sulfites or sorbates |
Soup* |
Clear, vegetable-broth, homemade vegetarian soup, chili made with ground poultry |
Canned or cream soups Any made from gluten-containing grains or flours |
Beverages* |
Water (spring or filtered), herbal tea, freshly prepared or unsweetened diluted fruit or vegetable juices |
Milk, dairy-containing products, coffee, tea, cocoa, Postum, pop, sweetened drinks, citrus drinks, alcohol |
Fats/Oils* |
Cold, expeller-pressed, unrefined, flax, olive, sesame, pumpkin and walnut oils, salad dressings made from allowable foods |
Margarine, shortening, lard, butter, refined oils, salad dressings, spreads |
Nuts/Seeds* |
Almonds, brazil, filberts, cashews, flax seed, pecans, pine, pumpkin, sesame, squash, sunflower , walnuts, nut/seed butters from these |
Peanuts, pistachios, peanut butter |
Sweeteners |
Brown rice syrup, fruit sweeteners, organic blackstrap molasses |
Brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, corn syrup, fructose, sugar |
*: These foods should comprise the majority (80% or more) of your diet during this program
Cleansing Diet Guidelines
DO'S:
1. Drink ½ of your body weight (lbs.) in ounces of filtered/spring water or herbal teas. E.g. 150lbs person – 150/2 = 75, would drink 75 ounces/day
2. All spices and herbs are acceptable for seasonings. Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and olive/sesame/grapeseed/walnut oils are also acceptable.
3. Preferably poultry and lamb will be free-range and/or organic while cold-water fish like salmon, halibut and mackerel will be fresh caught or frozen.
4. Use this program as an opportunity to explore other foods and try new recipes. The majority of the world’s population eat these foods and have been doing so since time immemorial.
5. Select fresh, organic food whenever possible.
6. Take inventory of your current cupboard stock and then make a trip to purchase foods allowed during the program. Always keep some snacks on hand at work or with you so that when hunger strikes you have some thing allowable to turn to rather than searching out old favorites.
7. Planning your menu out prior to beginning makes it simpler to stay the course.
DONT'S:
1. Eliminate all dairy products including milk, cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream and butter. Products made with casein, a milk protein, like soy or rice cheese are to be avoided.
2. Eliminate beef, veal and pork.
3. Eliminate gluten. This includes avoiding all wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut and malt containing foods. Gluten is found in many common foods such as pasta, bread, cereal, crackers, cakes, muffins and other products containing flours made from the above grains. Rice, millet, buckwheat, potato, tapioca, arrowroot and gluten-free flour can be used instead.
4. Avoid all alcohol, coffee (decaf or regular), tea, and soft drinks. Coffee substitutes made from gluten-containing grains are also to be avoided. Certain cold and flu remedies contain alcohol or caffeine so please read labels.
5. Foods containing yeast or that promote yeast growth are best avoided (e.g. processed foods, refined sugars, cheese, commercially prepared condiments, peanuts, alcohol, white/balsamic vinegar)
Please note:
You will need to read labels.
Eating out is made easier by remembering the foods you can have. Most restaurants are quite accommodating if you let them know what your needs are.
Remember, you are doing this for your health and quality of life.
Use this opportunity to try new foods, recipes and expand your food horizons.
Questions?
If you have any questions about our Nutritional program or would like more information on our programs or services, you can contact IMI at 403.233.0917 or by email at info@i-medi.org
