What is Holistic Nutrition?

Holistic nutrition is a way of eating that focuses on mindful choices and nutritious foods designed to make the body healthier. This type of diet varies greatly from one individual to the next. Holistic practices focus on methods that will improve the individual’s whole being — physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional. For this reason, a holistic diet must be catered to the specific needs of each individual person.

A careful balance of proteins, nutrients, and vitamins is essential to a successful holistic diet. This balance will vary from one person to the next. While a diet high in protein may be greatly beneficial to one person, a strictly vegetarian diet may be the best choice for another. Holistic diet practices do not discriminate against whole food groups, such as meat or carbohydrates, as some diets do.

In general, a holistic diet will have some basic tenets. The foods included in the diet should be organic, unprocessed, whole foods as often as possible. Products that contain preservatives and additives as well as those that have been genetically engineered, as is the case with many meat products, should be avoided. Caffeine, sugar, and processed foods should be limited as well.

A quick walk around the grocery store will demonstrate how challenging a holistic diet may be. Nearly all packaged foods are highly processed and contain some form of preservatives. Obtaining foods in their whole form limits most choices to organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and organic meats and eggs. Most meals will require a good deal of preparation.

As with most diets, drinking a lot of water is highly recommended for any type of holistic nutrition plan. Water that has been filtered is best. Some holistic diets also contend that foods should not be prepared in a microwave.

When a holistic nutritionist is helping an individual to design an eating plan, he will examine that person’s lifestyle and address any current health problems. The eating plan will be designed to avoid foods that the person may be sensitive to and to increase nutrients that were previously lacking.

A holistic eating plan is believed to help treat many illnesses. Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and even cancer may respond positively to this type of diet. While it should not be used as a substitute for other medical treatments, the use of holistic nutrition may be able to supplement other treatment options. Individuals who are healthy can benefit from this type of eating plan as well. Incorporating holistic nutrition into one’s every day life is believed to increase overall health and well being.