Selecting Foods For Optimum Wellness

By Calista Petrie, Marketing Director

Virginia Integrative Health & Hyperbaric

. https://virginiahyperbaric.com/

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Selecting Foods For Optimum Wellness

There are numerous nutrition plans that can be optimized for each person’s conditions and genetic compositions.

With our bodies utilizing the nutrients contained in foods as a source of metabolic fuel, it’s important to choose foods to enhance internal functioning, individualizing nutrition based on conditions and sensitivities.

Eating For Wellness and
Optimizing Health

Consider avoiding highly processed foods to help decrease toxin and chemical intake, focusing around lean minimally processed proteins, macronutrient dense vegetables, low glycemic index fruits, healthy monounsaturated fats and portions of fiber rich complex carbohydrate foods.

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for fresh natural foods, avoid artificial additives such as preservatives, colorings, sweeteners, stabilizers, also excess sodium, added sugar and unidentifiable ingredients (if you need a chemistry degree to pronounce it, think twice!)

When selecting proteins, purchase hormone/antibiotic free, grass fed, wild caught, organic as much as possible. Fruits and vegetables preferably organic/non-GMO, apple cider vinegar makes an effective natural wash. Choose fiber-rich ancient whole grains, consider gluten-free if indicated. Opt for expeller pressed oils such as olive, avocado and coconut, avoiding often chemically derived vegetable and canola oils.

Have Pain, Inflammation,
Arthritis or Fibromyalgia?

Consider avoiding nightshades, which can aid in reducing inflammatory burden. This includes tomatoes, peppers (including spices such as chili flakes/powder, paprika and hot sauces), white potatoes, eggplant and tomatillos.

Try inflammation combating foods rich in macronutrients such as dark leafy greens, blueberries, broccoli and celery, also coconut oil, turmeric and chia and flax seeds.

Have Pre-Diabetes,
Type II Diabetes?

Help improve glycemic control by avoiding high glycemic index foods, high in naturally occurring sugar. This includes fruits such as bananas, grapes, mangoes and melons, and high carbohydrate foods such as breads, pasta and white potatoes. Try healthy fatty acid rich foods like avocadoes and nuts, cinnamon to help combat elevated blood glucose and LDL cholesterol, and apple cider vinegar and coconut oil to help increase insulin sensitivity.

Wondering What Foods
Are Right For You?

Diagnostic testing assessing nutritional and micronutrient deficiencies can provide customized guidance on particular foods to include and exclude them to help you optimize your health.

Food sensitivity testing for inflammatory reactivity to 90-180 different foods can be a monumental tool, and provides an opportunity to aid in the journey towards each person’s optimum wellness.