Functional Nutrition: Science & Practice

Nutrition For Life

Understanding good nutrition and implementing it into our lives is essential. Good nutrition involves learning about nutrient-dense foods, phytonutrients, macronutrients (protein, fats, and carbohydrates), and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) to help one perform to their full potential. Together, we will learn about mindfulness and eating, and how to reduce health risks factors for heart disease, hyperlipidemia, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancers, oral health, and more.

Time for a “Gut Check”

“Gut Health” describes the symbiosis and balance of bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and their essential connection to physical and mental wellness. We will learn about their names and vital role in all aspects of one’s health. We will also learn about gut health, how to incorporate the proper pre- and probiotics to improve gut health and, in turn, how to enhance the health of the brain and other organs. We will use this information to plan our meals with gut health, with specialized pre- and probiotics in mind. Learn More

The Healing Kitchen

In this hands-on class in food preparation, we learn how to translate healthy nutrition into healthy and tasteful meals. We will design recipes to reduce health risks, especially modified to cultural foods and tastes, and incorporate new options to better serve wellness needs. We will also learn about the secrets and health benefits of herbs and spices; find healthy alternatives to sugar, salt, and unhealthy fat; and turn one’s kitchen into a wellspring of health. We will use this knowledge to plan our next healing-kitchen meals.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Life

Chronic inflammation is thought to be at the heart of many diseases (i.e., asthma, heart disease, IBS, Alzheimer’s, and osteoporosis, to name a few). We’ll learn which foods to avoid and which are best to eat We also will learn the science behind this and how to incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet into our lives, with healthy recipes to plan our every meal. We will learn to use colors of the rainbow, tastes, and incorporate these elements into a variety of cuisines, with proven anti-inflammatory guidelines in mind.

Cancer Prevention Diet for Life

In studies and clinical trials, powerful phytonutrients in several foods have been shown to help the body fight cancer, turn the cancer genes off, keep cancer from spreading, and even stop cancer from growing in the first place. We will learn what these potent foods are, the science behind them, and how to incorporate them into our lives, with recipes to plan anti-cancer meals. We will use colors, tastes, and modifications to design all our meals with cancer prevention in mind.

Health Risk Reduction Diet for Life

Knowledge is power. That’s why we must learn to recognize our health histories, genetic predispositions, lifestyle and life stressors, environmental hazards, habits, and related health risk factors (i.e., hypertension, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity) as well as various types of cancer-related risks. This includes kidney disease, liver disease, GI problems, bone health, joint health, brain health, and chronic health issues. We will learn to recognize these cues, act preventively, become informed, and continue to take daily actions to keep them in check. We will employ mind-body medicine techniques (i.e., mindful meditation, relaxation and other stress regulation interventions, and behavioral techniques) as well as mental health training. And we will explore the latest knowledge and continually empower ourselves with actionable, health-risk tips aimed at preventing and reducing these health risks in our lives.

Weight Management for a Healthy Life

Learn the latest science in weight management, including body composition, obesity, why healthy weight matters, and the health risks of obesity. Learn how to address underlying health history; the cultural, environmental, physical, and psychological issues of weight; distorted cues with eating; lack of mindful eating; and ways to create a S.M.A.R.T.* goal with weight management. We will consider a variety of methods to reach these goals. They include exercise and nutritional programs, life coaching, behavioral techniques, and mind-body medicine (i.e., mindful meditation, relaxation, and other stress regulation interventions). We also employ S.M.A.R.T. goals to plan our daily meals and reinforce healthy weight management.

*Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely