Nutritional Medicine

 Nutritional medicine is concerned with the interaction of diet and nutrition with human biochemistry and physiology, and the associated physiological and psychological consequences. Naturopathic Medicine recognises that good nutrition is fundamental to health and therefore the study of nutritional medicine is foundational to a naturopathic degree. Nutrients are required for the proper functioning of every biochemical process and pathway in our bodies.

Nutritional medicine draws on a holistic approach to healing that takes into account the whole person, mind, body and spirit, as well as social and environmental influences, recognising that diseases and imbalances are complex and multifactorial. This constitutes individualised care which is at the heart of holistic practice.

Whole food nutrition is essential to preventative health and healing, and will always be part of your prescription. If appropriate, a nutritional prescription may also include nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals, trace elements and essential fatty acids, where diet and lifestyle alone cannot rectify physiological imbalances or address chronic deficiencies.

Almost all diseases and disease states have a nutritional component and therefore are amenable, in part at least, to a food as medicine approach. In addition to addressing illness, nutritional medicine is utilised for disease prevention and to promote optimal health and wellbeing.