I had been looking for further nutrition education since I finished my undergrad in Health Promotion but it took seeing a cookbook in a grocery store to find the best program for me.

I discovered Mickey Trescott’s Autoimmune Wellness Cookbook in a Sprouts roughly 6 months after I received blood test results indicating I had celiac disease. This lead me to the Autoimmune Protocol (more on my journey here) and connecting with the Autoimmune Wellness Community online.

Starting the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) and taking control of my autoimmune disease was a big turning point in both my health and my career. I was able to change my life because of Mickey Trescott, Angie Alt and other women before them. I started to see my passion for food education in a new light, as a new opportunity for teaching about food and to share my passion with others. I saw that they had both gotten certifications from the Nutritional Therapy Association and after doing my own research, I knew it was the path for me. Mickey and Angie wrote an extensive review of both of their experiences with the NTA that you can find here!

Throughout my time in the program and especially now that it is complete, people often ask, “What is Nutritional Therapy?”

1.) Feeling well and preventing disease both depend on a properly prepared, nutrient dense diet.

The Nutritional Therapy Association teaches a real foods approach closely aligned with the Weston A. Price Foundation. Rather than focusing on a single diet or trend, the NTA teaches that different body systems need different nutrients to perform at their best capacity. Eating a variety of vegetables, properly prepared grains and well-sourced animal products supplies the body with the macro and micronutrients our systems need to perform. It is less about what we shouldn’t eat, and more about what we should. The key is eating as much of the good stuff as you can and finding out what works for your body.

2.) Bio Individuality is the name of the game.

There is no universal diet. There is no superpowered superfood, there is no miracle cure. The NTA promotes a flexibility in recommendations for each individual. To be a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner is to be a health detective, helping clients discover what foods, lifestyle habits and supplements work for their body. I always knew that my goal wasn’t to tell people what to eat, but rather to help them cook for themselves. Bio Individuality is not the quick answer, but it is the best answer to feel well.

3.) Focus on the Foundations

During the first half of my studies to become an NTP, we focused on the 5 main Foundations that, supported by a nutrient dense diet, are the path to optimal health. These include digestion, blood sugar regulation, fatty acid levels, mineral balance and hydration.

The first thing that any NTP will focus on, is diet and digestion. If food isn’t being digested, our bodies will not be supplied with the building blocks to support everyday health. Another common dysfunction in American bodies, is poor blood sugar regulation. We know that poor blood sugar regulation is not only for those with diabetes, but it can be the cause of headaches, mental health disorders and poor energy regulation. Next on the list are fatty acids which are mostly found in well sourced, high quality animal products. Fat is the fuel for our brain, it is essential for absorbing the fat soluble Vitamins A, D, E and K and it is especially important for women’s hormonal balance. Minerals in the body provide structural support, ensure that nutrients can be transported throughout the system and that we stay hydrated (think electrolytes!). Finally, the most common nutritional deficiency in America is water. Water is an essential nutrient that flushes toxins from the body, regulates body temperature and facilitates the natural healing process.

Becoming a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner has taught me that the body has its own power to heal, but there are a lot of things we allow to get in the way of this process. I have always been passionate about vegetables and teaching others to cook, but now I feel equipped with the science behind WHY the nutrients are important and HOW to help people make positive changes in their everyday life to feel well.