What Role Does Nutrition Play in Healing Relationships?
In the field of counseling, I believe a critical, yet overlooked element toward healing emotionally is a person's nutritional status. As with any other ailment, looking at symptoms alone never finds the root cause of the problem. Physical well being, lifestyle habits and nutrition play key roles toward rebuilding a better personal foundation, healing from past emotional trauma, growing spiritually and changing detrimental relationship patterns.
I have adopted this whole body approach because it is critical for true change that lasts.
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Several years ago when my Mom retired from her career at 85 years old, she started to decline at an alarming rate. She had Type 2 diabetes and was on several medications. Additionally, she started having many eyesight problems. I found an ophthalmologist who looked at the whole picture of her health. When asked what else my Mom wanted to improve, she said she wanted to have more energy. The doctor gave me a piece of paper saying his patients gained many benefits with their health with this particular plan. Turned out it was a keto-like diet, referencing two websites for more information. One of the websites introduced me to the carnivore diet and Dr. Shawn Baker's work He is a former orthopedic surgeon and author of The Carnivore Diet . I was on-board after reading the vast testimonies from his clients who ate strictly animal foods and healed their bodies from metabolic ailments such as Type 2 diabetes. That was the beginning of the journey into connecting emotional health with nutrition.
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Over the past few years, my Mom has had great success, not only in weight loss, but physical improvements. She lost 58 lbs., works out three days a week, takes no prescription medications, and is not diabetic. I know my Mom's health decline journey is not unique and countless individuals suffer needlessly with because of poor nutritional advice. My Mom did everything her doctor told her to do such as quarterly check-ups and having her doctor "manage" her diabetes. That approach only led to more decline, not health.
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My Mom's health decline and subsequent reversal, motivated me to extensive research. I have learned a wealth of fascinating information from a variety of functional medicine and allopathic physicians who, through their personal stories of healing, changed their medical approaches to chronic diseases.
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Last year, I listened to several interviews with Dr. Christopher Palmer, a board-certified psychiatrist and a Harvard Medical School professor who made the nutrition and brain health connection in his practice. His approach is inspiring as countless patients have healed from depression, mental disorders and very debilitating illnesses with the help of a nutrient rich diet. I highly recommend his book, Brain Energy, A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health.
Once I started researching nutrition, I learned how household, personal care, laundry products and other every day things we generally give not a second thought to, contain toxins that play detrimental roles in physical health and brain function.
After much experimentation, I have a good list of affordable items from food, supplements, skin care and household cleaning items. Below are some of my favorite items which I use daily.
One of my goals is to help you have a head start to nutritional wellness, which will serve as an important building block of your new personal foundation to emotional healing and stronger relationships. Because the lack of physical wellness is so overconsuming, it can be difficult to focus on repairing a relationship and keeping that momentum. Everything that comes in contact with our body has an impact. I want to empower you with the tools necessary to achieve all your life goals: relationally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
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I would be honored to work with you to achieve not only the relationship goals you desire, but also the health/diet and lifestyle goals you may have thought could not happen. To schedule your appointment to start this journey, please click on the link below. I am looking forward to working with you
How I Made the Nutrition Connection
The Mind, Relationship Patterns and Nutrition
Recommended Products
Food
I researched dozens of cattle farms in Texas and K&C has absolutely the best, most delicious meat at very reasonable prices. Their ground beef is so tasty and a staple of my daily diet.
Before eating carnivore, I rarely ate eggs because they tasted bland to me. Pasture raised eggs are a whole different story and highly recommend Vital Farms. There is definitely a difference.
Hands down, the best butter, especially the salted version. I tried multiple brands, but this one is exceptional and the difference is noticeable.
Unrefined mineral salt is a must have and found this brand is consistently tasty. Sugar is the enemy of good health, not unrefined salt.
I include bone broth in my diet because it does promote digestive healing. For the quality, taste and price, this brand is a great option.
Household Cleaners/Detergent
Clean ingredient laundry detergent and softener smells fantastic. Also recommend the dryer angel, furniture polish, dish soap and glass cleaner. Entire line of everyday products to select from with discounts.
Supplements
Because collagen decreases as we age, I started using this supplement and found it's easy to add to most liquids such as shakes and bone broth. It's tasteless and mixes well without clumping.
If you are looking for crazy fast growing hair, nails and eyelashes, this is the product for you. I mix the Spirulina, Chlorella and Maca powders in the morning with lemon and water (or you can use sparkling water. Consistency is key and started seeing great results after a few months.
I used this electrolyte supplement for several years and find the raw version is exceptional.
Skin Care
Really great tallow skin care line. I use the Radiant Serum morning and evening, which absorbs well. At night, I use the Radiant Serum and the Youthful Cream. Her products are healing and do not make your skin break out.
Goat soap and lotion is awesome! I used to love and use fragrance in all my skin and hair care products and have found the natural ingredients in the soaps and lotions improve my skin without harmful chemicals. Plus the products smell wonderful. You can use the bar soap as shampoo, however I would use an all natural conditioner. I found that one either needs to use all natural or hair texture is hard to manage.