We live in a world of increasing dietary anxiety. Good foods, bad foods, the right kind of diet, the wrong sort of exercise – it’s information overload, and frankly, it’s just confusing.
At Meraki our aim is to eliminate the confusion, and help you make simple choices for a healthier, better you. We’re putting you back in control of your health.
The difference between nutrition and medicine
Modern medicine is designed to provide a relief for your symptoms – but rarely identifies the cause. Often the side effects from one medicine can cause more pain and discomfort – for which another medicine is prescribed. It’s a pill for a ill solution.
As nutritionists, we look at a wide range of factors in your life in search of the cause of your issue, as well as the science of body and mind. Our qualification includes the study of biochemistry, biomedicine, physiology and anatomy. It’s not just about food.
A case study of bowel movements
It’s not something you may often discuss, but your bowel movements have a very important function. Waste products such as unnecessary hormones are removed from the body by your bowels. Constipation means that waste is not being removed – and all the excess hormones are recirculated around the body in increasing levels.
So how does constipation relate to poor health?
As an example, consider Type 2 diabetes, a disease where the body is no longer capable of dealing with sugars in the blood.
Type 2 diabetes is driven by obesity, and in most cases can be reversed with a healthy diet. Patients may be prescribed metformin to help the body manage sugar, but the drug itself causes constipation – and that may result in higher toxicity in the body, skin issues, tinnitus, poor sleep or low mood.
Metformin also blocks the absorption of B12, a vitamin that is crucial to your energy and mood levels. Reduced B12 can cause anxiety.
In this case the role of the nutritionist is to identify the cause – the patient’s diet, that is driving the Type 2 diabetes – and create a plan:
Short term goals – increase fibre in the diet to relieve constipation
Long term goals – improve nutrition and encourage healthy eating to lose weight and manage, or in some cases reverse the diabetes.
Meraki nutrition
The good thing about a balanced and healthy life is that there is no single route to your goals.
Our own journeys to Meraki have been different, and continue to be so going forward. Vegetarian, organic or meat based food, weight loss or athlete – it’s about choice, education and determination. Giving you control of your body.