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Starting to feel sick? Herbs and foods to help you fight illness and recover quickly

Starting to feel sick? Herbs and foods to help you fight illness and recover quickly

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Home » Posts by Kennedy King (NTA)

Starting to feel sick? Herbs and foods to help you fight illness and recover quickly

Sometimes, even after we take all the necessary precautions and maintain a healthy lifestyle, we still get sick. Whenever any of my patients (or family members) start to feel sick, there are certain foods and herbs that I recommend. Here are my recommendations of some herbs that you can start incorporating into your diet when you start to feel sick. 

Garlic

Perhaps one of the tastiest foods, garlic packs quite a punch when it comes to fighting off pathogens. It’s one of the strongest herbal antimicrobials, even in in-vitro studies, and it’s especially effective in the respiratory system, where bacteria and viruses like to take hold. Garlic stimulates digestion and liver function, helping us assimilate the most nutrition possible from our food. It’s warming which acts as a circulatory stimulant, and warms the body making us inhospitable environments for pathogens to thrive in. Garlic also contains inulin, which feeds our probiotic flora and keeps it healthy and abundant.

Drink Bone Broth

Whether you make it yourself, or buy it from your favorite market, bone broth is a time tested tradition when it comes to supporting yourself during an illness. Not only is it anti-inflammatory and high in nutrients and minerals, collagen rich bone broth also supports healthy bones and joints, and can help ease some of the body aches and pains that we experience when we get sick. Supercharge your bone broth by adding some herbs like garlic, medicinal mushrooms, and seaweed. I recommend sipping on bone broth throughout the day as soon as you start feeling sick.

Echinacea

Another one of our revered immune herbs and something that you should start taking as soon as you start feeling sick, echinacea can be taken to stimulate the immune system and fight off infection.  It also helps reduce symptoms like sore throat, cough, and fever. Many studies have suggested that the constituents in echinacea that boost immune function also help to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have antiviral actions.

Ginger

Ginger has powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties, and it can be consumed in abundance when you start feeling sick to support your body’s fight against pathogens. There are lots of delicious recipes you can add ginger to, or you can also make a delicious immune boosting tea

Herbal Steams

Herbal steams can be a really fun and easy way to get medicine directly into your body to fight infection quickly. Since many bacteria and viruses like to live in the respiratory system, a steam is one of the best ways to deliver herbal medicine right to the source of the infection. Gather some aromatic, antibacterial and antiviral herbs like thyme or garlic, place them in a pot of hot water, create a little tent around your head and water and breathe the steam right into your lungs.

Adaptogens

Adaptogens help the body mediate stress levels, whether that stress comes from work, life or an illness. Adding some of these superfoods into your diet can do wonders for your stress levels while also helping you fight off infections. Schisandra, for instance, is a powerful adaptogenic herb that is a powerful antioxidant that helps to neutralize damage from free radicals, while lowering inflammation in the body. It has immune-regulatory actions, is liver supportive, and even calms the coughing reflex.

Eleuthero has been found to increase the activity of the B and T cells, and helps to increase the level of antibodies the body is able to produce. It’s active on the respiratory system, toning the organs of the respiratory tract and helping the body to expel excess mucous. As an adaptogen, eleuthero is nutritive to the adrenals, and helps the body rebuild its immune and energy stores.

Herbs That Help With Certain Symptoms

Especially as we get into cold and flu season, I make sure to stock up on certain herbs that are particularly helpful with coughs or fevers.

Herbs that help coughs

In addition to being immune supportive herbs that are helpful to take when you start feeling sick, both ginger and elecampane function as antispasmodics. This action is important when it comes to illnesses that have a cough as one of their symptoms.  When we cough, our bodies are trying to expel pathogens within the mucus, but oftentimes, viruses can cause a racking and unproductive cough that causes pain and makes it difficult to breathe. However, since coughs do have a function, rather than trying to suppress coughs, I recommend choosing herbs to help support the function, while easing the discomfort that the symptom causes.

Ginger helps to ease the urge to cough, while simultaneously acting as a pain reliever. It can help ease spastic coughs in the lungs, and soften the pain and tenderness that comes from an illness, whether it be in the respiratory system, the head, or the muscles.

In addition, another herb to consider when you have a cough is elecampane. This bitter herb is phenomenal at managing a cough, and respiratory symptoms in general. It’s a warming plant that has excellent expectorant actions, which is key for those coughs that are constant, but not strong enough to bring up any mucus. Elecampane helps to break up anything in the lungs making it easier to expel, while also making the coughs more productive.

Treatment for fevers

Whenever you start to feel sick and a fever is present, make sure to stay hydrated. Drinking lots of liquids like water and broth are key, and if you’re feeling like you can’t keep up with liquids, a short, tepid bath can be helpful for rehydrating the body quickly.

Elderberry is a delicious syrup that I recommend you start taking as soon as you start to feel sick (and you can even take elderberry daily to help keep your immune system strong and able to fight off illness). Additionally, elderberry has been shown to shorten the duration of symptoms like fever, and can be taken as often as one desires. It is a diaphoretic herb, which means that it helps to relax the muscles to release tension, and opens up the pores to release heat, both actions that are essential to managing a fever.

References

Hopkinsmedicine.org

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279364/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32395846/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31237569/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406/

Barak V, Halperin T,  Kalickman I. The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based, natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines. European Cytokine Network. 2001; 12(2):290-6.

Zakay-Rones Z, Varsano N, Zlotnik M, et al. Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L.) during an outbreak of influenza B Panama. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 1995; 1(4):361-9.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3166406/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30011890/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2664283/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6264271/

By Clair Moore
Health Expert at Further Foods

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the NTA. They are intended for general information purposes, and are not to be considered a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

 

 

 


 

 

Join us for a Live Webinar with one of our Instructors and Admissions Advisors!

During this call, you’ll explore and learn:

  • How to create a rewarding career in holistic nutrition that will give you the confidence and competence to replace your full-time income (whether you’re new to nutrition or or using it to enhance your current services)
  • How our unmatched education and instructor support sets our NTP program apart from other nutrition programs​​​​​​​
  • How graduates are successfully using their education and the many career opportunities available to you
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3 Critical Factors of Dietary Supplement Formulations

3 Critical Factors of Dietary Supplement Formulations

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3 Critical Factors of Dietary Supplement Formulations

3 Critical Factors of Dietary Supplement Formulations

Guest Blog Post from Designs for Health

The 2002 World Health Report anticipated that by the year 2020 chronic non-communicable disease would attribute to 73% of all deaths and 60% of the global disease burden. In the report, The World Health Organization (WHO) stated the need for the “development of an integrated approach that will target all major common risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus (DM), cancer and chronic respiratory diseases in the most cost-effective way to prevent and control them.” These assertions and statistics showcase the acute need for preventative medicine, which often includes the application of dietary supplements and nutraceuticals, and the adoption of lifestyle changes and dietary habits.

Dietary supplements are nutritional substances formulated and intended to augment the diet by increasing the total dietary intake. The ingredients in dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs or botanicals, and amino acids.

According to the 2019 Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, 77% of U.S. adults report taking dietary supplements; however, a 2019 survey from AARP revealed 46% of consumers are concerned with the effectiveness of supplements. Moreover, 44% of supplement users question the purity and safety of ingredients, and 40% are concerned about testing transparency, according to the same survey.

 

Targeted supplementation implemented by Nutritional Therapy Practitioners can help to fill nutritional gaps, address nutrient deficiencies, and support the body’s vital metabolic processes where needed. Therefore, it’s critical to choose and recommend the highest quality dietary supplements available on the market to support desired health outcomes. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to identify key differentiators in innovation, formulation, ingredient selection, and manufacturing that influence product efficacy and quality. Here, we will discuss the importance of supplementation and three primary factors to consider when selecting ideal dietary supplements to ensure the highest quality for patient and client care.

Quality and Purity

Dietary supplements must meet FDA testing requirements. It is important to seek formulas and brands that go through several levels of quality control and testing before being sold to the public. Fortunately, there are practitioner-brand dietary supplement manufacturers that follow regulatory oversight adhering to current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) that source only the highest quality raw materials for formulating their products. It’s essential to choose companies that are third-party audited and certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to ensure public safety and to verify the formulas meet the highest levels of quality and purity, identity and strength, in addition to ensuring that their composition match the product label claims.

Label transparency is also a critical component in choosing the best dietary supplements for your clients/patients. For the best clinical outcomes, it’s imperative to recommend supplements that are formulated without common allergens (e.g., dairy, soy, gluten) or other potentially harmful excipients (i.e., other ingredients). Avoid products that use potentially harmful preservatives, genetically modified ingredients, artificial colors, and/or sweeteners, sugars, and other fillers that may be detrimental to desired health outcomes. Practitioners and clients must learn how to read and understand ingredient labels and supplement facts to prevent exposure to these often “hidden” ingredients.

Bioavailability

The term “bioavailability” refers to the amount or proportion of a substance, nutrient, or botanical that can be absorbed, enter the body’s circulation, and impart its physiological and biological effects. Supplements formulated to have high bioavailability will be more effective at achieving the desired health outcome, as they have better metabolic activity, remain in the serum longer, and do not break down as quickly. Manufacturing processes formulated to utilize specific nutrients, ingredients, technologies, and/or delivery methods that enhance the bioactive compound’s ability to enter circulation is an important factor when considering dietary supplementation.

 

Additionally, it’s equally important to choose products that leverage the latest scientific research and evidence and are formulated by using the optimal nutrient forms to ensure superior efficacy. Some nutrients are available in a more biologically identical and accessible form. For example, research shows that folate — specifically in the methylated or calcium folinate composition — is the more optimal, bioavailable form that promotes beneficial health outcomes over synthetic folic acid. Likewise, using amino acid-chelated mineral forms, such as magnesium bisglycinate or ferrous bisglycinate, improves bioavailability and can help decrease common unpleasant gastrointestinal effects, such as diarrhea or constipation, versus using elemental forms, such as magnesium oxide, ferrous sulfate.

Clinically Relevant Dosing

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all (97% to 98%) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group” based on scientific data, but when scientific evidence is not available, the Adequate Intake (AI) is used instead of the RDA, which is “based on experimentally derived intake levels or approximations of observed mean nutrient intakes by a group of healthy people. These values were calculated to avoid frank or overt nutrient deficiencies, but not necessarily to provide optimal health and wellness. The prevalence of environmental and lifestyle factors in Western societies further complicates and compounds nutrient demands, including nutrient-poor diets, improper digestion and absorption, medication-associated nutrient depletions, pre-existing conditions, inflammation, food sensitivities or allergies, and oxidative stress levels. These additional deterrents to achieving adequate nutrient status support supplementation above the current RDA and AI values established by the Institute of Medicine and the National Academies of Sciences.

 

Initial conditions of insufficiency are seen at a biochemical level often without any overt symptoms. As the duration of the insufficiency increases, additional changes appear in cellular function that can be seen as subclinical manifestations, and as the insufficiency progresses, morphological and functional changes occur that can be defined as early-stage disease. Nutrition may be the single most influential component of health maintenance since diet is the determining factor in many chronic diseases. Furthermore, certain nutrients are not efficacious unless they reach a certain amount in the serum. For these reasons, it is important to supplement above the RDAs and AIs to help replete the body with the micronutrients it needs to improve metabolic function and overall health.

As you approach client care and implement dietary supplements into your nutritional therapy protocols, consider these important factors regarding formulation (i.e., quality and purity, bioavailability, and clinically relevant dosing) to help determine the best options for your patients’ target health outcomes.

By Caitlin Higgins, MS, CNS, LDN
Technical Writer and Educational Content Developer for Designs for Health

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the NTA. They are intended for general information purposes, and are not to be considered a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 

 

 

 


 

 

Join us for a Live Webinar with one of our Instructors and Admissions Advisors!

During this call, you’ll explore and learn:

  • How to create a rewarding career in holistic nutrition that will give you the confidence and competence to replace your full-time income (whether you’re new to nutrition or or using it to enhance your current services)
  • How our unmatched education and instructor support sets our NTP program apart from other nutrition programs​​​​​​​
  • How graduates are successfully using their education and the many career opportunities available to you
  • If the NTP program is the right fit for you and how to move forward in financing your education

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You Are What You Digest: 5 Strategies for supporting your digestive system

You Are What You Digest: 5 Strategies for supporting your digestive system

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You Are What You Digest: 5 Strategies for supporting your digestive system

You are what you digest: 5 strategies for supporting your digestive system

They say you are what you eat, but the reality is that you’re really made up of what you digest. These may sound the same, but unfortunately, they are not always. If our digestive systems are not functioning properly, our bodies are unable to fully break down and absorb the nutrients we consume.

If we are prioritizing a nutrient-dense, whole foods diet, we want to make sure our cells are able to use all the wonderful nutrients we are providing. We’re going to give you five strategies to help you support proper digestion, but first, let’s discuss how digestion works.

How digestion works

Before we jump into solutions for supporting digestion, we think it’s important to have a baseline understanding of how it works. This understanding will connect you to why we recommend what we do, so we’re not giving you a random to-do list of behavior modifications. Let’s get to it.

Brain 

Digestion is a north to south process that begins in the brain. The sight and smell of food triggers the salivary glands to begin producing saliva.

Mouth

The mouth is the physical gateway to the digestive system where mechanical and chemical breakdown of the food begins. One solute in saliva is the enzyme salivary amylase, which begins carbohydrate digestion.

Stomach

Food enters the stomach as bolus. The stomach continues the mechanical breakdown of the bolus, along with a number of chemical activities and turns it into chyme.

Small Intestine

Chyme enters the duodenum and travels through the small intestines and stimulates the production of other enzymes. This is where the bulk of nutrient absorption happens.

Large Intestine

The large intestine recycles water and waste material, which nourishes the colon cells. It captures any lost nutrients that are still available (with the help of the bowel flora) and converts the nutrients to Vitamins K/B1/B2/B12 and butyric acid. Then the remnants form and are eliminated as feces.

5 Strategies for supporting your digestive system

The strategies below are powerful tools that can help you support your digestion. Implement them into your life to keep things moving properly and fuel your cells with all the goodness that nutrient-dense, whole foods have to offer.

1. Reduce stress

Digestion works best when we are in a relaxed (or parasympathetic) state. Avoid fight-or-flight hormones like epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which interrupt proper digestion. You can do this several ways, including taking a few deep breaths before eating. For more ideascheck out this blog post on reducing stress. 

2. Slow down and chew your food

This one is vital. Eat meals slowly and chew food thoroughly in order to break down carbohydrates and activate other enzymes before moving onto the next stage in digestion. Try not eat in the car or in front of the television as these activities tend to make us eat more quickly. Sit down and make your meal the main event!

3. Hydrate

It is important to stay adequately hydrated throughout the day so that your body can properly transport nutrients through your digestive tract. If you have trouble doing this, try finding a water bottle you love (we’re talking pretty colors, fancy straws, the whole nine yards!). It may sound silly, but if you love your water bottle, you might be more likely to carry it around with you and drink throughout the day.

4. Eat fermented foods

Besides being a delicious and fun way to variety to your diet, fermented foods also support your gut. They increase bioavailable nutrients and are easier to digest. The microorganisms they contain support overall gut health. (We wrote this blog post to help you increase the fermented foods in your diet.)

5. Take a walk

Movement is useful not only for reducing stress but also for stimulating the muscle contractions necessary for digestion. If you suffer from slow digestion, a 15-minute walk after each meal is a great way to improve digestion.

Digestion is one of the NTA’s foundations of health. If you’re interested in learning more about digestion and the other foundations, check out the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Online program. 


 

 

Join us for a Live Webinar with one of our Instructors and Admissions Advisors!

During this call, you’ll explore and learn:

  • How to create a rewarding career in holistic nutrition that will give you the confidence and competence to replace your full-time income (whether you’re new to nutrition or or using it to enhance your current services)
  • How our unmatched education and instructor support sets our NTP program apart from other nutrition programs​​​​​​​
  • How graduates are successfully using their education and the many career opportunities available to you
  • If the NTP program is the right fit for you and how to move forward in financing your education

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How to Cope with Stress (In a Stressed-Out World)

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How to Cope with Stress (In a Stressed-Out World)

How to Cope with Stress (In a Stressed-Out World)
Ah, stress. That sensation we reluctantly know so well. Stress as a concept is so ubiquitous in our modern lifestyle it almost needs no introduction.
You know what it is; it’s what makes your neck tense up when you’re drowning in work. It’s the exhaustion you feel when there’s too much to deal with around the house or you’re under a lot of pressure. It’s the way you drag a little after watching the news for too long.
Stress has a way of affecting us, and in fact, it has profound implications regarding our bodies and overall wellbeing.

What exactly is stress?

Stress as a set of symptoms was a term first used by a researcher named Hans Selye in the early 1930s. He defined it as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.” Selye’s work was built on the foundational work of Claude Bernard and Walter Cannon, who proposed the ideas and terminology of “homeostasis.” Triggers that can provoke a stress response include physical, mental, and emotional challenges.
The most common types of stress are psychological or emotional stress and the physiological stress that comes from the body doing its best to function optimally against all the odds stacked against it, such as overwork, toxicity, and overly processed foods.
However, stress is not inherently bad. It’s a life-saving mechanism our bodies use to turn on our alarm systems — the nervous system’s fight or flight” functionsand alert us to a situation that needs our attention. The problems arise when those alarm bells never stop ringing.

How does stress affect our bodies?

Living in a state of chronic stress puts a burden on each of our body’s systems.  During times of stress, the body will use all its energy to focus on the stress response.
Depending on the intensity of the stress, this may cause digestion to take a hit. Stress impacts several necessary players in optimal digestion, including saliva production, hydrochloric acid production, the pH of the stomach, the ability of the valves and sphincters to open and close, and so on. Think of it this way: when stress is off, digestion is off.
Because stress requires blood sugar changes, chronic stress can lead to blood sugar dysregulation. It can also contribute to mineral balance issues and other consequences.

How to cope with chronic stress

Here are some strategies for dealing with stress, particularly chronic stress that can lurk in the background of daily life. As you read this list think about ways you can practically and regularly implement some of these strategies in your day-to-day.

1. Mindfulness

Many find it helpful to practice meditation, deep breathing, or breathing exercises. These can help to bring awareness to the present moment, allowing for a state of mindfulness where judgments and worries can melt away. Spending time in nature can also be also a wonderful and effective way to cope with stress.

2. Movement

Adding movement to your day can help to offset stress and bring balance back to your nervous system, and ultimately, your life. There are many forms of movement to choose from, and everyone has different lifestyles, preferences, and levels of accessibility.
When it comes to movement, the most important thing is not what you do but that you do it. That means do what works for you— whether that’s Olympic lifting or jumping rope or vacuuming or dancing or taking a walk. It’s all beneficial.
Everyday actions can be both a mindfulness and movement practice. For example, when you sweep the floor, sweep with your whole body. When you stir a pot, stir from the hips, not just your wrist. When you reach for something on the top shelf, use it as an opportunity stretch from your feet on the floor through the reach of your fingers. When you walk, swing your arms and smile.

3. Nutrient-Dense, Whole Foods Diet

As we’ve discussed, chronic stress is detrimental to the body. Stress depletes several important nutrients that our bodily systems need to function properly. One way we can use nutrition to manage the consequences of chronic stress is by ensuring we include a variety of nutrients in our diets, especially the ones we use up in times of stress.
These nutrients include: 

  • Vitamin C 
  • B Vitamins 
  • Magnesium 
  • Zinc 
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids 
  • Antioxidants 
Remember, some stress is normal part of lifeStress is also a life-saving response that your body uses to protect you.  
However, our nervous system’s stress response is not meant to be activated 24/7. Chronic, never-ending stress is detrimental to human health.
There are a number of lifestyle techniques that are useful in reducing stress, including mindfulness, movementand nutrition. Stress involves the whole body, so in coping with it, we must think holistically.
The next chance you get, take some time to do something that helps you de-stress.
Want your recipe or article to be featured on our blog? Email our team Marketing@nutritionaltherapy.com with your full name, article, a short bio in third person, and a headshot. We may feature you in an upcoming blog post.

 

 


 

 

Join us for a Live Webinar with one of our Instructors and Admissions Advisors!

During this call, you’ll explore and learn:

  • How to create a rewarding career in holistic nutrition that will give you the confidence and competence to replace your full-time income (whether you’re new to nutrition or or using it to enhance your current services)
  • How our unmatched education and instructor support sets our NTP program apart from other nutrition programs​​​​​​​
  • How graduates are successfully using their education and the many career opportunities available to you
  • If the NTP program is the right fit for you and how to move forward in financing your education

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Q&A with an NTP featuring Lauren Curry

Q&A with an NTP featuring Lauren Curry

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Q&A with an NTP featuring Lauren Curry

 

Lauren Curry is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Restorative Wellness Practitioner, and ICU Nurse. After graduating from the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program, Lauren launched her 1:1 consulting practice. Through Your Balanced Belly, Lauren helps clients get to the root cause of their digestive dysfunction and chronic fatigue.


 

Tell us about yourself and your business:

Hi, I’m Lauren! I’m a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and an ICU Nurse. Through my practice, Your Balanced Belly, I work 1:1 with clients struggling with digestive issues and chronic fatigue. We start each initial client consultation with blood work analysis and a personalized intake process in order to help identify root causes. My goal is to not only educate clients regarding where the imbalances lie, but also HOW to restore balance to the body.

In addition to functional nutrition, I also work in the ICU at one of the Top 10 hospitals in the US. I am deeply honored to work in both functional health and critical care. My goal is always to work with, and empower clients to take charge of their health at every step – whether it’s identifying microbiome imbalances or caring for someone on life support.

What made you decide to become an (F)NTP?

I was first introduced to functional nutrition after going through my own health struggles. I was experiencing chronic digestive issues, acne, fatigue, hypothyroidism and interstitial cystitis. Unfortunately, I was continually told by conventional medicine to, “keep an eye on it” and felt let down by the very field I work in.

Thankfully, I started working with a functional nutritionist and experienced a HUGE improvement in my health. That was when I knew I had to share this field with others. It is so important to advocate for your health and find others who share that belief. It shouldn’t take a healthcare crisis for someone to take charge of their health.

I chose to enroll with the NTA over health coaching programs because I wanted to dive deeper into the physiology of digestion, identify the pillars of health, and understand what can happen when imbalances occur. I knew early on that I wanted to focus on digestion and loved that the NTA supports the body’s innate ability to heal. It was a perfect fit.

 

What is some advice you would give students who are going through the program while working full time?

Be INTENTIONAL with your time! I love that the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Online program is fully online and that the modules are divided into 1-2 week increments. The schedule allowed me to divide my time accordingly; some days were spent mostly on functional nutritional therapy, while other days were spent working 12hr shifts at the hospital. This program is 100% doable while working full time but you have to work. This program is no cake walk!

Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome and if so, how did you overcome it?

Of course! I think it’s safe to say that we ALL experience imposter syndrome. But one thing I always remind myself is that, “Your ordinary is someone else’s extraordinary.” Don’t underestimate how much value you can bring to others. When I started school, I made it a goal to post consistently. I knew the material could educate others and help build trust and rapport with my audience. It was a win-win!

How is your life different now than it was before the NTP program?

For starters… I have a business. It still feels so surreal to say that! After graduating in July, I immediately launched Your Balanced Belly. The NTA equipped me with the tools I needed to feel competent enough to launch a business. The NTP program also connected me like-minded practitioners. The entrepreneurial world can be incredibly overwhelming and lonely at times… community is key!

What goals do you have as an NTP?

I want to continue helping as many people as I can who are struggling with digestive and energy concerns. Side note – there are A LOT of people who need help from NTPs! I absolutely love nerding out with blood work analysis, stool tests, and creating bioindividual protocols with clients. It’s so rewarding to see clients feel better and more importantly UNDERSTAND how to keep it up. Nutrition and lifestyle changes take work but they are so worth it. One of the things I like to say is, “Solutions over band-aids.” You deserve to feel your best!

Follow Lauren on Instagram @yourbalancedbelly or visit her website: yourbalancedbelly.com.

Have more questions about becoming a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, what to expect from the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Online Program, or your next steps? Join us at an upcoming Info Session! NTA Instructors and our Admissions Team go LIVE every week to answer your questions and share everything you need to know about the program. See you on the webinar!

Want your recipe or article to be featured on our blog? Email our team Marketing@nutritionaltherapy.com with your full name, article, a short bio in third person, and a headshot. We may feature you in an upcoming blog post.

 

 


 

 

Join us for a Live Webinar with one of our Instructors and Admissions Advisors!

During this call, you’ll explore and learn:

  • How to create a rewarding career in holistic nutrition that will give you the confidence and competence to replace your full-time income (whether you’re new to nutrition or or using it to enhance your current services)
  • How our unmatched education and instructor support sets our NTP program apart from other nutrition programs​​​​​​​
  • How graduates are successfully using their education and the many career opportunities available to you
  • If the NTP program is the right fit for you and how to move forward in financing your education

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