Functional Nutritionist Toronto

What is functional nutrition? 

Functional Nutrition

The Functional Nutrition approach derives from Functional Medicine–a method that “determines how and why illness occurs and restores health by addressing the root causes of disease for each individual.” (The Institute For Functional Medicine)

Consequently, Functional Nutrition is a framework whereby the client (or patient) works closely together with the health practitioner, namely a functional nutritionist, to achieve optimum health through various nutritional interventions.

The key component of the Functional Nutrition approach is the focus on the person rather than the disease.

Functional nutrition is:

✓  fully personalized

✓  client-centred

✓  science-based

✓  concerned with biological systems

✓  involves the analysis of symptoms to address primary health problems

✓  centres around the root cause of dysfunction

✓  focused on prevention

✓  designed to correct imbalances

✓  includes an educational component

✓  may involve functional testing

What does a functional nutritionist do?

Functional Nutritionist

Functional Nutrition: It Starts With High-Quality Food

Therefore, a nutritionist who uses the functional medicine approach effectively uses high quality, wholesome, nutritious foods, and takes an integrated approach, viewing the health and well-being of a person as a whole.

Functional Nutrition: Gut Health

Furthermore, a health practitioner who uses the Functional Nutrition approach places a great deal of emphasis on gut health.

Because much of our immune system is located in the gut, it is vital to ensure it functions properly to avoid inflammation, risk of infections, hormonal imbalances, various auto-immune diseases and much more.

Counselling Sessions with a Functional Nutritionist

During nutritional counselling sessions with a functional nutrition practitioner, he or she examines each person on an individual basis, aiming to get to the cause of the given dysfunction(s).

To do so, he or she performs a comprehensive analysis of the person’s:

✓  health and family history

✓  medication and supplements

✓  previous medical testing

✓  eating habits (diet)

✓  lifestyle (stress, sleep, exercise)

✓  environment

✓  physical state

✓  mental state

✓  emotional state

Functional Nutrition Interventions

Once the underlying causes of the given imbalance or dysfunction are determined, a nutritionist uses a variety of highly personalized nutritional and lifestyle interventions to improve the overall health and well-being of the person.

Frequently, the nutritional interventions include the creation of a thorough, personalized meal plan based on the client’s food preferences, sensitivities, lifestyle, cultural or religious restrictions, and of course, budget.

During the process of working with a Functional Nutritionist clients receive completely customized support, ongoing adjustments, specific recommendations, useful strategies and accountability.

Functional Nutritionist

Functional Nutritionist Toronto

JM Nutrition’s Vanessa Phillips, BSc, MSc, is Clinical Nutritionist and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who uses a Functional Medicine approach.

Furthermore, Vanessa is a graduate of the Middlesex University in London, United Kingdom, and a member of the Institute For Functional Medicine.

As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Functional Nutritionist, Vanessa has over 11 years of experience helping to manage various health conditions and nutrition-related concerns.

Learn more about Vanessa