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CLINICAL NUTRITION

What is Clinical Nutrition?

Clinical Nutrition is an integral aspect of naturopathic healing. Everything that is eaten and ultimately digested will have a profound and direct effect on the physical health of the organ systems, the emotions, and even the mental/spiritual bodies. Hippocrates said, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” Naturopathic doctors follow this principle and will address a patient's physical symptoms by helping them to make imperative dietary adjustments that address the root of the problem. Studied knowledge of physiology and biochemistry are required, in which ND’s then educate their patients about dietary influences on their disease symptoms. Clinical Nutrition is the study of the relationship of food and a healthy body.

Good Nutrition Equals Health

 

Whether you choose to fill your body with nutritious, organic foods for preventative reasons, or you are trying to reverse symptoms that are telling you your body is in need - good nutrition is the ultimate foundation of all health. Eating healthy on a daily basis, while building your immune system via a sound nutritional plan, can automatically reduce and relieve allergy symptoms, reduce excessive weight, help balance mood swings and even lift depression. In keeping with Naturopathic principles, a naturopathic doctor will address a individuals health, assessing his or her nutritional status and dietary needs. There is no 'one-size fits all' diet that will correct a specific condition. Though through clinical studies, most people may fit into a designated nutritional grouping via blood or body type; that does not account for other factors such as one's daily stress levels,  behavioral family patterns, and eating or exercise habits.

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Many conditions of illness can be treated very effectively with specific organic foods and nutritional supplements, while avoiding the complications and side effects of drug therapies, provided that one has not waited too long to address their symptoms. A Naturopathic doctor will address your health concerns by the prescribing and monitoring of certain vitamins, minerals, enzymes and specialized diets.
 

Sometimes changing one’s diet is enough to improve one’s health status. But for most people, it is often necessary to supplement dietary changes with additional nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, enzymes or amino acids. Clinical nutrition involves utilizing these other ingredients in specific ways unique to each patient, to help heal and prevent disease. Nutrients can be given in oral preparations or in injection forms, such as IV’s.  A Clinical Nutrition plan can include cleansing, nourishment, detoxification, fluid and electrolyte balance, diagnosis of blood type, vitamins, supplements, anti-oxidants, anti-stress elements, physical fitness, and mental and emotional patterns.

The Clinical Nutrition - Naturopathy Fit 

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They go hand in hand. The basic philosophy of Naturopathic Medicine is the interrelationship between food nutrition and the body's system/organ function. The goal of Naturopathic treatment is to support the wisdom of the body and to facilitate the body’s ability to heal itself. Thus, Naturopathic doctors work in harmony with the body and with nature.


Most Naturopathic medical schools provide a four to five year program. The first two years of training include all of the biomedical sciences. The second half of the program focuses on the application of clinical skills. In addition to learning natural therapeutics and clinical nutrition, Naturopathic doctors are trained in pharmacology and are experts in drug-nutrient interactions. A Clinical Nutrition program designed by a Naturopathic doctor can: 

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  • Address ADHD & Spectrum Disorders: Many parents are beginning to seek Naturopathic remedies for their children's symptoms, due to the unwanted and difficult physical and behavioral side effects of drugs commonly prescribed by the Allopathic medicine and Pharmaceutical industries.
     

  • Assist in Weight Reduction:  It is now widely known that white flour products and sugar are prerequisites to chronic internal inflammation conditions, ultimate weight gain and disease. Since over 95% of all manufactured boxed food goods contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and wheat substances, the American diet is laden with nothing but non-nutritious foods. Getting started on an organic food plan can immediately show weight loss results in as soon as two to three weeks.
     

  • Heal Chronic Symptoms: By the time a body condition becomes chronic, it means that the core root of the problem has not yet been addressed. Getting to the root of what is occurring is imperative if chronic symptoms such as arthritic pain, back issues, digestive issues, migraine headaches or skin conditions are to be relieved.
     

  • Balance Supplement Needs: Not all bodies are capable of absorbing nutrients directly from their food because the body's ability to absorb might be the actual issue. Not all foods are nutritious - such as canned or boxed foods. Not all grown fruits and vegetables contain the nutrition values they once did fifty years ago - because of industry overproduction, the use of pesticides and cross-country shipping, which devalues the immediate nutrition benefits of freshly picked produce. Getting the proper supplementation based on your body's specific needs must be addressed clinically by your Naturopathic doctor.
     

  • Reduce Pain: Chronic pain often becomes a specific disease if left unchecked. Inflammation conditions can turn into painful arthritis, spine and disc problems, chronic fatigue syndrome, IBS (irritable bowel), and many other illnesses that cause pain on a daily basis. Pain is one of your body's signals that something is not right. Address it before it turns into a disease.

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  • Speed Injury Recovery: Naturopathic treatment of injuries will utilize organic remedies that directly assist the body in repairing damaged tissue, which allows for proper recovery. Naturopathic care is designed to control inflammation, which when the injured area is relieved of inflammation symptoms, the body can stimulate it's own inherent healing capabilities, rather than drugging and masking symptoms. Drugging and masking do not address the root of the problem, nor the healing of the injury.

      

Chronic Inflammation Can Cause Disease 

  • ​Carpel tunnel syndrome

  • Chron's disease

  • Colitis

  • Congestive heart failure

  • COPD

  • Depression

  • Diabetes

  • Diarrhea

  • Diverticulitis

  • Eczema

  • ED

  • Edema

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Gall bladder attacks

  • Gastric bypass

  • Generalized anxiety disorder

  • High blood pressure

  • High cholesterol

  • Hypothyroid

  • Joint pain

  • Kidney failure

  • Ligament nerves

  • Liver disease  

  • Migraine headaches

  • Muscular atrophy

  • Neuropathy

  • Obesity

  • Osteoporosis

  • Panic attacks

  • PSTD

  • Rheumatoid arthritis

  • Sleep apnea

  • Stroke

  • Thyroid issues

  • Yeast infections

  • and more. 

  • Acid reflux

  • Asthma

  • Alcohol addiction

  • Allergies

  • Alzheimers

  • Anemia

  • Anxiety

  • Arthritis

  • Atrial fibrillation

  • Back pain

  • Bells palsy

  • Birth defects

  • Blood sugar issues

  • Bone & joint pain

  • Breast cancer

  • Bursitis

  • Cancer

  • Cardio vascular disease

Why NOT Try Organic Foods and Natural Herbs?

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Naturopathic doctors follow the same general model as Medical doctors, with extra assessments and therapies incorporated. In decades past, the human population readily and without question accepted pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by their doctors as the only hope to heal their diseases. Only in recent years, (mainly via the benefit of the internet), have so many people begun to question the industry that charges astronomical prices for insurance, prescription drugs and medical testing costs. The entire wholistic movement, including the opening of stores such as Whole Foods, Wegman's and local organic home-grown vegetable stands has come about because the masses have begun to finally take responsibility for individual and family health. People are now beginning to question the drugs their doctors prescribe. Every major magazine advertises a one page pharmaceutical drug ad, with another two to three pages that follow of listed side effects of the advertised drug, and this has become 'standardized advertising'. Luckily, people are now beginning to seek alternative and natural ways to heal because the medical system has been grossly overcome with corporate greed. The question is: why NOT try organic foods and natural herbs? Under the proper guidance of a Naturopathic doctor, what has one got to loose?

 

If one is not experiencing dire medical emergency, changing one's diet over to an organic based one is not such a bad idea. A Naturopathic doctor can not only assess your body condition, he or she can help you stick to a plan that works.

Your Health is an Investment - Not an Expense

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

with NJ's Top

Naturopathic Doctor

DR. RODGER, ND

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