Functional nutrition promotes health and well-being through whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and clean proteins.  These foods are at the center of the Mediterranean diet, which is the most studied dietary pattern of eating.  That said, no one diet is best for everyone.  Talk with your doctor before initiating any diet or lifestyle changes.

Yes!  Optimal health is more than just the food you eat.  Exercising at least 150 minutes a week, quality sleep, and reducing stress all help to improve your overall well-being.

Highly processed and ultra-processed foods have been prominent in the news lately.  These foods are typically created in a lab, typically from a whole food component that is then scientifically modified to improve flavor, texture, and other addictive ingredients.  Most are high in unhealthy fats, sugars, salt, and preservatives.  If your food is made in a lab, it takes a lab to digest it.

If you have a health condition like cardiac disease, diabetes, kidney disease, neurodegenerative disorders, or food allergies, it is important to talk to your doctor or a registered dietician to learn about foods that you should avoid or include in your daily meals.  For instance, in kidney disease, you may need to limit the amount of potassium that you are consuming.  For diabetes, you may want to learn more about the glycemic index of different foods to help improve blood glucose levels.

Eating clean foods is important to your overall health.  Purchase organic as much as possible.  If the cost is prohibitive, research the “Dirty Dozen and Clean 15” lists on the Environmental Working Group website here.  Wild caught, pasture-raised, and grass-fed and finished proteins are also recommended.