What is Nutrioptima?

Nutrioptima is about the science of how to gain the optimum amount of nutrition from the foods that you eat based on diagnostic blood profiling. It is the science behind the biochemistry of how your body utilizes food in order to metabolize it for many uses.

About Diagnostic Blood Profiling

In order to generate a unique plan for an individual, the Healthy & Active Program uses the results of a combination of diagnostics; blood test, medical history, and your current health needs and goals. Combined, the results will reveal patterns that indicate what your nutritional needs are. These revealed patterns unlock the mysteries of your body – they can indicate the functioning of your organs, internal systems, thyroid and hormone functioning, and more. 

Revisiting the application of this research and philosophy regarding blood chemistry screening and diagnostic tools is necessary ine as it is an essential part of enabling such restorative and curative naturopathic applications such as metabolic typing for vitality and weight management.

Historically, alternative medicine did not involve the use of testing blood chemistry, as it was a part of allopathic medicine that required a medical degree. Purist practitioners considered it to be contrary to the diagnostic traditions of holism. However, the qualification of the naturopathic doctor to administer conventional blood work tests, plus additional tests has greatly increased added to ease of practice. I can imagine that those new to the profession could hardly fathom practicing without access to these tests today.

Blood Chemistry Profiles in Holism

An obvious conclusion is that blood chemistry is now essential to a naturopathic doctor’s practice. It provides accurate insights into the working of a patient’s metabolism as well any organ dysfunctions that could be resolved with the use of any of our core modalities.  It is important to get back to the basics and make use of the fundamental theoretical, and practical study of blood chemistry and what it can reveal about nutrition, hormones and other health factors that may be impacting the health of any patient. Furthermore, it is important that interpretations of blood chemistry be taught in a standardized manner that is inclusive of the study of this as a healing art in the last century.

The Healthy & Active Lifestyle Program  is a multifaceted experience in which you will learn about metabolism, blood testing, and importance of food and exercise. YouThe Healthy & Active Program takes the advances of modern medicine and combines them with a unique naturopathic interpretation to create a simple method of nourishing our body according to its needs. It will change your life. If you are a doctor consider that this program can change the life of your patients!

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.

The HAP Acid/Alkaline Principle

An essential tenet of the Healthy & Active Program is that the best way to detoxify your body and prevent illness is to balance the pH in your body using the acid/alkaline pH balance to eating. Whether you are well, or unwell, balancing the pH of your diet is one big major step, that is completely within your control, towards restoring health or achieving optimum wellness. 

Understanding the pH scale

To understand the basic premise behind the Acid/Alkaline principle it is important to understand how the pH scale works.

The pH scale is from  

0 - 14 0 1 2  3  4  5  6  7 healthy  8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline (7.35 - 7.45).  Below or above this range means that you are setting yourself up to contract warning symptoms or a disease.  A pH of 7.0 is neutral.  A pH below 7.0 is acidic.  A pH above 7.0 is alkaline. You want to maintain a blood pH rating that is as close to 7.0 as possible. Your body is healthiest when it is in a slightly alkaline pH balanced state that is above 7.0.

An acidic pH state happens in the body when you eat foods that acid forming, experience too much emotional stress, work out your adrenalin glands too much to produce cortisol and or experience a major immune reaction.  The minute that anything happens that deprives your cells of oxygen, the more acidic your blood becomes.  If you are eating a diet that is acidic, your body will store and build up and accumulation acids.  Often the body will try to create balance and compensate for the acidic pH levels by leaching alkaline minerals from your tissues and bones. This is a desperate attempt on the part of your biochemistry to keep your system in balance.

Negative Effects of Acidity 

A consistent acidic pH level in the body will: 

      

·      reduce the body's ability to absorb oxygen, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that we have not even discovered yet

·      decrease the energy production in the cells and therefore decrease our overall available energy

·      diminish a cell’s ability to repair itself and fight off invaders

·      decrease it's ability to detoxify itself of heavy metals

·      feed tumor cells

   

Maintaining a Healthy pH Balance

To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods.  To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.  The more alkaline your diet is, the more able your body will be able to go through its cleansing and repairing cycles.

Alkaline foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.

Acidic foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.

People are most addicted to eating the foods that they like with little consideration of whether or not the food is good for them. One of the goals of the Healthy and Active Program is to get you to recognize when your body is descending into an acidic state. " Continued imbalance of the acid-alkaline state can lead to health problems from inflammation, chronic fatigue, ulcers, back pain and many other illnesses.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.

HAP (Healthy and Active Program) For Beginners

If you have stumbled upon this blog while surfing the Internet, you might be wondering exactly what is the HAP (Healthy & Active) Program? In essence it is a proven metabolism based nutrition program that is aimed at boosting your metabolism. There are no powders, drugs and you don’t have to count calories. This is a simple analysis of your blood components that tells your naturopath what foods you should be eating to maintain a healthy metabolism combined with advice tailored specifically to your needs as to what sorts of foods you should be eating.

The HAP Consultation

The metabolism program begins with an initial consultation in which you are given a full examination so that the doctors can gain an understanding of your overall state of health, lifestyle practices and dietary habits.  A procedure called a Body/Biolelectrical Analysis (BIA) is also conducted to determine your body fat percentage.

During a BIA test a low safe electrical current is passed through the body.  The fluid passes easily through fluids but encounters a phenomenon known as “bioelectrical impedance” when it encounters fat tissue.  This resistance detected by the current is then measured by a computer to figure out your fat percentage. The BIA is usually performed there times during the program to establish a baseline for your body fat index and measure your progress as you journey through the lifestyle changes.

Blood is also drawn and sent to a laboratory for analysis. There are 42 different values that will help provide substantial metabolic analysis of your blood.   Your naturopathic doctor then creates a nutritional plan specific to your specific needs after evaluating the results of the blood analysis.

Your Personal Nutrition Plan

Parsnip and White Bean Soup
A Delicious HAP Recipe

When your blood results arrive back, your naturopathic doctor will then review it to help you understand how it works and discuss the three phases of HAP.

Phase #1 – The Preparation Phase. This phase takes two days and prepared your body for the coming adjustments.

Phase #2 – Metabolic Adjustment. This phase takes four weeks during which time the body adjusts to the new way of eating.  Foods that may have been disabling your metabolism from working properly are replaced with foods that boost it.

Phase #3 – This phase takes four weeks during which your adjusted metabolism is strengthened as you adjust to your new eating and lifestyle habits.

The Follow Up

Once you have cycled through the program your ND will conduct a second BIA to make sure you are maintaining it well.  You will also be offered exercise guidance and emotional support throughout the entire program.  Exercises that fit your specific needs will be recommended, as well as a routine that fits in with your lifestyle.

Remember that this is a program tailored specifically to your needs and the program that works for you may not work for a friend or relative asking you to “pass it on.”  The fact is that the HAP program works just simply because it is so individualized.

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.