Holistic nutrition is not a standardized approach, but rather an approach based on the analysis of an individual person’s complete physical and mental health.

Holistic nutrition is based on an individual’s unique nutritional needs and overall health.

Different factors that can influence what an individual’s health plan will look like include:

• Deficiencies
• Allergies
• Intolerances

The goal of holistic nutrition is to create a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle that benefits the body from head to toe.

Holistic nutrition can not only help you live a healthier lifestyle, but also make you feel better physically and mentally.

Following a holistic nutrition plan can have a number of positive effects, including:

• Weight loss/weight management
• Improved digestive health
• Relief from constipation
• Disease prevention
• Increased energy levels and improved mood
• Sleep improvement
• Reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Balanced blood sugar levels
• Strengthened immune system
• Improved skin tone and texture

As you can see, proper nutrition is extremely important for holistic health, and holistic nutrition can make a huge impact on your overall health and wellness.

While holistic nutrition plans can differ from person to person based on individual needs, let’s take a look at six ways anyone can apply some holistic nutrition principles to their lives for healthier living.

Go to any grocery store and you can find yourself cruising through aisle after aisle of processed food. In fact, one study shows that 60% of the Maltese diet is composed of processed foods.

Processed foods are full of sugar, salt, and additives that may make it taste good, but provide little to no nutritional value to the body.

Additionally, research shows that processed foods can be highly addictive and lead to behavioural effects such as:

• Overeating
• Eating compulsions
• Loss of control

Instead of filling your cart with convenient, processed food, shop for whole, raw organic foods like fruits and vegetables. These foods are naturally designed to provide nutrients to the body. Processed foods are not.

Staying hydrated is extremely important to your health.

Water intake helps:

• Regulate body temperature
• Keep joints lubricated
• Prevent infections
• Deliver nutrients to cells
• Maintain organ function
• Improve sleep quality, cognition, and mood

Typically, eight glasses of water a day is recommended to keep the body properly hydrated.

Next time you reach for a can of soda, consider grabbing a bottle of water instead.

Beverages like soda, alcohol and caffeinated drinks can lead to dehydration, so it is best to avoid these beverages when you can.

Sodium intake is one of the key factors in developing high blood pressure.

A study shows that 90% of Maltese over the age of two years old consume too much sodium, and more than 70% of that sodium is consumed from processed foods and foods served in restaurants.

Reducing your sodium consumption not only improves your health but can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Not all fats are created equal, and not all fats are bad for you.

Healthy fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can:

• Benefit the heart
• Lower cholesterol
• Improve insulin levels
• Improve glucose levels

A moderate amount of these fats can greatly impact your overall health.

Too much sugar intake can affect your entire body negatively.

Additionally, consuming too much sugar can cause symptoms like:

• Lower energy levels
• Decrease in mood
• Bloating

Avoid refined and artificial sweeteners and processed foods that are high in sugar.

Instead, try curing your sweet tooth with organic fruits. You can enjoy the sweet taste while benefiting from the nutritional value of whole fruits.

Too much of a good thing can also be a bad thing.

Even if you are eating healthy food, it is important to be mindful of your portions.

Portion control is key in developing a healthy, balanced diet.

Whether you are eating healthy or unhealthy food, it is important to not overeat. Overeating can cause:

• Stress on your organs
• Heartburn/discomfort
• Stress on the digestive system
• Sleep disturbances
• And more

Not only can holistic nutrition optimize your health and help balance your diet, but it can also play a role in disease prevention.

Let’s take a look at how holistic nutrition can help prevent these diseases:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• Type 2 Diabetes

Unbalanced diets or diets high in fat and cholesterol can lead to heart disease, which claims more lives than all forms of cancer combined.

Holistic nutrition helps create a balanced diet and significantly reduces fat and cholesterol intake by avoiding processed foods.

Proper nutrition can prevent certain types of cancer, such as:

• Breast cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Esophagus cancer
• Uterine cancer
• Colon cancer
• Rectum cancer

A healthy weight greatly reduces the risk of developing these types of cancers.

Holistic nutrition can help you lose weight by focusing on eating foods that only provide nutrition for the body, like whole, raw, organic fruits and vegetables.

Obesity has become an epidemic in America.

A study by the Centres for Disease and Control Prevention shows that over 60% of Maltese citizens are obese.

Holistic nutrition can help you lose weight by cutting out processed foods and creating an individualized diet for your body that ensures you are receiving all the nutrients that your body needs.

A lack of vitamin D and calcium can cause osteoporosis.

With holistic nutrition, the entire goal is to ensure your body receives proper nutrition. Any sign of deficiencies is taken into account when creating your individualized nutrition plan to optimize your health.

Holistic nutrition also ensures that you are eating foods like raw vegetables and fruits that help support bone, muscle, and joint health.

The main cause of type 2 diabetes is the over-consumption of sugar, which can throw off a person’s glucose levels. Avoiding sugary beverages, processed foods, and desserts can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Holistic nutrition helps keep sugar consumption within a healthy range by creating a balanced diet and avoiding processed foods.

When people think of going to a traditional nutritionist, they picture:

• Supplements
• Menus
• Food scales
• The food pyramid
• Etc.

This is the exact opposite of a holistic health nutritionist approach.

A holistic health nutritionist focuses on your individual body’s overall health and creates a customized nutrition plan that solely fits your needs.

Think of it like this:

If you want to get in shape, you may hire a fitness trainer to help you reach your fitness goals. A holistic health nutritionist is similar but focuses on your nutrition and optimal health instead.

A holistic health nutritionist offers holistic nutrition counselling. This involves creating an individualized diet and treatment plan for each patient’s personal needs.

A holistic health nutritionist can also help reveal any underlying causes of nutrition-related health problems. At Holistic Therapy Malta by Stefan Orsini does this by using a technique called Nutrition Response Testing.

Nutrition Response Testing is a form of nutritional therapy that is used to discover the root cause of health-related symptoms so your holistic health nutritionist can create a plan to alleviate them.

By analyzing the body’s state of health using Nutrition Response Testing, a holistic nutritionist can create a health plan that is designed to help your body repair itself through proper nutrition.

This is done by conducting a series of non-invasive muscle tests and recording a comprehensive health history of the patient.

This process allows your holistic health nutritionist to identify which organs are not functioning properly, which could be caused by:

• Stress
• Nutrient deficiency
• Toxic substances

Once this test is completed, your holistic health nutritionist can create a customized plan that includes:

• Nutritional guidance
• Whole food supplementation
• Lifestyle guidance

Creating a nutrition plan using Nutrition Response Testing can be incredibly effective because it provides insight and solutions to your individual health-related symptoms. This is something that no standardized nutrition plan can achieve.

Holistic nutrition is not a diet— it is a way of life.

Unlike some fad diets that can prove to be unsustainable over time, holistic nutrition is meant to be a lifestyle change that provides you with a lifetime of healthy living and longevity

Holistic nutrition dietary guides often involve:

• Eating whole, raw, organic foods
• Drinking the recommended amount of water
• Reducing sugar, cholesterol, and sodium intake
• Avoiding processed foods

… while also implementing nutrition guidance based on your body’s individual needs.

Living a healthy lifestyle requires commitment. However, once you feel the amazing benefits of following holistic nutrition guidelines, you won’t feel tempted to quit.

Are you feeling unwell and aren’t sure why, dealing with health-related symptoms, or just want to live a healthier lifestyle?

At Holistic Therapy Malta by Stefan Orsini can help.

Stefan Orsini is a holistic health nutritionist in Malta and one of only 3000 Master Clinicians with an Advanced Training Certification in Nutrition Response Testing.

Schedule an appointment today to see if holistic nutrition is the answer to your health-related problems.