Explore functional nutrition to help your clients improve their gut health!

A functional food is a food that has another function or benefit other than providing calories and essential nutrients. Some foods help reduce inflammation, some alleviate constipation or diarrhea, and others can support our immune system. Functional foods can be a topic of discussion with a variety of clients – ranging from clients desiring weight loss to clients wanting to make overall healthy changes for their heart, cardiovascular system, or health aging! This guide will be useful, time and time again, in your practice.

Topics covered in this client education handout set include:

  • Fiber
    • Fiber is only found in plant foods: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They are carbohydrates that cannot be broken down by our own digestive system. While there are many different types of dietary fiber, it is easiest to categorize them into 2 groups: Insoluble and Soluble fiber.
  • Probiotics
    • Probiotics are foods that are cultured and eaten with live bacteria. Research is ongoing in this area of nutrition, but there are some strains of bacteria that are known to be helpful when it comes to maintaining a healthy gut.
  • Polyphenols
    • Polyphenols are compounds found in plant foods. It is an umbrella term that covers a broad spectrum of known compounds including resverotrol, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. All these compounds act as antioxidants and help in reducing inflammation in the body. These foods can help reduce a person’s risk of developing cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
  • Omega-3s
    • Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that are very beneficial to overall cardiovascular health. Omega-3s have anti-inflammatory effects which help your body handle stress and reduce risk factors associated with chronic diseases.
  • Overall Diet Pattern
    • A well rounded diet pattern will include all the important factors that improve health over the lifespan. The following diet patterns have been studied for their health outcomes, and include functional foods with every meal. Time and time again, they prove to be patterns of eating that are beneficial to human health.

Also in this 7 page package includes a reference guide, citing sources and research supporting this handout!

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