General
Testing shouldn’t be your only consideration
I take things a step further with my clients to get them even better results: aside from using Food Tests to help guide the meal planning process, I incorporate my own science and wisdom about food and nutrition into the mix. I also address other lifestyle factors that are sabotaging health (things that most other health practitioners wouldn’t even consider). My model is more holistic, in that I look at the whole picture, not just an assortment of body parts or symptoms. This is absolutely paramount if you actually want to heal.
FOOD & SPIRIT DEFINED
Food & Spirit is a functional, innovative, science-based approach to nutrition. Dr. Deanna Minich is the founder. The concept artfully blends traditional eastern ideologies into the framework of 21st century personalized nutrition. The program is centered in building self-confidence around everyday food choices and provides a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between our food, our planet, our bodies and our minds. Food & Spirit beautifully connects the notion that food is not only medicine, but is also our connection to the world and each other.
This approach looks at individuals as a WHOLE person—not just your body, or only the foods you eat, but to see you as a multi-faceted being comprised of 7 Aspects. These 7 Aspects come from ancient traditions and are what are called:
ROOT, FLOW, FIRE, LOVE, TRUTH, INSIGHT AND SPIRIT
ROOT, FLOW, FIRE, LOVE, TRUTH, INSIGHT AND SPIRIT
RED:
Root chakra; needed for survival and stability. Red apples, beets, red cabbage, cherries, cranberries, pink grapefruit, red grapes, red peppers, pomegranates, red potatoes, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon.
ORANGE:
Sacral chakra; creates flow and fluidity. Apricots, butternut squash, cantaloupe, carrots, grapefruit, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, persimmons, pumpkin, rutabagas, yellow summer or winter squash, sweet potatoes, tangerines.
YELLOW:
Solar plexus chakra; wields the fiery power of transformation. Apple (Golden Delicious), Asian pears, bananas, bell peppers, corn, corn-on-the-cob, ginger root, greens, kale, lemon, pineapple, potatoes (Yukon), star fruit.
GREEN:
Heart chakra; allows for expansion into empathy and compassion. Green apples, artichokes, asparagus, avocados, green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, cucumbers, green grapes, honeydew melon, kiwi, lettuce, limes, green onions, peas, green peppers, spinach, zucchini.
AQUAMARINE:
Throat chakra; enables authenticity and truth to come through our unique voice. Isn’t it interesting that we do not have aquamarine-colored foods? Here is where we can pause to reflect about how we are taking in these colors and foods through our throat, are we eating mindfully? Are we integrating our senses and all colors in the eating experience?
BLUE-PURPLE:
Third eye chakra, endows us with wisdom and intuition. Purple kale, purple cabbage, purple potatoes, eggplant, purple grapes, blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries, Marion berries, raisins, figs, plums.
LAVENDAR:
Crown chakra; connects us to the life force that animates us. Cauliflower, garlic, coconut, onions.
Getting the array of colors is essential to nourishing our body through the chakra system. Here are some colors and their chakra correlations, along with some ideas about foods to get the best nutrition through a variety of plant foods:
There is much more to food than we realize, and I don’t believe even science has caught up to applying fields like quantum physics to understand the frequency of food and how that impacts us on a subtle level. We are on the path of merging science and spirituality in the 21st century.
FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATED MEDICINE DEFINED
The primary focus of Functional Integrated Medicine is evaluating the root-causes of an illness and addressing it through lifestyle management, focusing on nutrition, sleep and mindful activity.
Functional medicine integrates traditional Western medical practices with what is sometimes considered “alternative” or “integrative” medicine, creating a focus on prevention through nutrition, diet, and exercise; use of the latest laboratory testing and other diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of botanical medicines, supplements, custom diets, detoxification programs, or stress-management techniques.
Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and healthcare practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. Functional medicine practitioners spend time with their patients, listening to their histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and chronic disease.
Interested in starting on the path to a better you?