National Nutrition Month
National Nutrition Month® is designed to bring attention and public awareness to the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. It makes this month a great month for a quick lifestyle check.
Start with the basics ~ Eating right does not have to be complicated. A healthy-eating plan emphasizes organic fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy (or dairy-free) and includes pasture-raised lean meats, poultry, wild caught fish, beans, and nuts. A healthy eating plan is also low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, additives, and added sugars. It’s that simple!
We Have Created New Videos!
In an effort to communicate in more detailed ways, we have spent some time this month creating new videos with our providers.
This is both exciting and quite an accomplishment. Being in front of a camera takes getting used to and over the past couple of years so many of us have become much more familiar with this medium. We hope you enjoy the window they provide into getting to know us, our services, educational events, and functional medicine as a whole.
You will find some of these videos in this email, on our Website, and our Youtube Channel. Look forward to more in the near future!
Spotlight on IV Therapy
Speaking of nutrition. . . here is what sets us apart in our offering of Nutritional IV Therapy:
- We have Doctor Supervised IV Therapy
- It is part of your unique, comprehensive Functional Medicine Health Plan, offered after careful evaluation and discussion
- We use the Highest Quality Ingredients
When might nutritional IV Therapy be helpful?
In the setting of gut irritation, poor nutrient absorption, increased intestinal permeability, or leaky gut. Sometimes we see that when a person is struggling with healing their leaky gut as a result of food sensitivities or imbalances of the gut bacteria or even medications, there are certain nutrients that are needed to help heal. It can be a circular situation where the nutrients are needed to heal but because of the gut issue those nutrients are unable to adequately be absorbed.
“It is typically after I have been working with someone for a period of time that we both come to the conclusion that there is poor absorption of nutrients and that is when we consider nutritional IV therapy.” ~ Dr. Elisa Mercuro
The other setting that sometimes we consider using Nutritional IV Therapy is to help speed up the healing process. Functional medicine is not often instant gratification medicine. It often takes time and persistence on both the part of the doctor and patient.
“In my experience thus far with nutritional IV therapy, it is a way to get a running start and sometimes make some rapid headway on nutrient deficiencies that affect the biological systems we are trying to balance such as the immune system or the energy metabolism and detoxification systems in the body.” ~ Dr. Elisa Mercuro
Prep Ahead For Simple Breakfasts
Bag Your Smoothie
Some days in the week start early and leave little time for healthy eating or eating at all! Whether it be the days you wake up early for a workout, to get the kids ready for school, or head to a work meeting, having something quick to eat is a necessity.
Try making freezer smoothie bags, with all of the ingredients you need for a delicious, nutritious smoothie, all in one place! Pick an evening during the week when you have some free time of a Sunday afternoon and make breakfasts.
Start with a zip lock sandwich bag, reusable sandwich bags like Stashers, or small glass storage containers. Fill with 1½ cups of fruit (your choice) and extras like kale, spinach, avocado, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds & more. On those early mornings pull out your frozen fruits and veggies, pop the ingredients into a blender, add unsweetened almond, coconut, or oat milk, and blend. It takes less than two minutes!
Combination Ideas To Freeze
- Peaches, Apples, Kale (finish with Oat Milk & Yogurt)
- Banana, Strawberries, Raspberries (finish with Coconut Milk)
- Blue Berries, Bananas, Chia Seeds, 1 Date (finish with Oat Milk)
- Apple, Spinach, Kale, Avocado (finish with Water & Honey)
- Mango, Banana, Pineapple (finish with Coconut Milk)
- Cocoa Powder, Banana, Fresh Mint (finish with Almond Milk)
- Cauliflower, Banana, Berries, Cocoa (finish with Coconut Milk)
- Banana, roasted Squash or Pumpkin, Spinach, Kale (Almond Milk, Maple Syrup, dash of Cinnamon & Ginger)
- Lemon & Lime Slices, Raspberries, Mint (finish w/ Water, Honey)
Add-Ins During Blending
- 1 TBSP Nut Butter
- 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Yogurt
- 1 TSP Raw Honey, or Maple Syrup
- Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, Turmeric, Ginger
- Raw Almonds, Cashews, Coconut Shavings
- Be Creative!
Some Special Days in March
National Nutrition Month
March 2: Ash Wednesday, World Teen Mental Wellness Day
March 3: World Wildlife Day
March 4: National Day of Unplugging, Employee Appreciation Day
March 6: National Dentist’s Day
March 8: International Women’s Day
March 10: World Kidney Day
National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
March 13: Daylight Saving Time
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
March 19: Certified Nurses Day
March 20: First Day of Spring
March 21: World Down Syndrome Day
March 22: World Water Day
March 24: World Tuberculosis Day
March 26: Epilepsy Awareness Day, National Spinach Day
March 30: National Take a Walk in the Park Day, Doctors Day
