Metabolic Health

Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson discusses the three major types of stress: emotional, physical, and chemical. She explains that understanding these different types of stress can help individuals manage it more effectively. Emotional stress is caused by overwhelming situations, while physical stress results from physical exertion or trauma. Chemical stress, often overlooked, comes from toxins, infections, and other harmful substances. Nicholson emphasizes the importance of managing each type of stress through various strategies such as meditation, exercise, avoiding toxins, and healing the gut. She also highlights the negative effects of chronic stress on the body and the need to investigate and address individual health challenges.

Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson discusses the challenges of evaluating nutrition headlines and research. She highlights a specific article titled "Keto-like diet may be linked to higher risk of heart disease and cardiac events" and explains why it is unreliable and misleading. The study relied on self-reported dietary questionnaires, which are notoriously unreliable, and only looked at participants' diets for a single day, which does not reflect their overall eating habits. The study's definition of a "keto-like" diet also deviated from the widely accepted definition of a ketogenic diet. Furthermore, the study did not consider other factors that may impact participants' health. Nicholson advises not to take conclusions from these articles at face value and reminds readers to consider the context and methods used in any study before drawing conclusions.

She also discusses the challenges of conducting proper nutrition research, citing the complexity of the field and the difficulty of accurately reflecting real-world eating habits and lifestyle factors. She emphasizes the importance of evaluating studies for reliability, considering factors such as sample size, control groups, methodology, data collection methods, and funding sources behind the research. Nicholson suggests working with a qualified practitioner who can help navigate the confusing landscape of nutrition research and create an individualized plan that considers unique needs. Mainstream information often overlooks individual needs and may be based on biased or inaccurate information.

Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson shares her personal journey of investigating and solving her own health challenges through a scientific approach. Despite following conventional advice for heart health, their condition worsened, prompting her to dive deeper into her own investigation. Through extensive research, lab tests, and self-analysis, she discovered imbalances such as insulin resistance, blood sugar imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, and poor gut health.

Armed with this evidence, Andrea implemented a targeted protocol to eliminate the culprits, repair her body, and restore optimal health. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a clean and supportive lifestyle to protect the achieved results. Based on her experiences, she developed the Pristine Scene Method, a five-step process that involves investigating the case, analyzing the evidence, eliminating perpetrators, cleaning up the scene, and protecting it for long-term health.

In the Holistic Health Bites podcast, Functional Nutritionist Andrea Nicholson discusses the benefits and challenges of working with multiple healthcare practitioners. By having a team of practitioners, you gain access to different specialties and backgrounds, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of your health and a personalized treatment plan. Each practitioner has their own role and responsibility, so it's important to understand their expertise and how they contribute to your health plan. Conflicting opinions and communication issues may arise, but ultimately, you are in control of your health decisions and can choose what feels right for you. Coordinating communication and keeping track of each provider's information can help ensure everyone is on the same page. Despite the challenges, working with multiple practitioners can provide a holistic approach to your overall health and wellbeing.