EPISODE 96
Healing Thyroid Autoimmunity Through Functional Nutrition with Andrea Nakayama
“Nutrition is about growth, metabolism, and repair. It’s not just about the food we eat or don’t eat.” – Andrea Nakayama
If you have a chronic condition, you’ve probably been advised to cut certain foods or food groups from your diet. Whether going gluten-free or dairy-free or switching to a diet like keto or paleo, many people with chronic conditions find themselves on increasingly restrictive diets, struggling to make progress.
A holistic approach to nutrition and health considers the complexity of the body’s systems and each person’s individual needs. That means making sustainable changes to improve our lifestyle rather than forcing an overly restrictive diet.
Today I’m excited to chat with Andrea Nakayama, a Functional Medicine Nutritionist, and educator, who has led thousands of clients, and now teaches even more coaches and clinicians around the world in a revolution reclaiming ownership of both their own and their clients’ health.
In this episode, Andrea and I discuss the interconnectedness of all aspects of our health, the role of diet in managing thyroid autoimmunity, why we need individualized nutrition plans, Andrea’s perspective on the limitations of restrictive diets for long-term health, how to make sustainable changes to your diet and lifestyle, and more. Enjoy the episode!
About Andrea Nakayama
Andrea Nakayama is a Functional Medicine Nutritionist and educator, who has led thousands of clients, and now teaches even more coaches and clinicians around the world in a revolution reclaiming ownership of both their own and their clients’ health.
As the host of the 15-Minute Matrix Podcast and the founder and former CEO of Functional Nutrition Alliance, Andrea draws on systems biology, mental models, root cause methodology and the therapeutic partnership to offer long-awaited solutions for the rapidly growing chronic illness epidemic.
After losing her young husband to a brain tumor in 2002, she discovered a passion for using food as personalized medicine and is now regularly consulted as the nutrition expert for the toughest clinical cases in the practices of many world-renowned doctors. She trains nearly four thousand practitioners each year in her methodologies so that they too can become the last stop for their clients and patients as well as a trusted referral partner for doctors in their area.
During this episode, you’ll learn:
- How Andrea’s husband’s brain tumor diagnosis opened her eyes to the gaps in the medical system
- Andrea’s journey to becoming a functional medicine nutritionist and educator
- The three tenets of a functional practice
- Functional nutrition versus functional medicine
- Why it’s essential to understand the roots of a condition via a patient’s history and timeline
- Antecedents, triggers, and mediators in functional nutrition
- Andrea’s Three Roots, Many Branches model for chronic conditions and how the Circle of Influence gives us agency
- Dietary intervention principles and why an individual approach is essential
- Dietary eliminations and special considerations for people with complicated relationships with food, dieting, and their bodies
- A case study of a Hashimoto’s patient with disordered eating
- The potential dangers of long-term restricted diets and how to approach making sustainable changes
- Andrea’s three tiers of nutrition mastery
- Why poop is our best diagnostic tool
- Functional nutrition tips for practitioners
- Steps you can take if you’re interested in a functional nutrition approach
Connect with Andrea Nakayama
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