Eating well is important to help people stay healthy and independent in their senior years. A balanced diet includes nutrient-dense foods in the right amounts to help your body stay fit and healthy.

Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies may not digest foods as easily, and absorption of nutrients may be compromised. Many foods now are much less nutrient-dense than they were years ago due to changes in the soil and growing and harvesting practices. In addition, foods often contain significant amounts of pesticides, herbicides, waxes and other substances which are detrimental to our health, and which can reduce the amount of anti-oxidants that are available in our bodies. Prescription medications such as statin drugs, diabetes and blood pressure medications, and even antacids commonly cause a variety of nutritional deficiencies. As a result, such deficiencies are commonplace in patients and may go undetected until they present with more serious issues such as diabetes, cancer, or cardiovascular injury.

Nutrition is all about the study of food and how our bodies use food as fuel for growth and daily activities. The macronutrients, or “big” nutrients, include proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The micronutrients, or “little” nutrients, are the vitamins and minerals that are required as cofactors in various enzymatic processes which enable the body to function optimally.  The amounts of these micro and macronutrients needed vary from individual to individual based on age, sex, weight, genetics and lifestyle factors including prescription drug use and supplement intake. For this reason, it is impossible to prescribe a “one size fits all” nutrient regimen or to determine nutrient needs without doing specific testing. At Sarasota Wellness, we are familiar with the various nutrient tests on the market, including their sensitivities and specificities. Labwork is drawn in the office, and results are reviewed with the patients. We recommend specific dietary and pharmaceutical grade nutraceutical supplementation regimens to correct these deficits. Symptom improvement usually occurs with one to three months, but may occur in as little as a day.