After 21 years of practicing Chinese Medicine, I’ve learned that people don’t heal unless their bodies are properly nourished. So in my practice food and nutrition come first with every patient, even before herbs.
Sometimes people ask me if I’m “certified” as a nutritional counselor. This is a good question. Most people don’t realize that Licensed Acupuncturists in California are educated in nutritional therapy and can make dietary recommendations under our scope of practice. But we all have varying levels of interest and experience in this area, and some, like me, have gone on to make it a specialty.
For the past 20 years I’ve researched nutrition and experimented with many different dietary approaches. I’ve found that most people would like to eat in a way that nourishes them and maintains optimal health, but they’re confused about how to do this. And in the absence of an adequate diet, people often resort to synthetic vitamin supplements and fad superfoods, hoping they can make up in a pill what they’re not getting in food.
There is also so much confusion about what constitutes a good diet. We are sold an endless assortment of contradictory advice about what to eat to lose weight, gain energy, cure disease, and improve our sex lives. Much of what we are told is not only confusing but potentially harmful. And unfortunately, we can’t rely on the medical establishment to help us. Most doctors have no training in nutrition, and would rather give you a drug than address the root cause of your illness. Even most nutritional counselors trained in conventional dietetics give bad advice based on dangerously outmoded ideas that are not supported by science. An example of this nonsense is that saturated fat and cholesterol are harmful and contribute to heart disease. You may be shocked that this notion, though still promoted by almost all doctors and many nutritionists, is simply not true.
My approach is grounded in whole foods nutrition and based on the wisdom of traditional cultures. (This approach is best exemplified by the work of the Weston Price Foundation and researchers like Mary Enig.) When supplements are needed I use whole foods products made by Standard Process. These high quality food-sourced supplements support the body in a completely natural way,without the need for isolated synthetic ingredients that often stress the body and cause more harm than good.
When you see me for a nutritional consultation I evaluate your current dietary habits in relation to your lifestyle, health issues, and goals. Sometimes I can make immediate simple recommendations for dietary changes or a supplement protocol that is customized to meet your needs. If necessary, I can order functional lab tests to evaluate different body systems. Brief follow up appointments are usually scheduled for two to four weeks, to check on your progress and make necessary adjustments in your protocol.
The cost for your initial nutritional evaluation is $150. Follow up appointments vary from $75 to $100 depending on how much time is required.
I hesitate to name specialties because whole foods nutrition is the basis for all healing, no matter the diagnosis. But it may help to know that I have experience working with menopause, diabetes, weight loss, osteoporosis, chronic digestive problems, fatigue, low immunity, thyroid issues, high blood pressure, mood disorders, and high cholesterol.
Call of Email to set up your initial appointment
Narrye Caldwell, L.Ac.
Phone: (408) 489-8268
email me (nc@narryecaldwell.com)
