Winter 2023// Week 4: Integrative Nutrition and Supplements with Jessica Coghill

This week, we invited Jessica Coghill to come and speak about nutrition and supplements. Jessica Coghill is an integrative functional medicine-based nutritionist. She is a Board Certified Nutrition Specialist and has a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition.

Integrative nutrition combines integrative medicinal principles (which seek to identify the root cause of health issues using lab work and clinical history) with functional medicine principles (which looks beyond and considers aspects that impact health as a whole, such as lifestyle, environment, nervous system health).

Jessica Coghill emphasized the importance of a personalized nutritional lifestyle that focuses on each individual rather than generalizing one diet for everyone. Some factors that affect a person's nutrition plan include food allergies, individual energy requirements (such as high cholesterol, high blood sugar, etc.), clinical symptomology (digestive issues, pain, etc.), and personal goals. Additionally, other factors that are often overlooked include food preferences, financial limitations, and time constraints. Jessica Coghill explained that our meals should be healthy, but satisfying. This way eating healthy foods doesn’t seem like a chore, but rather an actual meal which you enjoy.

Jessica Coghill then went on to explain the basics of implementing health-supportive nutritional lifestyle changes, which includes eating a mostly whole food diet; becoming familiar with the importance of the food you eat and what macronutrients it contains; enjoying a balanced mean; keeping yourself properly hydrated; and including supplements that help support the body's chemical processes.

A whole food diet contains food that is as close to its natural state as possible. This includes food such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, proteins, nuts and seeds, and dairy products that are made from whole milk. Whole foods provide us with essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fibers. They are also lower in calories and fat, help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases (such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, etc.), and help improve mental health and reduce stress.

Macronutrients include carbohydrates (the main source of energy), protein (which helps to build cells, tissues, and muscles), and fat (a slow-burning energy source). Carbohydrates are essential for repair after physical activity and for the brain and other nerve cells to function properly. Proteins are essential for immune functions and provide the body with enzymes that break down other nutrients. Finally, fat is essential for hormone function and makes up the lipid cell membrane and its neuroprotective.

To balance a meal, Jessica Coghill stated that we should have around 50% of Non-Starchy vegetables, 25% of protein, 25% of starch, and a little bit of fat for dressing (such as coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, etc.)

Proper hydration is also very important for maintaining overall health. Ways to properly hydrate include drinking half your body weight in ounces plus an additional 15 ounces per every 30 minutes of exercise. Additionally, supplementing water with electrolytes and making sure water is properly filtered are also good ways to make sure the body is hydrated.

Jessica Coghill also discussed the use of supplements. She stated that supplements should not be the primary form of nutrition ,but rather, they should be used to help fill in gaps that the regular diet may not fill. Some general supplements include Omega-3 EPA/DHA for anti-inflammation, ashwagandha for adaptogens, multivitamins for nutrient enhancement, and NAC for immunity. Again, it is important to remember that supplements and diets should all be tailored and personalized to each individual depending on their goals, lifestyle, and other considerations!

If you want to learn more about Jessica Coghill, be sure to check out her website at: https://www.vitalrootwellness.com/