Let Food be Your Medicine

Dr. Zimmermann is thoroughly trained in the use of diet therapy and clinical nutrition.

Proper nutrition serves as the foundation of naturopathic medicine. There is a growing body of knowledge that supports the use of whole foods and nutritional supplements in the maintenance of health and the treatment of disease.

Numerous studies utilizing rigorous scientific design have demonstrated impressive benefits from diet changes and nutritional supplementation.

Folic acid supplements, for example, are now routinely recommended to women of childbearing age and during pregnancy in order to help prevent neural tube defects which can lead to disabling conditions such as spina bifida.

Recent research on Vitamin D has demonstrated that its benefits are not limited to improving Calcium absorption and prevention of osteoporosis but also extend to the possible prevention of Multiple Sclerosis and a variety of cancers.

rent kinds of diets have long been shown to be effective for certain health conditions.

MS patients, for example, fare better on a low saturated, high unsaturated fatty acid diet including generous amounts of Omega three fatty acids. Such a diet has been shown to clearly reduce the rate of deterioration over the long term in such patients.

Patients with Candida need to especially careful not to eat too many simple sugars, which includes fruit and fruit juices. Many people thinks that only white sugar aggravates Candida, but this is not the case.

Many children with Autism respond well to an elimination of Gluten and Casein from their diets. This diet change can produce significant improvements in cognitive function, behaviour, immune system function and overall wellness.

Food allergies affect many people unknowingly. Often something as simple as a avoiding certain food or even a certain additive can make an enormous difference in a person's life.

I remember the case of a 53-year-old man suffering from severe spasm of the esophagus almost every night, which made sleep virtually impossible. He had seen many doctors and specialists to no avail. When he came to me he thought that perhaps food sensitivities were connected to his condition, a notion which his other doctors had dismissed. We tested him for food sensitivities and I asked him to keep a detailed log of his diet and symptoms and within two weeks we had figured out, that he was highly sensitive to MSG. Unfortunately he ate Chinese food at his favorite restaurant almost daily for lunch! From then on he asked for his food to be prepared without MSG and was fine.

also remember the case of a sweet 4-month-old baby with eczema around his mouth and on his little cheeks. The mother was breastfeeding and we were suspicious of a food sensitivity. After some trial and error we discovered that the baby was sensitive to the mother eating garlic, and as soon as she stopped the garlic his face cleared up.

Sometimes more obvious foods are the culprit. Early in my career I saw a 32-year-old woman who has severe ulcerative colitis with 16 bowel movements a day, all with blood. I suspected a sensitivity to wheat and dairy and on a wheat and dairy-free diet she was fine within ten days with only two bowel movements a day with were not bloody. I saw this young woman in the first year of my practice and was actually quite shocked at the dramatic improvement at the time. By now I have become used to and expect such good results. Interestingly, although this woman had been suffering with this condition for eight years her doctors had never suggested a diet change to her.

I have seen hundred of cases of improvements in health with diet therapy and modification, as have other NDs, nutritionists and dieticians. As an ND I am able to assess a client's overall needs and can use a combination of therapies if necessary to obtain the best results.

Sometimes a client may need to treat several areas to regain their health, including structural or musculoskeletal issues, nutritional issues and mental/emotional concerns. Due to many years of experience I have become a good diagnostician andcan help to effectively guide my clients to improved health.