Soho Pop-In: Nutritional Counseling with Raj Barker

If you’re in NY on 6/21, consider stopping by our Soho pop-up and take in a seasonal health class with Raj!

As a holistic nutritionist, my aim is in identifying and treating the root cause of a problem as opposed to its symptoms, taking into consideration a combination of diet, lifestyle, work-life balance and relationships, to understand its true nature.

Below I’ve broken down three of the most common complaints I receive from clients and, in turn, provided simple tools you can weave into your everyday routine to put yourself back on track to feeling your best.

Adrenal fatigue

Symptoms: Waking up tired even after a long night’s sleep, relying on coffee to wake up, feeling alert right when it’s time to go to sleep, irritability, weight gain, decreased libido, depression.

What to do: Limit coffee to 1/day and drink it by 10am. Cut back on processed foods, especially sugar. Implement a nightly routine (shower-tea-meditation-essential oils-read-lights out) turn off screens 1 hr before bed, aim for the same bedtime every night. Focus on resting, relieving stress via yoga, walking, dancing, whatever you find works – part of the treatment is discovery.

What to eat: Easily digestable, nutrient-dense foods in their most natural form. Think foods with good fats and high fibre like coconut meat, olives, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, as well as seaweeds like kelp and wakame, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts.

Supplements: Magnesium before bed to help relax (follow instructions on packet), ashwagandha to increase stamina and relieve stress (start with 1 tsp in the morning, add to tea, smoothies, etc).

Acne

Symptoms: Red or white lesions on the face, neck, chest, back and tops of arms.

What to do: Simplify skin care routine, use products with minimal ingredients, drink plenty of filtered water, sip hibiscus and dandelion tea. Get plenty of sleep and manage stress.

What to eat: Reach for whole, fresh foods in their most natural state. Reduce processed sugar, alcohol, packaged or high trans fats foods. Feed the gut with good bacteria — think sauerkrauts, kombucha, kefirs, small servings of whole greek yogurt, and eat plenty of clean protein such as fish, eggs, spirulina, legumes, beans, raw nuts and seeds.

Supplements: Probiotics to replenish gut microbes, milk thistle to assist in liver detoxification (be wary if pregnant or breast feeding). B6 to help sebum excretion, zinc to support skin cell repair.

Bloating

Symptoms: Swollen belly, frequent gas, discomfort in the abdominal area.

What to do: Focus on chewing your food at every bite, observe reactions to trigger foods like gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol — consider you may have food sensitivities or allergies. Ensure legumes and beans are adequately soaked before cooking (at least 24 hrs).

What to eat: Eat easily digested foods in their most whole form. As mentioned above: Chew! Chew! Chew! Rather than drinking your food, focus on meals instead of juices and smoothies for a few weeks. Eat fruit before a big meal as opposed to after, as it will digest most quickly.

Supplements: Digestive enzymes (follow instructions on packet). Drink 1 cup of warm water BEFORE meals with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar.

+Learn more about our Soho Pop-Up here

Photo by Emily Sellers

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Loved the tips and info – always good to be more clear about what’s healthy for our bodies!

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

6 years ago

Absolutely love it!

6 years ago

I’ve been suffering from fatigue and bloating so I’m very thankful for this advice. I’m definetley going to try the vinegar in warm water.