What is Micronutrition?
Micronutrition is a discipline that studies the essential ‘micronutrients’ present in food and their impact on our metabolism and our health. The goal is to improve physical and mental well-being through our diet.
To understand micronutrition, we need to understand a bit about micronutrients. So, what are micronutrients?
These are vitamins, minerals, trace elements, pre and probiotics, amino acids, fatty acids, and fibres.
Why Micronutrition?
Our diet has been greatly modified in recent decades and further compounded by the evolution of our lifestyles which often results in stress and increased exposure to pollution. These factors have contributed to the deleterious effect of depleting our health capital of certain vital micronutrients. Furthermore, certain periods of life (such as childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, menopause) and certain activities (such as intensive sport) require specific nutritional contributions. So, a “healthy diet” based on micro-nutrition allows for the:
• Correction of certain deficits / excesses and
• Optimisation of the contributions of essential micronutrients to the well-being of our cells
Micronutrition is particularly interested in 4 areas:
• Cerebral function: Optimising the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin
• Intestinal function: Optimising the health of our gut flora (microbiota), our intestinal wall and therefore better functioning of the underlying immune system
• Cellular communication: Optimising the supply of omega 3, one of the components of our cell membrane
• Cellular aging: Optimising the intake of antioxidant micronutrients
What is the goal of a Micronutritionist?
A micronutrition specialist carries out a micronutrient assessment based on the patient’s diet and lifestyle, blood tests, and medical history. The objective is to:
(1) Detect micronutrient deficits which, over time, can contribute to the aetiology of certain disorders such as chronic fatigue, digestive disorders, sleep disorders, mood changes, low energy, food intolerances, etc.
(2) Return to a sustainable balance by integrating the good practices of a “healthy diet” in daily meals.
In some situations, micronutrient supplements will be prescribed to the client over a period of a few months. As part of returning to a balanced diet, the micronutrient specialist must also consider the client’s body clocks. Indeed, depending on the time of day, nutrients and micronutrients do not have the same impact on our metabolism or on the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
Take the example of breakfast. It can be adapted to get the day off to a good start, promoting creativity and motivation.
For this reason, if it is mainly composed of proteins, it will increase the synthesis of dopamine, a neurotransmitter known for its positive influence on the start of the day.
