Functional nutrition isn't about following a rigid diet—it's about understanding how food affects your unique body and using that knowledge to support your health foundations. These are the core principles I use with my clients to help them feel their best.
Start with an Anti-Inflammatory Foundation
At the heart of functional nutrition is an anti-inflammatory approach. This means focusing on:
- High-quality protein sources — pasture-raised eggs, wild-caught fish, grass-fed meats
- A variety of colorful produce — aim for a rainbow on your plate
- Healthy fats — avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fatty fish
- Complex carbohydrates from whole foods — root vegetables, squash, green beans, green peas, and fruit
For most of my clients, I recommend going gluten-free and dairy-free, at least initially. These are common inflammatory triggers that can affect everything from digestion to skin to energy levels. Once we've established a baseline, we can explore whether these foods work for your body.
Prioritize Protein
One of the biggest game-changers for energy, weight, cravings, and blood sugar balance is getting enough protein. I recommend aiming for approximately 30 grams of protein per meal—but do this gradually!
If that feels like a lot, start here:
- 20 grams of protein at each meal
- Two snacks per day with 10 grams of protein each
- Gradually increase as your body adjusts
Adequate protein supports all of your body's foundations, especially blood sugar regulation. When blood sugar is stable, everything else—hormones, energy, mood, sleep—tends to fall into place more easily.
Transform Your Breakfast
If you only make one change, make it to your breakfast. What you eat in the morning sets the tone for your entire day.
Key breakfast principles:
- Eat within 2 hours of waking — this supports your circadian rhythm and cortisol patterns
- Include protein, fat, and fiber — a pastry and coffee won't cut it
- Make it substantial — a breakfast that's too light perpetuates blood sugar swings and hormonal imbalances throughout the day
Think: eggs with vegetables and avocado, a protein smoothie with healthy fats, or leftovers from dinner. Yes, dinner for breakfast is absolutely allowed!
Hydration and Caffeine
Proper hydration is foundational, yet so often overlooked. At the same time, many of us rely too heavily on caffeine.
My recommendations:
- Reduce or eliminate caffeine — if you do have it, keep it to one cup before noon
- Invest in a good water filter — the quality of your water matters
- Eliminate or reduce sparkling water and carbonated beverages — occasional is fine, but not as a daily habit. Carbonation can interfere with digestion
Support Your Liver and Hormones
Your liver is responsible for metabolizing hormones and detoxifying your body. Support it by increasing consumption of:
- Cruciferous vegetables — broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale. These support Phase II liver detoxification and help your body process hormones properly
- Fresh herbs — parsley, cilantro, and microgreens are nutrient-dense powerhouses
- Bitter greens — baby arugula, dandelion greens, radicchio. Include these daily to support digestive function and liver health
Key Nutrients to Focus On
Certain nutrients are particularly important for hormone balance, energy, and overall wellness:
- Vitamin C — found in parsley, bell peppers, citrus, and camu camu
- B Vitamins — essential for energy production and hormone metabolism. An organ complex supplement can help if you don't eat organ meats
- Zinc — crucial for immune function, hormone production, and skin health
- Iron — especially important leading up to and during menstruation
- Omega-3 fatty acids — consume fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) at least once per week
Support Your Digestion
Even the healthiest diet won't help if you can't properly digest and absorb nutrients. Here's how to support your digestive system:
- Chew thoroughly — aim for an applesauce-like consistency before swallowing. This sounds simple, but most of us don't do it
- Choose easy-to-digest preparations — minced, chopped, stewed, steamed, blended, pureed, or boiled foods are gentler on your system
- Include protein smoothies and bone broth — these provide nutrition in an easily absorbable form
- Eat in a calm state — your body can't digest well when you're stressed or rushed
Smart Carbs and Blood Sugar Balance
Carbohydrates aren't the enemy—but the type matters. Focus on "smart carbs" from whole food sources:
- Root vegetables — sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips
- Squash — butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti squash
- Green vegetables with some starch — green beans, green peas
- Fruit — especially berries, which are lower glycemic
Balanced blood sugar is foundational to everything else. When blood sugar spikes and crashes throughout the day, it triggers a cortisol response—your body's stress hormone. Over time, this pattern can exhaust your adrenals, disrupt your hormones, affect your sleep, and contribute to weight gain (especially around the midsection).
By pairing smart carbs with protein and healthy fats, you create steady, sustained energy without the spikes and crashes. This supports healthy cortisol rhythms, balanced hormones, and stable mood and energy throughout the day.
A Paleo Template with a Mediterranean Twist
I often describe this approach as following a paleo-type template with a Mediterranean influence—focusing on whole, unprocessed foods that our bodies recognize and can digest well, while remaining flexible and individualized.
What does this mean in practice? The foundation is similar to paleo: quality proteins, plenty of vegetables, healthy fats, and minimizing processed foods. But unlike strict paleo, this approach recognizes that some people do well with certain grains, legumes, or dairy—it depends on your unique body and what you tolerate.
The Mediterranean influence brings in:
- Olive oil as a primary fat source
- Emphasis on fatty fish and seafood
- Abundance of fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon
- Flexibility around properly prepared grains and legumes for those who tolerate them
This isn't about rigid rules or perfection. It's about creating a foundation that supports your body's natural healing capacity, then fine-tuning based on your unique needs and responses.
Start Where You Are
You don't have to implement everything at once. Pick one or two changes that feel manageable:
- Maybe you start with breakfast
- Maybe you focus on hydration first
- Maybe you add more vegetables to each meal
Small, consistent changes add up to significant improvements over time. The goal is progress, not perfection—and building habits you can sustain for life.