Nutritional medicine is based on the principle that nutrients, including essential micronutrients, are required as the building blocks for the proper functioning of all the biochemical processes on which our bodies depend. It seeks to investigate the disturbances in body chemistry caused by nutritional imbalance, which can result form improper diet, food sensitivity reactions, gastrointestinal dysfunction, inflammation, environmental and genetic factors.
Nutritional medicine combines ’food as medicine’ principles and dietary planning with scientific advances in the use of nutrients at therapeutic doses in the treatment, management and prevention of disease. Nutrient adequacy, food quality and an individual’s dietary behaviours are assessed. Treatment plans may include individual menu and nutritional programmes by evaluating dietary needs and restrictions, dietary counselling, meal planning and/or nutrient supplementation.