Measuring success of wellness and nutritional interventions and strategies is often overlooked. It is time to start personalising wellness through testing.
We are all metabolically unique – let’s test not guess.
Something new clients talk to me about quite frequently is their confusion over the myriad of diets seen online and in the press. Are they fad, are the based on science and if they are, are they right for you? The reality is there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution and not many people have either the time or specific knowledge to work it all out themselves. You wouldn’t apply ‘a best guess’ approach to your top clients looking for a bespoke personalised solution, so why would you apply this principle to yourself?
Resilient role models sustain stronger corporate teams and employee wellness
As a GB Age Group triathlete/duathlete now in my 50s, performing to a sustained standard with consistency would not be possible without a highly-personalised fact-based approach. Equally, as a working mother and business owner, I need sustained resilience to be the role model my family and team around me need. In the same way, for business leaders supporting their team’s emotional wellbeing, as counsellors and coaches, as well as objective-led leaders, it is critical to monitor and measure your own wellbeing first to be in a position to take care of others. Rather like a Ferrari engine, the Ferrari (your client or team, for example) needs a well-serviced, maintained and optimal engine (you) to perform at its best. The engine must keep finely tuned with specialist technology and know-how to work optimally.
How do we do this? We personalise wellness though bespoke testing.
Bespoke nutritional analysis that removes the guesswork for leaders
I place a lot of importance and emphasis on establishing personalised facts first to remove the guesswork and work more efficiently. That’s why much of my nutrition work involves fact-based scientific analysis, including highly-personalised and extensive blood markers and nutrigenomics, to get results. It also allows us to measure the success of the Wellness and Nutrition Strategies we implement.
After just 6 weeks on their tailored nutritional plan, one of my corporate executive clients has just messaged me to say they have sustained high energy levels over a busy four-week period, and all without one stomach issue. Results they have failed to achieve in years of searching for the solution.
Functional Blood Chemistry testing for a personalised approach to optimal nutrition for C-Suite executives
‘Business Athletes’ deserve no less
For sporting athletes, functional blood testing comes as standard. It shouldn’t be any different for ‘Business Athletes’ looking to invest in their own and their team’s resilience – emotionally, physically and mentally.
Functional Blood Chemistry definition:
“The process by which complex and comprehensive blood biomarkers are organised, analysed and interpreted to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state and trends of the main body systems, the supporting body accessory systems, along with the status of nutrients and trends towards and away from clinical dysfunction” (Source: functionaldx.com)
Functional Blood Testing removes any confusion over the best approach, avoiding the minefield of misinformation and advice in the media and online, connecting the dots between your family history, existing signs and symptoms, and your own goals. Think of it as the difference between reading the executive summary versus the detailed report. It really is the only way forward if you want to perform at your best, especially as you age, and if you are keen to avoid a family history of chronic illness. The combination of knowing your bespoke formula/code and functional testing is the ammunition you need to navigate this.
Proactively explore over 110 blood bio-markers
While nothing may be apparently ‘wrong’, functional testing helps proactively recognise the signs and symptoms of imbalances and understand what is going on inside. Functional blood chemistry panels arranged by KCH Nutrition through accredited laboratories start with a minimum of 110 blood bio-markers to assess nutrient status, metabolism including blood sugar balance, inflammation, immune function, CVD risk, sex-hormone, liver and kidney function as well electrolyte and protein status. There are many more clinical functions assessed too.
Your nutritional ‘warning lights’ may be:
- Poor concentration or short-term memory decline.
- Brain fog or a feeling of overwhelm
- A lack of sustained energy or general loss of appetite for things you enjoy, such as your work or hobbies/sport
- The development of intolerances, allergies and weight gain.
- Other hormonal issues for both men and women eg loss of libido, hot flushes.
Using evidence-based logic and targeted nutrition, we can tailor solutions for busy workplace leaders to keep functioning optimally and consistently without repeated visits to the ‘pit lane’ at unexpected and inconvenient times.
Nutritional measures that go above and beyond to optimise executive health and wellbeing
Functional testing applies optimal reference ranges, rather than conventional ranges (which are set to avoid disease or deficiency in 97.5% of the population, not to optimise health!) as we want to catch imbalances before a disease box can be ticked, to be preventative. Bear in mind also that ‘normal’ ranges change regularly as the population becomes more and more chronically ill to adjust to the new ‘norm’. We do not want to be in this category!
Also key is that these markers are not looked at in a linear sequence, but are used to assess all key systems within the body by applying a functional medicine approach, looking for root causes of any health imbalances or knowing, with your genetics and health history, what areas we need to target to ensure imbalances do not occur or address those that have already begun.
Your unique metabolism using Nutrigenomics
Nutrigenomics adds a further powerful layer to understand your unique metabolism and how to support you optimally. Nutrigenomics focuses on genes that relate to and respond to nutrition and lifestyle interventions. It is important to remember that our genetics only ‘load the gun’…it is our diet, environment and lifestyle that ‘pull the trigger’. We are all genetically unique so understanding our code helps us know our predisposition and where to place greater focus and support. That is why running Nutrigenomic panels alongside functional blood chemistry testing (and sometimes urine-based testing) is a very important and powerful combination. You can read more about Nutrigenomic Testing here.
Remember that Wealth is Health and to ‘Test, don’t Guess’ to Personalise Wellness.
Being preventative is the key to achieving long-term sustained success in all areas of your life. It does take some investment and a little hard work at the outset, but not many things worth having in life come without a little effort. Testing allows us to measure the success of wellness and nutrition interventions, which is key in performance-driven environment.
My approach to optimal nutrition is to gather the facts we need to create highly-bespoke plans that work, to keep your engine driving optimally and consistently without repeated repairs! If you would like to understand more about how I and my team can support you, personally or in the workplace, please contact me at info@kchnutrition.co.uk.
I am particularly interested in talking to business executives keen to improve their individual wellbeing in larger leadership groups, or as part of a business-wide initiative to sustain health and wellbeing, to reach as many ‘business athletes’ as possible!
