Nutrition

Balanced nutrition builds the foundation for optimal health and supports your energetic life, yet most Americans fail to get the daily requirement of all essential nutrients but one: sodium (salt). As a family practice physician, Seth Sullivan, MD, in New Canaan, Connecticut, specializes in personalized nutrition counseling that improves your health, boosts athletic performance, and prevents chronic diseases. To learn about your nutritional status and get a plan that supports your needs, don’t wait to schedule an appointment. Call the offices of Seth Sullivan, MD, or request an appointment online today.

How does nutrition support my health?

Your body depends on a daily supply of nutrients to produce energy, build tissues, keep organs working, and support your life. Nutrition is so vital it has the power to prevent and treat medical conditions — or cause them.

When might I need nutrition counseling?

Even if you do your best to eat nutrient-rich foods, your diet can fall short of your daily requirements. Additionally, nutritional deficiencies can develop more easily than you may realize.

Your body uses substantially more nutrients than usual when dealing with activities or health conditions that cause physical, emotional, or mental stress. You can end up being low in nutrients if you:

• Engage in intense physical training
• Participate in athletic activities
• Experience chronic stress
• Have a mental health disorder
• Have a chronic health condition
• Have recurrent infections
• Suffer an injury
• Undergo surgery
• Are pregnant
• Are ill

Many positive and negative situations cause stress that increases your body’s daily nutritional needs. Nutrition counseling identifies any shortages and helps you develop a plan to restore balance.

Does nutrition have a role in weight loss?

It’s challenging to cut calories to lose weight while also getting the daily nutrients you need. If you’re on a low-calorie diet, you can’t eat enough to keep up with your nutritional needs.

Dr. Sullivan supports your weight loss and ensures your nutritional health by developing a high-quality diet and recommending the supplements you need to stay healthy while losing weight.

What nutrition services might I receive?

Dr. Sullivan provides expert nutritional care, beginning with a thorough evaluation of your eating habits and identifying any deficiencies. He may ask you to keep a food diary for a few days to get a broad picture of your diet. You may also need onsite labs like blood work to get precise information about nutrient levels in your body.

During your one-on-one nutritional counseling, Dr. Sullivan may:

• Create daily calorie goals
• Develop a customized meal plan
• Recommend dietary supplements
• Provide chronic disease management
• Perform a behavioral assessment

A behavioral assessment identifies personal habits that influence your daily diet. For example, many people eat when stressed and don’t realize they do it or how it affects their health. Dr. Sullivan helps you identify and change self-defeating food habits.

To learn how you can benefit from nutrition counseling, call Seth Sullivan, MD, or request an appointment online today.