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Martha Tettenborn has been a Registered Dietitian for 33 years – home care, hospital, long-term care – she has done it all. She chose the field because she wanted to be in a helping profession and was interested in the science of nutrition. Everything she learned she applied to support her clients and in her own life, but she never felt she was getting real success so she went looking for her own answers.
When she was at university, a low fat/low cholesterol diet was the cutting edge of science. The American government had just published their new low fat guidelines. Nobody was investigating any negative effects of carbohydrates or sugar. Powerful government and business interests strongly influenced these recommendations and they were promoted as being for everyone, from babies to the elderly.
Our modern diet – high in grains, sugars and processed seed oils – was only introduced in the past forty to sixty years and during this short-term experiment, we have developed an epidemic of chronic illnesses – Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's, auto-immune conditions and cancers. Up until recent decades, our diet was exclusively based on real foods in their natural form.

"Nutrition science is very young," says Martha. "It has only been 100 years since we even identified vitamins and nutrients. As soon as scientists figured out how to measure something – calories, blood cholesterol, blood sugar - its importance in the medical world seemed to rise, whether or not that was a good thing.

"Newer science, however, shows that "Insulin resistance" underlies many chronic health conditions, leading to metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes. The current treatment for diabetes of multiple medications to control blood sugar levels doesn't address this underlying cause. Lab tests may be within normal ranges, but the body is still struggling, and medications are added to medications."

The purpose of the approach Martha has researched, based on lower carbohydrates and higher healthy fats, is to help people develop "metabolic flexibility", the ability to use both sugars and fat as fuel. Our food intake, besides being fuel, sends powerful messages to our bodies and can impact how our bodies work, right down to the level of our genes.

Martha started a private practice, called Primal RD, to teach clients about this new, but old, way of eating. The Primal Health approach is based on whole, unprocessed foods, preferably local and in-season. It is easy, and not overly expensive – there are no pills or supplements.

It puts food back into its proper place as fuel for a healthy machine. Fuel may not sound appetizing, but this approach is delicious. The higher fat choices provide more flavour and satisfaction, and a more even level of energy through the day.

Martha is passionate about living well – not just adding to your lifespan, but to your healthspan; living in a state of wellness until you die.
"I plan to live to 95 and die with my hiking boots on," is Martha's own pragmatic outlook, and she wants to share that expectation with others.

For more information, Primal RD has a website and a Facebook page.