Ann Le
Nutritionist and Product Marketing Specialist, Natura Market
Tanya Paulin
Holistic Health Coach and Wellness YouTuber
How a simple adjustment to your diet could be key to solving tricky aches and pains.
What we put into our bodies matters — our diet impacts how we feel, how our body operates, and even the state of our mental health. When it comes to bones, muscles, and joints, our diet provides the nutrients, minerals, and vitamins needed to function properly and pain-free. In our society, many have seen first-hand the impact of healthier eating on the body, adopting diets that have quickly gone from occasional to the mainstream.
“As a society, we’ve grown up around processed foods,” says Ann Le, Nutritionist and Product Marketing Specialist for Toronto-based Natura Market. “We’re used to high sugar, fat, carbs, but once you switch to healthier alternatives, you quickly realize the benefits.”
Even a small adjustment to your diet can make a big difference, but getting started can be tough. When it comes to the natural food market, what began as a niche business has evolved into a flourishing industry. Healthy alternatives are trending, but it can be difficult to understand what products will work for your diet and lifestyle.
Canada’s one-stop shop for healthy alternatives
If you follow a specific diet, you’ll understand having to hunt through the grocery store for the aisle dedicated to alternative food options. Industry leader, Natura Market, was designed to make shopping for healthy alternatives easier by providing Canadians with a one-stop-shop and access to hundreds of quality Health Canada-approved wellness products through their online marketplace. From gluten-free to paleo, the store’s products can be filtered by diet(s), category, or brand, making it easy to customize each shopping experience. The company focuses on supporting and highlighting small businesses across Canada while offering US products (like Ann’s favourite Poppi).
When it comes to bone, muscle, and joint health, food can make all the difference. “Everything is interconnected,” says Ann. “Your diet impacts how your joints feel and how your muscles grow.” Natura Market provides a variety of supplements like protein powders, collagen, vitamins, and bone broth, which have been shown to help ease the body’s aches and pains. The best part? Natura Market ships country-wide, meaning anyone can start incorporating healthier options into their every day.
For those tempted but not sure where to start, holistic health coach and wellness YouTuber Tanya Paulin (@tanyaannhealth) has a suggestion, “if you don’t like certain foods, don’t force them. Instead, go with what works for you. Food should be enjoyable.”
Learning to love how you feel
Adjusting to a new diet can be tough, and when asked her advice, Ann says, “start small.” Diets like Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) are a great place to begin. The diet slowly eliminates specific triggers that can impact inflammation — a key contributor to joint and muscle pain — with the goal of finding a root cause. Once this is established, longer-term adjustments can be made, helping ease discomfort for longer-lasting relief while reducing bloating and indigestion.
The world of wellness may be overwhelming, but it’s about finding products, supplements, and nutrients that you’ll not only love but love how you feel afterwards. “When your body is well nourished, everything changes,” Tanya says. The first step is simply deciding to embrace that change.
