Nutritional Therapy

Nutritional Therapy is defined as the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak performance and individual care. Registered Nutritional Therapists use a wide range of tools to assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. This approach allows them to work with individuals to address nutritional balance and help support the body towards maintaining health. Nutritional Therapy is recognised as a complementary medicine and is relevant for individuals with chronic conditions, as well as those looking for support to enhance their health and wellbeing.

My approach to personalised Nutritional Therapy is grounded in the Functional Medicine approach (I have AFMCP status with the Institute of Functional Medicine). This approach applies biochemistry and physiology on the basis of individual genetic and environmental uniqueness. This includes the assessment of lifestyle factors such as relaxation, movement, nutrition, stress and relationships along with environmental factors such as pollutants and micro-organisms with genetic predisposition in order to assess core clinical imbalances.  This approach empowers clients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness.

Why consult a Registered Nutritional Therapist?

Nutritional Therapists recognise that each person is an individual with unique requirements and take time to define personalised nutrition plans rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Some people simply want to check that they are on the right track with regard to healthy eating. Some are looking for ways to improve the overall nutrient intake for their family as a whole, and making it work within the constraints of busy family life (as a mum of 4 children, I certainly understand this challenge). Others may want to support healthy weight balance or get help with:

  • Addressing nutrient imbalances that may be associated with health problems
  • Promoting hormone and neurotransmitter balance
  • Supporting digestion – including indigestion, bloating and IBS
  • Promoting energy
  • Supporting immune function – including allergies and intolerances
  • Promoting balanced blood glucose levels
  • Improving overall nutritional status
  • Supporting detoxification capacity
  • Supporting gut microflora
  • Female health – PMS, fertility, pre-conception and pregnancy, menopause, PCOS
  • Male health – fertility, pre-conception, andropause
  • Promoting healthy ageing

Nutrition and lifestyle approaches to healthcare have been shown to support the health of all the major systems of the body (skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, excretory, endocrine, immune, reproductive and integumentary [skin, hair, nails]). Typical priorities in nutritional therapy consultations include support to achieve optimum energy levels, healthy blood sugar balance, emotional and psychological well-being, optimum gastrointestinal health and tolerance to a broad range of food groups.

After a thorough assessment, clients are offered nutritional and lifestyle advice, based on the most up-to-date research available. Since all body systems and functions, such as digestion, absorption, energy production, defence, detoxification, communication and transport, are interconnected and form complex networks of interactions, any environmental input, whether harmful or helpful, creates a cascade of interrelated physiological responses. In chronic disease, almost always one or more of these functions has been declining for a relatively long period of time before a full-blown disease develops.

I will never recommend nutritional therapy as a replacement for medical advice and always refer any client with ‘red flag’ signs or symptoms back to their GP or other relevant healthcare practitioners.  I frequently work alongside and communicate with other medical professionals involved in my client’s care.  If professional supplement recommendations are made, potential interactions with all prescribed and over-the-counter medications you are taking are considered.