What is Nutritional Therapy?

Nutritional therapy is a complementary medicine that uses nutrition science and the latest evidence to optimise your health. I use food, lifestyle changes, supplements and functional tests to guide you in reaching your health goal.

Nutritional therapy is not a ‘quick fix’ or a ‘one size fits all’. It doesn’t use fad diets. Instead we find a way together to use food and nutrition to support life-long good health and well-being.

Who is Nutritional Therapy for?

Nutritional therapy is for people who would like to take more personal control over their own health and well-being. I work with clients of all ages with IBS and digestive issues and those looking to gain more energy and to generally feel their best. Nutritional therapy works alongside conventional medical practice to support the body and mind through nutrition. Clients are motivated to make changes to their diets and lifestyle and sometimes carry out testing to address the issues that may lie beneath their on-going health complaints.

How it works

Everyone is unique in his or her nutrition, diet and lifestyle needs. Typically I see clients with numerous health issues that have developed over several years. When it comes to supporting you with nutrition, we don’t just look at food. We look at your health and well-being through birth to the current day. We discuss signs and symptoms, lifestyle, stress and emotion, exercise and food intolerances. It can be a challenge to change the way we eat and so I provide as much support and coaching as you need to help you during this process. I suggest we work together for at least 3 months, working on what you eat, how you eat, and lifestyle changes. In more complex cases we may work together for up to year. However, the aim is that after I have supported you, you will have reached your health goal and be able to manage your health and well-being with nutrition independently. Nutritional therapy is about investing in yourself.

“I would definitely recommend Kate as a nutritionist, she is very understanding, non-judgemental and professional with what she does. She has a great knowledge and approach to helping towards your nutrition goals. I find Kate very motivational and she has helped me change my relationship with food whilst improving my symptoms.”

Kate

Below is a simple summary of how the Nutritional Therapy process may work in terms of stages:

Stage 1. Make your health goal

Prior to your appointment (ideally a minimum of 7 days), I ask you to complete a health questionnaire and 3-day food diary. In the first consultation (currently online) I refer to your questionnaire and current signs and symptoms. I will ask you about your typical diet, lifestyle, activity and stress levels. We also talk about any challenges you might face when making changes. I will share your dietary analysis which will inform your recommendations which are for up to 4 weeks. Typically we may speak or Zoom 2-4 weeks later to see how you are getting on with your recommendations.

Stage 2. Support your nutrition plan

In the next online session, we evaluate how you are getting on. We will go at your pace so you don’t feel too overwhelmed or if you are keen to make changes quickly. Some  clients choose to have coaching support between sessions for accountability and motivation and this can be really effective. I provide a variety of information and support: practical tips, recipes, information, help sheets, sign-posting to other professionals if required, supplement protocols if required and functional tests if desired. Tests provide a measurable insight into your health and can help to inform your protocol more specifically.

Tests are organised by myself but conducted through reputable labs and carried out at home. Typical examples include stool tests or SIBO breath tests for IBS and digestive issues, finger prick blood tests for Vitamin D and thyroid, saliva tests for stress and fatigue, urine tests (DUTCH) for female/male hormones, and organic acid tests for a metabolic picture.

Stage 3.  Reviewing your progress

Everyone progresses at a different rate in terms of reaching his or her health goal or goals. This depends on many factors such as the complexity of the health issues and personal challenges that lie in the way –for example, a busy, stressful lifestyle. In further sessions, we review how you are feeling and how you are getting on. These sessions are unique to you but may include tweaking your plan so that you are heading in the right direction.

Stage 4. Supporting yourself independently

After a period of education, support and advice from me, and diet and lifestyle changes from you, you may have reached some of your health goals and be feeling ready to continue your new diet and lifestyle without support. Sometimes it can take a few months to feel the benefits of the changes made. You can choose to book in for a follow-up session to evaluate how you are doing or talk on the phone for a ‘top-up’ of coaching or support if you feel the need.

“Kate offered me friendly, thorough and sensible advice with lots of common sense but also lots of expertise too. She offered me lots of choices within what might be useful to me, making me feel in control of what I was doing and keep it right for me. The most important thing is that her advice worked. I would definitely recommend and use Kate again.” 

Julie