What led you to become a nutritional therapist?
Having left a successful legal career to concentrate on my family, I quickly became aware of the challenges facing today's parents. These include the increasing prevalence of ready-made meals and the appeal of sugar-dense, fast food options. My desire to imbue my family with the wholesome approach to diet, lifestyle and nutrient rich food, that was instilled in me since childhood, led me to study nutritional therapy.
What is your approach to nutritional therapy?
Just because your bloodwork looks 'normal' this does not mean that your symptoms are all in your head.
My approach is based on the Functional Medicine Model, which seeks to address the individual rather than the disease. I strive to:
Identify and address the underlying causes rather than merely manage symptoms;
Create a sustainable, personalised self-care protocol based on diet, rest, exercise, stress reduction and supplements;
Tailor health plans to each person’s genetic constitution, as well as dietary and lifestyle requirements;
Help clients remove the obstacles to a healthier lifestyle and dispel health misconceptions.
Who are your typical clients?
My typical clients have reached a time in their lives when taking care of their own health is becoming paramount, whether because of illness, or simply because they want to maintain their fitness and well-being as they age. Many of my clients are approaching 40 and above, and have realised that it is time to take control of their health and make dietary and lifestyle changes in order to enjoy the second phase of their lives. Many others have specific health issues that they are concerned about. They have often been caught in a cycle of trial and error, and endless therapies and remedies, but are still feeling unwell. I help them to identify and address the underlying causes with lab-guided testing, health-building strategies and drug-free all natural protocols.
In addition, many people come to me as a result of wanting to educate themselves and adopt long-term lifestyle changes. Often they have found it difficult to decipher the conflicting information that exists in the media and online and need someone to help them develop a focused approach to achieving their health and fitness goals.
I want to ensure that long-term health is not only for those who can afford to pay for it, but is available to anyone who wishes to learn.
What is the ethos of your website?
We are living in times when chronic illnesses are on the increase and more than ever diet and lifestyle choices are being implicated. The 'Prevention is Better Than Cure' approach has shifted the focus of healthcare to individuals learning how to prevent themselves getting ill. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge in order to enable others to understand the extent to which they are responsible for their own health and the importance of becoming the main participants in their own healthcare. For them to achieve this, they require knowledge and my website is designed to empower them with a better understanding of health issues and the impact, good or bad, that the dietary and lifestyle choices they make have on their health. There are many people for whom 1-to-1 nutritional therapy consultations are not affordable. I want to ensure that long-term health is not only for those who can afford to pay for it, but is available to anyone who wishes to learn. For this reason I regularly post my research in easy-to-understand articles and tips, right here on my website.
To what extent are you qualified to advise me on health and nutrition issues?
I graduated from the world-renowned Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London (ION). I am a Zest4life Practitioner and a registered member of BANT and CNHC, both of which require the highest standards of integrity, knowledge, competence and professionalism in the practice of Nutritional Therapy. I am also an accredited AFMCP-UK practitioner and a member of The Institute of Functional Medicine, Cleveland USA. Finally, I am a Senior Associate of the Royal Society of Medicine.
As such, I can help you with a wide range of conditions, relating to, for example, Food Allergies, Hormones, Immune System, Digestion, Detoxification, Energy Production and the Nervous System (H.I.D.D.E.N stressors), which often form the root causes of chronic conditions.
What do all the letters after your name mean?
The Nutritional Therapy Diploma from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition is a four-year, internationally renowned course, with a philosophical approach, founded in functional medicine. The training at ION develops a thorough understanding of the relationship between nutrition and health. It includes modules in nutrition, vitamin and supplement management, metabolism, food/health interactions, biochemical imbalances, physiology, disordered physiology, laboratory testing and interpretation, and evidence-based protocols. This means that I am able to work with individuals to alleviate and help prevent ailments by making dietary and lifestyle recommendations. The focus is on nutritional and biochemical imbalances in the body that lead to ill-health.
As a BANT (British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapists) registered practitioner, I am obliged to have attained the highest standards of integrity, knowledge, competence and professional practice. BANT is the UK's most highly recognised body for registered nutritional therapists and should be a minimum requirement for anybody seeking a nutritional professional to work with.
CNHC (Complimentary and Natural Healthcare Council) is a government supported register of UK health practitioners and is approved as an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, a body accountable to Parliament. As a registered practitioner, I am required to meet the highest standards of personal behaviour, technical competence and business practice. This accreditation strives to provide assurances to people seeking advice from health professionals.
An AFMCP-UK (Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice) practitioner is required to undergo a five day intensive course with the Institute of Functional Medicine, based in Cleveland, USA. This course teaches the clinical application of functional medicine, including Hormonal Imbalance, Metabolic Syndrome, Orthopaedic Issues, Immune Dysfunction, Food Allergies, Adrenal and Thyroid Problems and GIT Dysfunction.
As a Zest4Life practitioner I am trained in the Zest4life motivational coaching process, which offers personalised 1-to-1 coaching, either face to face, or via telephone or Skype. I also run online programmes and group workshops.
This article gives an introduction to neurodegenerative disorders and provides some useful information on what you can do to protect yoruself.