Frequently Asked Questions
It is important to understand that it is not a diet. It is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak performance and individualised care. Nutritional Therapists use a wide range of tools to assess and identify nutritional imbalances. They will use the information gathered to understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. A whole-body approach can then be taken to improve nutrient intake, stress, sleep quality and exercise to allow the clients to achieve their goals. Nutritional Therapy is considered a complementary medicine and is practised alongside mainstream healthcare. It can be used to help individuals who are looking to enhance their wellbeing and also those with chronic health conditions.
Functional medicine is an evidence-based model that identifies the interconnectivity of the systems within the body. Gut health, food sensitivities, mental health, stress, sleep all interact with each other. It looks to get to the root cause, rather than simply trying to mask the symptoms for the long term resolution of your health problems.
I will often use functional testing to get there more quickly and to highlight any imbalances that may exist which are preventing you from functioning at your best level
This is entirely your decision. A Nutritional Therapist should work alongside your healthcare providers. Nutritional Therapy must not be taken as a substitute for medical advice and I will always refer back to a client’s GP if certain “Red Flag” symptoms are displayed
This really depends on the complexity and length of time you have been suffering from your symptoms. Chronic conditions require greater investigation and greater time to turn around. You will not have become ill overnight and recovery can often take time.
If you are simply looking for a general MOT then this can be addressed potentially in fewer sessions.
No, functional lab testing is optional. There is a lot that we can do without requiring testing, but targeted testing can reveal key imbalances or deficiencies and allow us to make quicker progress with complex cases. Some tests that I recommend are available through your GP at no charge but comprehensive functional testing is not provided by the NHS and it comes at an additional cost