FOOD for THOUGHT

The benefits of Nutritional Therapy: the perspective of a registered nutritionist

By KATE TAYLOR

Iam often asked “what is Nutritional Therapy?” The recognised definition is that it is “an evidence-informed whole-body approach to nutrition and lifestyle medicine”; however I like to streamline it à la Hippocrates to his intuitive philosophy around improving and supporting health and wellbeing through the nourishing power of food: “Let food be thy medicine.” Another question I am often asked is, “What does a Nutritional Therapist do?” to which I answer that the venerable benefits centre around ‘the whole person’ and understanding the subliminal, often overlooked root cause and/or mediating trigger of suboptimal health symptoms. Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioners and Registered Nutritionists have typically studied for three-five years and possess the knowledge to provide a truly personalised health service which clients can e ectively action and thereafter benefit from the positive outcomes. This is achieved through analysing a client’s existing diet and lifestyle, and creating bespoke programmes of mainly food, but also lifestyle modifications which are individually customised to suit, nourish and rebalance (dietary balance is all-important in nutrition) the systemic health of each unique person. If necessary dietary supplements can also form a short-term strategic part of a programme, but they are not ‘the’ programme; the preferred strategy being food first.

Nutritionists can also recommend and interpret appropriate functional medicine tests to help identify root causes of suboptimal health symptoms. In terms of training, Registered Nutritionists are educated to utilise the nutrient power of food to support general health, then can specialise in a specific area of interest. Niches range from intricate knowledge of allergies, cognitive health, detoxification, energy, gastrointestinal imbalances, fertility, genetics, men’s health, menopause, skin health, thyroid dysfunction, sports nutrition and weight management.

Alternatively, Registered Nutritionists can specialise in specific health conditions, thus their expertise is sought for aspects of health ranging from straightforward diet and lifestyle adjustments for clients wishing to improve their overall health, to supporting clients with specific symptoms or conditions. In a nutshell, Nutritional Therapy really can o er something for everyone.

So why would you embark on a programme of Nutritional Therapy? Clients typically have a goal in mind; whether it be in response to a medical diagnosis, niggling symptoms or simply to improve their health to live better with confidence. Using clients’ goals and motivations as a baseline, Registered Nutritionists devise bespoke and collaborative diet and lifestyle programmes tailored to the client’s preferences, personality, lifestyle commitments and health status.

One of the intricacies of Nutritional Therapy is that every single client is di erent; it can often happen that nutritionists will see clients exhibiting the same symptoms, but their health and lifestyle nuances mean their programmes can be vastly di erent in supporting them – as an individual – to improve their ability to manage their symptoms and regain their vision of optimal health.

This is often not achieved alone; Registered Nutritionists have carefully regulated boundaries and are meticulously trained to collaborate and/or refer clients who need more specialist skills and advice. I am lucky enough to hold face-to-face clinics at TG Gym & Wellness in Henley-on-Thames where a host of highly skilled health and wellness professionals ranging from accomplished (including Olympic) athletes-turned-personal trainers, Pilates and Yoga Practitioners, Sports Therapists and Aesthetic Practitioners come together under one roof to make it a truly holistic health-oriented establishment.

Nutritional Therapy may therefore be considered the unifying recipe of systemic health, underpinning a wealth of professional acumen through one of the most intuitive forms of thriving health: food.

If optimising your health through diet and lifestyle strategies is of interested, one-to-one Nutritional Therapy consultations with Eat Drink Think Nutrition® are available to book via email at info@eatdrinkthinknutrition. co.uk, or visit eatdrinkthinknutrition.co.uk