What is Nutritional Therapy?

Nutritional Therapy is a complementary therapy which is evidence-based, meaning that all the techniques and recommendations made are based on safe and proven scientific research. Nutritional Therapists are trained in anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology in the context of good health, illness and how food interacts with our bodies. Their focus is on personalising nutrition to suit your individual needs.

Evidence tells us that the foods that we consume can either support good health or contribute to symptoms of ill health or disease. Food can influence how our bodies function physically, including our ability to think clearly and how we feel emotionally. How different foods affect different people varies greatly. Nutritional therapy therefore helps people to understand which way of eating is right for them as unique individuals.

How does Nutritional Therapy Work?

By taking a case history which includes a comprehensive assessment of your medical history, we can identify how symptoms you experience in one part of the body may be linked to what is going on elsewhere in your body. Your lifestyle, emotional and mental health are also taken into account to understand what is going on with your health holistically.

Prior to the first consultation, completing a food diary will help me to identify links between the food you eat and your symptoms, as well as potential nutritional needs if your diet is low in certain nutrients. By recommending manageable and realistic changes to your current diet at a pace that suits you, I work with you to gradually form healthier habits.

At each appointment, I will ask you to rate any symptoms you have set out to relieve so that you can measure your progress. Normally working together for at least 12 weeks is recommended and finding a regularity of sessions that suits you will be key in helping you to get the best results that you wish to achieve.

Health coaching techniques or intuitive eating coaching can be interwoven into the programme and a complementary health review can be useful in identifying the areas that you most need help with in seeking better health.

 

What is Nutritional Therapy Used For?

From small minor health niggles, through to chronic or long-term conditions and illnesses, nutritional therapy is likely to be a useful tool alongside standard medical care and other therapies. I specialise in symptoms and conditions related to digestion, food intolerances and menopause, but nutritional therapy can also support:

  • Perimenopause

  • Hormonal conditions such as low thyroid function and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

  • Digestive health issues such as IBS, bloating, constipation and suspected food intolerances

  • Supporting immune health

  • Recovery from illness, injury or surgery

  • Mental health and brain health

  • Weight loss and weight gain

  • Cardiovascular issues including heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol

  • Joint, skin, bone and immune health

  • Fertility, pregnancy, postnatal and children’s nutrition

  • Auto-immune conditions

  • Nutrition for the elderly

  • Fitness, athletic and sports goals

  • Disordered eating (practitioners will have specialist training)

  • Cancer (practitioners must have specialist training)

 

What are the Benefits of Nutritional Therapy?

Your nutritional therapist is dedicated to supporting you as a unique individual, without judgement. Rather than a one-size-fits-all diet or programme, therapists will look at every angle of your health and lifestyle to provide a plan that is realistic, manageable and enjoyable just for you.

Benefits of therapy include:

  • Plenty of time to discuss your health, concerns, likes, dislikes and ask questions at every session.

  • A tailored nutritional plan that is set out to make swapping foods and introducing new ones as easy and enjoyable as possible for you. All nutritional therapists have their own method, at Victoria Bell Nutrition this often involves giving you several options for recommendations to try in the order that you choose, at your pace. If you try recommendations and don’t like them, that’s OK! We will continue working to find options that suit you.

  • A gradual and phased approach to improving the quality of your food intake rather than a sudden overhaul of your diet with unrealistic restrictions.

  • Advice on healthier quick snack and meal options when you are short on time or unable to cook.

  • Advice and support with obtaining standard tests from your GP and if appropriate, private tests that give more information to identify what may be underlying your symptoms. Help with interpreting any results and what to do once you have them. Writing referral letters on your behalf to your GP can help take the stress out of explaining your concerns with them during time-pressured appointments

  • Advice on safe and useful supplements to help you achieve your goals.

  • Email and phone support, enabling you to ask questions between appointments.

  • Advice on other lifestyle measures you can take to support your wellbeing. With an extensive list of therapists and health specialists in different fields, all of whom I have built a professional relationship, I can recommend other therapies or self-care options that will help you to achieve your health goals.

 

How Much Does a Nutritionist Cost?

All nutritionists or nutritional therapists charge based on their own therapy format and between therapists there will be differences in the programmes that they provide and what is included. In addition to the time spent within the consultations, nutritionists spend extra hours dedicated to each client prior to and between consultations. Therefore, the pricing reflects the overall time spent in clinic, researching, formulating personalised plans and support throughout.

At Victoria Bell Nutrition the programmes are priced according to your individual needs and the frequency of contact that will help you to reach your goals. All programmes are 12 weeks long and prices start from £539.

Please contact me to find out more or book a complementary health review.

 

What is the Difference Between a Nutritional Therapist and Nutritionists or Dietitians ?


Nutritional Therapy vs Nutritionist

Nutritional Therapists have studied a three year minimum diploma in Nutritional Therapy with an NTEC accredited training organisation. They use their training to support health issues with evidence-based nutritional practices. Nutritionist is a broader category that currently includes nutritional therapists, but at present there is no requirement to hold a particular level of qualification to use this title. Some nutritionists hold degrees, while others may have studied nutrition via other study methods.

Nutritional Therapist vs Dietitian

Dietitians hold at a minimum a degree in Dietetics. Most dietitians work within the NHS in the UK but can work in private practice or in other roles. They are specially trained to use therapeutic diets for certain illnesses and are the only practitioners within this field allowed to prescribe medication.

Health coaches train via varying methods and they use coaching skills, typically to help clients work towards health-related goals. There is no minimum requirement for health coaches at present.

We go into a lot more detail on the difference between dietitians and nutritionists, as well as nutritional therapists, if you’d like to find out more.