Let me start by saying that I get how hard it is to reach out for health support. And support from a Nutritionist, well that can be a lot….. And on top of that, when you’re a busy professional finding the time to squeeze in an appointment can simply feel like a stretch too far.
I get it.
But what I often see with client’s is that underneath the rush and busyness, there’s also sometimes a little uncomfortableness.
Don’t we at times feel that we’re the ones that ‘should’ have it all together? Or because we’re known to be the ones that others come to for advice, shouldn’t we understand how food and nutrition all works in and for our body?
I don’t know why I’m saying ‘we’, because of course I should, but why should you?
This is what a previous client said “As I have some knowledge about biology I thought I could get well by myself, but I couldn’t and so the support given by Felicia helped me a lot”.
We’re hardly taught anything about nutrition at school or anywhere else. The myths and contrary information published everywhere, is at best, overwhelming and if your issue is how to use nutrition to manage stress or a particular health issue then it can be a real mind field.
You’re not expected to know everything about how nutrition works and how it supports the body and neither are you a failure for not knowing. I’m an ‘expert’ in one area of all of this and I still attend educationals, research and look up information all the time.
And lastly, if you’ve had an experience of being judged, criticised or made to feel small in anyway because you can’t describe all the components of a cell or how the ANS interacts with the microbiome, I’m sorry because that is definitely not on you!
Okay, so with all that said, I’m going to explain in a plain and simple way what might or might not help if you’re seeking nutritional support. You obviously have to do your due diligence, but I hope that this goes some way in helping you.
What is a Nutritionist?
*I will be using the term Nutritionist (which encompasses those who write, research and / or teach) interchangeably with the term Nutritional Therapists here. I’ll also add, that this is my opinion and take on the topic and others may differ.
Nutritionists / Nutritional Therapists are qualified health professionals who have studied to gain comprehensive knowledge of how the body works in addition to the science of nutrition and the root cause of illness.
The qualifications gained can vary from a diploma to MSc or even PHD, but most will have qualified to degree level and will update this by taking at least 30 hours CPD a year.
Some courses may in addition to nutrition have a specialist component such as sport, weight management or some form of psychology. Accredited courses (see BANT or AFN) will at least cover biochemistry, the root causes of illness, biochemical imbalances, internal and external environmental factors and more recently as mine did, functional medicine.
*It is important to note that there’s no governing regulation in the UK for Nutritionists (although there are professional regulating and awarding bodies, as above). This means in affect that anyone can study a nutrition course (even for 6 weeks or added onto another qualification) and call themselves a Nutritionist.
Nutritionists differ from Dieticians (who are government regulated) as Dieticians often work in clinic settings (NHS, hospitals, health charities). A Nutritionist may work in private practice (mostly), schools, gyms, consult, research or write. They can also (as I have done) work for charities or public healthcare providers.
Dieticians are licensed to prescribe nutrition in a medical capacity, for example for enteral feeding, or dietary aids such as semaglutide or fortified and meal replacement drinks which Nutritionists are not licensed to do.
Many Nutritionists recommend private diagnostic tests and supplements. Dieticians will only do this in-house within their medical setting.
So, what do Nutritionists actually do?
BANT state that a Nutritional Therapist ‘applies the science of nutrition and lifestyle medicine to support individuals with a wide range of health concerns’.
In essence this means that a Nutritionist will work with you to explore and understand what your health concerns are and how they originated. They will also consider your medical history, the impact of external environments, your job, home, responsibilities, living arrangements and everything else which helps to build a picture of your current and past health status.
In order to find out more about your condition they may request private diagnostic tests (or ask you to do it through your GP). They will then design some form of programme to aid your health recovery.
Now if this sounds a little vague, that’s because as private practitioners how a Nutritionist delivers the service will differ depending on their focus and specialism.
💡 Things to consider: Nutrition and the human body is complex and therefore a practitioner who has a specialism will spend more time on this subject than if they are a generalist. For example, I specialise in stress, some may focus on the gut, menopause, ageing, weight loss, sports or something else. Think of it in the same way as differentiating between a GP or a specialist practitioner.
It’s not necessarily about ability but simply the amount of time that is given to working in the area of expertise. For this reason, I often refer people to other practitioners who specialise and have more experience in a certain topic than I do.
1-1s Vs Group experience
Many Nutritionists deliver 1-1 consultations, some deliver group programmes and some educational talks and workshops. How these are structured will differ.
1-1s – If you have a 1-1 it will involve an initial consultation to assess your needs (and my recommendation is always to use this processes to find out if the service is right for you). The full consultation session will range from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours and will be in-depth and focus on your specific problem.
Costs – This can vary from £80 per hour to £400 per hour (or even above).
Groups – A group programme will have different dynamics. Although it won’t be focused on the root cause of a single person’s health issue, it generally has a theme that everyone in the group can relate to, such as; stress, weight loss, diabetes, mental health, menopause, fatigue, energy, sport etc.
I love delivering group programmes because they can be so supportive. There’s the opportunity to share experiences and not feel so alone. Sometimes groups will reveal issues that you may not have considered simply because someone else raised it.
Costs – This could be from £30 – £250 per session.
💡 Things to consider: How many people will be in the group? How will the programme be delivered? If it is online, will there be the opportunity to hear everyone’s contribution and to participate fully?
Why you might like to seek support from a Nutritionist
I always say ‘everything in the body is connected’ and as Nutritionists’ adopt a holistic (or functional) approach, even if you present with a physical issue, mental and emotional components will be explored (or at least they should be).
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some issues that you may want to see a Nutritionist for:
🫀 Physical health
Brain / nervous system: Chronic fatigue, tiredness, brain fog, headaches, muscular pain, fibromyalgia, long Covid, sleep problems. See here for more support.
Autoimmune: Psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis (UC).
GI Tract / Gut / Liver / Pancreas: Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), bloating, Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth (SIBO). Halitosis (bad-breath). Weight management (weight loss or malnutrition). Dyspepsia, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, colds, flu, infections, allergies, food intolerances, diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn, high cholesterol. See here for more support.
Hormonal: Thyroid issues, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), menstrual issues.
Nutrient deficiencies: B12, Iron, vitamin D, iodine, magnesium, calcium.
Other: Muscle wastage, bone health. Kidney disease. Heart disease. General wellbeing. Sports, performance. Obstetrics.
🧠 Mental / Emotional: Mood swings, exhaustion, stress, anxiety, depression, lack-lustre, sadness, sleep problems.
What Nutritionists do (or should do)
✅ Meet you where you are without criticism or judgement.
✅ Give you the time and space that you need to explain what your issue is and explore the solution that you’re looking for.
✅ Allow you to ask questions and feel at ease doing so.
✅ Give advice that’s (researched and evidence-based) and tailored to you.
As previously mentioned a group programme won’t be specifically tailored to you, but the information and advice given will be strongly aligned to the needs of the group and the subject matter. And of course we can’t know everything, but it is important that your practitioner knows where to look for the information that will help you.
✅ Be supportive and provide structured support and accountability.
Remember, the advice given is optional for you to take onboard. You are paying for the service, so you don’t have to follow the guidance if you do not feel that it is right for you.
What Nutritionists don’t (or shouldn’t do)
❎ We may discuss incorporating other modalities, lifestyle interventions or have additional qualifications which equip us to coach. However, we’re not Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Counsellors, Physical Trainers or Herbalists and so cannot provide specific advice or a programme requiring these skills. Those discussing issues relating to eating disorders require specific qualifications.
❎ Do the work for you – I add this with love and kindness and many years of doing this work. Sometimes people really really want to see a change. They may even feel that they’re ready to change, but they’re not and this can be for numerous reasons. Maybe it’s lack of time, family commitments, a budget, or simply low motivation and too much else going on.
If someone isn’t ready, a few things can happen. There’s resentment or apathy when things don’t work out. People tend to drop off without really giving an explanation and don’t end up with the solution they want.
Sometimes there’s the tendency to ask for additional support for the work that they know they need to be doing themselves, but are not. People may ask for changes to a programme so it’s easier for them, but this isn’t often helpful (for example allowing in certain foods which they like, but which make them ill)!
❎ Give quick fixes – There are so many liquid diets (which should be prescribed or under the supervision of a medical practitioner). Or elimination diets which were created for specific healthcare or athletic needs. Nutrition interventions often take time, because well, the body needs time to adapt to the changes that you’re making. Although there will be changes early on, it’s often not a super quick fix.
I always suggest that people consider how long they’ve had the issue for and think of the solution in terms of a week for every month they’ve had the condition. For example, if it’s been 6 months then expect 6 weeks to see a real change, but if it’s been over a year, expect 12+ weeks at least.
❎ Provide plans that make you feel hungry, hangry or deprived – Many people think that nutrition means salad and beans and yes, to a certain extent, they will most like be suggested. But there are a plethora of foods which can contribute to your meal plan. My approach is very much to discuss the foods that are already eaten and to consider how this list can be expanded to incorporate simple and easy nutrients which will be beneficial and which you’ll enjoy.
❎ Expect you to pay for a whole host of supplements that you can’t afford – The attitude to supplementation differs from practitioner to practitioner. I tend initially to focus on food, but recognise that supplements are beneficial and that there is a place for them. But this is something to be discussed with your Nutritionist who should explain how supplements work and the benefits and if any, hinderances.
I have been saddened by the number of people who have contacted me because they don’t know what they’re taking or why and have spend copious amounts of money without seeing any benefits. Again do your own due diligence.
A few handy tips
Now, I know that it seems harmless when you want a few healthy eating tips to ask a friend or someone you know who is a Nutritionist.
I get it, I really do. Years before I was qualified I often gave ‘off the cuff advice’. After all I loved nutrition and really cared about helping others, but what I didn’t know then was how complex the human body is and how a little advice can be a dangerous thing!
It’s not necessarily that the advice wasn’t good. It’s simply that it wouldn’t have been accurate as there was so much more to consider than the simple result.
The main thing here is to test and see. Before booking a full package, follow the Nutritionist on their socials. Subscribe to their newsletter. Ask them questions during the initial consultation and ask others who have used their service for feedback. It’s similar to any other service, but even more important because this is investing in your body and mind!
If you’ve got this far then you are ready on some level to make a change. So here are a few things that you can do next:
If you want to delve in a little more but are not ready to book on to a workshop or course, join my newsletter community. It’ll help you get to know me, and the way that I work, but you’ll also get supportive nutritional and stress management advice every month right into your inbox. You can also get a free support guide by clicking on any of these:
Meal Planning
Healthy Weight
Healthy Soups
Healthy Eating at Christmas
Healthy Ageing
If you’re ready to have an introductory call simply book in through my Calendy Diary here or email me. Whatever you do, do something because you’re worth it!
I wish you all the best on your health journey and finding the support that’s exactly right for you.