Maybe you’ve had ongoing tummy bloating, or you just feel really tired all the time. Maybe you’ve just been diagnosed with high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. If you’re considering working with a nutritional therapist here is a sneak behind the scenes look at my consultation process.
It can be a big step to start working with a nutritional therapist if you’ve never seen a health professional outside the NHS, so I’ll share some tips to help you decide if you want to make an appointment. Whoever you see, ensure they are properly qualified and registered with the appropriate body, such as the British Association of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT).
What do Nutritional Therapists do?
I work with you on your diet so you find a pattern of eating that makes you feel good, and fits with your lifestyle. Sometimes it’s quick, and can be a few minor tweaks, sometimes it’s a longer journey and I work with clients for a year. I support you change your diet so you can feel confident to eat healthy food that tastes great. I will give you recipes and meal ideas that work with the health goals we agree together.
Sometimes I may recommend supplements or further testing that might help you, e.g. stool testing, but we can discuss these during the appointment.
Should you make an appointment?
I know it’s really hard to make changes to your diet, there is so much information online about health eating, and what we should and shouldn’t eat. I can help you cut through all this noise and find something that works for you. You don’t need to do this on your own.
During the initial appointment I spend some time time getting to know you, and understanding how you want to work with me. If you’re wondering about whether I can help you, or whether now is the right time for you think about these areas I question you on:
What’s your biggest health challenge?
What are the symptoms that have driven you to see me and how do you want me to help? This is really important, especially how you’d like to work together. You might prefer to take a slow approach, changing one thing at a time. Or you might want to really get stuck in and make changes straight away, improving several aspects of your diet and lifestyle all at once. However you want to do it, my nutrition coaching packages work with you step by step so you’re not left to implement the changes alone.
Why do you want to work with me now?
What is the driving force behind starting now? It’s so interesting to know what the trigger is that made you book to see me now. It might be that you finally feel whatever is bothering you with your diet has got really bad, and you need some support. Or perhaps you’ve just finished a big project so you have more headspace to think about making some changes to your eating patterns.
How will you feel when you’ve achieved your health goals?
What is your goal? How do you think getting to this goal will impact on your life? It’s great to have an idea in mind of what you will be able to feel, think or do when you achieve what you want to.
I enjoy working with people 1:1, but I also run group weekly coaching packages in the 7 Day Gut Reset if you want a quick boost to your diet without the tailored consultation.
If you’d like to start making changes to your diet, get in touch to book your initial appointment. See my coaching packages for more details.
