Working with a Nutritionist

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like working with a nutritionist, it’s important for you to know that each practitioner will be unique in their offering and level of support provided. Whomever you choose to work with; connecting with your practitioner professionally is essential in fostering a therapeutic relationship, and is proven to improve treatment outcomes. This article should give you some insight into the approach, purpose and ways of working with my clients at Supple. 

About me and why I practice

I’ve been working in the food and health science industries for the past 8+ years, and hold both a Bachelor of Communications & Media, and a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional Medicine. I am forever studying something because I firmly believe that is the whole point of being here, to learn! And have fun of course.. So I am currently finishing studies in Naturopathy. The intention is that Supple will soon be able to offer Naturopathy as well as Reformer, Nutrition and Massage. 

For now, I am very happily a nutritionist, pilates instructor, owner of Supple and mum to Freddy. I am fascinated by the meticulous operating system that is the human body and its interrelationship with nature, and the benefits when these two come together harmoniously, when supported and encouraged to do so. 

Having grown up a happy kid with very athletic routines throughout my schooling years, I experienced a decade of significant angst and emotional highs and lows from the age of 16, right through to my mid-late 20’s when sporting commitments (aka the physical activity) stopped. Some of this I would put down to being almost a rite of passage of this time in our lives, but mostly, I acknowledge and understand that I was starting my adult journey with little to no purpose, physical activity or education around how to eat a nutritious, balanced diet and what that could do for me and my mental health. 

After making somewhat small but considered changes to the way I lived my life in my late twenties, everything seemed to fall into place. I had energy, I felt strong and happy, I slept deeply, my relationships improved, my inner-voice sounded like a far more content and happy version of myself, and put simply, everything just seemed to be working a lot better. I couldn’t believe it. I became so excited by how easy it was to feel good and maintain it, that I decided to go back to University and make supporting others in not only feeling better, but achieving optimal health my priority and career. 

Quite honestly, my time in the clinic and reformer studio has as profound an impact on me as the one I hope to have on my clients. I really love that it gives me an opportunity to connect with people from all walks of life, have interesting and new conversations regularly, and I am completely enamoured and inspired by the profound impact positive change, and consistency can have in every area of our lives.

I love to spend any extra minute I have in the kitchen (making pasta!), and actively practice a food is medicine approach, ensuring nutritional adequacy of clients is prioritised through the implementation of a whole food diet that is free from restriction and full of enjoyment.

My Approach as a Holistic, Clinical Nutritionist 

As a nutritionist, I practice in accordance with the naturopathic code which is grounded in evidence of the human body’s innate drive to repair, regenerate and recover given the right environment. But what is “the right environment?”. Well, it differs from person to person, just as we are individuals, so too is our biochemical makeup, and what we need personally to cultivate health and a sense of wellbeing for ourselves.

Our environment is made up of the food, drink and media we consume, exercise we perform, relationships we nourish (not just maintain), sleep we get and how regularly we prioritise relaxation. A holistic approach recognises the body as a whole and an extension of the environment it exists in, the interrelation of your body systems and how they respond to triggers, dietary or lifestyle. Crucial to all of this is a strong relationship with self. When working with me, we enhance this relationship by examining any pre-existing, inherited or societal and potentially damaging thought patterns around food, diet and your body together, and rebuild your self-acceptance by providing you the tools to take good care of yourself, holistically.

Essentially my place in all this firstly is to listen to you. Together we identify your specific needs and then I utilise dietary and nutrient therapies in treatment with a food-first approach to provide support and encouragement, educating you along the way and providing you the tools to facilitate life-long change. With daily practice of techniques that promote longevity comes a rich and healthful life.

Food is Medicine, Cooking the Prescription

In this time of fast and always-accessible food, we have lost the satisfaction that comes with eating, which means we’re overeating, undernourished and unhealthier as a society than we’ve ever been before. Science and advances in medicine are allowing us to live longer, all whilst experiencing a higher prevalence of chronic disease than ever before.. and a lot can be said for the role of food and our modern way of life in all of this, it’s mostly to blame.

Whole foods are a vital energy source of macro-, micro-, and phytonutrients that when consumed in the right mix, can be our pathway to thrive. When working with me, I encourage you to disengage from the inherited familial and societal, often torturous relationship and attitudes to food and food guilt, and learn to consume food intuitively. 

Throughout history mealtimes were a ceremonious time of celebration with community and loved ones, a therapeutic approach to hunting, gathering, foraging, preparing, cooking and finally, enjoying! Today, we’ve forgotten how to prepare our meals, what to eat, how to eat, even how to chew! Historically, the energy, dedication and love that went into preparing meals for oneself, or family offered substantial therapeutic benefit, and that is exactly what I hope to bring back into your life. A true joy and tantalising appreciation for mealtimes (all of them!). 

Education is Empowerment 

Sadly, we are more time-poor than ever before, and the simple act of knowing how to eat has become complex, compounded by the perpetuation of misinformation in all forms of media we consume. Making time for, and learning how to prepare simple ingredients and turn them into a tasty meal in order to eat well, is the most basic form of self-care, and is a practice we’re maintaining less every day. In an increasingly ‘smart’, automated world, where food is so available, we’re less satisfied and far less nourished. 

Knowledge is power, education is empowerment, and facilitates real change. Learning how to eat well makes good health affordable, accessible and can change your life by giving you tools to achieve vitality. When we work together, you will learn the “why” in eating for longevity, and that it’s not only what we eat, but also how we eat. You will understand how to practice and implement balance when it comes to approaching food and develop a relationship with food that is satisfying and fulfilling.

Tailoring Treatment with Functional Testing

In clinic I may recommend or request my clients to undertake functional pathology testing whereby their blood, urine, stool or saliva will be analysed to investigate biochemical, metabolic or nutrition status if the benefit is recognised in management of their case. Functional testing can provide insight into the physiological nature of the symptoms a client is experiencing and allows for a highly effective and targeted treatment plan.