Nutritional therapy is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak performance and individual care. Nutritional therapy practitioners use a wide range of tools to assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. This approach allows them to work with individuals to address nutritional balance and help support the body towards maintaining health. Nutritional therapy is recognised as a complementary medicine. It is relevant both for individuals looking to enhance their health and wellbeing and for those with chronic conditions wishing to work with or ‘consult’ a nutritional therapist in collaboration with other suitably qualified healthcare professionals. Practitioners consider each individual to be unique and recommend personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Practitioners never recommend nutritional therapy as a replacement for medical advice and always refer any client with ‘red flag’ signs or symptoms to their medical professional. They will also frequently work alongside a medical professional and will communicate with other healthcare professionals involved in the client’s care to explain any nutritional therapy programme that has been provided.

In the UK, these titles can mean different things — and they’re not all regulated in the same way.

• Nutritional therapist: Typically trained to work 1:1 using nutrition and lifestyle to support health and wellbeing, often in a more clinical, root-cause style. Many practitioners choose to be BANT members and CNHC registered, which adds professional standards and accountability.

• Nutritionist: The title “nutritionist” isn’t legally protected in the UK so that anyone can use it. However, people on the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) through the Association for Nutrition can use titles such as Registered Nutritionist (RNutr).

• Nutrition coach: Often focused on habits, motivation and accountability. “Coach” isn’t a protected title, so training and scope can vary widely.

If you’re choosing someone, check their qualifications, professional registration, and whether their scope aligns with your needs. (For completeness: “dietitian” is a protected title regulated by the HCPC.)

It can be. I’m registered with CNHC, and a member of BANT, and some UK health cash plans recognise CNHC registration for reimbursement of nutritional therapy (depending on your policy and level of cover).

Cover varies by provider and plan, so please check your policy documents and confirm what’s included before booking.