It all starts in the gut
The foundation of overall health lies in gut health. When it’s compromised, our ability to digest and absorb nutrients from food or supplements diminishes. Thus, even the most nutritious diet becomes ineffective if gut health is poor.
In my clinic, I commonly encounter symptoms like bloating, pain, changes in bowel movements, acid reflux, indigestion, and a feeling of food not sitting well. Additionally, headaches, skin issues, weakened immunity, brain fog, and fatigue can also tie back to poor gut health.
Attempting a DIY approach to restore gut health can sometimes do more harm than good. Solutions like the low FODMAP diet, using probiotics or fasting are not universally effective and gluten isn’t always the root cause.
Guidance from a nutritionist is crucial. I can offer advice on suitable tests, recommend the right supplements, and design a balanced plan that won’t exacerbate your symptoms but will aid in reclaiming your health.
Arrange a complimentary discovery call to discuss your concerns. This will enable me to suggest the best plan to comprehensively address your gut health once and for all.
The Food Power Nutrition Approach
Recommended Services & Packages for improving Gut Health
4 Week Nutrition Plan (1:1 Nutritional Therapy)
Functional Test & Personalised Plan
The Vital Role of Gut Health: Nourishing Your Body from Within
As a nutritional therapist, one of the cornerstones of promoting overall health is addressing gut health. The gut, often referred to as the “second brain,” plays a pivotal role in nutrient absorption, metabolism regulation, mental health, immune function, and maintaining a delicate balance that influences various aspects of well-being. Several conditions, such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Candida overgrowth, dysbiosis, and Leaky Gut, can disrupt this balance, leading to a cascade of symptoms. A personalized nutrition plan becomes instrumental in addressing these conditions, understanding their root cause, fostering gut health, and supporting holistic well-being.
It all starts in the gut
Gut health is so pivotal because in case of unbalances, conditions and inflammation nutrients from both food and supplementation won’t be fully absorbed, severely diminishing the efficacy of any protocol. For this reason, gut health should be addressed as a priority and symptoms thoroughly investigated via in depth questions or functional testing.
Pathogenesis and Symptoms of Gut Health Conditions:
1. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO):
• What it is? SIBO occurs when there is an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, where bacterial populations are typically low.
• Symptoms: Abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and malabsorption of nutrients leading to nutritional deficiencies.
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):
• What it is? IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by changes in bowel habits and abdominal discomfort without apparent structural abnormalities.
• Symptoms: Abdominal pain, altered bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea, or both), and bloating.
3. Candida Overgrowth:
• What it is? Candida, a yeast normally present in the gut, can overgrow, leading to an imbalance in the gut microbiome.
• Symptoms: Fatigue, digestive issues, recurrent infections, and skin conditions.
4. Dysbiosis:
• What it is? Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the gut microbiome, where harmful bacteria outnumber beneficial ones.
• Symptoms: Digestive discomfort, irregular bowel movements, and susceptibility to infections.
5. Leaky Gut:
• What it is? Leaky gut, or increased intestinal permeability, allows undigested particles to pass through the intestinal lining into the bloodstream.
• Symptoms: Digestive issues, food sensitivities, autoimmune conditions, and systemic inflammation.
How a Personalized Nutrition Plan Can Help:
1. Identifying Trigger Foods: A nutritional therapist helps individuals identify trigger foods that may exacerbate symptoms, customizing the diet to meet specific needs and alleviate digestive distress.
2. Balancing Gut Microbiome: Incorporating probiotic-rich foods and targeted prebiotics supports a balanced gut microbiome, fostering an environment where beneficial bacteria thrive.
3. Reducing Inflammation: A personalized nutrition plan includes anti-inflammatory foods, such as turmeric, ginger, and omega-3 fatty acids, to mitigate inflammation and alleviate symptoms.
4. Modulating the Gut-Brain Axis: By including foods that support a healthy gut-brain axis, such as fermented foods and those rich in serotonin precursors, a nutritional therapist addresses the interconnectedness of gut health and mental well-being.
5. Boosting Immune Function: Nutrient-dense foods and a well-balanced diet provide essential vitamins and minerals, supporting immune function and enhancing the body’s ability to ward off infections.
In conclusion, gut health is a cornerstone of overall well-being, influencing nutrient absorption, inflammation, metabolism, mood, energy levels, and immune function. Conditions such as SIBO, IBS, Candida overgrowth, dysbiosis, and Leaky Gut can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to a myriad of symptoms. A personalized nutrition plan, crafted by a nutritional therapist, becomes a powerful tool in addressing these conditions, restoring balance, and fostering holistic well-being. By tailoring dietary recommendations to individual needs, a personalized approach empowers individuals to reclaim control of their gut health and improve their overall quality of life.
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Gut issues
FAQ
What is Nutritional Therapy?
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.
What’s the difference between a nutritional therapist, nutrition coach and nutritionist?
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.)
What is mBANT?
BANT (British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) is a professional organisation for Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioners and Registered Dietitians which are trained and qualified in clinical practice to meet national standards and work in a one-to-one setting.
BANT practitioner members are required to be registered either with Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or be statutorily regulated. CNHC holds a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), an independent body accountable to the UK Parliament. BANT members are also required to meet Continuing Professional Development (CPD) standards.
Being a BANT member highlights the high standard of my training and work practice, reassuring clients of the quality of the consultations and plans I provide at Food Power Nutrition.
How long will it take to see results?
It varies. Some people notice changes within a few weeks after implementing the key recommendations, while deeper, longer-term issues can take longer to shift. Your timeline depends on your starting point, what we’re addressing, and how consistently you can follow the plan.
My focus is sustainable, long-term improvement — not quick fixes — and we’ll agree on realistic expectations as part of your assessment.
Does Food Power Nutrition operate only online?
No. I offer online consultations via Practice Better (telehealth/Zoom), which you can access through your client portal.
In-person initial consultations are available on Wednesday afternoons at Angel Gyms, 48 Provost St, London N1 7SU. All follow-up sessions are held online.
What should I expect to achieve working together?
You can expect a personalised, practical plan tailored to your symptoms, history, and goals, with clear priorities and measurable steps. Results vary from person to person, but progress is most substantial when you implement the recommendations consistently, attend follow-up sessions where relevant, and use supplements/testing only where appropriate.
We’ll discuss realistic expectations and goals during your discovery call so you know exactly what we’re aiming for and how we’ll measure progress.
What should I do if I have questions between appointments?
You can contact me by email at lucia@foodpowernutrition.com or via the Practice Better chat for support between sessions.
I aim to reply within one working day. Please note my working hours are 9 am–6 pm, Monday to Friday, so messages sent outside these times may be answered the next working day.
How can I get in touch for more information about packages and costs?
If you’d like to talk it through first, you can book a free discovery call to discuss your health concerns, the most suitable service, and costs. Please feel free to ask for information via the contact form, specifying if you wish to be contacted via email or via phone. I am happy to offer a free discovery call to discuss your current health concerns and explore how we can work together.