Why become a nutritionist?  What does a nutritionist do?

My journey to becoming a nutritionist started a long time ago. When I was approximately 10 years old, it was discovered I had a thyroid autoimmune disease – I had Hashimoto’s. I went from being a happy high energy child full of beans to a teary child who could not get out of bed in the mornings. I also developed a lump in my throat; a goitre. Key signs something was not right.

A journey to understand the goals of nutrition

One of my earliest memories was looking up thyroid in, of all things, the Encylopedia  Britannica; yes it was before the Internet Revolution. I found in there a picture of a women with a goitre so large I thought she looked like she had swallowed a bullfrog. Pretty scary stuff for a ten-year old! It kick started my own journey to achieve and maintain good health.

And it has been a journey.  There have been light bulb moments of course but much of my learning whether it has been formal and structured through study, working with my clients or through my own efforts to achieve and maintain good health have come over time and with experience.

Choosing to study to become a nutritionist was a major turning point.  I was working in the corporate world.  I had a successful career.  It had been fulfilling, interesting, fun and rewarding career, I had travelled a lot and met and worked with incredible people.  However I was ready for my next step.

So I started my transition into nutrition and health industry.  It has been an amazing experience, sometimes easy, sometimes challenging but always inspiring and incredibly rewarding.

And I discovered my two biggest passions, understanding the interplay between physiology and food and understanding the mind-body-food connection.  It is why I believe being an effective nutritionist and health coach requires me to understand not just what and how people need to eat but also the why and when they eat, to understand what role food may play in their life.

Optimising your health is literally in your hands

I am passionate about promoting health, in encouraging others to learn and discover how they can become stronger, healthier and happier.  How the key to maintaining and optimising their health and wellbeing can be in their hands.

I am a passionate nutritionist who stands with one food firmly anchored in understanding evidenced based treatment, in understanding how the body uses food to nourish, repair and sustain it.  I am also a passionate nutritionist who has another foot firmly planted in integrated natural health because I understand how all aspects of our life and health interact to influence and determine our total health.  I believe that we should let food be thy medicine and medicine be they food.  However I also believe our health is more than the food we eat.

I want you to go on your own journey of health discovery, to understand just how good you can feel.  I want to support and encourage you to experience and enjoy a passion for health and wellbeing.

I have a clarity as to what I believe are the key principles underpinning optimal health and wellbeing. These form the basis of my approach to treatment.  My desire is to share and gift what I have learnt and continue to learn on my journey with others.

I would be honoured to have the opportunity to work with you, to share more with you about how to nourish, nurture and revitalise your health and wellbeing.

ciao Jan