A dietician works with diagnosed patients under the direction of a GP in a hospital, practice or the community. Dieticians base their advice on the Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) of nutrients. However, these are government guidelines based on the amount of a nutrient required to avoid deficiency. They do not take into account biochemical individuality, ie the fact that each person is unique and therefore has unique needs.
In contrast, a nutritional therapist is an independent professional that takes a holistic and individual approach with their client looking beyond the symptoms. They aim to identify underlying causes of unresolved medical conditions and treat with personalised diet and lifestyle changes and therapeutic supplementation.
Who can benefit from nutritional therapy?
In short – everyone! Many people turn to nutritional therapy when conventional medicine has not been effective, or the medication they are on has more side effects than their original symptoms. However, you don’t have to be ill to see a nutritional therapist. There is a vast difference between absence from illness and optimum health. You may have a family history of a condition that you would like help taking steps to avoid it. Or you may feel that you have a healthy diet, but are confused by all the stories in the media saying what you should and shouldn’t eat.