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AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Stress management
headache

Stress & BURNOUT

  • Overwhelm, exhaustion or poor concentration, perhaps with an over-dependence on caffeine

  • Instability or no resilience/ poor stress tolerance

  • Mood changes or poor mental health 

  • Insomnia or nightmares

  • Food cravings

  • Flare of skin conditions or general inflammation

  • Low libido

  • Run-down and recurrent infections

  • Difficulty conceiving

  • Hair loss

  • Low/high blood pressure

  • Aches & pains including chronic headaches

  • Weight won’t shift

  • Hormonal, fertility issues or chronic digestive issues​

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stress and burnout

Let’s face it, modern life is more stressful than ever. Fast-paced routines, high work pressure, constant multi-tasking, overstimulation, and lack of downtime all contribute to rising stress levels. It’s no surprise that an estimated 60–90% of all doctor visits are related to stress.
 

Chronic stress doesn’t just affect your mood – it impacts your whole body:
 

  • Nutrient depletion: Stress uses up vital nutrients needed for energy production, brain function, and a healthy stress response.
     

  • Fight or flight mode: When the body is stuck in “fight or flight,” essential processes like our digestion, immunity, and hormone balance are deprioritised.
     

  • Blood sugar imbalance: Unstable blood sugar triggers fatigue, cravings, and poor food choices, creating a vicious cycle of stress and exhaustion.
     

Managing stress with the right nutrition and lifestyle changes is key to restoring balance, supporting your nervous system, and protecting long-term health.

Mood Disorders
emotion

BRAIN, MENTAL HEALTH & NEUROLOGICAL

  • Poor concentration or memory

  • Brain fog

  • Feeling down, low, anxious, obsessive, irritable, angry outbursts, impulsive, on edge, or hyper

  • ADHD, ADD, Autism

  • Mental illness such as anxiety, including general anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar, PTSD, OCD, PMDD, phobias, panic disorder, psychosis, cyclothymic disorder

  • Low motivation/apathy

  • Hypervigilance, noise or light sensitive, emotionally sensitive

  • Postnatal depression or postpartum psychosis

  • Neuro-inflammation

  • Tics or Tourette’s syndrome

  • Gluten ataxia

  • Cognitive decline and neurodegeneration- dementia e.g., Alzheimer’s, aphasia. And Parkinson's

  • Auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis

Brain Health Nutritionist no logo

Rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders are skyrocketing worldwide. Conditions such as bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, PMDD (a severe form of premenstrual tension), and increasing diagnoses of ADHD, autism (neurodivergence) and dementia highlight just how widespread the crisis has become.
 

Women are particularly vulnerable after childbirth. Studies show that 10–20% of mothers experience postnatal depression, while women with bipolar disorder face an additional risk of postpartum psychosis.
 

Sadly, the UK is facing a severe mental health crisis. The NHS lacks both the resources and funding to provide the level of care people desperately need. I’ce seen this firsthand — like many others, she has experienced the shortcomings of mental health support in the UK. 
 

However, I use Nutritional Psychiatry (balancing the mind with nutritional measures, nutrigenomics, supplementation, and lifestyle interventions), which is a growing field with an increasing evidence base and recognition. I also work with the functional medicine approach to poor brain health, cognitive decline, and neurological conditions. Both approaches focus on determining the underlying causes in order to promote recovery or stabilisation of health.
 

There is no shame in taking medication for mental health – in fact, it can often be life-saving. My programmes are always designed to work alongside medical prescriptions as part of an integrated healthcare plan. I am also able to collaborate with your GP, psychiatrist, or neurologist to ensure you receive the most comprehensive support.

Hormone Imbalance
femenine

HORMONE IMBALANCE OR SENSITIVITY TO HORMONE FLUCTUATIONS

  • PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or its more severe form- PMDD (premenstrual dysmorphic disorder)

  • PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) which often involves oestrogen dominance/ raised testosterone

  • Fluid retention, tender breasts, heavy/painful periods

  • Fibroids or endometriosis (in part linked to oestrogen dominance)

  • Perimenopause & menopause - which cause a huge recalibration of the brain & nervous system. PMS & PMDD & mood disorders often worsen during this time

  • Meno belly (fat around the middle linked to perimenopause & menopause)

hormone balance

  • Underactive thyroid, e.g., Hashimoto's

  • Fertility issues (including failed IVF & recurrent miscarriage)

  • In males: low libido, low muscle mass, fat around the middle, low motivation

When my clients’ hormones are in balance – whether it’s cortisol (our stress hormone), insulin (our fat storage hormone), ghrelin (appetite), sex hormones, or melatonin (sleep) – they often feel more relaxed, experience fewer cravings, enjoy healthier weight management, and see improvements in reproductive health, menstrual cycles, and sleep quality.
 

Balancing hormones involves several key steps:
 

  • Stabilising blood sugar levels to reduce circulating insulin
     

  • Supporting the stress response, since excess cortisol from the brain and adrenals can block progesterone and disrupt female hormone balance
     

  • Caring for the liver, which is essential for hormone detoxification
     

  • Supporting gut health, so hormones are properly broken down and not reabsorbed into the body
     

Phases of life such as perimenopause and menopause can bring a huge range of unpleasant symptoms. Nutritional therapy can be highly effective during this time, either as a natural approach or working alongside conventional treatments.
 

Unfortunately, standard NHS tests for hormone imbalance often miss underlying issues. That’s why I sometimes recommend private hormone testing for a more complete picture. (See Lab Tests).

Gut health
intestine

GUT HEALTH

  • Irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, diarrhoea & constipation

  • Acid reflux, GERD, heart burn, nausea or gastritis, abdominal pain

  • Inflammatory bowel disease- ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

  • Coeliac disease, and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity

  • Diverticular disease and diverticulitis

  • Dysbiosis, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), intestinal permeability (leaky gut) - the latter 3 can all cause/ exacerbate chronical inflammation & skin & mood issues etc.  ​

The Gut Brain Axis

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common complaints I see – in fact, it’s second only to the common cold as a leading cause of time off work. Around 30–50% of gastroenterology referrals are due to IBS, yet unfortunately conventional medicine often has little to offer in terms of lasting solutions.
 

I also regularly support clients struggling with acid reflux, heartburn, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), GERD, gastritis, dysbiosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and many other digestive problems. Because the gut is so central to health, I often see links between poor gut function and skin conditions (such as dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis) as well as mood disorders.
 

My job is to uncover the underlying causes of gut health issues so we can address them successfully. Poor gut health affects every system in the body – especially the brain through the gut-brain axis – which is why paying attention to gut health is always a key part of achieving lasting health outcomes.

covid

CHRONIC FATigue & Pain, IMMUNE IMBALANCE

chronic pain

  • Exhaustion, tired & wired, weakness

  • Chronic fatigue syndrome, long covid or post viral fatigue

  • Pain syndromes- headaches & migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, arthritis, recurrent UTIs & interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, endometriosis

  • Histamine intolerance, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), inflammation, hives, allergies

  • Chronic fatigue syndrome, long covid or post viral fatigue, dystonia, PoTs, hypermobility disorders​

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Pain exhaustion

As a clinician, I have supported many people with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and post-viral fatigue over my 20 years in practice. I’ve learnt invaluable lessons not only from my clinical work but also from my own personal journey.
 

In my 30s, I experienced post-viral fatigue and fibromyalgia myself. After catching a severe virus during a very traumatic period of my life, I was bedridden for weeks. That experience gave me a deep understanding of how devastating fatigue conditions can be, and it inspired me to devote significant time to staying up to date with the research on chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and long COVID. More recently, I’ve worked with a number of clients experiencing long COVID, many of whom have responded well to tailored support.
 

Some of the common underlying factors I see include:
 

  • Brain inflammation
     

  • Adrenal imbalance from chronic stress and trauma
     

  • Neurotransmitter imbalances
     

  • Gut and immune dysfunction
     

  • Mitochondrial imbalances (the energy factories in our cells)
     

  • Histamine imbalances
     

With a tailored, integrated approach, my goal is always to help improve energy, resilience, and overall wellbeing for those living with these complex conditions.

Weight Managemen
body scale

WEIGHT, MEtabolism & FOOD CRAVINGS

  • Poor thyroid health (including Hashimoto’s)

  • Slow metabolism and weight issues

  • Belly fat that won’t shift

  • Peri- and menopausal weight gain

  • Yo-yo-dieting, food cravings, emotional eating & food addiction

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Weight is an emotive issue. Society often judges us on our size and places value on being slim, which only adds pressure. The reality is that weight loss is a multi-billion-pound industry, and much of what we’re told is designed to keep us stuck.
 

We are constantly marketed highly palatable, addictive foods that light up the reward centres of our brains, giving a short-term sense of pleasure and stress relief. But these foods often come with misleading claims about their supposed health benefits, leaving people confused, frustrated, and trapped in cycles of dieting and cravings.

weight

Many people already have some idea of where they’re going wrong with their weight management, but they still need the right support and guidance to stay on track. With so much conflicting health advice out there, it’s no wonder that weight loss often stalls, motivation dips, and people feel like giving up.
 

Others struggle with stubborn and unexplained weight gain – whether it’s fluid retention, abdominal bloating, intense cravings, or sugar addiction. No matter what they try, the number on the scales keeps creeping up each year, often with an expanding waistline.
 

My nutrition plans are designed to be practical and sustainable. They will:
 

  • Keep you satiated
     

  • Reduce food cravings
     

  • Address emotional and comfort eating (so you no longer rely on food as a drug and a dopamine hit)
     

  • Tackle the underlying reasons for metabolic issues
     

These underlying causes can include chronic inflammation, blood sugar imbalance, cortisol dysregulation, neurotransmitter issues, insulin resistance, appetite hormone imbalances, or gut bacteria imbalances.
 

Where appropriate, I can also offer nutrigenomic testing, which identifies genetic reasons why you may struggle with weight loss or appetite control. From there, I create a personalised plan with targeted, evidence-based modifications to help you take back control of your health.

blood sugar level

BLOOD SUGAR, DIABETES & BIological Ageing

Diabetes

  • Blood sugar & energy crashes, feeling hangry with uncontrollable cravings

  • (Pre)diabetes or diabetes

  • Insulin resistance & its link to various chronic conditions below:

  • Fat around the belly, fatty liver, high blood pressure & cholesterol

  • Inflammation, PCOS, chronic thrush, erectile dysfunction, migraines, dementia

  • Poor brain function & metabolic health

  • Accelerated brain (& cellular) ageing

Blood sugar

Shockingly, around one in four adults in the UK have metabolic syndrome – a cluster of symptoms that often occur together and significantly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
 

Some of the tell-tale signs include:
 

  • A large waist circumference
     

  • Unhealthy cholesterol levels
     

  • Raised blood pressure
     

  • Insulin resistance
     

  • Blood glucose markers in the prediabetic or diabetic range
     

Metabolic syndrome also makes people more prone to chronic inflammation and excess clotting, raising the risk of dementia, neurological issues, mood disturbances, stroke, fatty liver, and even certain cancers and other symptoms above. 
 

This is very much a Western lifestyle condition, often triggered by chronic stress, sedentary behaviour, diets high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates, excessive alcohol consumption, gut bacteria imbalances, and nutrient deficiencies. Women can also become more prone to metabolic syndrome after menopause, and genetic factors play a role too (with higher prevalence seen in certain ethnic groups).

Vegan & Vegetarians
vegetables

VEGAN & VEGETARIAN

I also have expertise in creating bespoke nutrition plans for vegans, vegetarians, and those following a plant-based lifestyle, which is a growing population due to ethical, environmental, religious, and health considerations.
 

To support this, I have even developed a unique nutritional lab test for vegans in collaboration with Viva Health Labs – the Kirsten Brooks Vegan Profile – to help identify any potential nutritional deficiencies, which, unfortunately, are not uncommon. (See Lab Tests)

Vegan vegetarian
Other Conditions
Brain Health Nutritionist logo

OTHER CONDITIONS

I have extensive clinical experience supporting clients with a wide range of health issues. If you’d like to know whether I can help with your unique health concerns not covered above, please contact my clinic or book an exploratory chat. 

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However, please note that there are some conditions I do not provide support for. These include Lyme disease, eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, and nutritional support for cancer.

other conditions

It is always best to get a proper diagnosis from a medical doctor and advise them of any additional therapies or supplements you are having. My nutritional program will be safe with any medication you are currently taking.
 

Contact me if you would like further information on how nutritional therapy might support your particular health concerns.

Nutrigeomics
DNA

Nutrigenomics

Personalising nutrition based on your unique genetics

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For a powerful, targeted, and proactive approach, I use nutrigenomic testing through Lifecode Gx and Nordic Lab – DNA Health. Both tests provide affordable, highly actionable reports, which I clearly interpret to help you make personalised, evidence-based changes that can have a profound impact on your health.

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Nutrigenomics

Our understanding of genetics has evolved with the fascinating field of epigenetics, which studies how environmental factors—like diet, lifestyle, stress, and exposure to toxins—can switch genes on or off. Unless someone has a chromosomal disorder, genes alone don’t determine disease. It’s the interaction between your unique genetic makeup and environment that influences your risk of poor health.
 

With nutrigenomic testing, I can see how your genetics may impact areas such as neurotransmitters, hormones, weight, thyroid function, energy, pain perception, methylation, fertility, and more. These tests also identify which nutrients you may require in higher amounts to support optimal health. From there, I can implement targeted nutritional and lifestyle strategies to potentially downregulate unfavourable gene expression.
 

Through personalised nutrition and targeted supplementation based on your genetics, it’s possible to positively influence gene expression. This integrative approach allows me to understand your biochemical individuality, giving a clear picture of your unique needs and providing direct, actionable recommendations based on known genetic variations (polymorphisms).
 

For example:
 

  • Weight and appetite genes: I can see how your genes may influence your food choices, metabolism and waistline, and design strategies to reduce their impact.
     

  • Serotonin production genes: I can determine if you are less efficient at converting tryptophan to 5-HTP, a serotonin precursor, especially under stress. Some gene variants may instead convert serotonin into a neurotoxic compound, contributing to mood disturbances. In such cases, targeted antioxidants from colourful foods or supplements can reduce negative effects. Other variants may lower serotonin sensitivity, causing low mood, anxiety, and impulsivity; I can recommend specific nutrients to improve serotonin function.
     

In my own case, nutrigenomic testing revealed higher requirements for certain nutrients to support mental health, methylation, and hormonal balance. Using this information, I was able to recover from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of premenstrual syndrome.
 

It’s important to note that most direct-to-consumer genetic tests provide basic information with little or no interpretation, which can be confusing or misleading. In the hands of a trained nutrigenomics practitioner, however, testing can be motivational, empowering, and genuinely life-transforming.

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