Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food
(Hippocrates 400 BC)
Consultations include two types of appointments: an initial and a follow-up, with a food and lifestyle plan included in both. These consultations can be done in person or online.
Initial consultation
During the initial consultation I will carry out a thorough assessment of your body systems, your current diet and lifestyle, and the health concerns you would like to discuss. Following this assessment, I will conclude which body systems may need support and then formulate a plan for you with some food and lifestyle changes that may help.
Follow-up consultation
After approximately 4 weeks of being on the first plan, I would like to see you for a follow-up consultation to see how everything has been going (what has worked well, what hasn’t) and provide you with a revised plan with some more specific recommendations that may help you further.
Recommendations
My recommendations will be evidence-based and predominantly be around food and lifestyle changes that you can make. I may also include supplements and testing if I believe they will be beneficial to you.
Supplements
I only recommend high quality supplements from reputable companies who have been thoroughly tested and certified to produce clean minerals and vitamins, free from unnecessary excipients and toxic heavy metals, so they can be absorbed well by the body.
Functional Tests
Functional tests are very helpful and highly recommended because they can provide scientific factual information about what’s actually going on inside your body, helping me tailor your plan even more to your needs. These tests can look at DNA health, metabolic processes, hormones, microbiome, immune system and more.
The Process in Detail
Contact Me
To kick things off, please fill out the form on the Contact page or email me at sarah@mindfulnutritionandhealth.co.uk with your contact details, a brief summary of your current health status and some convenient times for me to call you. I will then email you back and confirm a time we can have a brief chat about your symptoms and any questions you may have about my process.
15 Minute Chat
This initial phone call is free of charge. This is a chance for me to hear some more about your current health status and what you would like to achieve, and also for us to decide if we can work together. There is no obligation to move forward after we have spoken. If however we do decide to move forward, we will then book in an Initial Consultation and I will send you over a 3-day food & drink diary template for you to fill out.
3 Day Food & Drink Diary
After our phone call together I will email a template for you to fill out with all the foods and drinks you consume over three days. I always ask my clients to provide a realistic picture of what they eat, as it helps with my evaluation whilst also giving me a feel for what you like to eat.
Initial Consultation
The Initial Consultation will either be in person or online. It will last approximately 2 hours. During this consultation I will do a full assessment, asking you many questions so I can gather all the information I need to formulate a plan for you. After the call I will complete my analysis and any research required, then put together the plan of recommendations.
Plan Delivery
The delivery of the plan will be online and will last approximately 1 hour. The plan will include recommendations for updating your diet, lifestyle and possibly include some high quality supplements and tests, if I think they will be beneficial.
Recommended Follow-up
The Follow-up Consultation will be arranged approximately 4 weeks after you start your plan and last approximately 1 hour. This will be in person or online. During this follow-up, I will ask you some more questions on how everything has been going since we last saw each other, what has been working well, what hasn’t, and if there are any new symptoms or test results to discuss. Based on the new information I have gathered, I will then provide a revised, more specific plan of recommendations tailored to your needs.
Updated Plan Delivery
The delivery of the revised plan will be online and will last approximately 1 hour. The revised plan of recommendations will be based on the information gathered in the Follow-up Consultation and any further research.
Further Follow-ups
Additional Follow-up Consultations can be requested and arranged for either a planned ongoing basis or ad-hoc, at a time agreed together. These follow-ups will include a 1 hour update, either online or in person, followed by the delivery of an updated plan online if appropriate.
Additional Support
If you think you would benefit from some regular check-in’s with me, to keep on track and accountable, then we can arrange this (weekly or monthly) during the time that we work together. I will also be available over email and will always aim to respond within 24 hours.
Functional Testing and Supplements
If I think some functional tests would be helpful, then I will talk these through with you before organising them. Any tests and/or supplements are optional and a separate cost.
“It is fascinating to think about all the connections within us, what the body can do given the right nutrients and environment, and how this can support a number of health issues.”
Pricing
Nutritional Therapy Package
Approx 8-10 weeks
Includes:
- Initial 2 hour consultation
- Evaluation and analysis of information gathered and relevant research
- Tailored nutrition and lifestyle plan, with meal ideas
- 1 hour follow-up consultation and revised plan
- Regular 30 minute check-in’s, if required
- Email support throughout
£295
Fees can be paid in full or split over two payments (£175 for initial and £120 for follow-up).
Please note that any supplements or functional tests are optional and a separate cost.
The regular check in’s (included above) are available during the 10 week period.
Additional check in’s after this period can be booked for £45 per 30 minutes – for current clients only.
Further 1 hour follow-ups and plans for current clients can also be arranged for £110 per consultation.
I would absolutely recommend Sarah for anyone wanting a change of ways with food, to understand it better or with any issue which you think could be improved by a different way of eating. She’s an absolute star
Lindsay, 40
(bloating and IBS symptoms)
Functional Testing
Functional testing may be recommended to assess nutritional imbalances and inform personalised diet and lifestyle recommendations to support wellbeing. They provide factual information about how the functions in your body are currently working and where any imbalances may be.
Examples of imbalances and functions in the body that may need support include:
- Genetic variants (polymorphisms)
- Vitamin and mineral insufficiencies or deficiencies
- Compromised detoxification pathways
- Compromised metabolic processes
- Hormone imbalances
- A compromised microbiome
- Intolerances/allergies to certain foods and drinks
The results from your functional test can help me formulate a truly tailored plan for you, which may help speed up your journey to wellness, or put you on the path of prevention.
The tests are an additional investment and costs vary depending on the type of test and company. Please see below for a summary on some of the functional tests available.
Note. These tests will never replace advice from your GP and you will always be referred to your GP if any results from a functional test come back out of range.
Genetic Health Testing
This is a one-off test that will unveil what genes you have for certain health areas and what your body needs for them to function optimally. The information provided can be life changing.
Your genes hold the instructions for all the processes and functions in your body that keep you healthy. What’s most fascinating to know is that they are influenced by what you put into your body and the environment you live in. Finding out what genes you have inherited for health and what is required to make them work in your favour, can help you make an informed decision about your diet and lifestyle choices.
The genetic health areas include: methylation, detoxification, inflammation, circadian rhythm, lactose and gluten intolerance and the metabolism of vitamins, fats and caffeine (and much more if requested).
Samples are provided via a finger prick blood spot or a non-invasive swab at home, and sent in the post for analysis. All DNA data is deleted after 3 months.
Costs for genetic health testing range from £187 – £549.
Organic Acid Testing
Organic acids are compounds formed during the metabolic processes that continually take place in your body. The metabolic reactions produce these compounds from the digestion of dietary protein, fat, and carbohydrates. The resulting organic acids are used by your body to generate cellular energy and provide many of the building blocks necessary for cell function.
Organic acid tests can provide insight into where imbalances currently are in your body and which functions and metabolic processes may need support through dietary or supplement intervention.
Health areas include: digestion, detoxification, neurotransmitter function, cell health along with some nutrient markers. Recommendations include key vitamins, minerals and digestive support.
Samples are obtained through a non-invasive urine sample at home and sent in the post for analysis.
Costs for organic acid testing range from £345 – £419.
Microbiome Testing
Billions of microorganisms are found throughout your gastrointestinal tract, from your stomach through to your colon, and their presence and activity play a crucial role in your health. They contribute to energy production, neurotransmitters, digestion of fibres and the development of your immune system.
Once you understand what your own microbiome looks like, it can help show you how it’s impacting your health and help you make the right diet and lifestyle choices to support your well-being.
Samples are obtained through a non-invasive stool sample at home and sent in the post for analysis.
Costs for microbiome testing start from £189 to £359 – with payment plans available on request.
Food Sensitivities
If food is suspected to be at the root of a symptom or you would just like to find out what foods could be having an impact on your health, then food sensitivity testing could be for you. The results may show some foods that are obvious to you and some that are a complete surprise.
Eating foods without realising they are activating your immune system could be contributing to chronic inflammation, which may not show up in symptoms right away, but could be the cause of symptoms a few hours or days after.
Symptoms may include: anxiety, depression, IBS, headaches/migraines, fatigue, high blood pressure, eczema, asthma, joint pain, chronic rhinitis, arthritis, weight problems and fibromyalgia.
Food sensitivity testing can test against 40, 60, 120 or 200 different food and drinks, or 32 herbs and spices. Tests are also available for 60, 110 or 150 vegetarian and vegan foods too.
Samples are provided via a finger prick blood test at home and sent in the post for analysis.
Costs for food sensitivity testing range from £112 – £292. More comprehensive Cyrex panels are also available.