Nutritional Medicine

Nutritional medicine is also called functional medicine. It is scientifically based and relies on cutting edge discoveries in biochemistry. Nutrigenomics is the emerging face of nutrition and is the study of nutrients on gene expression.

The recognition that nutrients have the ability to modulate molecular mechanisms has caused much excitement in the field of nutrition. Nutritional Medicine is much more than prevention of deficiency states. Some individuals have higher requirements than others or some nutrients. The same diet is not suitable for everyone.

Nutritional intervention can alter the way cells in the body communicate which is to say that one can alter a pathological pathway towards a favourable outcome. Nutrients may be given in tablets or capsules or by using dietary oils or powders. When taking nutritional supplements the quality, potency, purity and bioavailability is paramount. We will dispense those you need or recommend a good make.

Supplements are used to correct deficiencies where they exist but also insufficiencies. In many cases nutrients are used because oftheir known relationships to various pathologies. Blood tests may be used to determine nutrient levels and also hair mineral analysis. The role of a healthy diet is paramount and specific food choices will be discussed in relation to the condition being treated and body type. The goal is to reduce supplements to a minimum with an optimal diet being instituted. However, these days some extra antioxidants and certain antiageing supplements for older patients are usually a good insurance for continued good health.

People are sometimes confused about the training of nutritionists and dieticians. There are many levels of training for nutrition, most courses offer a diploma and membership of BANT. The training covers modern knowledge about foods and nutrients together with problems relating to food quality and pollutants. Dieticians do a State Registered training and are not practising nutritional medicine but are more likely to be involved in hospitals or GP practices to advise people on preventing deficiency diseases or planning hospital menus. They do not prescribe and their work is supplementary to doctors. This is very different from the use of nutrients to overcome pathologies and disease.

Nutritional deficiencies are rife in the hospital setting and methods to discover and treat them are seldom used. Naturopaths have rigorous nutrition training with emphasis on correction of illness and promotion of wellness. Specific diets may be used in certain conditions. Mrs. Blackwell has trained additionally in nutrition in America and holds a postgraduate Diploma in Nutritional Medicine from the University of Surrey MSc programme.