Nutritional therapy is a complementary medicine that uses nutrition and lifestyle changes to promote an individual's health and well-being. Nutritional therapy is underpinned on the principles of functional medicine (see below). Nutritional Therapists assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and the underlying root causes of presenting symptoms instead of merely treating the symptoms. They use a variety of tools (which may include functional tests) to develop personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes to address the symptoms. Nutritional therapists may work independently or collaborate with conventional medicine and other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care.

The title "nutritional therapist" is not protected by law in the UK, so anyone can call themselves a nutritional therapist, regardless of their qualifications. However, only nutritional therapists who have completed accredited training can register with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT). These professional bodies set high standards of practice for their members, so you can be confident that registered nutritional therapists have the necessary training and competence. Registered practitioners consider each individual to be unique and recommend personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes.

Dietitians are qualified to assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems for individuals and communities. They typically work in the NHS, but may also work in other settings such as education, research, media and sport. The title ‘dietician’ is protected by law in the UK and statutorily regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Nutritionists are food and nutrition experts who help communities improve their health and well-being by providing evidence-based information. Unlike nutritional therapists, they are not qualified to work with clients on a one-on-one basis in a clinical setting. The title "nutritionist" is not regulated by law in the UK, but nutritionists who meet certain standards can join professional bodies such as the Association for Nutrition (AfN) and apply to the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) to become Registered Nutritionists (RNutrs). Nutritional therapists (NTs) are food and nutrition experts who can work with both groups and individuals in a clinical setting. Unlike dietitians, they do not diagnose or treat diseases. Instead, they use a functional medicine approach to assess the root causes of an individual’s symptoms, health concerns or diseases. NTs never recommend nutritional therapy as a replacement for medical advice, but often work alongside conventional medicine practitioners to support people with a wide range of health conditions. The title "nutritional therapist" is not regulated by law in the UK, but practitioners who have completed accredited training can register with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) or the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT).

Functional medicine is a comprehensive, holistic and patient-centred approach to healthcare that focuses on promoting overall health and well-being, rather than simply treating diseases. Practitioners of functional medicine evaluate clinical imbalances within biological systems to identify the root causes of disease and dysfunction. They then work with their patients to develop personalised action plans which address underlying issues and promote healing. Nutrition and lifestyle changes are emphasised in functional medicine. Functional medicine practitioners work alongside conventional medicine.

Functional tests are diagnostic tests which help assess the body's nutritional status and biochemical imbalances. In simple terms, they allow us to go beyond traditional diagnostics used in conventual medicine and uncover the root causes and the 'why' of your health concerns/diagnoses rather than just 'treating the symptoms' approach. As a registered Nutritional Therapist, I have access to many accredited laboratories offering functional tests which is not available on the NHS. These include microbiome analysis to assess gut, vaginal and oral microbiome, comprehensive stool tests to assess gastro-intestinal health, food intolerances test, blood, urine and saliva tests for hormonal imbalances, organic acids test to assess metabolism, nutrigenomics (genetic testing) to understand how genetic variations influence nutrient metabolism and dietary responses and many more.