Consultations
How can Lorna help you?
Nutritional therapy is the application of nutrition and health science enabling you to maximise your potential through a healthy diet and lifestyle. Lorna’s approach is based on the principle that good health and vitality are more than just the absence of disease and she develops consultation programmes that are completely unique to you.
Lorna uses her decade of experience working with women to optimise specific female health conditions, life stages, female-specific symptoms, as well as supporting other areas of health such as:
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sleep
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energy
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balancing a busy life through minimising the effects upon organs and systems that connect to the stress response
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the immune system
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digestion and the microbiome
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psychological wellbeing
You may be looking for an alternative to the conventional approach or looking to take further steps forward after conventional advice or treatment. Lorna’s knowledge and experience enables her to offer support that complements a medical approach. This includes nutrition, naturopathy and lifestyle support both pre- and post-surgery or other medical procedure (laparoscopy, fertility investigations etc.); and nutrition support alongside medications, particularly those prescribed for thyroid and hormonal support (e.g. endometriosis or PCOS, fertility, HRT, bioidentical hormones and so forth). Lorna regularly works alongside and recommends specialist medical professionals; and can offer programmes for those who are looking for nutrition support whilst also seeing a medical specialist.
Lorna takes a discerning approach to functional nutritional laboratory testing. There are any number of ways to test certain nutrients or biochemical markers and only by selecting the correct method may an accurate reflection of a client’s situation be obtained. Lorna’s role as a skilled and experienced practitioner is to interpret often complex results, apply them to a client’s symptoms (and the larger picture) and provide appropriate dietary and lifestyle support as a result.
What happens before my first consultation?
What happens during my first consultation?
Nutritional or functional tests
The benefits of functional testing
What happens after the consultation?
How many consultations will I need?
Follow-up consultations
What happens before my first consultation?
A questionnaire and food diary will be sent to you to complete prior to your consultation. The health questions are purposefully detailed, and the information provided will make a big difference to the help your practitioner can give.
What happens during my first consultation?
The initial consultation will be one hour. During this time, Lorna will examine your medical history and current symptoms, lifestyle, and dietary picture. You will also be asked about areas of focus you would like to work on and your health goals. The process is therefore suitable for those who are looking for help with serious health issues as well as those who wish to improve an existing healthy foundation. The consultation discussion will allow you to leave with an understanding of your body’s nutritional status and an effective programme to support your route to optimizing health.
Practical, financial and personal considerations are valued, and an achievable plan will be put in place with which you can feel both comfortable and confident.
Nutritional or functional tests
For some clients, as part of their programme, it may be helpful to undergo tests that are not offered through a GP or surgery/hospital, although in many cases the aim is to start with a client’s GP to make it more cost effective.
Lorna uses the most advanced and respected medical laboratories for analysis of body chemistry and function. These laboratories are headed by medical and nutritional research teams and used by nutritional therapists, medical physicians and other health practitioners. Health tests are continually being developed and Lorna regularly attends training with these laboratories to maintain a high level of understanding and stay abreast of the latest developments in research.
Tests may require a sample of blood, urine, hair, saliva or stools. Some tests require clients to visit a laboratory while many are easily conducted in the comfort of your own home and therefore in most cases the process is very straightforward.
The benefits of functional testing
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Test results may give helpful general insight which forms part of your unique health picture. This is especially important when an issue is suspected from symptoms, but a test would allow a more confirmed position. This allows the practitioner to choose the most accurate way forward.
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Regular testing provides a means of monitoring change and progress, where a before, during and after view can be helpful.
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Tests may identify your levels of nutrients including vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. This is particularly helpful to highlight suspected issues of deficiency, insufficiency or even excess.
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Functional tests help provide a very comprehensive picture of the digestive system, neurotransmitter levels, detoxification function or hormonal changes (such as sex, adrenal and thyroid hormones) that may be affecting your mood, sleep or menstrual cycle, for example, that would otherwise have been missed in standard testing. Sophisticated private testing can show shifts and changes over a period which can be more accurate than one single measurement.
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Tests such as breath or stool tests may show the presence of changes in digestive function and general gut health, and can show the presence of pathogens, beneficial bacteria and more.
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Tests for genetic variations can empower you with the knowledge to adapt your diet and lifestyle in a way that will optimise your health and offer prevention against disease.
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At certain life stages (e.g. pre-conception, menopause), tests may be helpful to optimize health during that specific stage.
Lorna will speak to you about testing, if required, during your consultation. Please note that the price of tests is not included in your fees for the consultation.
What happens after the consultation?
A tailored nutritional action plan will be sent within 72 hours of your appointment for you to incorporate straight away. This will include action points that you have previously agreed with regard to dietary and lifestyle changes and information sheets and recipes to accompany these. You will also receive a personalized supplement programme and information about conducting health tests (if required).
How many consultations will I need?
Nutritional therapy is a step-by-step process, often working towards not one but many goals or outcomes, and several sessions are therefore required in order to complete this process. The work you do with a practitioner is deliberately intensified to help you reach a position of balance in a shorter period of time allowing far greater progress than you would generally achieve by yourself in a much longer period. It varies from client to client but, commonly, a client should have a follow-up appointment within 4-5 weeks of the initial consultation. This can be followed by a further consultation 4-5 weeks later and an additional follow-up appointment 6-8 weeks after that. Further follow-ups may be necessary and mutually agreed. Please expect the need to book at least two sessions following your first appointment. You may then be placed on a maintenance plan once the intensified months are completed. Lorna’s ethos is very much to give you the necessary tools to let your body take care of itself in the longer term, and so that you have a feeling of control over your body and life.
Follow-up consultations
Follow-up consultations are usually 30 minutes, but you can also book a 45 minute or one hour follow-up. These appointments offer an opportunity to ask questions about your ongoing programme, discuss any changes you are experiencing, go through any test results and more. You will receive another updated and adjusted plan after any follow-up consultation.
Appointments can be made in person or via telephone or Skype. To make an appointment, please contact Lorna’s clinic reception who manage her diary. All prospective clients are offered a free 10-minute conversation with Lorna before committing to a full consultation.