Margaret Papoutsis is a qualified Nutritional Therapist, and has for many years used diet and supplementation as an important part of her therapeutic armoury.

For thousands of years diet has been recognised as an essential element in both the maintenance of health and the development of disease. It was Hippocrates, the founder of modern therapeutics who said, 'Let food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food'. This vital precept has been ignored or suppressed at various times in the history of medicine, but once again diet has become a subject of much discussion and research.

However, so much publicity is given to how a bad diet can predispose to disease, it is easy to overlook the importance of the benefits of really good food.

Eating well is not only about avoiding illness. It is about feeling energetic, pain-free and optimistic; about clear skin, sparkling eyes and glossy hair; about keen intelligence, enthusiasm for life and the sensuous enjoyment of delicious and satisfying food. Everything, in fact that a truly healthy individual accepts without a second thought.

What is nutritional therapy?

Nutritional Therapy uses the principles of nutritional science and dietary modification to:

Promote optimal health
Address disease prevention
Encourage peak performance in all areas of life

How are these aims achieved?

These aims are accomplished by:

Consideration of your own health objectives
A detailed medical and health history of yourself and your family
Analysis of your current diet
Discussion of your lifestyle and food preferences
Biochemical testing, where appropriate
Recommendation of suitable dietary modifications
Prescription of relevant supplements

What conditions can be helped or prevented by Nutritional Therapy?

It is advisable to consult your GP for appropriate investigations and diagnosis before seeking nutritional advice.

Digestion:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Constipation and diverticulitis
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohns, Ulcerative Colitis)
Stomach upsets and indigestion
Reflux and hiatus hernia
'Leaky Gut'

Hormones:

PMS
Menopause
Polycystic Ovaries
Fertility enhancement and pre-IVF care
Pregnancy and preconceptual care
Thyroid problems
Weight control
Disordered eating

General Health:

Stress
Fatigue, CFS, ME
Depression
Migraines
Skin disorders, acne
Food intolerance and allergies
Low immunity
Blood sugar irregularities (pre-diabetic), Syndrome X, Metabolic Syndrome
Candida
Degenerative disorders
Arthritis
Cardiovascular problems

Children:

ADHD
Autism
Obesity
Lowered immunity

Performance Nutrition
Margaret Papoutsis has unique experience of the dietary problems facing performers, especially dancers. She has completed several post-graduate courses with the National Centre for Eating Disorders and has a particular interest in the nutritional aspects of recovery from eating disorders. (see Specialist Areas)

Health Maintenance
You do not have to be suffering from a definite disorder to benefit from Nutritional Therapy. Many people come for a nutritional 'MOT' because they feel tired all the time, or are generally below par, yet not actually ill. During times of particular physical, mental or emotional stress, the requirements of the body increase, yet the quality of the diet usually decreases.

A nutritional consultation can encourage you back onto a path leading towards health and vitality.

What does a Nutritional consultation involve?

Before coming along for your initial consultation, you will be requested to complete questionnaires, which will give us an overview of your current health problems, medical and family history, plus diet and lifestyle factors.

Your current intake of fats, carbohydrates and proteins will be assessed, and any possible biochemical imbalances including vitamin and mineral deficiencies will be identified. You will be offered, where appropriate, biochemical tests which are at the leading edge of nutritional diagnosis.

A personalised dietary, lifestyle and nutritional supplement programme will be generated from the information gathered in your consultation, and from any recommended laboratory tests.

Advice will be given on how to support the efficiency of many metabolic pathways, boosting the body's ability to cope with stress, infection and disease. By increasing your intake of nutrients whilst reducing exposure to environmental and lifestyle toxins, you will be able to slow down the process of chronic degenerative disease and ageing, and maximise the natural healing ability of your body.

Follow-up consultations are usually advised to assess progress and make adjustments.

Please bring a list of any medication and/or supplements you are taking. If you have recently had blood tests or any other investigations, bring a copy of the results with you.

Are there any side-effects?

Some patients experience mild 'detox' symptoms at the onset of dietary changes,such as fatigue or transient skin rash. This is usually a very positive sign, but please report this reaction, should it occur, in order to allow for further modification.

Contraindications

In the UK it is not lawful for non-medical practitioners to give treatment for certain disorders, including cancer and diabetes. However, many individuals suffering from these conditions may benefit from dietary advice which may improve their general health and reduce the severity of side-effects of both the disorder and its necessary therapies. Any such advice must be given with the consent of the GP or consultant.

Dress Code

Consultations do not normally involve a significant amount of physical examination. However, certain digestive disorders may require gentle external abdominal palpation.

Fees

Consultations: £44 for 30 minutes
£68 for 60 minutes
Telephone Consultations: £15
Medical Reports: Up to £50

It is normally recommended that the initial consultation is booked for one hour

Other Supportive Therapies

Nutritional Therapy combines very effectively with Herbal Therapy and 'Visceral' Osteopathy.
Chronic ill health may be improved by Reiki healing or Psych-K™ (Applied Kinesiology).
Many digestive and hormonal disorders are benefited by exercise.

Biochemical and Hormonal Testing

Laboratory testing can be helpful in several ways - as an aid to diagnosis, a way of measuring the progress of therapy, and an indicator of predisposition to both genetic and acquired disorders. Accurate results can save valuable time and money by targeting only the most significant areas.

Many different tests are available, including:

Inhalant allergies - hayfever, asthma, sinusitis
Food intolerance
IBS, weight problems, allergic tendencies
Gastrointestinal diagnostics
Coeliac disease, 'leaky gut', IBS, parasites, enzyme action, infections
Cardiovascular screen
Includes multiple risk markers not tested in standard NHS screening
Breast cancer predisposition
Important markers of genetic hormone-processing abnormalities
Hair mineral analysis
Invaluable guide to heavy metal and other toxin levels
Female hormone testing
Helps in diagnosis of PMS, perimenopause, infertility, PCOS etc.
Adrenal function
Chronic fatigue, 'tired all the time', stress, cardiovascular problems
Bone turnover
Measures the rate of bone breakdown - a valuable tool in preventing and managing osteoporosis
Liver detoxification
Valuable information which may help prevent permanent liver damage in the future. Valuable also in hormonal and digestive problems
Candida testing
Allows accurate diagnosis of this difficult condition and avoids unnecessary treatment
Anaemia screen

Further information on these and other tests is available on request.

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