What “Nutritional Therapist” and “BANT Registered Nutritionist” Mean

There is no official reason for my use of this phrase in this post instead of “job title”.  It is simply that I think it better reflects how I work with my clients – I don’t simply ‘do a job’, I take part in improving clients’ lives.

“Job title” sounds very corporate, formal and blunt, doesn’t it?!

If you consult with me in my role as a registered nutritional therapist, you will receive one-to-one support to help you optimise your health through diet.  Your nutritional journey will be personalised to you, taking consideration of your health history, current health status and health goals.  The advice and recommendations you receive will be based on the latest nutritional science, using a functional medicine approach.

I am not able to diagnose or treat medical conditions and so I refer any new or existing client highlighting concerns of a medical nature to their GP for diagnosis.  This helps to ensure that any medical treatment required is received and that any underlying medical concerns, or medical complications, are identified through the appropriate processes.  My role is to help individuals identify nutritional and lifestyle influences on their conditions in order to reduce or better manage symptoms – nutritional therapy is a complementary therapy, not an alternative medicine.

On a similar note, I am not permitted to prescribe or alter medications and prescriptions, and I do not sell nutritional supplements or products.  Regarding medications, I will ask clients about the medications they have been prescribed to help us understand any influences on their symptoms and any potential interactions with foods and nutrients.  In some cases, particular nutrients may be depleted by medications, in other cases foods and nutrients may need to be avoided at the time of taking medications.  Of course, this in turn may influence the recommendation of any nutritional supplements.

As a BANT registered nutritionist I can give you general nutrition advice during group talks and workshops, as well as publishing articles (you can see recent articles in my blog).

In all activities the support and information you receive from me, is based on the latest nutritional science.

I should note that neither “nutritionist” or “nutritional therapist” are titles protected by law.

There are similarities between the support you will receive from me, and that which a dietitian can provide.  The most significant differences are that dietitians are permitted to make diagnoses and treat dietary and nutritional concerns; and they can prescribe some medications.

Dietitians typically work within a hospital or private clinical setting with referrals from other medical teams.  They may also work in workplace settings.  A dietitian’s role includes working with both individuals and public health concerns, as well as training other health and social care workers.

Dietitians must be registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).  I am registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT).

To give you the best support I can, with the most up to date and reliable information, CPD is a requirement of both my CNHC registration and BANT membership.  My continued learning methods include: online training, attending talks, textbook reading, review of scientific literature, and keeping up with industry news.

You may find that some practitioners have particular interests that influence what they recommend to you.  They may subscribe to particular lifestyles or diet choices, or be members of influential organisations.  This does not necessarily mean the service they provide will be of a low standard, but it may mean that it is biased.  Some diet and nutritional organisations have products to sell or design their process with short-term goals to encourage you to return when you don’t maintain changes in the long-term.  I however, believe firmly in working to your best interests, within the parameters of your beliefs, as well as by applying the science that will help you support your long-term goals.  My understanding of science is supported by my master of sciences degree: MSc Nutritional Science and Practice.

Considering my personal beliefs, I am a vegetarian on ethical grounds, but I do not actively promote this in my practice.  Vegetarians requiring support for a vegetarian diet will get that support from me, but meat-eaters will get support based around a meat-eating diet too.  If it is clear that an individual’s meat-eating or vegetarian diet is not in their best interests, I will of course discuss this with them so that we can agree an appropriate nutritional approach.  I don’t try to convert anybody to my personal beliefs, only persuade them towards my professional recommendations.  I recall a college friend once calling me “the coolest vegetarian [he] had ever known” – simply because I didn’t try to project my beliefs on to my friends who chose to eat meat at lunch.

Furthermore, I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach or unnecessarily removing food groups from individual’s diets.  I don’t follow trends.  While we all have the same basic needs, we all have different lifestyles and demands on us that require different nutritional approaches.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.