It’s all very well finding out what your trigger foods are. But what do you do with that information? At Smartblood, we believe that your consultation with our Nutritional Therapist is just as important as the test itself.
Meet Shelia Illingworth, our BANT registered Nutritional Therapist who’s here to talk you through your Smartblood results.
From advice about nutritious alternatives to understanding the many alternative names ingredients can be listed as on food packaging, your 30 minute appointment is an invaluable source of information to help you get the very best out of your diet.
Shelia, how did you get into the world of Nutritional Therapy?
I decided upon this path when I was competing as an International Athlete. I had become quite ill with what transpired to be multiple food intolerances and Candida, neither of which were talked about much 20 years ago. I decided I needed to understand how to heal myself and help others who were also Confused and concerned about their health.
What’s one of the most common questions you get asked?
How long do I have to avoid a food for and do I need to avoid it forever!
If you could change one dietary habit you see today, what would it be?
The excessive use of processed foods. We need to get into habits of cooking fresh foods from scratch. You don’t need to be a cookery expert, you can make wholesome meals that don’t take long to prepare or cook.
What changes have you seen in the free from industry over the years?
It has improved immensely, with a wider and more diverse range of foods, and also a superior taste to what they were even 5 years ago.
What’s your favourite go-to snack?
Scone, butter, jam, This was my go to snack when I was competing many years ago, and still is now.
Do you have any intolerances yourself?
I have managed to clear all mine up by using gut healing nutrients, so happily at the moment I am free from.
What’s your best advice to help a Smartblood client prepare for their telephone consultation?
Have a list of questions ready which are relevant to you so that you get the best from the consultation and make lots of notes during the call to refer back to.