In our busy lives, good food is often replaced by quick, easy and processed alternatives that may not offer the nutrients our bodies need to thrive. The fact is, real food and eating properly can have a profound effect on how you feel – inside and out!
Nutrients and other food components influence the function of the body, protect against disease, restore health, and determine people’s response to changes in the environment.
At Belfast Chiropractic Clinic, our experienced therapists help individuals and families to make positive choices by incorporating good nutrition into daily life.
Who is it for?
Everyone!
Good eating habits are critical at every stage of life, to support and maintain good health. From pre-conception and pregnancy, to childhood, adulthood and later life, it is important to adopt and maintain the best possible diet. The nutritional content of our food also plays a key role when recovering from illness, injury or emotional trauma.
Whether you have specific health challenges or just feel below par, a nutrition consultation at Belfast Chiropractic Clinic can have a profound and lasting impact on helping to achieve greater levels of health and wellbeing going forward.
Common conditions include:
• Digestive issues – bloating, IBS, constipation, diarrhoea, reflux
• Immunity – frequent colds, infections, allergies, hay fever
• Weight Management, including emotional eating Low mood, anxiety, depression, insomnia
• Energy levels – fatigue or excess energy Chronic conditions – fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome
• Hormone imbalance – insulin resistance, adrenal stress, thyroid imbalance
• Skin – eczema, acne, psoriasis
• Reproductive – PMS , endometriosis, fertility, menopause, PCOS
• Autoimmune conditions – MS, Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Eating disorders (bulimia) and picky eating
What to expect
Our Registered Nutritional Therapist, Claire Clerkin works with clients to build a complete picture of wellbeing. Each assessment focuses primarily on the needs and requirements of the individual.
During the first session they will record a complete health history to gain a greater understanding of the individual’s needs and to consider possible physiological reasons for specific health conditions.
For example, fatigue could be a result of a high carbohydrate diet, a compromised digestive system and incomplete assimilation of nutrients from food. The aim is to identify and address the root cause of an imbalance, not manage the symptoms. Personalised advice is then carefully prepared to fit within the individual’s lifestyle and circumstances.
Nutrition for children with specific behavioural needs
Eating good food is one of the simplest ways to future-proof long-term health and it’s proven that children require specific nutrients to grow and thrive. A child’s nutritional intake can often be compromised by high sugar diets or picky eating. Claire Clerkin, whose particular interest area is in working with children, uses Anne Matthews’ ethos on the treatment of developmental delay. A few positive changes to a child’s diet (as part of an overall treatment programme) can make a huge difference to a child’s wellbeing and enhance the efficacy of other treatments.
Functional Testing
Belfast Chiropractic Clinic & Complementary Therapies may also recommend Functional Testing to identify specific imbalances in the body.
This process is determined on a case by case basis, in consultation with the client and may include:
• Comprehensive stool testing to evaluate any imbalance in the gut
• Breath tests to identify the presence of small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
• Adrenal stress testing to measure levels of cortisol and DHEA (related to stress, fatigue, insomnia)
• Hormone tests (menopause, hormone imbalance, infertility)
• Comprehensive thyroid testing – fully thyroid hormone panel
• Organic Acid Test (OAT), Nutritional deficiency evaluation which establish vitamin, mineral and fatty acid status, oxidative stress and neurotransmitter metabolism.