T H E
Diet
N U T R I T I O N
C O N S U L T A N C Y
THERAPIST

About Me
I hold an M.A (Hons) in Social Anthropology and an MSc. in
Medical Anthropology and I have always been interested
in health, nutrition and different medical systems. At
University, my thesis research on ethnobotany and
traditional healing in East Africa (plant-based medicine)
initiated a fascination with phytonutrients and their potential
effects on health, which later led to me pursuing a career in
Nutrition and Functional Medicine.
Before re-training in Nutrition Science, I worked for many
years in applied Research and Management Consulting for
NHS organisations, and later in Media and Marketing.
I studied to become a Nutritional Therapist at the Institute
for Optimum Nutrition, (ION), graduating with Distinction
in 2015. I am also a qualified NLP Practioner, and use these
skills and techniques in clinic to help motivate clients
towards positive change.
I regularly undertake professional development and training
to maintain knowledge and skills in applied practice in the
rapidly changing arena of Nutrition Science.
I am passionate about nutrition and
healthy eating, but also about
transforming people's relationship with
food.
The Diet Therapist is about creating
positive changes in how - as well as
what my clients are eating.
I am a member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy which maintains high standards of integrity, knowledge,
competence and professional conduct across the industry. I am also registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, (CNHC),
an approved accredited register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, and am bound by their code of ethics and
standards of professional practice.
MA (Hons) MSc, DipION, DipNLP,
mBANT, CNHC-reg
MARIA MEKHAEL
BIOGRAPHY

For some people, eating may
encompass a complex way of relating
to food, making it difficult to make
dietary choices that merge nutritional
requirements and pleasure.
“The Diet Therapist” is about
reconfiguring dietary habits to create
positive changes, transforming
thinking about food and eating, and
guiding clients towards a way of
eating that is nourishing and
sustainable.
The word "Diet" has become
synonymous with restriction and
deprivation, but historically, food
and daily lifestyle habits were
conjoined in the word "diet" to
indicate a prescribed "way of life."
“I believe that even
small changes in diet
and lifestyle can have a
big impact on how you
feel, how you look, &
general wellbeing. "
I work with individuals to look
beyond the “quick fixes” of the
latest new diets that promise the
perfect nutritional system, helping
to decode the confusing, conflicting
and often overwhelming messaging
about diet that saturate the public
domain.
My nutritional philosophy is
centred upon nourishing the body
through real foods, rather than
adhering to the latest dietary
dogma and the exclusion of entire
food groups as a "cure-all" for
health problems.
My
Approach
Nutritional Therapy can help to show you how to make incremental
dietary and lifestyle changes that guide you towards better health,
without compromising balance or enjoyment
This traditional meaning embodies
not only what’s on our plate, but
how we think about food, and how
we eat as well as what we eat;
these have repercussions for our
body and metabolism in a variety
of ways.
MY APPROACH

NUTRITIONAL THERAPY EXPLAINED
What is
Nutritional Therapy?
Nutritional Therapy is recognised as a complementary
medicine and is relevant for individuals with chronic
conditions, as well as those looking for support to enhance
their health and wellbeing.
How could it help me?
Nutrition and lifestyle approaches to healthcare have been
shown to support the health of all the major systems of the
body: skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular,
digestive, excretory, endocrine, immune, reproductive and
integumentary (skin, hair and nails.)
Nutritional Therapists use a wide range of tools to assess and
identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how
these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health
concerns. This approach allows them to work with
individuals to address nutritional balance and help support
the body towards maintaining health.
Some people simply want to check that they are on the
right track with regard to healthy eating. Others may want to
lose weight or get help with their symptoms.
optimum energy levels,
healthy blood sugar balance,
immune support,
emotional and psychological wellbeing,
hormonal balance
optimum gastrointestinal health and,
tolerance to a broad range of food groups.
Typical priorities in nutritional therapy consultations
include:

The first appointment is used to discuss your
personal symptoms and health concerns in
depth, to obtain a better idea of your medical
history and health goals.
The consultation typically lasts between 75-90
minutes, and you will be given a tailored Health
Optimisation Plan to follow over the following 4-
6 weeks, specific to your aims and lifestyle.
Where necessary, I may also recommend
laboratory functional testing to provide more
specific information, (for example, of hormone
levels, vitamin and mineral status, or digestive
function), or that you discuss specific testing
options further with your GP.
Consequent sessions are used to review
your programme and progress, and plan
further dietary and lifestyle changes.
*Please note that new clients cannot be
seen without returning these documents
prior to the appointment.
Individual
Consultations
Structure of follow­up
consultations
Nutritional Therapy is not a replacement
for medical advice; occasionally, the
information that you provide may mean
that you are asked to seek support from
your primary healthcare practitioner to
investigate underlying health concerns
prior to attending the consultation.
Before attending the clinic you will be asked to complete and return a 5-day food diary
and a health questionnaire. These are used to prepare for your initial consultation and
help to plan your nutrition programme.
Structure of the initial
consultation
NUTRITIONAL THERAPY

Nutritional
Analysis
ServicesA D V I S O R Y &
H E A L T H W R I T I N G
I can provide nutritional analysis of products,
recipes, dietary plans and menus for consumer
publications, websites and magazines, to
ensure these are nutritionally balanced. If
required, this can show how figures compare
with UK Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA)
Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI) and Dietary
Reference Values (DRVs), with analysis provided
in different formats.
I use the latest professional software for
accurate and reliable nutrition assessment and
evaluation. I can work with you to identify key
health and nutrition points and formulate ASA-
compliant health messages, and can also offer
advice on revising recipes and menu items.
For products &
recipes
Consultancy
Advisory Services
I provide Nutrition assistance and advice for
product development, new business pitches,
and product launches. I also work with brands
and food manufacturers to translate complex
research studies into concise, clear, but
balanced information for the consumer, in
compliance with ASA guidelines.
I offer a range of services from unbiased
comment on the latest food-related news
stories, to advisory support for product or
menu/recipe development, and nutritional
analysis.
NUTRITION SERVICES

What
Clients
Say...
TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS
NUTRITIONAL THERAPY CLIENTS
TESTIMONIALS
I would like to say a huge thank you for all
your help so far and say that your
recommendations and advice have been
very helpful. Touch wood, I am beginning
to see improvements from what has been a
very long year of digestive problems. I have
been a complicated patient with numerous
added health issues…you have risen to the
challenge and been kind, thorough and
helpful with all consultations.
You have come into my life at the exact
time I need some help and support both
physically and mentally and I am very
grateful for all you are doing. I cannot
thank you enough for all you have done
for me so far and the help and advice
you have given me. I am overwhelmed
and inspired at the same time!
Maria is such a wonderful
nutritionist and I wouldn't hesitate
to recommend her to anyone! She
is so down to earth (a quality I
have struggled to find with most
nutritionists I have met) and so
knowledgeable too.
She was just absolutely awesome
really and helped me through such
a hard time and I personally can't
thank her enough.

N U T R I T I O N , W E L L N E S S , L I F E S T Y L E
H E A L T H W R I T I N G
ARTICLES
Before becoming a Nutritional Therapist, I worked in Marketing & PR,
and wrote editorial content for trade and consumer publications across
the Financial Services, Health Services and Education Sectors.
Applying these skills to the health and wellness industry, I now write
freelance articles about health, nutrition, lifestyle and wellness for
various publications.
I am a "health expert" for online platform Now Cure Me and the resident health
writer for International magazine Dante Mag for both print and digital
publications. I write about a range of issues from evidence-based nutrition for
different conditions to sustainability in the food chain and the latest food
technology.
JOURNALISM

E N Q U I R I E S
CONTACT ME
T H E D I E T T H E R A P I S T 2 0 1 6©
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07919382664
mariamekhael@hotmail.co.uk
The Diet Therapist
@theDietTherapist
@the_Diet_Therapist
www.thediettherapist.com
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