Hi, I’m Mandy, a Nutritional Therapist & Health Coach. I have worked in healthcare for over 30 years and can help you feel like your old, healthy self again. It's not too late!
Warning signs for digestive problems will often appear alone or together: -
Abdominal pain (especially after eating)
Allergy or intolerance (to food)
Bloating
Blood pressure (high / low)
Brain fog
Burping / belching
Constipation, Diarrhoea, or both
Cancer
Candida
Cholesterol (high / low / unbalanced)
Diverticulitis
Dry skin
Emotional eating
Energy (Low)
Fatigue
Fullness (after meals)
Gas
Gastritis
Heartburn
Hernia
IBS ([irritable bowel syndrome)
Indigestion
Nausea
Reflux
Sweet tooth
Trouble sleeping
Thick head
Vomiting
Weight (increasing or decreasing).
Don’t suffer or rely on pills to get through the day.
Stomach upsets and digestive problems can be prevented, relieved, and even banished by simple science-based changes to what you are eating and doing. Many medications will only dampen your gut issues (like applying a band-aid) and don’t address the ‘why’ you are experiencing uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing symptoms. The underlying problem just continues, often worsening over time. A breakdown (or imbalance) may occur in any of these areas:
Digestion (breakdown and absorption of nutrients),
I will identify elements within your eating patterns, food choices and lifestyle that may be triggering your issues, and will find easy, realistic, and practical ways to help you feel in control again!
REVITALISE A one-month programme consisting of two sessions. An initial consultation + one follow-up Who is this for?
Someone who have one digestive complaint, is not on medication and is otherwise healthy. In other words, for someone who wants to deal with the first signs of digestive stress.
Price R 800
TRANSFORM A two-month programme consisting of three sessions. An initial consultation + two follow-ups + two mini check-ins. Who is this for?
Someone who has multiple digestive health issues impacting negatively on their quality of their life.
Someone who has been diagnosed with one or more chronic conditions.
Someone who wants to lose weight.
Starting price R 1000
ADD-ON Sessions A 20–30-minute session Who is this for?
A client who has completed a programme but wants more coaching & guidance to incorporate changes to achieve their goals.
Price R 200 /session
A free introductory call You can book a free 20-minute introductory call, with no obligations, with me. We’ll talk through your concerns and goals and determine if I am a good fit for your needs. I will recommend the programme that I think will best fit your goals.
Before the consultation Once we have scheduled an appointment to meet, either face to face or Zoom, I will email you a comprehensive health questionnaire to fill in. This also includes a 3-day food diary template to complete. Please aim to send these back to me at least 48 hours before our initial consultation so that I am able to prepare and make the most of our first consultation together. Initial consultation During our initial consultation (1hour 15minutes) I will compile a full case history: taking time to understand your story, finding out about your current health, symptoms, family history, diet, and lifestyle. Once all of the relevant information has been discussed I will then go on to explain what might be causing your underlying issues. Based on your goals, we will then work together to develop a personalised dietary and lifestyle plan that is realistic, manageable, and achievable. This may include diagnostic or functional tests and nutritional supplements where necessary but not in all cases.
Follow up consultation(s) After the initial consultation, usually 4 weeks later, there is a follow-up consultation. This will be a 45-minute session to review the current programme, discuss any test results, recognise any changes in symptoms and make adjustments where necessary. Subsequent follow-up consultations will be 30-45 minutes.
What exactly is a Nutritional Therapist and a Health Coach? Nutritional Therapy practitioners assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. It follows the Functional Medicine model to addresses the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. Client and practitioner work together. .A Health Coach will help a client discover the best wellness routines that work for them and empower them to meet their unique health goals. I am trained in both roles and believe in their mutual power.
Do you offer more than the general nutrition/lifestyle guidelines that I read about elsewhere? My advice is based on reputable science-based peer-reviewed nutritional and lifestyle research. It is not based on influencer blogs, fashionable good or bad foods, or the diet wars, that you read about in the media.
What difference can “personalised” dietary, and lifestyle changes really make to my health? Each person’s response to nutrition and lifestyle changes is shaped by their unique genetic makeup, environment, and health history. A personalised approach aims to help you understand what is happening in your body and then create a plan that is practical for your lifestyle and priorities. It builds on activities that you enjoy. They are personalised solutions tailored to your concerns and goals, not those of your neighbour, mother or favourite influencer.
How difficult is it to follow your programmes? My aim is to make your programme perfectly achievable for you. Some people are very motivated to make big changes. Others have a lot of competing priorities and are happier with smaller steps.
Do I still need to see my doctor if I follow one of your programmes? Yes, I do not diagnose or treat disease and my recommendations are not a replacement for medical advice. I work alongside your primary medical carer to support your wellbeing. You should continue to see your doctor and let them know you have started one of my programmes, especially when you are taking blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetic medication. Will your food recommendations be expensive? I will always aim to work within your budget. Will you recommend a lot of tests and supplements? Supplements and tests can allow very targeted support. However, I’m careful not to overuse them and believe in food first; food is energy, food is information, food is medicine. I will always explain the cost and benefit balance to you but will work around your preferences. if you don’t want to do tests or take supplements,
Can I claim these costs from my medical aid? No. As the field of personalised nutrition and lifestyle medicine is still evolving, it's not yet an integral part of the South African healthcare paradigm.
Do you work with everyone? I do not work with children, people currently receiving treatment for cancer, those with chronic kidney disease, people with eating disorders or ultra-sports men/women.
I’m vegan – will you work with me? Of course! I will never question your choice if you are vegan for ethical reasons. If you became vegan for health reasons and you’d like to talk through your decision, we can do that.
Will I have my consultation(s) online or in person? Clients generally have the best experience if they’re able to attend all the sessions in person. However, this might not be practical or easy, especially if you’re not local to Pennington. In this case, I can conduct all your consultations online. Just let me know when you contact me.
I've always been fascinated by the human body and after matriculating, I completed my studies in Radiography at Addington Hospital, Durban, where I gained a valuable insight into how our bodies work. Ten years later, I went on to specialize in Radiation Therapy, obtaining a bachelor’s degree, and worked exclusively with cancer patients for the next decade. However, something still bothered me, and I wanted to learn more about what we can do in our daily lives to prevent disease in the first place. So, I studied at the renowned Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London and graduated with a Diploma as a Registered Nutritional Therapist. I am a member of the British Association of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine [BANT] and have more recently qualified as a Health Coach.
My studies have been a springboard that allowed me to travel far and wide. I feel blessed to have backpacked, studied and worked in many countries around the world, meet amazing people, eat fabulous food, and make lifelong friends. In February 2022, after 15 years working in Research & Development at Siemens Healthcare in Germany, I left to return to South Africa to concentrate on my Nutritional Therapy practice (Feed your Health) and family. My goal is to empower others to live their best lives, all day, every day!
Read the TAB called Working with Me to see if I can help you.