Hi, welcome to my website! If you are interested in taking control of your health and improving your wellbeing through diet and lifestyle changes then you are in the right place.
Here you will find all the information you need to understand who I am, what I do and how I can help you. If you would also like to find out about how to book a consultation please use the ‘book a consultation’ link provided at the top of this page.
If you have come this far into looking into Nutritional Therapy you are already on the right path to greater wellbeing. Lifestyle choices as well as what we eat and drink are scientifically proven to be key factors for many of today’s chronic health concerns. With the right knowledge and dietary choices, everyone can be doing a little more to improve their long-term health.
To quote Hippocrates “let food be thy medicine and medicine by thy food”. I believe food to be one of the most powerful ways in which we can improve and protect our health and wellbeing. It really is possible to change our health by giving our body what it needs to restore itself. The body is an amazing thing and is always trying to bring itself back to balance i.e. good health. My job is to help it do this.
Here’s a little bit about me…
I first got interested in nutrition for my own chronic health problems about 15 years ago. I have suffered from psoriasis, an autoimmune condition, since I was 12 years old. Over the years there has been very little change in the medical advice given to people who suffer from it and I was told on many occasions by GPs and specialists that I just needed to learn to live with it. I never really understood why it happened and conventional medicine didn’t really have any answers. After researching myself into the condition I began to see the potential benefits that food and lifestyle changes can have in managing this condition and many other autoimmune conditions.
I soon discovered the amazing benefits of what eating the right foods can do for supporting your health and wellbeing. So in 2010 I began my Nutritional Therapy studies at the internationally renowned Institute for Optimum Nutrition https://www.ion.ac.uk in London. The course covered biochemistry, physiology, nutrition and clinic practice. It was based on the Functional Medicine approach https://www.functionalmedicine.org/What_is_Functional_Medicine/AboutFM/
which looks at the body as one integrated system, believing that only by looking at the body as a whole can you get to know the root cause of the problem. Based on the fact that each person has different metabolic function, genes and environmental influences which will impact how a person is and what different nutritional needs they will have. It can never be a ‘one size fits all’ approach but tailored to individual needs.
As a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist, member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) I am now keen to share what I have learnt during this time, to help you and your family.
I have a practice in the Oud Zuid of Amsterdam but carry out many consultations online as well. It therefore doesn’t matter where you are based, I am able to help you achieve your health goals.
I am passionate about helping people to be the healthiest they can be using foods and nutrients for natural health care. I love educating and empowering my clients to take control of their own health to see the true benefits of eating the right way. I hope I can have the opportunity to help you too.
Here are some more details about the consultation process.
Before the consultation
Once we have scheduled an appointment to meet, either face to face or online, 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 1 hour 15 minutes consultation I will take a full case history. This includes 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 the underlying issues. We will then work together to develop a personalised dietary and lifestyle plan, based on your goals, that is realistic, manageable and achievable. This may include diagnostic tests and nutritional supplements where necessary but not in all cases.
Follow up consultations
After the initial consultation, usually 4 to 6 weeks later, a follow-up consultation can be booked in. This will be a 45 minutes 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 also be 45 minutes.
I hope this has given you some useful information. To book a consultation please fill in the form here or if you would like to discuss anything further please call me on +31 620727440. For the full price and package information please click here.
Many thanks for reading.
Gillian Kolkman