It’s a shame you’re degree didn’t teach you how to research both sides of the arguement. Bias is a powerful thing, you have you’re views, I just think maybe a little narrow minded, you say you are all for well-evidenced nutritional interventions, but you swiftly knock down NT, so you don’t really consider NT, you just write words with no sincere meaning. You should have said, “i’m all for well-evidenced nutritional interventions, as long as NTs are not involved because they are quacks. Dietetics is THE answer”.

Did you ever consider he/she simply read the fellow bloggers posts and felt the need to respond? I think we all agree the topic of the post is a travesty, and see how the NT is supposed to defend an individuals’ actions.

One very basic argument i put forward regarding NT is, I know of many NTs who practice and are fully booked, word of mouth and reputation being the major advertisement, why do so many people keep coming back and recommend to others? Surely some of them get results? My point is, the many i know, who do hold nutrition degree’s at Bsc and Msc levels (at recognised universities) are fantastic professionals and possess excellent knowledge and experience of complex cases, that frankly would be unjust if they weren’t made use of. They are not dieticians, what route do they take? Retrain? They don’t want to be dieticians. Well the answer lies in the future and we will see what becomes of NT.

It is clear a strict, regulated curriculum needs to developed for NT, including strict codes of ethics and standards. I still fail to see how the potential benefits are not recognised.

So if i don’t have a nutrition degree from surrey or king’s that means it is unfathomable that there could possibly be educated graduates with nutrition degrees who have been influenced by nutritional therapy and decide to embark on that path. There seems to be a common reason why. they have experienced first hand, the potential benefits of NT. Most of which had been through all potential routes of medical treatment including visiting a RD.

RD’s are clearly the definitive when it comes to the treatment of disease, however there is room for NT. Either that or dietetics branches off into additional direction.

we cant kid ourselves that an IONdip is a worthy degree.

If people working and teaching in the field believe that to be the case, it’s a shame that they don’t publicly criticise the teaching and institution. If nutritionism is ever to be taken serious as a profession, it’s important that those within the field work to deal with poor practice when it occurs.

It is such a shame we are all tarred with the ‘Holford’ brush, who in essence is a buisnessman who has chanced his game with a ‘bit of nutrition’. A game he has made a lot of money from, but i believe, we cant kid ourselves that an IONdip is a worthy degree.

“Part of the problem seems to be that many Dip IONs rather worryingly don’t understand the level of qualification they have obtained. It is actually equivalent to a HND or foundation degree. Some of them seem to think they have undergone post-graduate training in nutrition. See for example:-”

Completely agree. However for the rest of us, how can I accept being called uneducated and a quack. Possibly the one that annoys me the most “I’m sure most nutritional therapists are very nice, well-meaning people but…”. Patronising, generalising, misguided, ignorant.

if I have studied BSc nutrition and Msc Nutritional Therapy (master of science in nutritional therapy at a reputable university with reputable course leaders). Which IS a full time post graduate study and carries the same number of credits (and takes as long or longer to complete) as a full time Dietetics Msc.

The problem is with Nutritional Therapy as a title and people that are allowed to access that title. Individuals are allowed to bring the title into disrepute.
However people are working hard to sort out this mess and get NTs represented as they should be.

If you speak to a qualified, educated NT they wouldn’t dream of denouncing the work of dieticians and always state the importance of referring to healthcare professionals when needed. There is room for both dietetics and NT, they are seperate areas so i disagree with the comment about a dietician supervising a NT.

The fact that you refer to NT rather than nutrition is normally an indicator that someone has a qualification in nutritionism rather than a degree from somewhere like King’s or Surrey in nutrition but you do refer to a degree which is semi-interesting. It’s unfortunate that your degree didn’t teach you that asserting that you look young for your age can never be more than an anecdote.

Quite telling that you don’t actually comment on the subject of the post, which is Barbara Nash and the appropriateness of people who are similarly qualified to give advice to clients such as Dawn Page or to manage such cases when symptoms manifest themselves that have a high index of suspicion for being related to the recommended intervention.

the GP and Dr can only hand out drugs, which often have side affects
Surely you know that this is wrong? Medical doctors often offer lifestyle advice, refer to other professionals like physios and psychologists, etc…

Another issue with nutritional therapy in the UK is that therapists often seen over-keen to recommend – or sell – supplement pills and other ‘natural’ remedies. Of course, these also often have side effects.

Many drugs are problematic, and the pharma industry can act in horribly unethical ways. This doesn’t mean that nutritional therapy works, though.

We studied evidence based nutrition and every assignment, exam and case study had to be referenced correctly.

I realise this site is trying to undermine NT, however I would be in a very different place if I had continued with my GP’s suggestion of taking antibiotics and steriods for asthma. I had difficulty breathing and chest infections were increasing from 3 times a year to 4 times a year. With my immune system crashing from the antibiotics (which destroyed my bowel flora) and the steriods I made a decision to stop taking the medication. I stopped eating diary products, started breathing exercises and started on the road to recovery and signed up for my degree in NT. I now look 10 years younger than my age and my health is excellent I haven’t had a chest infection since. I haven’t taken a pharmacuetical drug for 10 years.

I realise there is a time and place for such drugs and of course they save lives, but wouldn’t you agree that avoiding having to take them in the first place should be the first course of action? That’s what I see as progress, not more drugs for more illnesses, one has to take responsiblity for ones health and the GP and Dr can only hand out drugs, which often have side affects. A NT can help guide and assist individuals achieve the same health benefits I have experienced (not that i would ever suggest they stop taking their medication, I would work with the GP to establish when that might be safe)

I look forward your emails. You all clearly have lots of time on your hands.

Best wishes, J