Student Case Studies
Three Nutrition students share their study stories...
I have already advised someone to do the Nutrition Therapist Course and have encouraged others to explore - especially as the course is so well rounded!
Ruth Preece on the Nutrition Therapist Course
I wanted to study a course in Natural Health because I was so disillusioned with mainstream health treatments - or should I say illness treatments! I wanted to be a GAPS practitioner (gut and psychology syndrome) and study with Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride so I had to have natural health qualifications and be practising before applying. So combining Homeopathy with Nutritional Therapy was a perfect entrance to the GAPs training which I have now qualified in too.
As a child I had asthma and hay fever and I always wanted to be a nurse. I did nurse training and had my children but I still had asthma. It was not until I changed my diet that I stopped getting asthma and I realised that none of the treatments I had received had helped me. But I did realise that within my body I had the capacity to heal myself.
The Nutrition Therapist course changed my outlook on food and made me question everything. It also gave me the confidence to speak to people and really helped me be less critical and judgemental.
I found the whole course inspiring and the book lists very useful. The detailed tutor feedback on each assignment was enjoyable but also really thought provoking and helpful. The DVDs were exceptionally helpful. What I liked was that the movie lectures overlapped the course content and were not just the course content ‘acted’ out. They really made me think and research more. I really appreciated being able to work at my own pace but I also really enjoyed the 3-day attendance for the clinical experience. I now have colleagues whose knowledge is science based and I feel mine is well balanced. I have already started giving seminars and will be starting drop-in sessions in central London soon. I already have a few clients and I intend to grow my business so I can continue to work when I retire.
I have already advised someone to do the Nutrition Therapist course and have encouraged others to explore - especially as the course is so well rounded!
Find out more about the Nutrition Therapist Course
I thought the Nutrition Advisor Course was absolutely worth it and I would highly recommend it. I particularly liked the questions that involved coming up with recommendations for friends and clients based on symptoms and their diets.
Beth Wilson on the Nutrition Advisor Course
I am a gardener by profession and have been a vegetarian and more recently a vegan and have always been interested in leading a healthy, active life and how food and drink and can affect our bodies. I feel that modern day living, so often saturated with processed foods and void of exercise, must be taking a toll on people in numerous ways. For me the Nutrition Advisor course was a very obvious first step to understanding how the choices we make may harm or heal us. I am definitely more mindful of what I eat and studying the course has allowed me to recognize the potential deficiencies in myself and come up with food-based solutions to give me a well-rounded and nourishing diet. Historically there have been several instances where alternative or natural therapies have replaced my need to go to the doctor, so I strongly believe that with preventative steps, based on looking after ourselves and making healthy diet and lifestyle choices we can become our own health practitioners. I am a real advocate of taking responsibility for myself!
Because I enjoy food I have often found myself wondering how the fundamental building blocks of each meal contribute to well-being. The course was spot on for me in terms of scope, depth and applicability to my own life. Despite it being a distance-learning, self-paced course with the obvious benefits of working independently and being able to take my time to look into things which really interested me, I enjoyed knowing that there were like-minded people out there with the same mentality and desire to understand health through nutrition.
I really liked the format of the course, completing assignments at my own pace and with no pressure to rush through to a deadline. I also thought that the questions themselves allowed for thorough researching into the many corners of the nutrition world. I particularly liked the questions that involved coming up with recommendations for friends and clients based on symptoms and their diets. I believe it acted as a strong cross-over to the real world where no two people have the same constitution or digestive strength! Such questions really inspired me and allowed me to understand that there is a whole array of underlying issues that may need to be addressed.
The online portal, course handbook and textbooks were all excellent resources to have. Having a personal tutor was a brilliant system which allowed me to ask questions and have discussions so that I could get a clearer picture when necessary. Being able to submit assignments online was straightforward and results were always fed back to me within a week. It also meant I could easily assess where I was up to and I had ready access to my tutor’s contact details for easy communication. My tutor always responded rapidly and her answers often opened doors for further enquiry, which was brilliant. For the time being I don’t plan to use this qualification career-wise – but it is nice to know I could go on and train a little more and become a nutritional therapist if I wanted to. But I will use it for personal understanding and advising friends and family. It will be part of my healthy lifestyle and the principles I learned on the course will no doubt be the foundation of a dedicated choice of foods. I also really liked the closed Facebook page where we as a group could all post interesting articles or comments and get help. It was perfect for bouncing ideas off other students and sharing resources. I thought the course was absolutely worth it and I would highly recommend it.
Find out more about the Nutrition Advisor Course
So, if I were to meet someone else who was thinking about doing the Nutrition Beginners Course I would say it is definitely worth doing - the knowledge gained is life-changing!
Alenka Dolzan on the Nutrition Beginners Course
I first encountered The School of Health when I attended the Homeopathy Research Institute’s international research conference in Barcelona - since then I had wanted to study either a homeopathy or nutrition course with them. So I decided to sign up for The School of Health 3-day clinical nutrition course with Mary Sharma. I then realised that the School’s Nutrition Beginners Course would provide me with the opportunity to fill in the basic gaps and support my learning. Through conversations with the patients I have seen both in the pharmacy and in my homeopathic practice it was becoming apparent that some people were making bad decisions about their diet and nutrition, which may even lead to chronic illness, and that they needed some help.
My background is working for 20 years in a pharmacy in Slovenia and since 2011 we have been able to supply homeopathic remedies. I trained in basic homeopathy fifteen years ago and did further study with George Vithoulkas at the International Academy of Classical Homeopathy and also did the Level 1 course in Bach Flower Remedies. I initially wanted to enrol in a homeopathy course at the School of Homeopathy but was enticed by the various nutrition courses instead and realised that I probably already had sufficient working knowledge of homeopathy but that there were gaps in my nutrition knowledge. I am the president of the Homeopathic section of the Slovenian Pharmaceutical Society where I can organise courses and lectures.
I really enjoyed the Nutrition Beginners Course. All the information in the basic nutrition course is based on experience and presented in an easily-understandable way. It is very well organised, systematic and concentrated. It has helped me both personally and professionally. The tutor was perfect, very professional and open for discussion. Professionally, it has helped me talk to patients about lifestyle choices: how to encourage them to feel better, more energetic and to make good decisions about their diet with respect to their daily activities. It has helped with patients who are obese or have hormone imbalances or digestive problems and much more! Personally it has helped me with my family. I have three growing boys and a husband who may get burned out and I can offer them scientific evidence on how to manage their nutritional status through careful consumption to keep them healthy. My dream is to open my own holistic practice where I will have quality time with patients of all ages who need my help. In my busy pharmacy I still do not have enough time to do it all to my satisfaction. Before I do that I may come back for more and refresh my knowledge! I found the English countryside an ideal location for deep learning without distraction. So, if I were to meet someone else who was thinking about doing the Nutrition Beginner Course I would say it is definitely worth doing - the knowledge gained is life-changing!
Find out more about the Nutrition Beginner Course
I loved the webinars, but I think the School ticks the box for all students through a mixed style of learning – written texts, audio recordings, in class events and additional recommended books.
The Nutritional Therapy course has given me a new career that I can practice from home, with the hours that suit me, a deep understanding of my own health, and a thirst for more knowledge.
I originally qualified as a Cordon Bleu chef, then later moved into television production and spent 12 years as a production manager. A move to the countryside started my interest in herbs and, after leaving my job in television, I started a business making natural toiletries including organic cold processed soaps, skincare products and bath bombs.
Six and a half years ago I was forced to sell the business after suffering a major stroke which left me unable to walk, talk or read. I’d always been interested in natural therapies and during my rehabilitation my mum took me on a 7-day gut regime programme where we were introduced to castor oil packs and probiotics. There were lectures on health every day and I knew this was what I wanted to do. I now run an online Nutritional Therapy practice. I am also qualified in Reiki and Kinesiology and am training to become a Naturopath. Working online really suits me - it means I can work the hours I want and take clients from all over the world.
I was initially drawn to the School of Health because of their presentation and attention to detail; I loved the layout of the website, the gilded logo and the high quality paper used in correspondence. I attended some one-off sessions in Stroud and when I met the team I knew this was the right School for me. The tutors really encourage students and genuinely want you to succeed. It’s more than just a business. The School represents what true naturopathy is – it’s about passing on knowledge, not just making money.
I’m a very visual learner so I loved the webinars, but I think the School ticks the box for all students through a mixed style of learning – written texts, audio recordings, in class events and additional recommended books. The 4-day workshop at the end is brilliant as it really consolidates everything through a series of case studies.
I’m a highly motivated person so studying online wasn’t a problem for me, but I would definitely recommend finding a study buddy to keep you motivated. The School Facebook page is a great place to link with others on the course. My best study tip would be to get used to talking about nutrition – practise verbalising what you’re learning to friends and family and try to express it in in a simple way.
I learnt that Nutritional Therapy doesn’t have to be complicated. Once you truly understand fundamental aspects of health like balancing blood sugar, stomach acid and appropriate hydration you can change so much without the need for expensive supplements or testing. I do sometimes use lab tests but the original naturopaths wouldn’t have had access to those and you can tell so much from visual clues – looking at the eyes, the nails and the skin. That’s one thing the School of Health does so well – they bring it back to true naturopathy.
My advice for anyone thinking about taking the course is just go for it, just start! It honestly changed my entire life. As well as giving me a new career it made me realise the value of balance; I understand my body much better and I understand how the choices I make affect my body. The course can give you a new career if you want it, but it will also change your life on a personal level.
Find out more about the Nutrition Beginner Course
For anyone thinking of enrolling my advice would be don’t have any fear and just go ahead. Getting started is the hardest part because it requires the most effort, but once you start you’ll be so engrossed you won’t want to stop!
It doesn’t matter what you use the course for at the end – it’s the start of an exciting lifelong journey.
Before I enrolled with the School of Health I spent 18 years in a fast-paced corporate retail company, working long hours, travelling and eating unhealthy food on the go. My stress levels were high and my sleep patterns were disrupted from working different shifts. It eventually led to burn out and I realised I needed to come away from that environment. Slowly I started to make changes. It was only small things like cutting out coffee, eating less bread and drinking more water – but I noticed that the more bad habits I negated and replaced with good habits the better I felt. So, I started reading more on health and nutrition. The tipping point for me came when my dad was diagnosed with a brain tumour. At that point there was little that could be done but it made me realise I wanted to help people to make diet and lifestyle changes before they became ill.
I looked at various colleges but kept getting drawn back to The School of Health because they truly embodied all of the natural principles. I’d also recently had a baby and other courses just didn’t have the flexibility that I needed. I took full advantage of that flexibility! When my daughter was sleeping well I would make great progress, but at other times I would fall behind. My tutor was really understanding and supported me to study at my own pace.
The course is unique in the way it delivers the full 360 degree view of health from the foundations of Eastern medicine and the history of naturopathy through to the science of nutrition. Working with a client is like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, starting with the edges then filling all the middle pieces in! One of the great things about the course is that it shows you all the different options that are available to you as a therapist, like understanding a person’s constitution, circadian rhythms and other key signals that you might never have considered with a purely scientific approach. It ‘connects the dots’ by joining the fundamental elements of health together.
The key thing the course taught me was to keep an open mind and going through the programme helped me grow as a person and look at things differently. It opened my mind and I now have a different perspective on life. I still attend lectures and webinars at the School, even covering material that I’ve done before. I find it really helps to cement the learning and each time I come away with a deeper understanding or new ideas.
For anyone thinking of enrolling my advice would be don’t have any fear and just go ahead. Getting started is the hardest part because it requires the most effort but once you start, you’ll be so engrossed you won’t want to stop! And if life gets busy just look at it as a pause in your journey – not the end of it.
When I qualified I initially worked with clients on a one-to-one basis and had just begun some group work when Covid struck. I’d always planned in the long term to take my business online, so during lockdown I studied how to deliver a course online and have since written two ‘health reset’ programmes, which anyone can download and follow in their own time. I’m currently working on a third online programme on the ABO blood types, which has become my speciality, and also work part-time as a Business Support Consultant for a major supplement company. It doesn’t matter what you use the course for at the end – it’s the start of an exciting lifelong journey.
Find out more about the Nutrition Beginner Course
I thought the course was absolutely worth it and I would highly recommend it. I particularly liked the questions that involved coming up with recommendations for friends and clients based on symptoms and diets.
Beth Wilson
So, if I were to meet someone else who was thinking about doing the Nutrition for Home Course I would say it is definitely worth doing - the knowledge gained is life-changing!
Alenka Dolzan
The Nutrition Therapist course changed my outlook on food and made me question everything. It also gave me the confidence to speak to people and really helped me be less critical and judgemental.
Ruth Preece