5 minutes with….Abby Foreman, Nutrition Clinic Supervisor and Clinical Skills Tutor at the NCA.
I’ve been working in the nutrition team at the NCA for the last 3 years. I really enjoy my roles at the college as I get to work with the students in both the clinic and the classroom. It’s so rewarding seeing how they develop their skillsets and being part of their nutritional journey.
I am a qualified and registered Nutritional Therapist specialising in female hormone health. My nutrition journey began back in 2014 when I decided to study nutrition as an attempt to understand my body more and address long standing digestive issues due to my coeliac diagnosis. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition which is triggered by eating gluten, and I was diagnosed when I was 7. And then, during my nutrition studies I was diagnosed with something called endometriosis, endometriosis is a condition where cells similar to your uterine lining grow outside of your uterus, causing chronic and debilitating pain along with many other symptoms.
I would often experience bloating and digestive issues, and endometriosis had me in excruciating pain when bleeding. I’d suffer with common pms related symptoms such as fatigue, acne and erratic emotions – which we’ve all probably experienced at some point!
Through my studies I recognised there is a nutritional impact on endometriosis which led me into my research around female physiology, digging deeper and building my knowledge which helped me take back control of my hormonal health.
I now use my education and personal experience to teach women how to nourish their hormones through nutrition and lifestyle practices to help them balance their daily lives, manage stress and be happier in their bodies.
My approach to nutrition is to provide the body with nutrient dense foods that are easy to digest and taste amazing. The sole purpose of this is to support a healthy metabolism.
This is because your metabolism is responsible for how efficiently your body converts food into energy, which enables everything to function properly. And every single part of your body is made up of cells.
Someone with a high resting metabolism will experience restorative sleep, steady energy, healthy digestion and a problem free menstrual cycle. They will be a happy person, usually calm and able to manage their daily stressors well. Along with shiny hair, smooth skin and strong nails, they will have a strong libido and enjoy sex. They will have a healthy appetite and enjoy their food whilst maintaining a healthy weight.
This is because their cells are easily converting the food they are eating into energy, and their bodies are efficiently using that energy for body functions such as digestion, detoxification, immunity, reproduction and repair.
Your metabolism is responsible for the overall function of your hormone cycle, from hormone production through to elimination. This is why I take a pro metabolic approach to nutrition when supporting my clients to optimise their female physiology.
I offer private consultations, host female hormone workshops and deliver a group coaching programme as a solution to hormonal problems.
I’ve helped women banish their period pain and bloating, boost their mood and energy, they no longer experience PMS in the lead up to their period, they are sleeping well, and periods that were once irregular or completely missing have returned without any troublesome signs. These results are all down to understanding how to nourish your body.
I believe every woman has the right to thrive from their unique hormonal rhythms, and I’m here to help them achieve this.
Connect with Abby on Instagram.