Alexandra Dixon is an accredited nutritionist with an Honors degree from Oxford Brookes University (OBU). Although, before pursuing nutrition, Alex attended Silwood Chef School in Cape Town where her love and interest in food began. OBU’s nutrition degree covered all aspects of nutrition, from food development to clinical and trauma therapy, giving Alex the knowledge to consult with patients seeking a diverse range of nutritional queries. Currently, in the UK, a mere 27% of doctors are trained in nutrition, and the NHS spends over 19.6 billion pounds a year on diet related diseases. These include diseases such as heart disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes, which are all preventable through nutrition. Alex believes that nutrition is the key to longevity and wellbeing, and instead of treating diseases like those above, we should use nutrition as a tool to prevent them!
Alexandra Dixon
Nutritionist
What is Nutrition?
Nutrition is defined as “the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth”, and a nutritionist is the profession that aids this process. A nutritionist, is able to identify how certain conditions and diseases may be related to dietary factors, and how these can be prevented or reduced through a healthy diet alongside physical activity. A Nutritionist is also able to assist with food allergies, and food intolerance. Nutritionist use a variety of techniques, in order to provide nourishment and improve their patient’s wellbeing. Like many other professions, nutritionists realise the need for different and perhaps multiple techniques to aid change, as all patients/cases are unique.
Consulting with a nutritionist can be both for medical and/or personal reasons. Whether patients wish to improve their general nutrition and learn about specific requirements, or seek help concerning a specific condition or disease, it is always a step in the right direction. When seeking consultancy with a nutritionist, patients will be able to discuss their journey with health and nutrition, and voice their concerns. It is important that the nutritionist can understand their patient’s relationship with their diet so a path forward can be made.