What happens in a Clinical Nutrition Consultation?

What happens in an initial clinical nutrition consultation? Jon explains how the first appointment works, why it involves a detailed health history, and how nutrition, lifestyle, symptoms, routines and goals are explored together.

Full Transcript

So, what happens in a clinical nutrition consultation?

Well, it happens in the privacy of these four walls in my home, and in the privacy of your four walls. That matters, because it needs to be a confidential conversation on both sides.

The meeting is held through a secure link. I have chosen Cliniko as my health records partner because Cliniko is an Australian organisation that stores online information in the Australian region. Other providers could not guarantee that, and it is important to me that your data is securely covered by Australian regulation.

I also treat your data with the highest level of security I can, using not only a password but two-factor authentication.

That means if I was travelling somewhere and my laptop was stolen, your health records would not be available to access. I wanted to make that absolutely clear.

Before your initial consultation, I send you a consent form and pre-screening questionnaire.

It does include a lot of questions.

The reason those questions are there is so that I can spend the one-hour initial consultation asking better follow-up questions, rather than starting from scratch.

For someone who has never seen a holistic practitioner before, it can feel like a lot. But the aim is to get a whole-person view. We are not only looking at your nutrition. We are also looking at your diet, lifestyle, stress levels, sleep, previous medical history, whether you have been hospitalised, whether you are taking supplements, and whether you have been prescribed any medications.

The medication section is especially important.

Before considering whether any supplementation may be appropriate, I need to complete a safety check. That means looking at your prescribed medications and checking whether any supplement could interact with them in a way that may be harmful.

So it is very important that we go through those details properly.

I also assess common metabolic conditions, digestive complaints, immune system conditions, mental health conditions, diagnosed conditions, and any specialist care you may currently be receiving.

Then we go through a more detailed investigation.

What is your main concern? Where is it located? How long has it been happening? How is it affecting you? What makes it better? What makes it worse?

Importantly, if anything you tell me raises a concern, I need to act on that.

Sometimes that may be a red flag, meaning you need to see a doctor that day or go to hospital because the issue could be serious. In other cases, it may mean you need to see a medical professional that week.

That is something I am bound to do under my code of conduct and professional standards.

We also go through some anthropometric measurements, such as weight, height and waist measurement, and then complete some calculations if they are appropriate.

If you are comfortable providing that information, we can include it. If you are not comfortable, you do not have to answer every question. That is completely up to you.

The consultation is private and confidential. But the more information we can gather, the more complete the picture becomes. That helps me make a more informed decision about what may need to happen, and what goals may be appropriate to support your health aims.

Because weight loss is one of my special interest areas, we may also talk through your weight history.

That may include when you were at a certain weight in your life, how long it has been since you were at that weight, your adult weight history, adolescent weight, early childhood weight patterns, dieting history, and major life events that may have influenced those changes.

We also go through body systems. This may include your nervous system, digestive system, bowel frequency, circulation, immune system, skin, hair and nails where appropriate, and your endocrine and metabolic system.

Because it is a nutrition consultation, we also complete a dietary assessment.

That may include eating habits, meal timing, fluid intake and a dietary recall. The dietary recall might cover the previous 24 hours, or a longer period, depending on what information is most useful.

Then we move into a plan.

And the plan is not just about nutrition.

It may include nutrition guidance, lifestyle interventions, supplement protocols, and any functional testing that may be appropriate.

This is one of the reasons I create Real Life Nutrition with Jon videos. What happens in a consultation is one thing, but making food decisions at the supermarket shelf is another. Many people need practical support in real-world situations, not just theory.

If functional testing may help, I will discuss that with you during the consultation. As a practitioner, I am able to order some tests for you. If there is something you can request through your GP, I will discuss that as well.

Importantly, if there are signs or symptoms that require medical investigation, I may write to your GP and request further assessment or referral where appropriate.

Toward the end of the consultation, I will usually discuss a follow-up time frame. This is when we decide when it may be appropriate to come back and assess progress against your goals, or look at anything that may be getting in the way.

Recent blood test results can also be helpful. They are not essential, but if you have them available, they can provide useful information.

I then work through a clinical picture. That includes a working diagnosis, key drivers, short-term treatment aims, and longer-term treatment aims.

So that is a broad overview of what happens in an initial clinical nutrition consultation.

It is a comprehensive conversation, held in a secure environment, designed to understand the whole picture rather than just one isolated symptom.

If you have any further questions, please get in touch with me directly.

You can email me, or you can book a free discovery call through the booking link below.

A discovery call is a no-fee, 15-minute private conversation where you can ask questions, tell me a little about what is happening for you now, and we can talk about how I may be able to assist.

https://www.fastforwardnutrition.com.au/appointments

I look forward to speaking with you soon.