“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct patients in care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
Riconnect was initially created to fill a void in holistically supporting clients with pelvic floor dysfunction and/or build functional stregnth for those with hypermobility disorders. However, over the years and the many clients I worked with, I saw an urgent need to delve much deeper and offer a more informed ‘360’ wrap-around service, helping clients to join the dots and better understand and approach the ‘bigger picture’ of their health issues.
It is now estimated that a staggering 1 in 5 deaths globally are attributed to poor diet.
Despite the advances in technology and the long-standing experience of allopathic medicine, too many people (statistically mainly women) are falling between the cracks and feeling unseen, misunderstood or under-served by mainstream medicine. Clients often present feeling both overwhelmed and at a loss of where to go next with their multifaceted and often complex health issues.
With unprecedented waiting times and limited resources, chronic, often non-specific, conditions are the worst supported.
The sheer volume of people struggling with sub-optimal health, auto immunity and chronic dis-ease are now beyond the scope of mainstream medical systems. And yet, these are often the most responsive to diet and lifestyle modifications.
Illness and infection should have an acute phase followed by a resolution phase. When the balance of the body/mind or our ‘terrain’ is impaired the resolution phase does not occur and so begins chronic illness. Chronic illness, in turn, puts a huge strain on the body, impairs our immunity and lowers our energy, leaving us susceptible to new health issues and thus creating a downward spiral of reduced health.
Functional Medicine is an evidence-based, integrated approach to diet and lifestyle medicine. Human beings are not an accumulation of distinct systems but instead we are one, connected, whole-being. Approaching health and dis-ease from a systems-biology framework understands and treats us a whole-istic beings.
Instead of ‘symptoms management’ or ‘band-aid’ treatment, Functional Medicine supports clients in discovering and addressing their own unique root-cause drivers, empowering them to optimise their personal ‘terrain’ and to change the co-ordinates of their current and future wellbeing destination. It aims to assess and address all of the variables that impact our health or dis-ease and uses a multi-dimensional, systems approach to optimise health.
Understanding how to diagnose and acutely treat disease has great value and is often vital. That being said, understanding how to truly optimise health, to resolve the root-drivers leading to disease/dysfunction and to learn how to navigate the overwhelm of health information we are exposed to is an absolute gift.
Functional Nutrition can support a range of chronic issues including but not limited to:
Autoimmunity
Low energy, Chronic Fatigue
Long Covid
Digestive issues; IBS; IBD
Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Disorders
Chronic pain management, Fibromyalgia
Anxiety, depression, nervous system dysregulation
Hormonal imbalances and Fertility
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
Mould and mycotoxin toxicity/CIRS
Metabolic issues, Insulin resistance and Diabetes
Eczema, Psoriasis and skin health
——————————-
Some of the Functional Testing that may be suggested: Blood Analysis; Nutrient levels; Comprehensive Stool Analysis; Microbiome Testing (Oral, Vaginal, Gut); SIBO Breath Testing; Nutrigenomic Testing with LifecodeGX; Toxic Elements and Mycotoxin testing; Energy and Krebs cycle testing; Cortisol testing; DUTCH tests and Hormone Cycle Mapping; Allergy testing.
Functional Medicine works best when all facets of a client’s needs are assessed and addressed effectively. With this in mind I often signpost to and work closely with a multi-disciplinary team of other practitioners including therapists, trauma processing facilitators, physiotherapists and osteopaths, acupuncturists, etc. Where advised, this is up to the client’s discretion.
If you’re interested in discussing your personal health challenges and how I can help you achieve the wellbeing you deserve then please be in touch ria@riconnect.me to book a free 15 minute discovery call.
——————————-
Riconnect Functional Nutrition Plans
*all plan breakdowns can and may be tweaked as needed according to the individual and their healing journey
Premium Plan £1950
8 Week plan - Comprehensive wrap-around support with weekly 30 minute Reviews and daily email support.
A perfect 8 week intensive, ideal for someone who really wants to start the process of turning their health habits around. It provides some of the foundational tools and understanding to implement some core health foundations using evidence-based diet and lifestyle medicine. This is a great ‘jump start’ package.
Initial Consultation ~ 90-120 minutes: In depth medical and health history, current diet and lifestyle and presenting symptoms. At this session we map your main priorities and goals which will we work together to achieve over the next 8 weeks.
7x Weekly Review sessions (face to face or online) - 30 minutes to help layer in positive changes, monitor your progress and adjust your protocol to your needs and wants ‘real time’. These weekly check-ins help keep you accountable and increase the pace at which you can see positive changes.
DAILY Diet Diary review and guidance and/or email support in the form of one email each day
Bespoke Protocol (Testing, Diet, Lifestyle, Supplements) with ‘tweaks’ made weekly
Weight, body fat, measurements and photos done at each session if required
Recommendations and/or interpretation of Functional testing results (bloods, comprehensive stool analysis, hormone panels, etc.)
Letter to GP/Consultant if required
Advanced Plan £1625
16 Week plan including Initial Consultation + 7 bi-monthly 30 minute Reviews over the 16 weeks (scheduling can be tweaked to suit needs).
This plan provides well-spaced structured support over a more extended time-frame to identify one’s underlying health triggers and perpetuating habits, carry out some functional medicine testing and run a mid-term protocol.
This plan is for client’s who have relatively specific and defined health goals or needs.
Initial Consultation ~ 90-120 minutes: In depth medical and health history, current diet and lifestyle and presenting symptoms. At this session we map your main priorities and goals which will we work together to achieve over the next 16 weeks.
7x Bi-Monthly Review sessions (face to face or online) - 30 minutes to help layer in positive changes, monitor your progress and adjust your protocol to your needs and wants ‘real time’. These bi-monthly check-ins help keep you accountable and increase the pace at which you can see positive changes.
WEEKLY Diet Diary review and guidance
WEEKLY email support in the form of two emails in between sessions for those urgent but simple queries to support your progress
Bespoke Protocol (Testing, Diet, Lifestyle, Supplements) provided at each Review Session
Weight, body fat, measurements and photos done at each session if required
Recommendations and/or interpretation of Functional testing results (bloods, comprehensive stool analysis, hormone panels, etc.)
Letter to GP/Consultant if required
Essentials Plan £1170
16 Week plan including Initial Consultation + 3x Review Sessions used over 4 months
This is a great plan for those who feel more confident and capable in implementing positive changes and protocols with more autonomy and have a specific, non-complex health issue they wish to address.
Initial Consultation ~ 90-120 minutes: In depth medical and health history, review of current diet, lifestyle, presenting symptoms and wellbeing goals.
Review session 1 ~ 30 minutes: 2 weeks post Initial Consultation allowing you to ‘digest’ your protocol and cover any troubleshooting to ensure you feel 100% confident and competent on your health journey.
Review session 2 ~ 30 minutes: circa 6 weeks post Initial Consultation.
Review session 3 ~ 30 minutes: circa 10 weeks post Initial Consultation.
MONTHLY email support in the form of one email in between sessions for those urgent but simple queries that just won’t wait until your next review
MONTHLY Diet Diary review and guidance
Bespoke Protocol (Testing, Diet, Lifestyle, Supplements) provided at each Review Session
Weight, body fat, measurements and photos done at each session if required
Recommendations and/or interpretation of Functional testing results (bloods, comprehensive stool analysis, hormone panels, etc.)
Letter to GP/Consultant if required
Additional support can be provided on an ad-hoc basis at an hourly rate if required
Flex for You Plan £1450
Initial Consultation + 3x 45 minute Review Sessions over 12 months to be used as needed
This is a great option for those who wish to generally improve their wellbeing over the course of a year, focusing on gently implementing diet and lifestyle changes at their own pace and using the extended interval Review sessions to layer in new ideas in a staged approach to suit you. This is also a good option for those who want to have an extended period of time over which to run some tests and treatment protocols.
Email support in the form of one email in between sessions for urgent but simple queries that just cannot wait until your next Review
Diet Diary review and guidance at each Review
Bespoke Protocol (Testing, Diet, Lifestyle, Supplements) provided at each Review Session
Weight, body fat, measurements and photos done at each session if required
Recommendations and/or interpretation of Functional testing results (bloods, comprehensive stool analysis, hormone panels, etc.)
Letter to GP/Consultant if required
Deep-Dive Functional Medicine Programme - 6, 9 or 12 months, pricing from £2800
This option is for clients who are struggling with chronic, complex and multi-systemic health challenges. In my experience, these are clients who have gone from place to place, searching for answers but still struggling.
This is a longer term therapeutic relationship that may include a wider array of functional medicine testing and/or may include referral to other practitioners where indicated to truly support a wrap-around, holistic healing journey. This is also a programme where multiple protocols can be applied and tweaked to address complex and multiple root causes.
This programme honours the understanding that genuine healing can be a lengthly process, is almost never linear and is akin to peeling back the layers of an onion to assess and address our root-causes and truly move the needle for our health.
Prices are bespoke to the individual’s health history and needs.
*Any recommended foods, supplements and functional medicine testing (including blood/stool/urine tests) where suggested are not included in prices above and are up to the discretion of the client.
Testimonials
“Ria has absolutely changed my life.
By the time I met her, I had been completely exhausted, emotionally and physically, for as long as I could remember. I couldn’t concentrate and I never had the energy to make it through the day. I simply wasn’t functioning.
She was so knowledgable but also kind and understanding. She helped me to understand how much my lifestyle, diet and underlying health challenges were impacting my wellbeing.
I’ve been working holistically with Ria for nearly three years now and I feel energetic, strong, lighter and brighter. She has worked with me to truly get my ‘bounce’ back.
Life is finally enjoyable again!
”
“Ria has been incredibly helpful in assisting me in restructuring my diet and lifestyle, enabling greater productivity, enhancing my physical and emotional wellbeing.
Her attention to detail, patience and professionalism coupled with her vast knowledge provide a perfect combination to ensure her clientele receive the best advice possible.”
“I went to see Ria after visiting a long line of consultants from all different specialities, none of who had any idea how to improve my symptoms or what was causing them. They had done loads of testing but nobody could tell me what was happening to me.
Ria’s approach was completely different. It was like fresh air for me. She has helped me so much to reduce my chronic pain. She also did different kinds of testing, constantly looking ‘outside the box’ and even more, she interpreted the results in a different way, looking always at the bigger picture.
Ria’s attention to detail as well as to my emotional health and my personality was so important in really treating me and her continued care is really something very special.”
“Having worked with Ria for postnatal support in previous years I came to her Nutritional Therapy clinic for some guidance. I was feeling incredibly low and very unwell but the doctors couldn’t tell me what was wrong despite several tests.
Over the following months Ria was on hand constantly to help guide me, offer support and answer any questions I had as I begun my path back to wellness.
Her depth of knowledge and empathy are truly staggering.
I am feeling better each day and with Ria’s help, my symptoms are all reducing.
I have total trust in her holistic approach and would thoroughly recommend her service.”
“I have found Ria to be genuine, caring and excellent professionally.
She always takes the time to listen and sees the full picture. She answers all my questions fully and gives a detailed explanation but in a simple way that I can understand.
I had suffered for over four decades with chronic constipation and gut problems among other health issues. GPs that I have seen over the years only gave me laxatives or other medicines.
But Ria took a different approach. She took a detailed history of my health from birth, we ran functional tests and then she put me on a protocol that dealt with the underlying problems.
The result? She solved it!!
She has helped me immensely. I feel amazing now that the issues are sorted, not only physically but emotionally too. I can’t thank her enough. I am grateful for all her input into my health.
”
“Ria took the time and attention to delve into a long standing GI issue I have had since childhood.
Her perspective was so different and much broader than that of all the consultants I had seen over the years.
In fact, following her great results, my consultant (leading in his field!) has subsequently agreed with her prognosis and protocol.
Her guidance has been understandable and really well supported. She made it easy for me to implement in a long-term, sustainable way.”
“Seeing Ria has had a big impact on my lifestyle and how I feel.
I went to see her on a friend’s recommendation when I was struggling with really low energy and constantly felt exhausted.
Ria took a long history and reviewed all my blood test results. She was really thorough and explained clearly what might be going on inside my body to make me feel the way I was. She talked about diet but also lifestyle, my emotional health and explained how it was affecting me.
She created a programme for me and then checked in to see how I was getting on and if she needed to make any tweaks.
By my first Review my bloods already looked better and Ria challenged me to take on some additional things.
At each step she explained very clearly the rationale and helped me implement new small steps forward. I can absolutely see and feel the benefits to my health and wellbeing.
I’ve still got a way to go but I’m on the right track and most importantly, I now have the knowledge and understanding to empower me to keep moving forward.”