Introducing Suzie Sawyer, a leading nutritionist specialising in female health and an expert within the food supplement industry. We are excited to welcome Suzie as our women’s health resident nutritionist at Living Room Health Brighton, specialising in helping women navigate their menopausal journey.
Welcome, Suzie. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m Suzie and I am a nutritionist. It’s common for people to misunderstand the work of a nutritionist, often asking ‘are you just going to tell me to eat more healthily?’. Of course, a healthy diet is the cornerstone to wellness but a nutritionist is highly trained in how the body works, the nutrients it needs to retain health and fight disease, the science that backs it all up and the joining of all the dots. Essentially, I look at the body as a whole, what it’s telling me what’s going wrong and, importantly using my huge knowledge and long experience (over 20 years) to get health back on track.
"Of course, a healthy diet is the cornerstone to wellness but a nutritionist is highly trained in how the body works, the nutrients it needs to retain health and fight disease, the science that backs it all up and the joining of all the dots."
What drove you to become a nutritionist?
I’m totally fascinated by the human body and how it works. It’s an incredible piece of machinery that is frequently not respected, mainly because people don’t realise what it needs. However, by providing the body with the nutrients it needs, we don’t just aspire to feel ‘ok’, but optimally well. My mother died of cancer at a young age and that was another driver. What had gone so wrong with her own health? I’ve found lots of answers within my nutritional training and with genetic testing too which is an amazing part of our tool box.
What motivates you at work?
"I never stop learning. Every day is a school day as they say, which is great. And research is forever changing and evolving, especially in nutrition, so it’s essential to be constantly up to date with new research."
How do you stay informed with the latest in nutrition?
This is an essential part of my job. As part of my qualification I have to do an amount of Continued Professional Development each year. However, as nutritionists, we have access to other highly qualified scientists, functional medicine doctors, naturopaths, and other complementary therapists, all of which share knowledge. I never stop learning. Every day is a school day as they say, which is great. And research is forever changing and evolving, especially in nutrition, so it’s essential to be constantly up to date with new research.
What does a day in the life of Suzie Sawyer look like?
Every day is different but there are certain constants. I have two or three days per week which are set aside for clinic days when I see clients either face to face or on zoom. However, I’m also a health writer, providing expert comment for journalists and writing health websites. Because much of that work is reactive, it’s not unusual to get a call from a journalist at 10 am needing some pages of copy by 1 pm so my day can quickly change.
I also work in the food supplement industry and have a number of clients who sell food supplements and I support them with providing legal labelling advice, formulation expertise, and keeping up to date with regulatory matters. The food supplement industry is governed by food law just the same as the food in the supermarket. I have no commercial allegiance to any one brand so it means I can also be totally impartial when I recommend supplements to clients, which are generally part of my nutritional protocols.
The one part of my day which never changes is doing some kind of exercise. I’m lucky to live on the seafront in Brighton so there’s no shortage of walking opportunities but I also work out on the beach a few times a week and/or go to the gym. It’s really important that women do exercise during and after menopause to look after their bones especially weight bearing exercise, and cardio for the heart. Plus, I find exercise essential for my own stress busting and mental wellbeing.
What excites you about working with Living Room Health?
Living Room Health provides such a welcoming space for people to come and get health issues dealt with quickly and effectively. My concern right now is that people are not getting the right support for their health needs from mainstream sources, therefore, they need to be encouraged to seek out facilities such as Living Room Health that take a 360 approach to health.
If you would like to book a menopause nutrition and lifestyle consultation with Suzie, you can do so here.
