MINNA WOOD

I’ve had my fair share of health issues in the past myself (more on my story below) so I have learned to listen to my body and better understand what it needs and how I need to support it. If you are struggling with your health, I’d love to help you do the same so you can get back your vitality and start feeling happy and healthy again!

New research is coming out regularly showing links between gut health and the health of the rest of the body, including brain health and mood, menopausal health, immune health and how well we age. Many chronic conditions have been associated with poor gut health.

‘All disease begins in the gut’  -Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, circa 400 BC

Flipping this famous quote by the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, on it’s head:

‘All health starts in the gut’

…helps us understand how important our gut is to our overall health and empowers us to take proactive steps to support better gut health – and, ultimately, better health overall.

You are not what you eat but how well you digest and absorb, and what you feed to your gut microbes!

Therefore, supporting the gut even when things have not yet gone wrong can make so much sense and can help lower your risk of developing chronic symptoms and conditions later in life.

I’m fascinated by the gut microbiome, gut health, the gut-brain connection and the food-mood link. Gut and digestive issues are some of the main concerns my clients present with in clinic these days. Alongside these gut-related symptoms, many also struggle with anxiety or depression, poor metabolic health, skin conditions, hormonal imbalance and menopausal symptoms, poor sleep, low energy and vitality, inflammation, allergies, intolerances or autoimmune diseases.

Who I work with and how?

I work mainly with midlife women, but also men and younger women, who struggle with chronic gut issues and other health concerns. I support clients who are looking for personalised nutrition and lifestyle guidance alongside the care they receive from conventional healthcare, helping them dig a bit deeper to better understand their health issues and to make sustainable changes.

As a foodie, apart from health and nutrition, real unprocessed high-quality food and delicious meals are my passions. And for me, there’s nothing more empowering and satisfying than taking control of your own health, and it starts on your plate. And this is the foundation that we go back to with every client.

However, diet is not everything!

I also acknowledge that diet is only one part of the puzzle of optimum health and I know how important other lifestyle factors, such as adequate sleep, regular exercise, community, creative pursuits, connection with nature and the use of mind-body practices, are for our health.

Your health starts in your mind and on your plate!

Our environment – 24/7 society, chronically busy and stressed lives and our toxic food environment with constant temptation of unhealthy, sugary and processed foods – doesn’t really encourage us to stay healthy and balanced.

Conflicting headlines in the media about what’s healthy and what’s not can be very confusing! We all know that fad diets don’t work! Instead, sustainable and consistent changes in diet and lifestyle are required to achieve permanent long-term results.

And sometimes we just need help to kickstart this process to get started!

I’m here to support you every step of the way. Together, we’ll look beyond the symptoms to uncover the potential root causes, using functional lab testing where appropriate. I’ll then create personalised nutrition, lifestyle and supplement recommendations tailored to you, with ongoing coaching and accountability to help you stay on track. My goal is to give you the knowledge, confidence and tools to take control of your health and feel your best for the long term.

You can read about my coaching style here.

My Qualifications

I am a degree qualified, BANT and CNHC registered nutrition and lifestyle medicine practitioner, accredited reflux and digestive health specialist and a mindset coach.

I help my clients through my online and home clinics in Bracknell, Berkshire UK. After 4.5 years of intense study in nutrition science and clinical practice, in 2016 and 2017, I acquired a master’s degree (MSc) in Personalised Nutrition from Middlesex University and a diploma in Nutritional Therapy Practice from CNELM (Centre for Nutrition Education & Lifestyle Management).

I’m also a qualified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) coach, so I can help you explore your mindset and any limiting beliefs you may have and help change them, in order for you to achieve your health goals. NLP can be used alone or in conjunction with a 1-to-1 nutrition programmes.

My practice is fully insured worldwide and I’m a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). To maintain my memberships, I’m required to do a minimum of 30 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) every year.

I’m also an accredited reflux and digestive health specialist (including gallbladder and bile issues) after completing a course with Digestion With Confidence. I can work with you and your medical team to support the reduction or withdrawal (where appropriate) of PPI reflux medication whilst managing your symptoms and protecting the digestive tract.

I have been a course facilitator for the Food and Mood course at the Stepping Stones Bracknell Recovery College since 2021 and recently run this course also for Recovery in Mind. I have also worked with NHS long covid patient groups. 

I also passionate about spreading the message of good nutrition and lifestyle medicine to the corporate world and love helping businesses support staff wellbeing via talks and workshops on nutrition, mental health, menopause and stress, to name a few. As part of my corporate work, I’m also part of the Leadership School for Women and its Faculty of 19 professionals, helping female leaders in the areas of leadership, wellbeing and lifestyle and providing support for female health and wellbeing, stress, menopause, neurodiversity, burnout, career progression, and more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A story of how I ended up being a nutritionist and loving it!

It wasn’t an easy decision!
It took me almost 10 years to make.

In my late 30s, I found myself dissatisfied with my career that was making me ill, with chronic symptoms and no answers from doctors, while also going through stressful fertility treatments.

My nervous system already in tatters!
Then, perimenopause hit!
My symptoms got worse, my sleep went from something I enjoyed and was good at, to something to dread every night.

I was not happy!
Felt out-of-place and anxious in many everyday situations.
Negativity was my default.
Never felt good enough.

But this was not how I wanted to feel.

Questions came:
Why am I feeling like this?
What is my body telling me?
Finding answers followed.

First health magazines and books provided health information, and my diet started to change. This ignited a passion in me for learning more about my own body, food and nutrition.

Finally, I plucked up the courage to take that scary step and enrol in a degree course (at the ripe age of 47!).
With my head full of dread and panic!

But then, there was no stopping me! A master’s degree (in Personalised Nutrition) followed, alongside a clinical practice diploma.

I had fallen in love with learning about the human body! What an amazing piece of machinery it is! I was completely hooked and wanted to understand it better and learn more!

The rest is history!

Getting my degree and starting my own practice was one of the hardest things I’ve done. But also one of the most satisfying and transformative!

It gave me an opportunity to explore my thoughts, beliefs and values.
It gave me confidence to trust myself.
It gave me a new lifeline to shine.
I gave a purpose!

And the decision that took me almost 10 years to make, was one of the best I’ve made! No regrets, but I often do wish I’d had the courage to do it earlier.

But as the famous advert says:
“Good things come to those who wait.”
It’s never too late to follow your passion or focus on your health!

Now, I am here to help other women ignite their passion.
To understand their bodies better.
To manage their health issues, symptoms, energy levels and cravings better.
To feel better, sleep better and thrive in life – in the workplace and at home, through menopause and other challenges that life brings along.

To find what makes them shine!

Because when you support your body with good nutrition, optimal lifestyle and self-love, you will have increased resilience to deal with what life throws at you.

Last updated September 2026