Dietitian, Nutritionist or Nutritional Therapist - Who’s Right for You?

Choosing the right practitioner can feel confusing, especially when titles overlap and everyone appears to offer “gut health”.

This page will help you understand, at a glance, the difference between a dietitian, nutritionist, and nutritional therapist, so you can choose the support that truly fits your needs.

One-line summary

Dietitian → treats disease with diet
Nutritionist → teaches healthy eating
Nutritional Therapist → supports function and addresses system imbalances
Mind Body Biome → Nutritional Therapy plus nervous-system healing

There is no “better” - only better for your situation

Each profession exists for a reason.
The right support depends on whether you are:

Managing a diagnosis
Improving habits
Healing long-standing symptoms
Wanting deeper nervous-system support

Dietitian

Dietitians are trained to work within hospitals, clinics, and GP services.
They support people with diagnosed medical conditions such as diabetes, coeliac disease, kidney disease, and eating disorders.

Many dietitians now work privately and online, offering clinics focused on gut health and digestive support.

They mostly follow clinical guidelines and work within a medical framework, often alongside doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Best for:

Treating medical diagnosed conditions
Acute phase care
Inline / alongside Hospital or NHS care
Prescription diets
Specific Medical Treatment
Complex medication–diet interactions

Nutritionist

The word “nutritionist” isn’t legally protected in the UK, which means training levels vary widely.

Many nutritionists focus on:

Healthy eating
Weight management
Sports nutrition
Food education

Best for:

Improving eating habits
Fitness goals
General wellness
Food education

Nutritional Therapist

Nutritional Therapists are trained in clinical nutrition, biochemistry, and a naturopathic, functional medicine–aligned approach. The profession is supported by recognised professional bodies and strict regulation within the UK.

Rather than focusing only on individual symptoms, they look at how the body’s systems are working together and offer preventative, whole-body support through nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

They work with:

Digestive dysfunction
Food sensitivities
Inflammation
Nutrient imbalances

They may use:

Functional testing
Lifestyle medicine
Supplement protocols
Gut and hormone panels

Best for:

Long-term symptoms
Complex or overlapping issues
A Hole Body Approach
Health Optimisation

Mind Body Biome - Nervous System-Informed Nutritional Therapy

Some Nutritional Therapist work purely with diet and testing.

Many offer support with lifestyle, supplementation and behavioral change to help create sustainable improvements in health.

My Mind Body Biome approach acknowledges something deeper:

The emotional body is not separate from the physical body. This means working with the deeper layers of stress, emotion and lived experience, as well as the nervous system, is vital for creating the conditions for healing.

This approach looks at: