Introducing Sonia Williams
Ten years ago, she started additional training in nutrition and can now offer appropriate advice as a dentist and a nutritional therapist. She is registered with the General Dental Council and with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. This integrated approach offers a wider scope for maintaining health and oral health. Oral health and disease is closely linked to general health. Sonia’s integrated approach offers a way of addressing oral health problems while seeking to enhance general health.

For instance, periodontal disease has been shown to be linked to a range of general health issues (e.g. coronary heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis). There is a role for good nutrition in helping to optimise health and helping to address these problems, although each individual will be unique. Patients are expected to have obtained a medical diagnosis (other than for oral health conditions) from their medical practitioner.

What is nutritional therapy?
Nutritional Therapy is the application of nutritional science in the promotion of health and peak performance. Nutritional therapy can identify potential nutritional imbalances and how these contribute to symptoms. This allows the possibility to work with people on many levels by addressing nutritional imbalances and supporting the body towards maintaining health.

Each person is an individual with unique requirements. Nutritional Therapy involves taking time to define a personalised nutrition plan rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Sonia Williams is available to offer:
• One-to one consultations
• Research consultancy
• Teaching and training
• Working with special interest health groups: charities, sports, schools, community

One-on-one nutritional consultations
When you make your appointment, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your health, symptoms and lifestyle and return it to the clinic before the first visit. The first visit normally lasts one hour and consists of further investigation into your health and preparation of a tailor-made nutritional programme. Recommendations may include dietary changes, specific supplements as needed and lifestyle changes.

Further consultations last about 30 minutes each. Typically three or four visits are needed over three to six months. These follow-up consultations can take place by telephone.

The consultation will involve:
• Detailed analysis of your dietary and nutritional intake
• Detailed health and family case history
• A strategy for health – linking the symptoms to nutritional
imbalances and providing support and encouragement to change diet and lifestyle
– Personalised action plan featuring advice for diet and lifestyle changes
– Supplement programme including details of any recommended nutritional supplements
– The recommendation of clinical tests if required, to help ascertain any suspected underlying conditions*.

*for instance, about half of people living in the North of England are at risk of Vitamin D deficiency. They cannot make Vitamin D in their skin during the six darker months (October to March). This makes them more vulnerable to a whole range of poor health conditions. People who avoid the sun and cover up, or have a darker skin or who are elderly or overweight are at even greater risk. We can arrange for you to have a test to check your vitamin D status and advise you on how to improve your vitamin D status if necessary.

Where else can I find Sonia?
Sonia now teaches Nutritional Therapy and supervises research at MSc level at the Northern College of Acupuncture in York and has taught nutrition at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. She has given talks to various charity groups including the Leeds Osteoporosis Society and Sjörgren’s Syndrome Society. She is currently External Examiner in Nutritional Therapy for the Universities of Westminster, Worcester and Bedfordshire.