About Me…
I am Korina and some of you may already know me by blog www.thesauchalife.com where I started journaling back in 2016 my transition to a healthy, wholesome, nutritionally rich plant based lifestyle. A bit earlier than that I started studying Nutritional Therapy at the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London, where I was living at that time. In April of the same year I got diagnosed with Stage 4 Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Being a cancer patient under standard oncology care made me realise the knowledge deficit of the standard oncology/ haematology medical community on how nutrition and lifestyle interventions can support the cancer diagnosis, which surely helped me a lot during my cancer journey.
Once finishing my nutritional therapy studies I specialised on cancer support doing post graduate studies with dr Nina Fuller Shavel, who has been my mentor all those years, following her Systems approach to cancer framework. This framework is based on the Functional medicine Institute model, aiming to identify the systems under stress leading to the root cause of the disease and subsequently to an individualised patient center nutritional and lifestyle protocol. Although I work with a wide range of cancers I am specialised in adult haematological malignancies and breast cancer. I have a wide range of experience on supporting lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma and more rare myelodysplastic syndromes such as Polychythemia Vera and Essential Thrombocythemia. I am also a member of the award winning Synthesis Clinic in London, where I work one day a week with clinic blood and breast cancer patients. I am an active member of BANT (British association of Nutritional therapists) and Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) which safeguard that my work is guided by the highest professional standards and latest scientific evidence.
My practice follows the disciplines of Functional medicine model and I a certified BANT (British association of Nutritional therapists) practitioner in cancer support (NTEC certified). My approach to cancer is steeped in the disciplines of Integrative Oncology ie. integrating lifestyle, exercise, relaxation and other holistic approaches (such as yoga and acupuncture to name a few) in supporting the quality of life of cancer patients.
In addition to cancer, I also support patients with complex, chronic health issues such as gastrointestinal issues (irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease ie. Chronn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, GERD, chronic gastritis etc), hormonal imbalances, cardiovascular issues (metabolic syndrome, hypercholesterolaemia, NAFLD) and weight loss. Other special interests: I have a bachelor degree in psychology and recently I completed my training with the National Centre for Eating Disorders, being certified with the Advanced skills Diploma in supporting nutritionally patients with eating disorders.
The main values that guide my practice:
If you would like to discuss your health concern please message me at korina@kknutrition.gr or book a complimentary non binding 15mins discovery call here.
If you wish to read more about me, you can find me at the following links:
-OW Interview: “How cancer helped me find my purpose in life“
Υποστηρίζω ανθρώπους όχι ασθένειες.Η προσέγγιση μου βασίζεται στο να αντιμετωπίζω κάθε ασθενή σαν άνθρωπο στην ολότητα του (σώμα, πνεύμα, νους) και όχι σαν μια νόσο ή ένα σύμπτωμα που πρέπει να εξαλειφθεί.
Βασίζω τις παρεμβάσεις μου σε στοιχειοθετημένα ευρήματα κλινικών ερευνών (meta analaysis, RCTs) που προέρχονται από πρόσφατες μελέτες και βιβλογραφία. Στα πρωτόκολα μου θα βρείτε στους αντίστοιχους συνδέσμους την έρευνα στην οποία έχουν βασιστεί.
Αν και δουλεύω ανεξάρτητα, η προτίμηση μου είναι να δουλεύω, όσο μου επιτρέπεται, σα μέλος της διεπιστημονικής σας ομάδας σε συνεργασία με τον θεράποντα γιατρό/ ογκολόγο/ αιματολόγο και όχι στο ‘περιθώριο’ των συμβατικών θεραπειών. Αυτό αποτελεί και την ειδοποιό διαφορά της ‘ενσωματωμένης’ ιατρικής/ ογκολογίας(Integrative medicine/oncology) από την εναλλακτική ιατρική (alternative/ complimentary medicine). Αντίστοιχα, όπου θεωρώ ότι κάποιος άλλος ‘ειδικός’ θα μπορούσε να σας φροντίσει καλύτερα ή να ‘συμπληρώσει’ τη θεραπεία σας) θα σας παραπέμψω στον αντίστοιχο επαγγελματία.
Η προσέγγιση μου βασίζεται στον εντοπισμό της αιτίας πίσω από κάθε σύμπτωμα (και όχι απλά το ‘κουκούλωμα’ του συμπτώματος με κάποια αγωγή) με στόχο την ολική αποκατάσταση της ισορροπίας του οργανισμού και της υγείας σας. Αυτό επιτυγχάνεται μέσα από την εκτενή αρχική συνεδρία και το μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο των “συστημάτων’ που χρησιμοποιώ καθώς και εξειδικευμένες λειτουργικές εξετάσεις μέσα από πιστοποιημένα συνεργαζόμενα εργαστήρια.
Είμαι ένθερμος υποστηρικτής της θεραπευτικής δύναμης της τροφής βασισμένη στη ρήση του Ιπποκράτη “φάρμακο σου η Τροφή σου” και πιστεύω ότι κανένα φάρμακο ή συμπλήρωμα δε μπορεί να αντικαταστήσει μια υποβιβασμένη διατροφή. Παράλληλα όμως δεν υπόσχομαι ότι η τροφή από μόνη της μπορεί να γιατρέψει χρόνιες και πολύπλοκες νόσους όπως πχ ο καρκίνος. Η χρυσή τομή κατ’ εμέ βρίσκεται στο συνδυασμό φαρμακευτικών και διατροφικών παρεμβάσεων και γι’ αυτό η προσέγγιση μου είναι ‘συνδυαστική’ και όχι εναλλακτική.
I am supporting humans not diseases. I am approaching my patients holistically as real human beings (body, mind, soul) and not as a disease or a symptom that needs to be eradicated.
My interventions are based on the most recent scientific evidence (meta analaysis, RCTs) and are well researched and referenced for you and your medical team to access.
Although I work independently, my preference is to work, when permitted, as part of your conventional health care team, working together and not on the sidelines of your medical doctor/ oncologist/ haematologist. This is the definition of ‘integrative oncology/heamatology’ and constitutes its main difference with ‘alternative/ complementary’ medicine. Consequently when another ‘expert’ could support your health better, I will refer you to the most suitable clinician.
My approach is based on identifying the root cause behind each symptom and not just ‘covering’ it up with a pill, with an aim of rebalancing your body and your health. This is achieved through a very lengthy and rigorous initial consultation, the ‘systems approach’ framework when examining your case history, and when needed, with specialised functional testing through certified labs.
I am a firm believer of Hippocrates saying “Let food be thy medicine” and I believe that no food or supplement can ‘replace’ or outdo a compromised nutrition. At the same time, I will never promise that food can ‘cure’ chronic and complex conditions like cancer. The way forward for me is the combination of cutting edge pharmaceutical therapies with nutritional and lifestyle interventions, that’s why my approach is ‘integrative’ and not ‘complementary’ or ‘alternative’.
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