Intuitive Nutrition Newsletter Late April 2025
Welcome to the Intuitive Nutrition Newsletter
with Clare Seagrave – Clinical Nutritionist & Hypnotherapist
At Intuitive Nutrition, I have the privilege of working with a wide variety of clients—each with a unique and personal relationship with food. Some seek healthy, sustainable weight loss. Others are navigating complex disordered eating patterns, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Many are managing gastrointestinal conditions like SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), which makes it difficult to tolerate even the most basic foods. And others live with multiple food intolerances that impact their energy, mood, and overall wellbeing.
What all of these individuals have in common is the deep emotional, physical, and often spiritual connection they have with food. Our relationship with nourishment is rarely just about calories or willpower. It is profoundly shaped by our upbringing, traumas, culture, medical experiences, belief systems, and even the state of our gut microbiome.
In modern medicine, eating disorders such as anorexia are often approached purely through a psychological lens. While this is important—since conditions like anorexia can arise from trauma, a need for control, or distorted self-perception—it is not the full story. A holistic view considers the person as a whole: their mind, body, and spirit.
What’s often overlooked in traditional approaches is how deeply our biology influences our psychology.
The Microbiome–Mental Health Connection
Emerging research in the field of nutritional psychiatry and gut-brain science has revealed that imbalances in the gut microbiome may influence mood, behaviour, and appetite regulation. Studies have found that individuals with anorexia often show significant disruptions in their gut flora. This includes reduced microbial diversity, which is closely linked to both mood disorders and digestive dysfunction.
A 2019 study published in Nature Microbiology showed that the gut microbiome of people with anorexia differs significantly from healthy individuals. It highlighted a decrease in beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and an increase in bacteria associated with inflammation and poor nutrient absorption. These imbalances can affect hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, increase anxiety, and even reinforce restrictive behaviours through altered neurotransmitter activity.
Another paper in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021) suggested that microbial changes might contribute to obsessive-compulsive tendencies, anxiety, and depression—traits commonly observed in those with restrictive eating disorders.
Nutrient Deficiencies: More Than Just a Side Effect
Many clients with disordered eating habits suffer from deficiencies in key nutrients such as zinc, magnesium, B vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential not only for physical health but also for emotional resilience, neurotransmitter synthesis (like serotonin and dopamine), and hormonal balance.
For instance, zinc plays a crucial role in regulating appetite, immune function, and mental clarity. In clinical studies, zinc supplementation has been shown to support weight restoration and reduce depressive symptoms in those with anorexia. Similarly, deficiencies in B vitamins—especially B6, B12, and folate—can lead to fatigue, anxiety, and low mood, further complicating recovery.
A Truly Integrative Approach to Healing
Here at Intuitive Nutrition, I believe that healing requires a layered, compassionate approach. That’s why I offer:
- Clinical Hypnotherapy – to reframe limiting beliefs, soothe trauma patterns, and create new neural pathways that support a healthy self-image and relationship with food.
- Functional Nutritional Testing – to identify deficiencies, gut imbalances, food sensitivities, and hormone fluctuations that may be contributing to disordered eating.
- Spiritual Support – tailored to each client’s unique belief system. Whether it’s through meditation, mindfulness, nature connection, or emotional release work, I provide tools that support deeper emotional healing and self-acceptance.
Gut microbiome analysis in adolescent patients with anorexia
Your Gut Microbiome: The Most Important Organ You’ve Never Heard Of | Erika Ebbel Angle
Markets in May 2025
I will be selling my Ocean Gypsy Skincare Range & Intuitive Nutrition Bach Flowers & Tea Range.
Mangawhai Community Market every Saturday 9 to 1 pm
Puhoi Market at Puhoi Pub First Sunday of the month 9 to 1 pm this month 4th May.
Waipu Boutique Market Second Sunday of each month this month 11th May 9 to 1 pm
Intuitive Nutrition Clinic
If you’re looking for support in bringing your body back into balance, we offer a range of powerful modalities designed to nurture your complete wellbeing.
As a Clinical Nutritionist and Hypnotherapist, I work with the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—which is why my clients experience such transformational results every day.
If you’re ready to take the first step towards vibrant, balanced health, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to give me a call on 0272 791 786 or explore more at
🌿 www.intuitivenutrition.co.nz
Wishing you a beautiful Anzac Weekend.
Clare
