SOMA
Online
(13)
Online
(13)
Like self-care, healthcare is something one can practice, and not a commodity that one should only pay for.
Hence, at SOMA we strongly believe that respecting our bodies and treating them adequately should be a priority on our individual and collective journeys.
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13 customer reviews
Lucy Ireland
I came to Shawn regarding my iron levels (as I was anemic) and overall improvement with gut health in order to absorb the nutrients that I needed. He created my own personal timetable & structure even helping me with meal planning and answered the many questions I had about the whole process. I have learnt so much about food (Some I had never even heard of or ate before!) and have noticed the impact they’ve had on my health and relationship with food. My iron levels and gut function are now back to normal through diet variation & structural consistency and continuous advice, help and guidance from Shawn! Thank you :) More...
Reply from SOMA
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, greatly appreciated. Furthermore, it was a pleasure working you, the effort put in and your inquisitive nature has brought about good results. All the best on your journey.
Annabelle
Nutritionists & Dietitians
Shawn is a knowledgeable and enjoyable individual to work with, whose expertise and guidance is rare. I respected his individualistic approach towards nutrition, rather than this one-size-fits-all stance that many others take.
The programme he devised for me was sensitive to my lifestyle and schedule, curtailing everything towards my goals and concerns. I feel much more confident in knowing what types of choices to make going forward and generally how I can mitigate some of my health issues.
As constructive criticism, I would ask that Shawn shows more sensitivity towards the big impact that non-nutrition issues can have on appetite and choices taken, such as stress, family issues, demands at work etc. Even if we as clients already know it, there’s always room to remind us that we should seek therapy or help for issues that go beyond the remit of a nutritionist’s expertise. After all, nothing exists in a silo.
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Reply from SOMA
As always, I am grateful, and I appreciate you working with me and taking the time to share your experience. Simultaneously, it is worthwhile to outline that showing sensitivity towards the effect that non-nutritional factors have on the individual’s dietary choices and well-being is second to none in my repertoire. As I do not believe that nutrition alone is the panacea to all. This is not only demonstrated by my background in cultural ecology that fosters the utilisation of ecologies of practice in tandem with nutrition, or the questions asked about your lived reality (stress, work demands etc.) before we commence any work, but by the well-informed solutions we formulate in our 1-to-1’s to best address or navigate non-nutritional obstacles. This is evident in the following statement: “The programme he devised for me was sensitive to my lifestyle and schedule, curtailing everything towards my goals and concerns.” Altogether, to offer any therapeutic advice would be a disservice not only to you but to this field, thus I kindly recommend seeking expert advice that I cannot dispense from that field (therapeutics).
Krisztina Czibla
Nutritionists & Dietitians
I was looking for solutions for my son's skin problem; psoriasis and dermatitis and I feel very lucky to find Shawn. He did much more than we expected for.
Not only set up an average diet plan but he made it personalised according to my son's daily routine and Uni timetable. Also over this diet programme Shawn was incredibly kind and caring, giving calls to us regularly to follow our progress and improvements and we could turn to him anytime with our questions and always get very detailed and informative answers.
I can only recommend him to anyone.
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Wendy Andrews
Nutritionists & Dietitians
I highly recommended Shawn right from the first phone call he put me at ease and I knew he was the right Vegan nutritionalist for me!
He took the time to understand my needs and put together a plan that really helped my body to repair itself. I saw results in just 2 weeks. My body felt amazing like I had finally put the right fuel in!
It’s been such a pleasure working with Shawn. I wish my teachers at school had been like him, as he makes you want to learn, he has such a good way of explaining things in a way that is easy to understand. He’s very patient and answered all my questions pretty much anytime of day. The one to one consultations were always very positive, supportive interactions and I never felt judged. Thanks again for all your help in not only changing my body but my mindset!
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Nicky F
Nutritionists & Dietitians
Lots of access and information. The outcome was exactly as I hoped so I am very happy
Olivia Bryan
Nutritionists & Dietitians
Shawn is a very friendly and knowledgeable nutritionist who has tailored a plan specifically for getting my Ulcerative Colitis under control in the last month or so that I have worked with him. He has stayed in contact the whole time and constantly sent me lots of useful information, and was always available to discuss various questions that I had along the way. I have also enjoyed learning about the different foods and herbs that can aid healing and reduce inflammation in the body. I highly recommend him! More...
Peyton Farmer
Nutritionists & Dietitians
Shawn is an excellent and knowledgeable nutritionist that has given me a plan, the tools and knowledge to live a healthy lifestyle and keep my Candida infections at bay. He has taught me a lot of information that I never knew before and he has given me the confidence to continue a healthy diet with some herbal teas included. At any point, if I overthought or got anxious about anything (like I usually do), Shawn would give great advice and assure me that I don’t need to put too much pressure on myself and it made the whole process so much easier. Thank you so much Shawn! More...
Norah
Nutritionists & Dietitians
I am delighted that I decided to work with Shawn. He has guided me to a more nutritious way of eating and cooking with the addition of natural remedies. I saw results within a few days. One of the measurable changes was in glucose levels and I notice much improvement in other areas of my health and energy. Shawn provides kind support all the way through. He is very well read and has a vast knowledge of his subjects. He is very respectful and is a good listener. I am very excited about a much more vibrant life as I move further into old age. More...
Samantha-Jane Venn
Shawn helped me get my chronic condition under control with diet and natural remedies. Shawn kept contact through our whole journey.
He always responded to any questions promptly. After our month together I was able to manage my pain levels and keep a good base line. I have more good days now than I did before.
I hands down recommend Shawn to anyone who is struggling with pain, inflammation, hormone issues etc. It’s not an easy journey, but Shawn guides you and gives you the information, you just need to show up and do the work.
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Denzel Shan
Shawn is an excellent nutritionist who not only gives a well thought out and customised action plan for bringing about the conditions in which your body must reach in order to begin to heal and/or circumvent the ailments you are trying to tackle but he also genuinely cares about your well being with routine check ups where he not only meticulously assesses your performance to give crucial key indicators for improvement but also provides a vast amount of knowledge along the way specific to your needs on your biochemistry and physiology given in layman's terms making it easy to understand and flawlessly navigate the often confusing world of nutrition allowing you to make optimal changes that bring about a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Highly recommended professional who has not only helped me but multiple family members and friends across a wide array of health issues over the years.
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Steff Pitman
Shawn has an incredible knowledge on the body and health. He ensured he got to know me and my symptoms, listening and understanding the issues that I needed support with. He guided me and educated me on how these changes improve my health and why they benefit my body. I saw a massive shift in my energy levels and noticed the inflammation in my body decrease after only a few weeks of working with him. After suffering from chronic fatigue and IBS along with anxiety, I had no idea what to eat or how to cope with my stomach issues. Shawn helped me to feel better, physically and mentally whilst educating me on why my body reacts to different foods and allowing me to embrace a new lifestyle and relationship with nutrition. He has shown me that nutrition is medicine. I highly recommend working with him especially if you are struggling with health issues. His knowledge and research is amazing. I’ve tried everything and he is the only person to fully address and improve my conditions significantly. Not only does Shawn get results but he really cares and was invested in supporting me through this journey. I am so grateful to have been able to work with him. More...
Lana S
His work is incredibly personal to your health needs, he’s extremely observant of what your body day needs and what it is missing. The only doctor who was so understanding and attentive towards my needs, after years of being dismissed. More...
Reply from SOMA
Thank you so much for your generous feedback, was a pleasure working with you. Lastly, although based in medicine, I should outline that I am not a physcian.
Magic Sibanda
For years I suffered from a fungal infection affecting my arms,chest and back (Pityriasis versicolor) that I couldn't get rid of. The infection would come and go after using caster oil, tea tree oil and aloe vera. My gp prescribed anti fungal topicals but none seemed to help the issue. Tinashe worked with me to address the issue from the inside out by first clensing the blood. He also advised on the topicals to use to rehydrate the skin and the impact of my diet to the condition (how certain foods fostered the ideal environment for the fungai to grow). My condition has now greatly improved (no longer visible) and I also gained a lot of knowledge on various herbs and how the body works. Overall I would highly recommend this service for anyone looking for tailored advice to their health concerns. More...
How important is a healthy diet to someone’s health and wellbeing?
The nexus between diet, health and wellbeing can best be described by the following: "As the building is, so the structure must be". This is to say that food should provide the nourishment that aids in building a robust body, maintaining normal mental-physiological function and above all provide energy for our day to day living. A diet that does not offer the latter is a deficient diet.
What do you love most about your job?
The fact that I get to interact with people from all walks of life who enrich my own life and better inform my practice through the work we do. Ultimately, seeing people get better and enjoying their lives is what I love most.
What inspired you to start your own business?
There are many reasons, but the core inspirations were 1) to some degree address the confusion surrounding nutrition and dietetics (diet-centrism) and 2) I have been a researcher in nutrition and physiology for 10 years and in the last 5 years I realised I could use this information in a practical manner to help other people.
Why should our clients choose you?
By providing an indvidualistic approach to every client, I am able provide an environment where the clients needs and reality comes first. This holistic approach is respectful, empathetic and patient. This allows me to listen attentively so that I can go above and beyond to address the issue. As we work together I impart you with a life’s time worth of practical knowledge so you can practice healthcare too. Ultimately my goal is to improve yours and our citizens quality of life, and to better clarify instead of adding more confusion to the often-confusing world of nutrition.
Can you provide your services online or remotely? If so, please add details.
Yes, for all enquiries contact me on deferredoldage@gmail.com
What changes have you made to keep your customers safe from Covid-19?
Currently I do not see individuals directly so this does not apply as consultations can be done electronically. If a client did require a face to face approach we would have to discuss a safe way to do so.
Nutritionist
At this present time many diets exist and each one offers its benefits; simultaneously, there is a rise in both nutritional deficiencies and nutrition related disorders. Additionally, there is now more confusion on what to eat (diet-centrism). With that said, the nutritional reform is an in-depth health and wellbeing approach orientated towards complementing our physiology by not only providing an individualistic approach to nutrition but also addresses the following:
The importance of food combinations, gut health, chrono-nutrition, mineral deficiences, food processing and preparation, food bioavailability and the effects of excessive anti-nutrients. The importance of fats to brain, hormone, skin and cellular health, and how improper habits of eating interfere with digestion. This holistic approach not all teaches you about your body, health and nutrition, but also draws attention to certain ecologies of practice (non-nutritional aspects that aid our health), and goes above and beyond to show you how food influences disease whilst addressing conditions associated with nutrition (obesity, diabetes, GERD, high blood pressure etc.).
Complementary/Holistic Therapy
Utilising intermittent hormesis and bioactive compounds granted by phytochemistry we can in a complementary approach address both fungal and bacterial infections, worm infections (helminths), glandular-metabolic syndromes (hormone imbalances) and certain chronic inflammatory diseases. By default the body is addressed as whole, but it is possible to tailor this approach to specific areas of the body.
This service is ideal for issues such as pain management (headaches) inflammation (gout, arthritis), inflammation-hormone imbalance (endometriosis), fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and thyroid function. The use of complimentary nutrition or phytotherapy aids not only in repleting the body’s essential minerals, restoring equilibrium but also acts as a preventative approach to health concerns.
Maternal and Foetal Nutrition (Pre & Post Pregnancy)
During pregnancy, an increase in dietary intake (folate, iodine, iron, omega3:6 etc.) arises due to physiologic adaptation, a phenomenon that is characterised by complex effects that increase metabolic demands and incite hormonal changes. The presence of inadequate nutritional status during critical stages of gestation is associated with neurodevelopmental deficits and poses as a biological risk factor to the development of postpartum depression that can disrupt early mother-infant interaction. From a life span approach, we work in unison with women, their partners and health care professionals to provide optimised nutrition for both mother and child alongside suggesting evidence based complimentary supplements with essential nutritional properties that influence foetal-maternal health and pregnancy outcome.
Gut Health
The general idea is probably that the gastro-intestinal system will take care of itself no matter the damage done. However, over time degeneration or senility takes place and what starts as putrefaction of undigested food stuffs sets the course to the development of several bowel disorders (colonic polyps, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, and irritable bowel syndrome). On top of that other disorders (eczema, psoriasis etc) can also manifest.
Overtime repercussions to the immune system occur, as the GI-Tract is the largest immune organ (approximately 70% of the entire immune system). Borrowing some ideas from the field of gastroenterology, chrono-nutrition and infusing those ideas with up-to-date evidence on the importance of the microbiome we work on gut health regeneration and maintenance. The microbiome aspect is important as dysbiosis is highly associated with brain fog and fatigue, intolerance to certain foods, sleep issues and mood, extreme food cravings, inflammation-autoimmune conditions, skin irritation, poor nutrient absorption and many other things we are beginning to uncover.
