About Penny Crowther

[Image: Penny Crowther]

Penny Crowther BANT CNHC qualified as a nutritional therapist in 1997 and has been in clinical practice ever since. She has seen several thousand clients over the years, at her practice in London and online. Penny now specializes in nutrition for women in their 40s and beyond, particularly around peri and post menopause. Mid Life for women can be a time when fluctuating hormones play havoc with your wellbeing. In the midst of all the publicity around HRT, it's easy to forget just how powerful diet and lifestyle changes can be when it comes to navigating the menopausal years.

Penny will guide and support you through specific changes to your diet, targeted to you specifically, in midlife. She provides practical, easy to follow menu plans with easy and delicious recipes. The food you eat affects every cell and system in your body. It optimizes how you look and feel, both mentally and physically.

To book an appointment view consultation options here >>

As well as being a regular columnist for Positive Health, Penny has written for Holland and Barrett, and contributed to articles for the Daily Telegraph, The Times Literary supplement, Pregnancy & Birth and Marie Claire. She has been featured in the Daily Express, Daily Mirror and on local radio.

Penny is a registered nutritional therapist with standards of training endorsed by BANT (British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy) and CNHC. This includes completing 30 hours of continuing professional development, annually.

Penny’s approach to health is holistic, and takes into account emotional, mental and environmental factors as well as nutrition. She has trained in coaching and studied many complementary therapies before qualifying as a nutritionist, which provides a broad foundation of knowledge in her nutrition practice. Penny may be contacted on Tel: 07761 768 754;   penny@nutritionistlondon.co.uk   www.nutritionistlondon.co.uk

Articles by Penny Crowther

  1. The Pitfalls of a Vegetarian Diet

    Listed in vegetarianism

    Vegetarianism is proven as a healthy way of eating. However, a poorly thought out vegetarian diet can have adverse effects, as Penny Crowther illustrates in her column using two cas...

  2. Obstacles to Weight Loss

    Listed in weight loss

    Research shows that the population is getting fatter, and yet at the same time dieting has reached epidemic proportions. Nutritionist Penny Crowther sheds light on why this might be...

  3. That Bloated Feeling...

    Listed in colon health

    A common cause of abdominal bloating is too many unfriendly bacteria in the gut, leading to a build-up of toxins, Gut flora imbalance can be influenced by stress, smoking, poor diet...

  4. Polycystic Ovaries: Conception following Nutritional Programme

    Listed in fertility

    Despite the remarkable breakthrough that IVF (in-vitro fertilization) has made in the treatment of infertility, Penny Crowther points out that there are other more natural and less ...

  5. Nutrition for Asthma

    Listed in nutrition

    Asthma is on the increase, and yet many doctors do not recognize the benefits of Nutritional Therapy in its treatment. Penny Crowther highlights the negative side effects of convent...

  6. Nutritional Therapists: Food Police or Food Educators?

    Listed in weight loss

    The representation of nutritionists as food police is an obstacle that the author highlights we must overcome. Another obstacle when following diets can be a low mood, stemming from...

  7. Healthy Food for Children

    Listed in nutrition

    Regular columnist Penny Crowther examines the results of a Mori poll (November 2002) that found that 200,000 children in England and Wales had eaten no fruit or vegetable in the pas...

  8. What is a Healthy Balance Diet Anyway?

    Listed in women's health

    Penny Crowther discusses the need for nutritional advice and dispels the myth that it is only for those who rarely eat fruit and vegetables. She gives two relevant case studies.

  9. Constipation, Gluten and Milk Allergies in Children

    Listed in colon health

    The theme of this article is constipation, gluten and milk allergies in children. The author approaches it via the case history of an eight-year-old girl who came to the clinic with...

  10. The Atkins Diet

    Listed in diabetes

    This article focuses on the Atkins Diet and the controversy behind its philosophy, which has been a target of criticism because it goes against conventional healthy eating advice, b...

  11. Infertility

    Listed in women's health

    In this article the author refers to a case study (Fiona) with polycystic ovaries, whom she wrote about a few years ago, and explains how she was able to remedy her infertility thro...

  12. Probiotic Power: Are you Getting the Right Bugs?

    Listed in colon health

    This article focuses on probiotics, the beneficial lactic acid producing bacteria which inhabit our intestines. Milk, for one provides a good example, coz when soured it turns into ...

  13. Five Elements Nutrition

    Listed in chinese oriental medicine

    In this issue Penny Crowther looks at the cycles of nature and what they meant according to ancient Chinese wisdom and how we can incorporate those same principals into our lifestyl...

  14. Five Elements Nutrition

    Listed in chinese oriental medicine

    In this column (which continues on from the last on how the ancient Chinese theory of the Five Elements can give nutrition practitioners a useful extra perspective), the author look...

  15. Five Elements Nutrition

    Listed in nutrition

    As winter is the season for the water element, associated with the kidneys and the bladder, the author provides a wider concept of the kidney and our energy based on Chinese medicin...

  16. The Starch Connection

    Listed in ibs

    In this column on Irritable Bowel Syndrome, low starch diets seem to work wonders with the author patients who come to her with abdominal bloating and excess gas problems, despite f...

  17. Endometriosis

    Listed in women's health

    This column focuses on endometriosis, a relatively common condition which is believed to affect around 15% of women. The author presents a case study of a client who had initially b...

  18. Case Study Issue 64: Nutritional Therapy - Inability to Conceive

    Listed in case studies

    The main reason for Jane coming to see me was her failure to conceive. She and her partner had been trying for a baby for two and a half years. She became pregnant once in that peri...

  19. Low Fibre Diet

    Listed in ibs

    In this Expert Column, the author looks at how reducing the amount of fibre in your diet can help people who suffer with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) to reduce their symptoms. We ...

  20. Oestrogen Dominance

    Listed in women's health

    This column focuses on the dominance of oestrogen in females which, the author explains, in relation to progesterone in a woman cycle overall is too high. Conditions associated with...

  21. Nutrition for the Prevention of Osteoporosis: Part One

    Listed in nutrition

    In the first of this column on the treatment of Osteoporosis the author focuses on bone building nutrients (such as magnesium, calcium, and their various forms; Boron and Vitamin D)...

  22. Nutrition For The Prevention Of Osteoporosis - Part Two

    Listed in nutrition

    The author continues her nutritional advice for the prevention of osteoporosis, and offers a suggestion for a recent treatment, as well as a recently developed test which can indica...

  23. Vitamin D: Why We Need More Of The Sunshine Vitamin

    Listed in nutrition

    It used to be thought that vitamin D deficiency was rare, and limited to the elderly, pregnant and people from cultures where the skin is traditionally kept covered. Now it is estim...

  24. Cardiovascular Health: New Nutrition Strategies Part I

    Listed in heart

    The article discusses research which challenges the supposed link between high cholesterol levels and the risk of heart attack. There is a new theory that cholesterol is used as a h...

  25. Cardiovascular Health: New Nutrition Strategies Part II

    Listed in heart

    Despite decades of health advice to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol, heart disease is still the number one killer in the UK and a leading cause of death worldwide. Prefacing h...

  26. Cardiovascular Health: New Nutrition Strategies Part III

    Listed in heart

    In this part, the author discusses the role of the optimum fats in cardiovascular health, and explores the emotional aspect of heart problems in the context of Chinese medicine and ...

  27. Iodine - The Forgotten Mineral

    Listed in nutrition

    The article lists symptoms of thyroid deficiency, which range from depression to chronic sinus infections. Iodine deficiency is now recognised by the World Health Organisation as ‘...

  28. Build Up Your Defences For Winter

    Listed in nutrition

    The Germ is Nothing, the Terrain is everything. The famous nineteenth century bacteriologist, Louis Pasteur uttered the previous sentence towards the end of his days. Having spent ...

  29. Encouraging Healthy Inhabitants in the Gut

    Listed in colon health

    Over the last 10-15 years, probiotics have undergone something of an image transformation.

  30. Fat is Good for You!

    Listed in essential fatty acids

    This is the time of year when we often feel motivated to get healthy. Thoughts of fitting into holiday swim wear may loom large and for many this means dieting. Unfortunately weight...

  31. Supplements or Food?

    Listed in nutrition

    I am sometimes asked by people if supplements are necessary if eating a balanced diet. In the first place, the concept of a ‘balanced diet’ is vague and a little meaningless for ma...

  32. Vitamin A - Are you Getting Enough?

    Listed in nutrition

    Vitamin A is not a vitamin that currently gets much publicity. This is because deficiency in developed countries is considered rare. The same thinking used to apply to Vitamin D, bu...

  33. Wheat - Staff of Life or Pain in the Gut?

    Listed in nutrition

    Today wheat based foods comprise a huge part of our average daily fare and in some circles, going wheat free is mistakenly branded as a ‘fad’ diet. Personally I think the average ju...

  34. B Complex - The Answer To Good Mental Health?

    Listed in nutrition

    According to the World Health Organisation, 350 million people suffer from depression and it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Being depressed in addition to having a p...

  35. Sugar the Unsweet Truth!

    Listed in nutrition

    A new Canadian study has found that sugar can cause reactions similar to those to cocaine. This will not come as a surprise to many people struggling with addictions to all things ...

  36. Managing Stress with Nutrition

    Listed in stress

    It’s easy to ignore stress, accept it as normal or not even be aware of it. Yet of all the factors that impact health, it’s one of the most significant. Nutritional therapist Penn...

  37. Juices V Smoothies

    Listed in nutrition

    Juicing and blending are very fashionable at the moment and I often get asked about the difference between juices and smoothies.

  38. Meat, How to Keep it a Healthy Part of your Diet

    Listed in nutrition

    Last month saw more good news for vegetarians. An announcement from the World Health Organisation (WHO) informed us that processed meat definitely causes cancer. Processed meat has ...

  39. Tips for Healthy Holiday Travel

    Listed in nutrition

    If you have been saving up all year for a relaxing break, the last thing you want is to spend your well earned time off feeling unwell. It pays to start thinking ahead when it comes...

  40. Symptoms and Solutions for Low Stomach Acid

    Listed in nutrition

    “To eat is human, to digest is divine”. These words were uttered by the famous American writer, Mark Twain (1835-1910) and how true they are. Even the most nutritious food will not...

  41. Vitamin B12 – Are You Deficient?

    Listed in nutrition

    Severe B12 deficiency is known to cause pernicious anaemia, an illness which has clearly diagnosable symptoms. However, there are a plethora of other symptoms which can be related...

  42. Glutathione - Super Hero of the Cell

    Listed in nutrition

    American physician and chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine, Dr Mark Hyman says “If you haven’t heard of glutathione yet, you will. In terms of staying healthy, it’s on...

  43. Vitamin E, Are We Getting Enough?

    Listed in nutrition

    Vitamin E is not actually a single vitamin, but a group of fat soluble vitamins known as tocopherols and tocotrienols. There are eight naturally occurring forms of vitamin E, which ...

  44. What Every Woman Ought to Know about the Menopause

    Listed in women's health

    Not so long ago ‘The Change’ was a taboo subject. Your Doctor suggested that you put up with it and your family tolerated your erratic moods with a mixture of embarrassment and bewi...

  45. 3 Disadvantages of a Dairy Free Diet and How to Solve Them

    Listed in nutrition

    Many people are cutting dairy foods out of their diets. The reasons are varied; the desire not to eat any animal produce, allergies or intolerances, wanting to lose weight or simply...

  46. 5 Ways to Decrease your Risk of Catching a Cold or ‘Flu’

    Listed in infections and inflammation

    It’s that time of year again when dodging flu and cold germs becomes a priority. And if you take steps to protect yourself, you are less likely to succumb to illness.

  47. Caffeine

    Listed in nutrition

    Caffeine is a naturally occurring chemical found in plant sources such as coffee, cocoa beans and tea leaves. It is also extracted and added to food, drink and some medicines. If yo...

  48. Inflammation the Modern Day Epidemic

    Listed in immune function

    Inflammation underlies so many chronic health conditions. From heart disease to dementia, type 2 diabetes to asthma, allergies, skin conditions, arthritis and auto immune disease, e...

  49. Preventing Female Heart Disease

    Listed in heart

    In the thick of the covid pandemic, there has been a lot of attention on supporting the immune system.  Whilst this is a good idea, it’s only part of the picture. In this article, I...

  50. Top Nutrition Tips for Great Skin in Midlife

    Listed in nutrition

    Healthy, glowing skin is something which we all aspire to. Because our skin is so visible, skin problems can profoundly affect self-esteem and confidence.

  51. Ways to Help Low Mood and Depression in the Menopause

    Listed in nutrition

    I was recently listening to a medical doctor describing what happened when she went to see her own doctor. She was in the peri menopause and suffering with very low mood. Her doctor...

  52. Menopause Nutrition for IBS and your Gut

    Listed in ibs

    Many women experience gut symptoms in midlife.  Bloating, gas, discomfort around your middle, diarrhoea or constipation are all common gut problems. They may be labelled as IBS and ...

  53. The Effects of Fat on Weight Loss – Good or Bad?

    Listed in nutrition

    For many years we were told fat was public enemy number one and that it must be reduced at all costs.  Yet low fat diets have generally not worked very well. If they had, we wouldn’...

  54. Top 5 Foods to Eat During the Menopause 

    Listed in women's health

  55. One Surprising Thing You can Do to Tackle Mid-Life Fat Around The Middle!

    Listed in nutrition

    Reducing fat around the stomach is a major health goal for many women in mid-life. “Middle age spread”, that unwelcome roll of fat around the middle is an unfortunate effect of chan...

Book reviews by Penny Crowther

  1. I'm a Patient... Get Me Out of Here - Self-Help for Common Illnesses

    Listed in allergies

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