Energy and weight loss

I first approached Nicki in May 2023 as I had tried all sorts of diets and failed to lose any weight. I soon realised I was in safe hands. Nicki always listened to my concerns. She also left no stone unturned as she investigated my lack of weight loss. Nicki advised me to change my diet considerably and carried out a number of tests. I will admit to being quite resistant to making those changes in my diet, but I am so glad that I persevered. Very soon the cravings for the old foods stopped and I really began enjoying the new way of eating. We also discussed the science behind Nicki’s dietary and lifestyle recommendations which I have found totally fascinating. The key for me was that I was listened to, and I have got a far better understanding of how and why foods affect me. I have now lost a stone in weight over six months and kept it off. I can’t recommend Nicki enough.
Whatever your concerns maybe, be brave and give Nicki a call. You will be in safe hands.

Suzanne Dursley

Breathlessness, overweight, depression and pain.

For many years I have been struggling to lose weight.
I’ve tried so many different diets and at great cost. I was becoming more depressed too, as I was having breathing problems whenever I tried to exercise, whether it was walking, on the bike or the treadmill. This really worried me, because I thought it was my heart. It was also so painful and my body would ache for days afterwards.
My daughter suggested seeking a nutritional therapist and she found Nicki on line for me. I am so glad we found her. She has been a fountain of knowledge helping me to understand what has been going on in my body. Nearly three months down the line I have lost a stone. My breathing is so very much better. I can go walking, use my exercise bike without the awful shortness of breath…. there’s also no more pain……and no more depression.

I can’t thank Nicki enough for her valuable help and knowledge. I would recommend that anyone who is in need of help contact Nicki.

Sheila Market Lavington

Focus and energy

There were times where I didn’t seem have enough energy and focus, and my exercise and sporting performance seemed to be on a downward spiral. Approaching 50, I assumed it was mostly age related, but I ‘did’ suspect more could be done in the nutrition department. With that in mind I sought Nicki’s help.

As it transpired, I had no idea how little I knew. The sessions with Nicki have been a great experience. Nicki goes into great detail on your diet, your body and even your mind. Her knowledge and research is first class. It is clear that a lot of work goes into preparing for each meeting, and the rationale for each action is well explained.

A few tweaks to diet and behaviours resulted in replenished energy, weight loss and a generally healthier complexion. Added to that, there seems every reason to suspect that I may have ‘dodged a few bullets’ for the future.
I can highly recommend.

Will, Chippenham

I was worried I had Candida

I attended Nicki’s clinic three months ago after troublesome gastrointestinal symptoms and which had gone on for too long. I was very worried that I might have candida and was pleased to discover through stool testing that there were good reasons for why my gut biome was not all it could be but candida was not the reason.
Gone are the days of omeprazole and now with Nicki’s scrupulous attention to detail, I actually have a diet and lifestyle suggestions and specific probiotics which are targeted to my particular biome.

As a result, I have lost half a stone, am sleeping much better and due to her passionate interest in food and it’s importance, I have increased energy levels and substantially decreased stomach discomfort giving me a renewed ‘taste’ for life.

As a result, I am making friends with my intestines and enjoy a positive attitude to my better health for which I cannot thank Nicki enough.

Ann C. Chippenham

IBS and anxiety.

I came to Nicki because of my IBS, and because I suffer from health anxiety and other anxiety issues. I have gained so much valued information from her which is life changing. She has been so extremely helpful and her knowledge about nutrition and lifestyle is incredible.
She really does go above and beyond and exceeded my expectations.
I am ever so grateful to Nicki and the passion in what she does .

Lisa G. Calne

Weight Loss and cardiovascular.

I am 77, and take medicines for my Heart, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol, including Statins.
I had chronic Back Pain which caused me to crawl upstairs on all-fours, and a strained Heart that worried me whenever I felt stressed.
I was in a panic about gaining weight, despite eating very carefully.
I had taken myself off Dairy, and even tried Gluten-Free.
I decided I needed guidance from a trained Nutritionist who would teach me what was safe to eat, and to lose weight slowly and permanently.
I contacted Nicki, who has introduced me to a different lifestyle., which I really enjoy, and will continue for the rest of my days.
I now walk upstairs normally, without thinking about it, and I have no more Heart strain.
In 3-4 months I have lost 10 kilos, and have another 5 or so to go.
Firstly Nicki told me I was so afraid of what I was eating, I was actually eating too little!
My case could not have been an easy one for Nicki, because she had to work around all the Doctor’s pills I was taking.
I feel my life is back on track!

Sally M. Somerford

Macular degeneration

6 years ago during a routine cataract op it was found that I had an eye disease; ‘Pseudoexfoliation syndrome’ and also that the blood supply to the retina was extremely poor. This led to 3 years of monthly eye injections and multiple eye drops but the condition did not improve. I was then diagnosed with the beginning of macular degeneration in the other eye.

I came to Nicki who recommended some dietary and lifestyle changes and she asked me to take some specialised supplements for eye health. This I did.

At my last check up I was told both eyes had stabilised and I haven’t needed an injection for 8 months.

I know this is due to the excellent and professional care and advice I’ve received from Nicki.

Ann W. Mallorca

Gastrointestinal limitations and bladder problems

I’m 64 and have had problems for many years with my bladder and bowel not functioning properly. I’ve even been seeing a urologist for a couple of years and on medication which I’ve now stopped.

I thought that I had a good balanced diet. However my symptoms including depression were getting worse. Since starting with Nicki and her holistic approach I’m slowly getting better and I ecognise I’m on a journey. It’s like learning a new language but so worthwhile. I feel as if at long last I’ve met the person who is helping me get to the bottom (no pun intended) of my problems and helping me understand what I have to do to change my system and my life. Her knowledge is amazing and she treats you with understanding and patience. She has been so helpful and I can’t thank her enough.

Lyn G. Tockenham

Sports performance

I am a vegetarian with food allergies, and asthma and I felt that I wasn’t getting enough of the right nutritional content in my diet. I also enjoy competing in Triathlons, mostly Ironman distance, and needed help to improve my performance.

I have since made many improvements with Nicki’s guidance, and I am even getting PB’s (personal bests) !!

Nicki is very passionate about Natural Nutritional Health……( we are what we eat) and her knowledge and research is boundless.

Caroline H. Malmesbury

Prediabetes

Macular degeneration, pre-diabetes and overweight

Nicki Spicer began working with me early in 2020. I had a number of medical conditions including macular degeneration in my right eye and a diagnosis of being close to Type 2 diabetes. She analysed my state of health and advised on a range of dietary and life-style changes. The results so far have been heartening. There has been no further deterioration in my eyes and I have both lost weight and dropped to the bottom of the pre-diabetic scale. I am hopeful that further improvements will be made over the coming months.
Throughout I have been impressed by Nicki’s professionalism and the skill and thoroughness with which she carries out her work. She recognised the difficulties I might have in making the adjustments needed to remedy my issues and was sympathetic and realistic in her advice. I am continuing to work with her.

Roger P – Bristol

Sensitivities

Long history of sensitivities and unexplained symptoms

I came to Nicki pretty desperate with my health, having also suffered from Covid-19 then from Long Covid. In 6 months I am feeling better than I have done in years. I am myself again. I can thoroughly recommend her.

Brigitte R. Nr Chippenham

Energy and pain

I eat a vegan diet and I came to Nicki with osteoarthritis in my hips and chronic pain in my lower back, high blood pressure, ectopic heartbeat, blood sugar issues and low energy. Nicki has shown me that she is incredibly knowledgeable and has been guiding me through optimising my nutrition and supplements. She researches everything thoroughly, has run a number of blood tests and her understanding of the digestion and the body is seriously impressive.
The focus has been on bone health and getting enough healthy fat and clean protein into my diet, as well as identifying any important nutrient gaps. So far I’ve seen lower blood pressure, (my doc halved my medication recently) steadier heart rhythm and less body pain. My energy used to crash daily like a runaway train but now it’s something resembling a stable adult  – which has been huge!
If you want reassurance that you’re doing everything possible for your health, I couldn’t recommend getting in front of Nicki’s eagle eye enough. She truly knows what she’s doing.

Alexi, New Zealand

Chronic Diarrhoea and Weight Loss

After four months of constant diarrhoea which my doctors could not diagnose, despite blood tests, colonoscopy and the NHS gastroenterologist and dietitian, I spoke to Nicki after a recommendation. She listened carefully and compassionately to me and my wife, then used her wide knowledge to probe deeper into the cause of my problem. Nicki was able to network with other specialists and diagnostic services to help her investigation. She could then supply or direct me to supplements to start recovery of my digestive system. This was always backed up with dietary guidelines tailored to my particular needs. I am now recovered and listening to her aftercare advice and guidance for a healthier future. I can confidently recommend her.

Robert 74. Wiltshire

Cardiovascular Disease

I will never forget the phone call from the NHS in March 2024. It was life-changing. When it ended, I put the phone down and stared at the wall, unable to process what I’d just been told: a heart CT scan had revealed a significant blockage in one of my coronary arteries, caused by heart disease, and I would need a metal stent. I was stunned. Me? Heart disease? It felt impossible. Before the diagnosis, I’d been experiencing chest pain while running — a central, heartburn-like sensation. But reflux medication didn’t help, so I visited my GP. Within weeks, I was lying in a CT scanner, still unsure why it was necessary.
About a week after the call, the reality hit. I began researching and learned that ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide — a sobering fact that left me devastated. I broke down after a run, crying like I hadn’t in decades. What haunted me most was reading that heart disease is progressive. I desperately searched for evidence that it could be stopped or reversed. But when I asked my cardiologist directly, he shook his head and said, “No, I’m afraid not.” I felt an overwhelming sadness, which soon turned into anger and confusion. I couldn’t understand why this had happened. I don’t smoke or drink, I’m not overweight, I thought that ate well, and I’ve always been active — completing my 250th Parkrun at 49. Sitting in cardiac rehab, listening to risk factors being listed, I could barely tick any. “Why me?” played on repeat. It felt cruel. But I would later learn that conventional wisdom doesn’t always tell the full story. That anger became a determination to act. I wanted to understand the true cause of my heart disease and do everything possible to stop its progression. It became quickly apparent that the NHS was not the right organisation to help. My efforts to talk to the Specialists and Consultants always ended in disappointment. Their focus was treating the symptoms, not helping me understand the cause. Even my Cardiologist, after inserting my stent, said; “You don’t need to eat a fancy diet”. I wasn’t buying it. Beyond the NHS, I quickly learned about the practice of Nutritional Therapy; the use of diet, lifestyle and supplements to support health, prevent disease, and manage medical conditions by addressing individual nutritional needs. The more I read, the more I was convinced it could help me. I set about contacting a handful of Nutritional Therapists within an hour’s travel time from my home and asked for help. Some didn’t reply, some replied but couldn’t offer specific cardiovascular support, and then Nicki replied.
I remember my first phone call with Nicki clearly. She was warm, compassionate, knowledgeable. I told her everything that had happened to me up to that point. She was a brilliant listener. I felt understood. We spoke for far longer than scheduled but it was okay because I knew I wanted to work with her. After the call had ended, I felt a new emotion: hope. Over the following year to 18 months, I followed Nicki’s guidance whilst we unravelled the true reasons for the cause of my heart disease. I undertook several tests; all aimed at building a picture of my cardiometabolic health and I began a supplementation programme to target my deficiencies. I looked forward to my meetings with Nicki because each time we met I felt more knowledgeable and a bit lighter.
Nicki is a wonderful teacher. She explains things calmly and clearly. We talked in depth about nutrition. I learned that my diet wasn’t as good as I had thought. In fact, due to its low fat and high carbohydrate focus, I was nearing pre-diabetic levels, something that completely surprised me. The clues were beginning to reveal themselves. I learnt about the micronutrients too, not just how to balance the macros. With Nicki’s help, I was able to switch to a heart-healthy diet packed with the types of food that support the gut, fight inflammation, reduce blood-glucose spikes and promote wellness. Today I eat mindfully, being sure to balance my meals with the right amounts of protein, unprocessed nutrient-rich complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.
During my time with Nicki, I also learned that some of the traditional thinking about the causes and process of heart disease are flawed and that modern research into cardiovascular health challenges some of the conventional wisdom. These insights were worth their weight in gold and really challenged my own beliefs about what constitutes a ‘good’ diet. I have barely eaten a single bowl of breakfast cereal in over a year! And that white supermarket bread that seemingly stays soft forever? That’s a hard pass!
The tests I completed were illuminating. They really did paint a clear picture of how my body functions on a day-to-day basis, highlighting where it is strong and where it needs help. I am now armed with valuable information from the types of genes that make me more vulnerable to heart disease to how well my body processes fatty acids. I truly believe that the tests helped pave the way for a targeted package of support. Something, I now know, I’d never get on the NHS. My journey with Nicki has been educational, informative and revealing. I have moved from confusion to clarity and today I can clearly describe why and how I developed heart disease and what I am doing every day to combat it. The biggest compliment I can pay Nicki is that she offers a rare mix of extensive knowledge, focused support, and care and compassion. Her website says that she offers a personalised approach to abundant health and this could not be truer. Thanks to Nicki I have moved from a feeling of anxiety and worry to a feeling of hope and optimism.

Alex, 50, Cheltenham