About Dr Nina
A scientist’s curiosity, a pharmacist’s attention to detail and a nutritional therapist’s whole-person approach.
Hi, I’m Dr Nina, a registered nutritional therapist in Edinburgh, a qualified pharmacist and a scientist with a PhD in organic chemistry. I support adults with a broad range of health, nutrition and wellbeing concerns, both in person in Edinburgh and online across the UK.
The “Dr” in Dr Nina comes from my PhD in organic chemistry. Long before I trained in nutritional therapy, I was learning how compounds interact, how scientific evidence is tested and why the smallest details can sometimes matter. That training continues to shape the way I think and work today.
I am naturally curious and analytical, but I also know that good nutritional therapy is about much more than data. It begins with listening to you.
Rather than looking at one symptom in isolation or handing you a standard diet sheet, I take time to understand the wider picture. This includes your health history, nutrition, lifestyle, medications, supplements, sleep, stress, everyday routines and personal goals.
I then bring this information together with current nutritional research to help identify useful patterns and realistic priorities. My role is to turn what can feel like a confusing collection of symptoms and conflicting advice into clear, manageable steps.
My Approach is carefully researched, evidence-based and personalised to you. Above all, I want to help you understand your body better, feel more confident in the choices you make and build habits that work in your real life.
My Story
My journey into nutritional therapy began long before I trained professionally. It began with my own health and a growing determination to understand why I felt the way I did.
As a child, I experienced severe abdominal pain that was diagnosed as gastritis. I was given a bland diet until the pain settled, but no one really explored why the symptoms had developed or why they kept returning.
That early experience sparked my interest in how the body works and how medicines affect it. I first trained as a pharmacist and later completed a PhD in organic chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. My years in scientific research shaped the way I think: asking thoughtful questions, examining the evidence and looking at the wider picture.
When my own health became the question
After moving to the UK, my health became increasingly complicated. Digestive discomfort was joined by chronic headaches, migraines, exhaustion and severe body pain. I continued working and raising my family, but I often felt as though I was pushing through each day without understanding what was happening inside my body.
I sought medical help repeatedly. Some investigations and treatments were useful, but I still did not have a coherent explanation for the overall pattern of my symptoms. At one appointment, my exhaustion was attributed to the demands of being a mother of two. Motherhood was certainly tiring, but I knew there was more going on.
A trial of antidepressant medication did not suit me and caused difficult side effects. I was not looking for a perfect or purely “natural” answer; I simply wanted someone to step back, listen to the full story and help me understand why so many different symptoms seemed to be happening at once.
A turning point
A significant turning point came when I attended a private clinic specialising in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Testing identified several nutrient deficiencies, giving me a clearer starting point than I had previously had.
Changes to my food, rest, daily routines and supplements helped me begin to manage aspects of my health more effectively. Just as importantly, the experience showed me the value of looking at health from several angles rather than considering every symptom as an entirely separate problem.
My scientific curiosity took over. I began reading research, questioning assumptions and exploring the relationships between nutrition, nutrient status, digestion, sleep, stress, movement and other aspects of health.
The more I learned, the more I realised that nutritional therapy brought together many of the areas that had always interested me: science, food, human health, research and practical problem-solving.
In 2019, encouraged by my mother, I returned to study and began my professional nutritional therapy training at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition.
Finally having a name for my symptoms
As my training progressed, I recognised that many of my long-standing symptoms were consistent with fibromyalgia. In 2021, after approximately thirteen years of symptoms and repeatedly asking for further support, I received a formal diagnosis through the NHS.
The diagnosis was not a simple solution, but it brought validation and gave me a clearer direction for my research. It also deepened my understanding of how exhausting it can be to live with persistent symptoms while trying to work, care for a family and continue with everyday life.
I do not share my story as a dramatic before-and-after or to suggest that food can solve every health problem. My own health journey has been complex, and it has taught me to be thoughtful, realistic and honest.
I share it because personalised nutrition and lifestyle changes helped me understand my body better, make more informed decisions and regain a greater sense of agency in my health.
Why I do this work today
Today, I aim to offer clients what I once needed myself: time to tell the full story, thoughtful questions, careful research, clear explanations and practical support without judgement.
You may arrive feeling confused by your symptoms, overwhelmed by conflicting advice or unsure where to begin. You do not have to arrive with a diagnosis, a perfect diet or a clear idea of what you need. We begin with where you are now.
Together, we explore how different parts of your health and daily life may be connected. We then create a personalised plan that is realistic for your circumstances, preferences and goals.
I believe your kitchen can become your everyday lab. Not a place for perfection, fear or endless restriction, but a place where you can experiment thoughtfully, notice how your body responds and build confidence in the choices that work for you.
Qualifications and Professional Background
My professional experience brings together pharmacy, scientific research, laboratory quality assurance, nutritional therapy and health coaching.
Each part of that background contributes something different to my practice. Pharmacy helps me consider medications, supplements and potential interactions carefully. Scientific research helps me assess the quality of evidence and look beyond headlines or health trends. My nutritional therapy and coaching training helps me translate that knowledge into personalised recommendations that are understandable, practical and sustainable.
Academic and Scientific Background
Pharmacist, MSc — St Petersburg Chemical Pharmaceutical Academy
PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry — University of Edinburgh
Laboratory Quality Assurance Auditor — Charles River Laboratories
Nutritional Therapy and Professional Registration
Registered Nutritional Therapist — trained at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition
Registered Practitioner — Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council
Member — British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
Additional Practitioner Training
The SIBO Doctor Practitioner
Nutrigenomics Practitioner Programme — Lifecode Gx
Health Coach — Zest4Life
Accredited Reflux Practitioner — Digestion with Confidence
I continue to develop my knowledge through professional education, research and continuing professional development. Nutrition science is constantly evolving, so keeping up with the evidence is an important part of my responsibility to clients.
Nutritional therapy is designed to complement, rather than replace, appropriate medical care. Where symptoms require medical investigation or treatment, I encourage clients to consult their GP or another suitably qualified healthcare professional. Where appropriate and with your permission, I can also work alongside your existing healthcare team.
For my full professional bio – please visit LinkedIn
If you have any questions, please get in touch
