Meet Our Nutritional Therapist: Melissa Cohen

We are delighted to welcome Melissa Cohen to the Vitabiotics team! With over 15 years of experience in nutritional therapy, functional medicine, and naturopathy, Melissa brings a wealth of expertise, passion, and a truly holistic approach to health and well-being. But before she gets too serious about supplements and superfoods, we thought we’d sit down for a Q&A to get to know the real Melissa.

Melissa, let’s start with the basics.

Melissa, can you tell us a little about your background?

I hold a BSc (Hons) in Nutritional Therapy and a Diploma in Naturopathic Medicine, and I’ve been practicing as a Nutritional Therapist for 15 years. Alongside running my own practice, I’ve written regularly for Thyroid UK, supported many clients with hormonal and thyroid issues, and lectured for 10 years at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. I’ve also contributed to newspapers and magazines, and sat on expert panels, including Food Matters Live on Vitamin D.

Outside of work, I’m a mum of two, a dog lover (especially my two characterful labradoodles), and enjoy yoga, padel, food, travel and music.

What inspired your journey into nutrition?

Where to begin…… I think it was gradual from when I was much younger experiencing food sensitivities, skin issues, weight gain and fatigue. I started to question what I was eating, how I was absorbing food and noticed how different everyone was in how they perceived health.

What made you choose Vitabiotics as the next step in your career?

It’s the number one brand in the UK vitamins, minerals and supplements market and I couldn’t wait to learn about their vast range of products. Vitamins and supplements are what most people are interested in learning about to support their health whether it’s just for more energy or to relax. A good supplement can help fill any nutritional gaps in a person’s diet.

What part of your work at Vitabiotics excites you the most?

I enjoy being able to learn about the vast array of vitamins and minerals supplements Vitabiotics have produced and reading their clinical studies. I’m also excited about the future and how they continue to evolve, always bringing out new products to meet consumer needs.

Let’s talk about food, what’s your go-to healthy meal or snack?

I love a chia seed pudding I can eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner topped with cacao nibs, berries and mixed with coconut milk and yoghurt - I never get bored of this.

Okay, honesty hour, were you always the “salad over pizza” type?

Confession time…… I used to choose the quick fix - pizza, croissant or baguette - now I still eat these foods, though not often.

If you could design the perfect lunchbox for adults, what would you put inside?

A wholefood source of protein such as chicken, salmon, eggs, fish or pulses rather than smoked, prepacked meats or fishes. Mixed with 3 cups of vegetables , I like a combination of cooked and raw, roasted kale in Extra Virgin Oil, mixed with red peppers, grated carrot, cucumber, spring onion and generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of mixed seeds. Served with a ½ cup of quinoa, seasoned well.

Quickfire choices: coffee or tea? Sweet or savoury? Smoothie or juice?

• I love coffee

• I like sweet with savoury - scrambled eggs and blueberries , banana pancakes (banana and egg), date syrup in my sauces for chicken

• Definitely smoothie - you can add more in!

Because we have to ask…What’s your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate and chocolate !

And finally, If you had to give just one piece of health advice to everyone reading this, what would it be?

Food is the biggest pleasure in life, make sure you enjoy it. Knowing what you are going to eat at the start of the day, helps prevent being tempted by low nutrient high energy foods which may trigger energy crashes. The foods highest in satiety “satisfaction/fullness” are fat and protein - make sure these are in your meals. Lastly, movement daily from walking, stretching, running, sports, swimming - as little as 15 minutes per day to support mind, body and soul.

Thank you to Melissa for sharing her journey and insights with us. We’re excited for all the knowledge, inspiration, and practical tips she’ll be bringing to our Vitabiotics community. Stay tuned for more features and expert advice from Melissa in the months ahead.