Institute for Optimum Nutrition

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Institute for Optimum Nutrition Since 1984. Accredited, university validated nutritional therapy training, short courses & CPD. All our courses are delivered online.

Founded in 1984 by Patrick Holford, the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) is a leading educational establishment in the United Kingdom for training and supporting nutritional therapists, and one of the most respected and accredited bodies of its kind in Europe. Our mission is to educate and enthuse, instilling personalised nutrition as the foundation of health for all. We specialise in professional courses for adult learners seeking to change professions or add nutrition to their current practice. ION offers flexible routes to professional qualifications in personalised nutrition. Optional in-person enhancement days are available for case study workshops and meeting industry partners. All courses are delivered online giving a stimulating, challenging, and rewarding learning experience. We provide a unique fusion of education, professional practice and research. Our staff bring their professional practice experience, varied backgrounds and talents to build our creative global learning community. Our aim is to nourish, empower and transform people through our education and equip them to be able to make informed choices around nutrition and lifestyle decisions. Organisation accreditation: British Accreditation Council (BAC)

Course accreditation: Nutritional Therapy Education Council (NTEC)

Course validation: University of Portsmouth (UoP)

Our October newsletter lands in your inbox in just one hour 🍂Here’s what’s inside:🌿 Your functional menopause toolkit. I...
15/10/2026

Our October newsletter lands in your inbox in just one hour 🍂

Here’s what’s inside:

🌿 Your functional menopause toolkit. It’s Menopause Awareness Month, and three experts, including a former British Menopause Society Chair, share what really helps beyond HRT.

🎙️ Is fortified food really the fix? Alliance for Natural Health founder Rob Verkerk PhD joins Verónica Muñoz on the Optimum Nutrition Podcast.

💚 A mother’s search, a career change. How former banker Neetha Lobo retrained at ION at 52 and now practises at Lanserhof, works with the NHS and runs her own clinic.

🍛 Autumn comfort in a bowl. Charlotte Hunter’s warming, budget-friendly butter bean curry.

📅 ION news. Dates for your diary and new courses.

Not subscribed yet? Subscribe here https://ion740.activehosted.com/f/37 to get it straight to your inbox, with early access to podcast episodes, articles, graduate stories and recipes.

We’re at Neurobloom today, so come and say hello! 👋It’s always lovely to see so many friendly faces, and we’ve already h...
09/10/2026

We’re at Neurobloom today, so come and say hello! 👋

It’s always lovely to see so many friendly faces, and we’ve already had some brilliant conversations with students, graduates, industry partners and lecturers. Find us at our stand and let’s chat about life and personalised nutrition 💚.

Clients are presenting with increasingly complex health needs, and keeping up with the evidence while running a busy pra...
08/10/2026

Clients are presenting with increasingly complex health needs, and keeping up with the evidence while running a busy practice isn't easy. That's why we're developing a new suite of advanced professional practice courses, designed to help nutrition practitioners deepen their expertise, meet their CPD requirements and grow their confidence in practice.

Flexible, online and built around real clinical practice.

Watch this space. To be the first to hear when they launch, subscribe to our newsletter: https://ion740.activehosted.com/f/37?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAcGRvZgJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA85MzY2MTk3NDMzOTI0NTkAAaeSDE3xuKhVP7Vw5G9RSi4JvnmOfoE5KLyUtlHZfI0i40LAiz6EKetwS9mubA_aem_bVHh_ZJsKNwCmYmqu5Yrug

⏳ Less than a week to go!Our upcoming CPD course is just around the corner. Have you booked your place yet? 👀Join Layla ...
07/10/2026

⏳ Less than a week to go!

Our upcoming CPD course is just around the corner. Have you booked your place yet? 👀

Join Layla Gordon on Wednesday 14 October for this live CPD session, exploring the history of fasting and its cultural and religious roots, before moving into the science behind time-restricted eating, 5:2 fasting, prolonged fasting and fasting-mimicking diets.

You'll come away able to:
🥑 Critically evaluate the evidence behind different fasting approaches and recommend the right strategy for each client
🧬 Explain the biological mechanisms of fasting, from metabolic switching to autophagy, in a way clients understand
🛡️ Safely implement fasting protocols, from screening and contraindications to preparation, monitoring and re-feeding
📋 Apply the latest research on fasting, metabolic health and healthy ageing to build evidence-based, personalised programmes
🌟 Support clients with confidence through their fasting journey, including knowing when a structured fasting-mimicking diet is the right clinical option

Live CPD | BANT 5 hours | NNA 5 hours | ION CPD 5 hours

🔗 Book your place: https://www.ion.ac.uk/cpd-live-online-event/fasting?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=CPD+Fasting&utm_id=CPD+Fasting

Join Balens for a webinar for ION students about to graduate, graduates and practitioners. We'll break down the core ins...
07/10/2026

Join Balens for a webinar for ION students about to graduate, graduates and practitioners. We'll break down the core insurance protections every practitioner needs, show how cover works in real-world scenarios, and share claims insights to help you reduce risk and respond with confidence if something goes wrong.

Expect clear examples of what a practitioner policy typically includes, and how different liabilities work together to protect your practice, your clients and your reputation.

Hosted by Annie Tabberner (Client Engagement Representative) and Katie Thomas (Technical Schemes Manager) at Balens, with a live Q&A at the end.

🗓 Thursday 8 October
⏰ 1pm (UK time)

About to graduate or already practising? Comment below or send us a DM and we'll share the link 💬

We are proud to announce that ION is now registered with the Office for Students 🎓This means eligible students can now a...
02/10/2026

We are proud to announce that ION is now registered with the Office for Students 🎓

This means eligible students can now apply for student finance to study with us.

As part of the registration process, independent academic assessors took a close look at our teaching, assessment and student support. Their report praises the "impressive range of support" we offer and confirms our courses meet sector-recognised standards.

For over 40 years, we've been training nutritional therapists and nutrition and lifestyle advisors. Now, a career in personalised nutrition is more accessible than ever.

🗓️ Want to find out more? Join us TOMORROW for our final in-person Open Day of the year in Richmond. Meet the ION team, hear from guest speakers, enjoy lunch on us and take home a wellness goody bag. https://www.ion.ac.uk/open-event/in-person-open-event?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=October+Open+Event&utm_id=Promo+Open+Event+October

📞 Can't make it? Our friendly course advisors are here to help with eligibility, course choice and funding:
+44 (0) 20 8614 7815
[email protected]
ion.ac.uk/speak-to-an-advisor

29/09/2026

Fasting has gone from ancient ritual to modern research topic, and practitioners need to know what the evidence actually says.

Join Layla Gordon on Wednesday 14 October for this live CPD session, exploring the history of fasting and its cultural and religious roots, before moving into the science behind time-restricted eating, 5:2 fasting, prolonged fasting and fasting-mimicking diets.

You'll come away able to:
🥑 Critically evaluate the evidence behind different fasting approaches and recommend the right strategy for each client
🧬 Explain the biological mechanisms of fasting, from metabolic switching to autophagy, in a way clients understand
🛡️ Safely implement fasting protocols, from screening and contraindications to preparation, monitoring and re-feeding
📋 Apply the latest research on fasting, metabolic health and healthy ageing to build evidence-based, personalised programmes
🌟 Support clients with confidence through their fasting journey, including knowing when a structured fasting-mimicking diet is the right clinical option

Live CPD | BANT 5 hours | NNA 5 hours | ION CPD 5 hours

🔗 Book your place now! https://www.ion.ac.uk/cpd-live-online-event/fasting?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=CPD+Fasting&utm_id=CPD+Fasting

24/09/2026

We’re proud to be supporting the NMI Summit 2026, bringing together some of the world’s leading experts to explore this year’s timely theme:

Longevity and Biological Ageing: Enhancing Health into Advanced Age

📅 9–10 October 2026
📍 Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London

This two-day event will feature insights from internationally recognised researchers, scientists, and clinicians, including Dr Jeff Bland, Professor Helene McNulty, Dr Felice Gersh, Dr Denise Furness, Dr Laurens Maas, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, Professor Anna Nicolaou, Dr Sally Moorcroft, Professor Kostas Tsintzas, Natalie Burrows, and Benjamin Brown.

What’s included:
✔️ 12 expert-led sessions focused on longevity and healthy ageing
✔️ Access to leading brands and services in the exhibition area
✔️ Healthy refreshments and lunch throughout the event
✔️ Conference tote bag and comprehensive course materials
✔️ Video recordings and supplementary research resources
✔️ 10 accredited CPD hours
✔️ Gala Evening social event included with your ticket

🎟️ Exclusive Offer

We have secured 20 discounted tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Use code nmi26-ion-20 at checkout to receive 20% off:
• Full Price: £495 → £396

Tickets can be purchased at nmi.health/summit-2026

Please note that once all 20 discounted tickets have been claimed, the code will no longer be valid.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Our final in-person Open Day of the year is almost here! 🌱Thinking about a career in personalised nutrition? Join us on ...
23/09/2026

Our final in-person Open Day of the year is almost here! 🌱

Thinking about a career in personalised nutrition? Join us on Saturday 3 October in Richmond to explore our courses, meet the team and hear from people already doing the work.

Here's who you'll meet:

✨ Sally Temple, our Acting Head of Undergraduate Courses, will open the day with a warm welcome to ION
✨ Marjolein Dutry van Haeften, ION graduate and founder of Hormoniously, a clinic specialising in endometriosis, PCOS, PMDD and fibroids, will share her journey into practice
✨ Claire Gardin from Doctors Data will explain how functional testing supports personalised care, and introduce a new Doctors Data bursary for Nutritional Therapy students

You'll also get a full course overview, a live Q&A, a complimentary lunch and a goody bag to take home.

📅 Saturday 3 October, 9:30am to 2:30pm
📍 Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College, Parkshot, TW9 2RE

Places are limited. Book now https://www.ion.ac.uk/open-event/in-person-open-event?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=October+Open+Event&utm_id=Promo+Open+Event+October 🔗

On 30 October, join us at BMA House in London for a tribute to Heather, followed by a seminar on Mitochondria: Cellular ...
21/09/2026

On 30 October, join us at BMA House in London for a tribute to Heather, followed by a seminar on Mitochondria: Cellular Motherboard. Far more than the powerhouse of the cell, mitochondria influence energy, metabolism, immune health, ageing and disease.

Hear from:
Emma Beswick on the three genomes: host, mitochondria and microbiome
Dawn Waldron on life, death and SOD
Moira Newiss on mood, mind and mitochondria

🗓️30 October 2026, 3.30pm to 7.45pm
📍BMA House, Tavistock Square, London
£60 per ticket

Book your place at the link in our bio, or at ion.ac.uk/live-events/mitochondria

Address

Lower Ground, Evergreen Studios, Little Green
London
TW91QE

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm

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