Tara Dorgan Nutrition

28/10/2026

A whirlwind weekend in London! 🇬🇧✨

A little Harry Potter magic at Platform 9¾, a wonderful canal walk, an AshwaBrahmi Latte (which apparently may promote chattiness!), a bit of travel chaos and, of course, some amazing learning!

After studying with the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) and working with CNM Ireland for nearly 10 years, I finally got to visit their London headquarters! And what a lovely space — including the wonderful Mystical Alchemy Café. ☕️

I was there for a weekend of training in Homotoxicology, exploring how we can better understand the body’s response to stress, environmental exposures and the challenges that can influence our health over time.

One of my favourite quotes was written on the walls of CNM:

“It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.”

This really captures my philosophy.

I want to know the person behind the symptoms.

How are you sleeping? What stresses have you lived through? What environments have you been exposed to? How is your digestion, your energy, your immune health?

And perhaps one of my favourite questions…

When was the last time you felt truly well?

The weekend was a wonderful reminder of the importance of looking at the bigger picture — understanding the systems under strain, supporting resilience, and considering how to help the body regain balance.

Because sometimes the most important part of someone’s health story isn’t the diagnosis. It’s everything that came before it.

A lovely weekend of exploring, learning and connecting with some incredible practitioners! 🌿.

22/10/2026

As we get older, it’s easy to chase the next longevity hack: the supplement, the gadget, the protocol.

But longevity is really something we plan for much earlier. Research on families who lived through famine and plenty suggests that what we eat and how we live in childhood can echo in the health of our children, and even our grandchildren.

The hopeful part? Epigenetics. Our genes aren’t our destiny. Every day, food, movement, light and even a little cold send signals that turn genes up or down. It’s never too early, or too late, to start.

Swipe for a few simple places to begin 🌿

And if you’d like to go deeper, join me for Lunch & Learn: Cellular Health & Longevity, Wednesday 28 October. 12:45-1:45 at The Wellness Rooms, 49/50 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork. It’s a 30-minute talk with lunch included. 

Seats are limited. Secure your seat Here's Health ᯾ Stores & Café Cork ☘︎ on Oliver Plunkett.

corkcity theroothealthclinic oncologynutrition

12/10/2026

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity to look more closely at the everyday factors that influence breast health.

We often talk about hormone levels, but less about how the liver and gut work together to process and clear hormones. These slides explore that connection—and some practical ways to nourish the systems involved.

Join me this Wednesday, 14 October, as we explore breast cancer awareness, modifiable risk factors, and the role of nutrition and lifestyle in supporting long-term health.

📍 The Wellness Rooms, upstairs above Here’s Health, Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork
🕐 12:45–1:45 pm
€20, including a light lunch and tea or coffee.

Booking is essential through the Here’s Health Oliver Plunkett Street store; payment is cash only.

An opportunity to understand your body better and leave with practical ideas you can use.

07/10/2026

October is breast cancer awareness month. The most commonly diagnosed cancer among Irish women. 50% of those diagnosed are between the age of 45 and 64. I’ll be talking about factors that can drive breast cancer as well as diet and lifestyle factors which can reduce our modifiable risks. Join me next Wednesday, October 14th, 12:45-1:45 for our next ‘lunch and learn’ talk. Tickets are available at Here’s Health, Oliver Plunkett street store. €20 - including lunch from Here’s Health Cafe ☕️ 🥗

15/09/2026

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it can sometimes feel as though they suddenly become their diagnosis.

A stage. A grade. A receptor status. A treatment protocol.

Those details are critically important — but there is still a whole person behind them.

This is one of the reasons I use a systems-based approach in my oncology nutrition work.

Two people can have exactly the same cancer diagnosis and yet arrive there with very different genetics, nutritional status, metabolic health, digestive function, immune health, environmental exposures, hormone patterns, stress, sleep, body composition and life experiences.

Their medical treatment may be similar.

Their nutritional and lifestyle needs may not be.

My systems-based approach has been influenced by the work of many researchers and clinicians in cancer biology, integrative and metabolic oncology — including the Hallmarks of Cancer framework of Hanahan & Weinberg, the integrative systems approach of Dr Keith Block, and the Terrain Ten™ framework developed by Dr Nasha Winters and Jess Higgins Kelley.

These all provide useful ways of looking at this bigger picture — exploring interconnected areas of health to help identify an individual's strengths, vulnerabilities and priorities.

Oncology nutrition isn't replacing conventional oncology treatment.

It's about recognising that treating the cancer and supporting the person who has cancer are not quite the same thing — and both matter.

Sometimes supporting the terrain means addressing metabolic health or digestive function.

Sometimes it means correcting nutritional insufficiencies, encouraging emotional and spiritual growth and improving sleep. 

For another person, the priorities may be completely different.

And those priorities can change again during recovery and survivorship.

This is why I don't believe meaningful oncology nutrition can begin and end with a list of “cancer-fighting foods” or a standard supplement protocol.

There is no one cancer diet.
There is no one terrain.

There is an individual who needs a plan for their unique health story.

And that is where I begin.

08/09/2026

A new chapter — and in many ways, a return to my roots.

For more than 20 years, nutrition and natural health have been at the centre of my work.
And for 11 of those years, many of you knew my practice simply as Root Health Nutrition.
A lot has changed since then. And yet, in many ways, I have come full circle.

My clinical work has evolved considerably over the past few years, particularly in
supporting people with cancer, digestive and
metabolic health, chronic disease prevention and healthy longevity.

Most recently, I completed specialist training as an Oncology Nutrition Consultant — an
area of my work that has become incredibly important to me.

Cancer can leave people feeling as though so much is outside their control. Nutrition is one
of the most powerful tools we have to modify our health. There is so much we CAN do to
address underlying imbalances, support digestive, immune and metabolic health. Nourish the body and maintain strength. Help manage treatment side-effects and target stem cells. And, ultimately, create a foundation for recovery and long-term resilience.

My approach has always been to look beyond a symptom or diagnosis and ask:

What is happening in this person as a whole?

I look at nutrition, health history, symptoms, digestion, metabolic health, lifestyle, blood
work, medications and treatment — and, where appropriate, functional testing — to
identify areas where we can meaningfully support the individual and their wider terrain.

Root Health has always been about understanding the foundations of health — and helping people use nutrition and lifestyle to support recovery, reduce modifiable risk of any disease and build greater resilience for the years ahead.

So it feels incredibly right to bring everything together again under a name that means a
great deal to me: The Root Health Clinic.

And I finally have a new home for it, too.
The Wellness Rooms Here's Health ᯾ Stores & Café Cork ☘︎
49/50 Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City

There is much more I want to share over the coming weeks — For now, though, it's simply:
Welcome to The Root Health Clinic

09/01/2026

I am honored to be speaking on balancing female hormones at the CNM open day, Jan 24th, in Cork. If you want a little nutrition inspiration, join us.

You can book your spot here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cnm-cork-open-day-registration-1976717287619?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwdGRjcAPOBplleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7Fintjw81wiPNcsZ1Mob2fAfWBU0kDeRscL1TITQ-b22iV06DJ6-lz-ZzZ8Q_aem_r2sa8l9paIbBX0VuaJrrtg

09/01/2026

✨ Speaker Spotlight | CNM Cork Open Day ✨

Interested in women’s health, hormones, and how nutrition can create meaningful, lasting change?
Or curious about what a career in nutrition rooted in science, nature, and real-world practice can look like?

Meet Tara Dorgan, Nutritional Therapist and founder of Tara Dorgan Nutrition, who will be presenting “Balancing Female Hormones” at the CNM Cork Open Day.

Tara is a natural foodie with over 20 years’ experience in the natural health field, supporting clients using evidence-based nutrition, functional testing, and lifestyle modifications as powerful tools for wellness. She trained at CNM Cork and holds a degree in Holistic Health, Community and Applied Ecology from Western Washington University, USA. She is currently completing advanced training with the Oncology Nutrition Institute, graduating in December 2025.

🌿 Tara has worked alongside naturopaths, oncologists, acupuncturists, herbalists, chefs, growers, and wildcrafters in both Ireland and the USA. She has managed natural pharmacies, taught community culinary medicine classes, founded a regenerative broth company, and has been lecturing and supervising clinics at CNM since 2016.

🎤 In her talk, Tara will explore:

--> How nutrition and lifestyle influence female hormonal balance
--> Why mindset and behaviour change are central to sustainable health outcomes
--> How personalised nutrition and functional testing support effective, long-term results

This session offers insight into how nutritional therapy can support female hormone health, and what it looks like to build a fulfilling career in preventative, natural healthcare.

If you’re considering studying nutrition, expanding your existing skills, or exploring a career that combines science, food, and purpose, this is a talk not to miss.

📍 CNM Cork Open Day
🗓 Saturday 24 January 2026 | 10am–4pm
📍 CNM Cork, Griffith College, Wellington Road

🎓 Learn more about the BSc (Hons) Nutritional Therapy and Diploma courses in Naturopathic Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture, and Homeopathy.

👉 Book your place now
🔗 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cnm-cork-open-day-registration-1976717287619?aff=oddtdtcreator

Start 2026 with clarity, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of what’s possible in nutrition.

19/12/2025

21/08/2025

We have a talk coming up on September 25th at Griffith College Cork, focused on cancer prevention and longevity with CNM - College of Naturopathic Medicine

Oncology Nutrition has been a passion of mine for over 25 years since I lost my grandfather to prostate cancer well before his time.

Unfortunately, the western model is only focused on the disease and not the person nor the prevention. We need to also be thinking preventatively. EveryBody has a different set of genes, exposures, stressors, dietary and lifestyle choices. There is no one size fits all approach, but if we understand our own risks and how to address them we can implement strategic changes with life changing impacts.

Integrative Oncology Nutrition is focused on WHY we are getting cancer and addressing these, not only as a preventative measure to reduce our risk of getting cancer, but also as a means of reducing risk of chronic disease and improving longevity. It is also vital to focus, retrospectively, on WHY we many have been diagnosed with cancer, address the underlying causes and rebuild our immune systems to reduce chances of cancer returning after treatment.

This talk will empower you to start asking the right questions of your own health story and provide tools that you can implement today to live a healthier life.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cnm-cork-health-talk-cancer-prevention-and-longevity-registration-1515172895919?aff=sopost&fbclid=IwY2xjawMToutleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFzcjY2bFlSbVhTMlN1TjdKAR40c9yhUveVWGcTY2K_aVkACTah11_Yv1Yg6i8oevcvu2XoVEwm70gmTsCZhg_aem_g-_y_kypWzSpoKZGY_y0mQ

CNM Cork Health Talk: Cancer Prevention and Longevity with Tara Dorgan- Thursday 25 September 2025