Cecily Saunders

Hi, I’m Cecily – Registered Nutritionist (DipION, BA Hons, BANT, CNHC), Hormone Specialist, & Certified Yoga Teacher.

I sought out yoga in 2017 in the hope it would help me overcome mental health challenges and addiction – and it played a huge role. Yoga has become a fundamental part of my life, and it is a daily sacred practice. I trained with YogaCampus and received my 200-Hour teaching certification in 2022. I primarily practice Ashtanga now, but for 8 years, I practised Power Vinyasa 4-5 times per week. Now teaching Vinyasa, I like to bring in the playful and challenging sequences that brought me so much joy when I was first experiencing the yoga world.

In my Slow flow & Reset class, I offer a gentle, slow flow class with a focus on stretching, mobility, and deep breathing, followed by a 20-minute yoga nidra relaxation to support the nervous system. Swami Satananyanada explains that 1 hour of Yoga Nidra is equivalent to 4 hours of deep sleep. The brain waves monitored in this deep state of relaxation are the same as those experienced in the deepest sleep cycles, yet in Yoga Nidra, we remain completely conscious.

Many people believe that Yoga is all about stretching and flexibility, but the physical practice ‘asana’ is just one small part, but a very powerful entry point. Yoga is a spiritual practice that provides us with a framework to develop self-awareness and discernment. To deeply know oneself can be one of the most empowering and critical lessons for us to learn, and when we are aligned with our truth, health will always follow. Slowing down is medicine for the body and mind.

To find out more or to make a booking, please email Cecily at

csaundersnutrition@gmail.com

NUTRITION INFO

I graduated from the Institute of Optimum Nutrition in 2017 and I am a Registered Nutritionist (BANT, CNHC) specialising in female hormone health. Having overcome my own hormonal imbalances, including PCOS, I know firsthand how powerful it is to understand how to nourish your body and to feel in tune with it again. That’s why I’m so passionate about creating space for women to learn, heal, and feel empowered in their health choices.

In my clinical practice, I see first-hand how stress and high cortisol can contribute to hormonal dysfunction in women, particularly in perimenopausal women who push their bodies like they did in their 20’s, only to get the opposite outcome for their efforts. For a smooth transition into menopause, the health of our nervous system and the quality of our sleep are essential. They will impact how we physiologically and emotionally adapt to hormonal fluctuations, including our response to food, exercise, and our environment. This is why I encourage women to include a consistent, gentle physical practice of yoga to promote recovery and calm.

What is Nutritional Therapy?

A delicate balance of nutrients is required to ensure the effective functioning of the human body and if this becomes imbalanced, the body often responds symptomatically which may lead to more serious or chronic health conditions. Nutritional therapy provides a holistic and complementary approach to healthcare based on recent and reputable scientific literature. Through using this evidence-based platform, we aim to identify the underlying biochemical imbalances and root causes that may be contributing to your current symptoms. Once identified, a personalised diet and lifestyle programme is developed to meet the unique requirements of our clients, where in some instances, functional lab testing and supplementation may be advisable.

How I work?

Throughout my own healing journey, I have tried, tested, and been influenced by many different modalities and philosophies related to health and wellness. I have learnt that as people, we are complex and unique, yet we like to think of ourselves as the same (or at least, similar!). For example, as women, many of us take over-the-counter medicine, unaware of the fact that the majority of medical trials are only tested on white males. This also applies to diet and exercise regimes. Many popular programmes that circulate in the health and wellness space are, again, tested and tailored to white men. I’ve seen this cause many women (including myself) serious hormonal imbalances and gut dysfunction when following these programmes. So many of us are left confused, frustrated, and overwhelmed by the mixed messages we are being fed in the media about what ‘health’ is, and what it takes to be healthy.

I believe that due our complexity as individuals, no ‘one size’ approach will ever fit all. Our environment, life stressors, diet, finances, history, genetics etc will give us all our own unique blueprint and in order to thrive, a diet and lifestyle plan needs to be tailored specifically for you. Yes, the scientific research is important and thankfully, more is being carried out on women nowadays. However, the main goal is to look deeply into what makes you you, and to cater to your specific needs by considering the broader perspective.

It is never just one thing that leads our body into dysfunction. For this reason, I practice a holistic approach, so in addition to tailoring a programme based on the most recent and reputable nutritional science, I offer practical advice, tools, and coaching around breathing practices, meditation, mindfulness, exercise, yoga, including spiritual and psychological wellbeing.

I offer 1-1 consultations, run workshops, and offer nutrition and yoga packages, which you can find out more about on my website – www.cecilysaunders.co.uk

In addition to my teaching and clinical work, I am a wildlife artist, working primarily with colour pencil. I offer commissions of any animal, including people’s beloved pets. To see my work, you can visit www.cecilyannart.com