About Nikki Durnford -Lifestyle nutrition for menopausal women

BA (Hons), dipCNM, mBANT, CNHC

I’m Nikki and I am a registered nutritionist that specialises in women’s health. I help professional women in their 50s feel alive, thrive in the workplace and look and feel better than they ever have before.

My personal journey and passion for supporting women in business drives me to provide lifestyle nutrition for menopausal women, so that they have the tools they need to look and feel their best.

But this hasn’t always been my vocation:

My life as I grew up

Growing up my life had always been fun and carefree. I sailed through my twenties and thirties and like most of us, I was eating and drinking a little too much. It was all about just being in the moment. It was fun. I was living the dream, working in a large corporate organisation and travelling the world as part of my job.

When it all went wrong

But all that came to an abrupt halt in my 40s. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and took some time off work. My cancer treatments brought about an early menopause and overnight I hit the wall.

The crash

When I returned to work I felt I was failing as a boss. Brain fog, anxiety and poor sleep left me unable to perform. I was knackered. I had very little energy and just didn’t feel myself. In fact sometimes I just felt invisible. I didn’t like the way I looked and struggled to find clothes to fit each morning as I dressed for work. I had lost my get up and go and my joie de vivre. It had been replaced with a body that ached and a cranky emotional mind.

Digging deeper

As HRT was not an option for me, I had to find a different way. I sought the help of a nutritionist and started to get my life back on track. Sorting my diet and lifestyle made such a difference to how I felt. My menopause had completely derailed me. But with a focus on nourishing my hormones with the right nutrition, I got my life and career back in control.

The transformation

I was so impressed with the results that I decided to quit my job and retrain as a nutritionist myself. I didn’t want women to feel the same as I had. I didn’t want them to struggle with their identity and feel that they had lost their way in the work place.

My mission is to provide lifestyle nutrition for menopausal women

And here I am today! I am on a mission to empower menopausal women to regain focus, energy and confidence so that they can excel at work and leave colleagues wondering their secret.

I came to see Nikki as I was struggling with extreme fatigue and weight gain. Nikki’s approach with me was great. She took time to really unpick where my underlying issues were and explained clearly why she was recommending what she did which really helped my understanding and motivation for changing my diet and lifestyle.

Together we worked on a personalised plan that was targeted to really address my symptoms and it really has worked!

I am now back living life to the full, am confident in how I look and feel energised throughout the day. Thank you Nikki!

Anna Klongova

Lifestyle Nutrition for Menopausal Women with
Nikki Durnford at Green Dene Nutrition

Chickpeas help to combat the effects of menopause by balancing hormones

I remember telling Nikki when I had finished my programme that she had changed my life and she had (in a good way!)

I now feel a new person and my persistent issues that were really getting me down and interfering in my life are now behind me. I really feel I have got my old self back!

I found Nikki’s approach very warm and friendly. She was able to really get to the root cause of my issues and put together a personalised programme for me that we worked on together over a few months. I felt fully supported throughout and am delighted with my results. I would highly recommend Nikki.

Sue Kowszun

What makes me tick

When I’m not working with clients, this is where you may find me.

My spaniel, Fennel, takes up a lot of my spare time. We still go to school together even though she is 6 years old (that’s 42 in human years)! Nowadays it’s more of a social and natter with mates in the woods with a little bit of obedience (for both Fennel and me) thrown in for good measure.

I also jog (and chat) for fun. This is my go-to form of exercise that makes me feel good. Long gone are my marathon days, but I still enjoy getting outside in the countryside and running with my dog.

I am an avid boot camper – the muddier the better and this has been part of my life for over 15 years.

My favourite type of holiday is dingy sailing, although this has to be in warm climates as I capsize a lot.

I am an early bird and not a night owl. Always ready for action as soon as I wake up!

I have lived in many foreign countries and would say that Italy and Corsica rank as my favourite places.