Food & recipes

“Nutrition saved my life”

Nicky Rapley’s serious health problems inspired her to retrain in Nutritional Therapy, studying with CNM, the College of Naturopathic Medicine.

What I loved most about CNM’s course was having access to passionate lecturers who have an armoury of knowledge. My journey has been one of inspiration, self discovery and personal growth. My life was turned upside down when my health crashed and burned. Until then, I had zero knowledge about, or interest in, food. Food was just fuel.

Following a diagnosis of bladder cancer, and amidst subsequent treatment, I realised that I had to start taking responsibility for my health. I’d spent 25 years meeting the fast-paced demands and stress of working as a freelancer costumier. I disliked cooking, and with little time, I preferred ready meals – sugar kept me going and was my best friend. Together with a chronically stressful lifestyle, I’d created the perfect storm.

I decided to enrol on the full Nutritional Therapy Diploma to discover how to help my recovery and future health. The part-time learning and course fees were attractive, and the content seemed fascinating. Six months into the course I had a very bad reaction to my final cancer treatment. I was in agony, taking lots of painkillers and scarcely able to crawl out of the house, but I knew I couldn’t give up on my studies. It was an emotional moment, two years later, when, sitting in the refectory after one of our student clinics, I suddenly realised that I wasn’t in pain. It took another six months for me to be able to walk easily, but I’d turned a corner and no longer used painkillers. After graduating in 2017, I hit the ground running. I practised as a Nutritional Therapist in Thailand for three months and have since moved to Wiltshire where I help private clients – I also teach groups on how to prevent the onset of diabetes. I’m inspiring and motivating creative professionals to share their gifts with the world but from a place of self-care and knowledge. I call it ‘the art of not falling apart’. I’m building my business to offer wellness retreats, first in the UK, and then abroad, to harness the power of sunshine and encompass the adventure of travelling. The power of good nutrition and our body’s ability to heal is incredible and people deserve to know it.”

Interested in studying? CNM’s Diploma in Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy is now available in class and online. CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) is the UK’s leading training provider of natural therapies. Diploma Courses include Naturopathic Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Natural Chef and Vegan Natural Chef, all based on the naturopathic approach to health. Find colleges across the UK and Ireland. 01342 410 505, naturopathy-uk.com