Cliona’s Story

Growing up, I was never satisfied with my body.

In my early twenties, I was advised to lose a few pounds to help with a medical issue. I followed that advice and it quietly pulled me into something much more serious.

Before I knew it, I was obsessively tracking every bite, overexercising, and controlling everything I ate. Holidays became diet plans. Meals out filled me with stress. I brought food to people’s homes so I could stick to “the rules.” I thought I was being healthy, but really, I was scared. And stuck.

Eventually, I became lean and slim. But instead of feeling better, I felt exhausted, anxious, and painfully unfulfilled. I was undernourished, emotionally fragile, and depressed, and the health issue I started dieting for? Still there.

That was my wake-up call.

I realised that shrinking my body wasn’t the path to healing, and that health meant far more than numbers or rigid food rules. It took time, support and a lot of self-compassion to find my way back. I began to reconnect with my body and relearn how to trust it.

One of the most unexpected supports on that journey was cacao. Sitting with cacao became a small daily ritual, a way to slow down, tune into how I felt, and hear my own voice underneath the noise. It helped me feel safer in my body and more connected to my intuition. I still turn to it when I need grounding.

Today, I help other women who are done with dieting and restriction find their way back to themselves. My work is rooted in four pillars: nutrition, movement, sleep, and emotional resilience, because you can’t out-supplement emotional disconnection or sleep deprivation.

With an MSc in Nutrition and deep training in functional medicine and intuitive eating, I offer grounded, evidence-informed support that’s infused with compassion, spiritual depth, and lived experience. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being whole.

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The name ‘Essence of Nutrition’ was chosen because I believe that amongst all the nutrition ‘noise’ out there, the simple basics and essence of nutrition has been lost.

Eating well and nourishing your body should be easy and intuitive. When we learn to tune in to and listen to our body’s inner wisdom, we are in a position to make healthy choices more easily.

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Hi there,

My name is Clíona Brady, and I’m a registered Nutritional Therapist and Intuitive Eating Counsellor.

Essence of Nutrition was born from the belief that health is about more than just food; it’s about how you live, how you feel, and how well you can hear and trust your body’s signals.

This space is for women who are tired of dieting, obsessing over every bite, or feeling like they’re constantly falling short. I know that world well, and I know what it takes to step away from it. Together, we explore your relationship with food in a compassionate, non-judgmental setting, where there’s space for your full experience, not just your symptoms.

Our work centres on four key pillars: nutrition, sleep, movement, and emotional resilience. These aren’t checklists—they’re foundations for deep, sustainable well-being. We focus on nourishment over restriction and rebuilding trust in your body instead of micromanaging it.

Alongside one-to-one guidance, I offer simple nutrition tips, batch cooking recipes, and practical strategies that fit into real life. We’ll reduce stress around food and bring joy and ease back into eating, without strict rules, moralising, or complicated routines.

Essence of Nutrition holds both the grounded and the gentle, blending scientific training and functional medicine with tools that help you listen inward. One of those is cacao, a gentle plant medicine that’s helped me deepen my own self-trust. Whether you’re curious or sceptical about that side of things, you’re welcome here. This space honours both the practical and the unseen.

If you're ready to feel at peace with food again, explore how we can work together. You don’t have to do this alone.

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I can help you if…

  • You have health symptoms - such as gut issues, inflammation, chronic disease, hormone issues, low energy, feeling off, high cholesterol, etc. -which interfere with your life and you are willing to work towards relieving them.

  • You’re seeking advice with supplements, health, food and lifestyle choices.

  • The stress about ‘what to eat’ takes up much of your mental energy.

  • Your body image holds you back from doing the things you love or living your life to the fullest.

  • You want to stop dieting but don’t know how, are scared or you have started but would like some help.

  • You are willing to work towards loving and respecting your body regardless of how it looks.

  • You want to break free from diet culture and restriction.

  • You know that overcoming both health or body issues requires effort and time, but you are willing to commit to the process to enjoy lasting and impactful change.

But I can’t help you if…

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  • You are not willing to move away from strict and restrictive dieting.

  • You are looking for a quick fix without any effort.

  • You are currently experiencing an active eating disorder or cancer.

  • You have intestinal or renal failure or are artificially fed.

My Qualifications

  • Qualifications:

    • BEd in Home Economics, NUIG, 2005

    • Diploma in Advanced Nutrition for Physical Activity, The CPD certification Group, 2018

    • MSc in Personalised Nutrition, Middlesex Unniversity in collaboration with CNELM, 2022

    • Personalised Nutrition Practice Diploma, CNELM, 2024

    • Applying Intuitive Eating and Non-diet approaches in practice, London Centre of Intuitive Eating, 2024

    • Member of the Nutritional Therapists of Ireland (NTOI) and British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT)

    • Trauma Informed Practice, Trauma Informed Practice Ireland, 2024


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Let’s begin your journey towards a healthier, happier body and mind…

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Contact Me