Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral from my Doctor to come to the Nutrigenomic Medicine Centre?
New Clients are welcome via self-referral or on referral from another Health Care Practitioner.
1. Book and pay for a New Client Consultation online.
2. We will email a New Client Pack, with Forms and Questionnaires to be completed. Please return these to the clinic at least 48 hours before your appointment. It is helpful if you also bring any recent health records or test results with you.
3. Visit for your New Client Consultation.
Can you help me with my health problem?
Understanding the interaction between your genes and environment is key to knowing which steps to take to achieve your best possible well-being. We take into consideration your unique gene heritage, biochemistry, health and family history, nutrition, toxic exposures, lifestyle and immune burden. Drawing on recent advances in science and medicine we develop precise, evidence based solutions for health challenges.
What services do you offer?
Our services begin with a New Client Consultation, which can be booked online. At the heart of our service is the desire to address significant health challenges, using expert assessment of individual genetics, biochemistry and health history. A wide range of laboratory tests are available, including gene, microbiome and metabolic profiles. We also provide health education events in a small group setting and a 'second opinion' research service for rare or complex conditions. Please contact us for further details.
What if my problem is poor mental health?
Historically, health disorders have been separated into ‘physical’ or ‘mental’ health categories. In reality, this arbitrary distinction isn't consistent with recent scientific advances. Every brain function and activity depends on highly specialised forms of nutrients, and imbalances in brain chemistry have been shown to underlie conditions ranging from depression and anxiety to bipolar disorder and the different forms of schizophrenia. What's more, the influence of our gene heritage, biochemistry, health and family history, nutrition, toxic exposures, lifestyle and immune burden apply equally to physical and mental health challenges and their solutions.
I am receiving treatment from my GP or another specialist. Is this compatible with your service?
Our services are drug free and designed specifically to be compatible with and to complement existing medical treatments.
Please note that our service is in no way a substitute for regular medical care, and you should never change or stop taking your prescribed medication unless advised to do so by your GP or other medical practitioner.
We may also specifically recommend that you consult a GP or other health care professional before starting or continuing a programme with us, and will refer you back to your GP where necessary.
Where are you located?
We are located on the outskirts of Binfield in a quiet part of Berkshire, just a few minutes from the M4, A404 and M3.
If you are coming by train, Bracknell Railway Station is a 10 minute taxi ride from the centre. From Bracknell there are direct trains via Maidenhead to London Waterloo.
We are located a half hour's drive from Heathrow airport.
Who will I see?
Dr Shalleen Barendse PhD, who is the Founder and Clinical / Research Director of the Nutrigenomic Medicine Centre. Her passion is to help anyone for whom a one size fits all health approach is not working. She brings a unique perspective to patient care, having been a university researcher, author, speaker, lecturer and consultant to the pharmaceutical industry before focusing on genomics and nutrient therapy.
Dr Barendse is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. She graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London, with a first class honours degree in Psychology and was awarded the Dorothy Farrar Research Prize and the Sir Cyril Burt Prize (1995). She then won a scholarship to pursue her doctoral research on biomedical and psychological outcomes in chronic illness.
Dr Barendse has completed extensive postdoctoral research and training in Genomics and Functional Medicine and is one of the few clinicians in GB to be certified in Advanced Nutrient Therapy by the world respected Walsh Research Institute.
Almost twenty years ago Dr Barendse began her own search for better answers to health challenges. Since then her research has led to a profound understanding that answers to ill health (body or mind) lie in understanding the complex interaction between the genetics, biochemistry, microbiome and environmental history of just one person. When the available scientific and medical evidence is applied to that unique individual, remarkable changes in health and wellbeing can result.
Will I need to visit in person for my consultation?
We always recommend a visit in person for the New Client Consultation, if possible. A phone or Skype consultation will usually be available for ongoing appointments.
It is difficult for me to travel to the Centre, what do I do?
We may be able to arrange for consultations to take place elsewhere, although this would be by special arrangement and at added cost. Should you require this service, please email reception@nutrigenomicmedicine.co.uk with your request.
Can the tests I need be done at The Nutrigenomic Medicine Centre?
This depends on the tests involved. Some tests use samples you can provide at home and send directly to the lab for analysis. Others involve a blood sample or require special handling. We may be able to arrange for these to be done at your home (depending on your location). We'll discuss test options at your consultation.
Do you take insurance?
At this point in time our services are not eligible for reimbursement from health insurance providers. Financial support from a children's charity may be available for a child on the autism spectrum if your family has a low income - please email reception@nutrigenomicmedicine.co.uk for further information.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit and debit cards for online payment, or a bank transfer.
