What does a gut health nutritionist do?
A gut health nutritionist finds out why your gut is reacting, then builds a food and supplement plan to calm it. I am Kirstie Vesseur, a Registered Clinical Nutritionist based in Te Awamutu, working online with women across New Zealand. I look at bloating, IBS, reflux, SIBO and histamine reactions as signals, test where it helps, and treat the root cause rather than cutting out more foods.
WHAT WOMEN TELL ME
Sound familiar?
Pregnant-looking by dinner
Flat in the morning, swollen and sore by evening.BLOATING
Never sure which way it will go
Constipated one week, running to the loo the next.IBS
Burning after every meal
Heartburn, burping and food that sits like a brick.REFLUX
Wine, leftovers, headache
Flushing, itching or a pounding head after certain foods.HISTAMINE
Bloated within an hour
Gas, pain and fullness after even small meals.SIBO & DYSBIOSIS
A safe food list that keeps shrinking
Reacting to more foods every month.FOOD REACTIONS
A ROOT CAUSE APPROACH
Why your gut is struggling
It's rarely just the food. These are the drivers I look for first:
- ✓Stress shutting down digestion
- ✓Low stomach acid and poor breakdown
- ✓An imbalanced microbiome
- ✓Histamine overload and slow clearance
- ✓Low fibre and plant variety
- ✓Nutrient gaps from poor absorption
How I test
Comprehensive stool analysis
Microbiome, inflammation, digestion and parasites.
Blood tests, read for optimal
Iron, B12, zinc and vitamin D, to see what you're absorbing.
Food and symptom mapping
Patterns across meals, stress and your cycle.
Nutrigenomics
Histamine, detox and inflammation genes.
Testing is used where it changes the plan, never as a box to tick.
REAL STORIES · ★★★★★ GOOGLE REVIEWS
“She has listened, and put a lot of thought into what could help me along the way, more so than any of my doctors have so far. I have gained much more understanding about why my body is the way it is, about histamine and MCAS issues, stress, gut imbalance, vitamin deficiencies and where to focus.”
“I have gone from having such bad anxiety that I was homebound, to now able to manage my symptoms. I highly recommend her to anyone suffering from unbalanced hormones, gut issues or just needing answers because your GP isn’t able to identify what is going on for you.”
“For years I had been jumping from practitioner to practitioner, specialists, and Doctors, and had no luck until I found Kirstie. Working with Kirstie is the best thing I’ve done for my health.”
“Together we learned the things that were really impacting my body. Kirstie was honest, kind and it was like talking to a best friend who held you accountable.”
Questions
Will I have to cut out gluten and dairy?
Not forever. Some women do a short, structured trial while we settle symptoms, then we bring foods back in. The goal is a wider diet, not a narrower one.
Do I need a stool test?
Not always. Many women improve with the foundations first. Testing is added when it will change your plan.
How long until I notice a difference?
It depends on what's going on for you. Some women notice a difference within the first week. Others with longer-standing or more complex symptoms take longer, and we track your progress at every session.
Is it claimable on health insurance?
Many NZ policies cover a Registered Clinical Nutritionist. You get receipts for every claim.
Ready to stop planning your day around your gut?
Book your free 30 minute Clinical Case Assessment.