Why I specialise in bone health nutrition
Nutritional therapy practitioner with 14 years of clinical experience, focused in osteoporosis and osteopenia.
How I came to work with osteoporosis and osteopenia patients
My clinical approach to bone health
My focus on bone health began with my mother's diagnosis of osteopenia. She had received a scan result with limited follow-up guidance, and was trying to make sense of conflicting advice about what to eat, what to supplement, and whether medication was her only option.
She wanted to understand what was actually driving her bone loss, and to be better informed about all the options available to her, including what nutrition could realistically contribute alongside any medical treatment.
My existing work centred on chronic health conditions, using a systems-based approach that looks at how digestive function, hormonal regulation, inflammation, and metabolic health interact. When my mother received her diagnosis, I went deeper into the bone health literature to understand how those systems apply specifically to bone density and bone loss.
Working with her directly, I was able to map out what was influencing her bone health, identify the gaps in her current diet and supplement approach, and give her a clear basis for the conversation she needed to have with her GP.
That experience established the framework I use in practice today. Bone health does not reduce to a single factor, and no two people arrive with the same clinical picture. Each assessment looks at:
Individual context: Medical history, current medication, digestive function, and stress levels, because each affects how well bone-building nutrients are absorbed and used.
Nutrient interactions: Bone density depends on calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, magnesium, and protein working together. How much of each a person needs depends on their diet, their absorption, and what else is going on clinically.
Dietary approach: Recommendations are built around what a person already eats, what is realistic to change, and what is likely to be maintained. There is no standard plan.
Movement & habits: Weight-bearing activity, sleep, and stress each have a direct influence on bone remodelling. These are considered alongside diet, not as an afterthought.
The treatment plan is structured around each person's existing diet, medical history, and current treatment, with specific recommendations for what to add, adjust, or investigate further.
In some cases, functional testing is useful to identify factors that are not visible in a standard bone density scan: vitamin D status, inflammatory markers, or gut absorption capacity, for example. Testing is used selectively, where the result would change the recommendations.
Laura Pratt
CNELM (BSc Hons) | CNM (DipNT)
My practice is dedicated to nutrition support for osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Training & Qualifications
My training combines clinical nutrition science, functional medicine, and nutritional therapy. In the context of bone health, that means being able to assess the nutritional, hormonal, and physiological factors that influence bone density, interpret relevant test results, and make recommendations that sit alongside whatever medical treatment is already in place.
CNELM (2021): First-Class Honours Degree in Nutrition Science
A First Class Honours degree in nutrition science, completed in 2021, covering nutritional biochemistry, human physiology, and the critical appraisal of research. This is the academic foundation that sits behind the clinical work.
IFM (2015): Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice
An introductory certificate in applying functional medicine principles in clinical practice, covering how body systems interact and how that framework informs assessment and recommendations.
Nordic Laboratories (2015): DNAlife® Certification
Training in the use of genetic data to inform nutritional support. Relevant where a person's genetic profile may affect how they absorb or metabolise key bone health nutrients such as vitamin D or calcium.
CNM (2012): Practice Diploma in Nutritional Therapy
The foundation qualification in nutritional therapy, covering clinical assessment, personalised nutrition support, and the professional framework within which this practice operates.
Taken together, this training covers the clinical, biochemical, and functional dimensions of bone health. It is the basis on which assessments are structured and recommendations made.
