Kia ora, I'm Luke.
Most of my job is helping people work out which health advice actually applies to them, and then making it stick.
The gap I work in is between clinical science and a normal week. The research is clear on a lot of things. Almost none of it is written for someone with a job, a commute and a family to feed.
Science, psychology and practice
My training covers nutritional science, psychology, metabolic health and mindfulness. In practice that means we work on the biochemistry and the behaviour at the same time, because in real life they were never separate.
Evidence over trend
Every recommendation should be defensible. I'd rather tell you the research is mixed than sell you certainty that isn't there.
Root cause over symptom
Gut, blood sugar, sleep, mood and hormones are one connected system. Treating them one at a time is why people bounce between practitioners for years.
Sustainable over perfect
A plan you abandon in three weeks helped nobody. The test of good advice is whether it survives a busy Tuesday.
Where the qualifications come from
Worth being specific about, because “nutritionist” is not a protected term in New Zealand and the range of training behind it is enormous.
HPN2 Specialist Clinical Nutrition
The qualification this practice is built on. A full clinical nutrition programme finishing at Level 8 on the NZQA framework, the same level as an honours degree or a postgraduate diploma. It covers applying nutrition to diagnosed health conditions, and it's taught with supervised clinical mentoring under Dr Cliff Harvey rather than by coursework alone.
First-class honours
The foundation qualification, covering nutritional science, biochemistry and clinical assessment.
Registered Clinical Nutritionist — CNA
Registration is why consultations may be claimable through Southern Cross, NIB and UniMed, depending on your policy.
Psychology
Earlier study that underpins how I approach behaviour change, motivation and people's relationship with food.
Continuing education
Short courses in nutritional psychiatry and clinical nutrition for health conditions. Worth naming for what they are. Continuing education alongside the clinical training above, not a second degree.
What else shaped the practice
Education is only part of it. Travel, lived experience and plain curiosity did the rest.
500HR Yoga Teacher Training
Teacher training in India deepened my understanding of movement, breath and cultural perspectives on health. More practically, it strengthened my ability to support people through the mental and emotional side of change, as well as the food.
Aotearoa Vegan & Plant-Based Living Magazine
Nutrition contributor to New Zealand's plant-based magazine, turning clinical evidence into something a general reader can actually act on. It's the same job a good consultation does, at scale.
Wellbeing lives where three things meet
Nourishment, movement and mindfulness. Most advice picks one and ignores the other two, which is why so much of it works for a fortnight and then stops.
You don't need to be excellent at all three. You need them all present, at a level you can sustain, and that's usually a much lower bar than people expect.
Where else you'll find my work
The educator half of the job. Most of it is free, and a fair bit of it will answer your question without you ever needing to book.
Aotearoa Vegan & Plant-Based Living Magazine
Regular contributions on plant-based nutrition, translating current research for a general readership.
Podcast and YouTube
Longer-form conversations and practical explainers, for when you want the reasoning rather than the headline.
Workshops and education programmes
Group education for workplaces and communities, covering the same evidence base as the clinic in a format more people can reach.
The blog
Long-form articles on gut health, blood sugar, plant-based eating and what to expect from a first consultation.
Usually somewhere outdoors
You'll most likely find me surfing, cycling, lifting weights, or tending the vegetable garden.
It isn't incidental to the job. Practising what I recommend is how I know which advice survives a real week and which only works on paper.
“Luke had a beautifully eloquent way of explaining the science behind what I was experiencing, which was equally validating as it was motivating. He gave me simple suggestions that became easy habits, and the results were clear within a couple of weeks.”Kaye — Wellness Plan client, Auckland
Sound like the right fit?
The discovery call is free, fifteen minutes, and there's no obligation. If I'm not the right person for what's going on, I'll tell you.
Book a free discovery call