I'm VJ, and I am a Nutritionist and Autoimmune Disease Expert.
26/09/2025
Today Andy and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage (and 18 years together), and I just feel so grateful.
From the moment we first met, there was something that felt different — like I’d already known him for years. Looking back now, I can see how right that instinct was. Since then we’ve shared so many amazing adventures: gigs, travels, discovering new places and cultures, as well as the simple, everyday things that mean just as much.
Of course, there have been challenges along the way — moving cities, changing jobs, losing loved ones — but through it all Andy has been my constant. His support, humour, and kindness have made life brighter in every way.
I’m really looking forward to celebrating properly later today 😃🥂 Here’s to the next ten years (and beyond).💛
25/09/2025
Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients living with alopecia — from parents navigating their child’s first patches of hair loss, to adults who’ve been searching for answers for decades.
What I’ve learned is this: while each person’s story is unique, there are clear patterns that repeat again and again. Gut imbalances that affect absorption. Nutrient gaps like low iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Signs of oxidative stress or an immune system stuck on high alert.
And I’ve seen what happens when these patterns are addressed systematically. Confidence begins to return. Health foundations get stronger. And follicles often start to reawaken and grow again.
That’s why I developed my go-to approach for alopecia — the Root ReSET™ Protocol. It’s not about quick fixes, surface treatments, or chasing every new idea. It’s about creating the conditions in the body that give you the best possible chance for healthy, lasting regrowth.
Yes, alopecia is complex. But complexity doesn’t mean hopelessness. When you follow a structured, step-by-step approach, you move away from confusion and towards clarity — and that clarity is what makes change possible.
💛 I can’t wait to share this with you in my FREE live workshop on Tuesday 30th September.
👉 Message me ROOT RESET below and I’ll send you the link to join.
23/09/2025
You can be living in anxiety without even realising it.
I did. For years.
I just thought that feeling was normal. The tension in my chest, the racing mind, the brain fog, the shallow breathing — I thought that was just me.
It wasn’t.
Now that I’ve experienced what it feels like not to live that way, I see how different life can be.
Yes, I still get anxious sometimes — I’m human. But I’m not living in anxiety anymore.
And when it comes to autoimmune disease, this matters more than people realise.
If you’re constantly feeling anxious, it usually means your nervous system is dysregulated.
And that dysregulation fuels inflammation, increases gut permeability, and can absolutely trigger autoimmune flares.
I didn’t realise my shallow breathing or constant brain fog were part of the anxiety I was carrying — or how much it was keeping me stuck in survival mode.
I talk more about the anxiety–autoimmunity link in my latest episode of The Autoimmune RESET Podcast — and what you can actually do to support your nervous system and create more calm in your body.
🎧 Tune in now via
22/09/2025
I’ve been trying keto again recently — mainly for more energy, better sleep, and sharper focus.
When I first started recovering, I had what I call carbohydrate intolerance — every time I ate carbs I felt wiped out. Going keto changed everything back then. As my health improved, I could tolerate more complex carbs, so I moved away from keto. But I’d forgotten just how good it feels when I come back to it.
On keto I don’t count calories or restrict portions — the food is so nutrient-dense that your body naturally self-limits. My sleep has improved, my HRV is up, and my focus feels more steady. I don’t do keto all the time — metabolic flexibility is key — but dipping in and out of keto is such a powerful reset.
And the science backs this up. Research shows:
~ Psoriatic arthritis & psoriasis: Ketogenic diets reduced inflammation markers (IL-6, IL-17, IL-23) and disease activity, whereas the Mediterranean diet did not.
~ Cognition: In Alzheimer’s patients, ketogenic diets improved cognitive scores, showing promise for brain health.
~ Metabolic effects: Keto has been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, better fat metabolism, and reductions in visceral fat.
Like all strategies, it’s not perfect — some studies show loss of lean mass in healthy women or shifts in lipids. But used in cycles, keto can be a highly effective strategy for energy, resilience, and inflammation control.
💡 Takeaway: dip in and out of keto — and harness it as a reset when you need it. I’ll be sharing more keto tips with you in the coming weeks.
As always, it’s best to work with a qualified practitioner when using therapeutic diets like keto as a health tool — especially if you have an underlying condition.
Have you tried keto before — or are you curious to give it a go? Share your experience or questions in the comments below ⬇️
10/09/2025
When I was 7 years old and losing my hair, a dermatologist asked me if I was stressed.
Yes — my home life at the time was unsettled. And I was the type of child who carried the weight on my shoulders while putting on a brave face. I thought being optimistic in a bad situation was strength, but looking back, I see it wasn’t the healthiest way to cope.
Was stress part of my alopecia? Probably. But it wasn’t the only piece.
At the same time, I was a picky eater, often lacking the nutrients my body needed. I’d already been diagnosed with a dairy allergy and struggled with gut issues. And like so many kids in the 90s, I ate a lot of ultra-processed foods.
It was the combination — stress + nutrient gaps + gut problems — that created the perfect storm.
Now, decades later, I’ve lived through some of the hardest seasons of life — losing loved ones, setting up a business from scratch, training hard — and my body has coped. Not because life got easier, but because my terrain is stronger.
That’s why I always say: alopecia isn’t just about stress. It’s about the bigger picture — and when you build solid foundations, your body can carry you through life’s challenges with far more resilience.
If you’d like to learn how to start creating those foundations for yourself, my free guide Optimising Hair Growth is available — just message me HAIR and I’ll send it to you.
09/09/2025
When it comes to hair recovery, I always come back to this truth: lasting hair growth happens from the inside out. Working on the root causes — whether that’s stress, autoimmunity, hormones, gut health, or nutrient status — is what truly makes the difference.
That said, there are some simple tools that can be used alongside this root-cause work. They won’t regrow your hair on their own, and I would never want to suggest they replace a proper plan. But they can be complementary, and they often come with benefits beyond hair.
For example, I’ve used a scalp massager for years — and not just for hair growth. It’s one of those little rituals that feels calming at the end of the day. For me, it even helped ease headaches and migraines in the past, so I kept it as part of my toolkit.
Silk pillowcases are another one. They’re often promoted as “hair-friendly” because they reduce friction and breakage, but honestly? I love them because they feel so much better on my skin. They’re gentler, they don’t leave creases, and they just add that little touch of luxury to your everyday routine.
Even gadgets like light therapy or vagus nerve stimulation have their place — not as standalones, but as ways to support circulation, lower inflammation, and reduce stress. These are the kinds of subtle, supportive shifts that create a better environment for healthy hair to grow, especially when combined with deeper healing work.
So no, these gadgets aren’t miracle workers. But when you use them consistently and pair them with the real inside-out approach, they can help protect your hair, calm your nervous system, and make your daily routine that little bit more therapeutic.
👉 Swipe through to see my 5 favourite gadgets and how they fit into the bigger picture.
📘 And if you want to understand the root-cause strategies that matter most for hair growth, comment HAIR below and I’ll send you my free ebook Optimising Hair Growth.
08/09/2025
When my hair started to grow back, it wasn’t just about appearance.
For years I lived with health anxiety. Each new patch of hair loss sent me into panic. I knew something wasn’t right in my body, but I didn’t know what. It felt out of control, and that uncertainty was the hardest part.
Regrowth gave me back more than hair. It gave me back confidence — the ability to walk into a room without worrying who might notice. It gave me back energy — as my health improved, my body felt stronger and more resilient. And it gave me back joy — the mental space to stop obsessing over loss, and start actually living.
Looking back, I see now that what felt like my biggest weakness has also become my strength. Alopecia forced me to dig deeper, to learn, and to rebuild my health from the inside out. What once felt out of control is now the reason I can help others through their journeys too.
Today, I’m proactive with my health, and that means I carry less worry. I’ve built a solid foundation — one that allows me to feel well, resilient, and steady. And this is the place I want my clients to reach too: not just waiting for symptoms to pass, but building lasting health that supports them in every part of life.
👉 If you’d like my free Optimising Hair Growth Guide with simple steps to start building those foundations, just comment HAIR below and I’ll send it to you.
04/09/2025
I’m delighted to be featured in this month’s edition of , sharing two case studies on alopecia — one adult, one child.
Supporting people with alopecia has become some of the most meaningful work in my clinic. For children, it often ends up supporting the whole family — because the changes we make in food, routines, and wellbeing ripple out into the household. Parents feel empowered, siblings often get healthier too, and families start to see health as something they can work on together.
For adults, especially those I see in their 40s and 50s, alopecia often arrives as a turning point. Many of these clients have spent years putting everyone else first — raising children, working long hours, carrying responsibilities. When hair loss happens, it can feel devastating. But for so many, it also becomes a reset. A sign to pause, to look inward, and to finally put their own health back at the centre.
That’s why case studies like these matter. Alopecia isn’t only about hair — it’s about whole-body health, self-worth, and rebuilding solid foundations for the future.
IHCAN has been a firm favourite of mine long before I started studying, so to now contribute over the past few months has been a real privilege. And with Alopecia Awareness Month here, it feels especially important to highlight the incredible work of in raising awareness and supporting this community.
💬 If you’d like to understand more about the hair growth cycle and why it matters — plus the foods and lifestyle shifts that really support regrowth — comment HAIR below and I’ll send you my free guide Optimising Hair Growth.
03/09/2025
I never tested positive for coeliac disease. On paper, gluten “wasn’t a problem” for me.
But in reality, my body told a very different story. When I was eating gluten, my anxiety was high, my sleep was disrupted, and my health never felt settled. I’ll never forget the one time it triggered a full panic attack in the middle of the night — that was the moment I knew something was really off.
When I finally removed gluten, everything began to shift. My anxiety eased. My energy improved. And most importantly — my hair regrew. Not only that, but it stayed. Since then, my hair has never fallen out again.
Now, I’m not saying that everyone with alopecia needs to cut out gluten. Everyone’s body is different, and everyone’s triggers are unique. But what I’ve seen in myself — and in many of my clients — is that gluten can:
👉 Gluten can damage the gut lining, even in people without coeliac disease.
👉 It can drive widespread inflammation and immune activation.
👉 It can interfere with nutrient absorption (iron, zinc, B vitamins — all vital for hair growth).
👉 It can even contribute to leaky gut, which plays a role in autoimmunity.
All of these are factors that make it harder for the body to feel safe — and when the body doesn’t feel safe, hair follicles are often one of the first places affected.
For me, removing gluten wasn’t about restriction. It was about giving my body a chance to calm down, heal, and find balance again. And the results showed up in every part of my health — from my energy, to my skin, to my hair.
The point isn’t that gluten is “bad” for everyone. It’s that if you’re living with alopecia (or any autoimmune condition) and can’t find answers, it may be worth paying attention to how your body responds to it.
Because sometimes, the things we overlook — the things that don’t show up on tests — can still be the key to turning our health around.
If you want to start exploring the steps that help calm the immune system and support regrowth, download my free guide, The Autoimmunity Recovery Plan — the link is in my bio.
💬 Have you ever noticed changes in your energy, mood, or hair when eating gluten?
02/09/2025
For years, I believed alopecia was just my reality. I accepted it, and I spent 25 years trying every possible way to make my hair regrow.
But when my chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) worsened, I knew I couldn’t go on like that. I couldn’t maintain a normal life — something had to change.
That’s when I shifted my focus from the surface to the root. I worked on the underlying issues: gut health, nutrient deficiencies, toxins, and calming my immune system.
The results went far beyond what I expected.
🔸My energy transformed.
🔸My hair started to grow back.
🔸My psoriasis disappeared.
🔸My sore, inflamed joints healed so much I could return to weight-bearing exercise every day — now with no pain at all.
It turned out, my hair wasn’t the only thing that needed healing. I needed a complete transformation from the inside out.
And that’s the opportunity I now help others see: when you address the root, your whole body responds — often in ways you never imagined.*
💬 If you’d like my free guide Optimising Hair Growth, comment HAIR below and I’ll send it to you.
01/09/2025
There’s something about September that feels like a reset — a shift in tempo, a return to rhythm. Maybe it’s the school-year energy, the changing light… or maybe it’s just that Grease 2 is playing in the back of my mind (anyone else? That opening number is a mood).
Every year around now, I find myself taking stock:
Where am I now? And where do I want to be by the end of the year?
This September, I’m doing that through the lens of Alopecia Awareness Month — a cause that’s personal, clinical, and emotional for me. is doing incredible work to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and support those living with hair loss, and I’m happy to be supporting this initiative in September.
Behind the scenes, I’ve been spending time in the data:
🔸Reviewing client cases
🔸Noticing patterns
🔸Cross-referencing gut, immune, and nutrient markers
🔸 Reflecting on my own healing journey
And it’s all come together into a 3-step recovery framework I’ll be sharing with you on 22 September — designed for anyone looking to understand, calm, and reverse the drivers of alopecia from the inside out.
I’ll be talking about more than just hair.
This is about rebuilding confidence, clarity, and connection with your body.
More details to come — but for now, tell me:
What are you focusing on for the rest of the year?
Where do you want to end 2025 feeling stronger?
Let’s start there.
29/08/2025
The truth is: everyone’s hair loss journey is different.
What works for one person might do nothing for someone else—and that can be frustrating when you're doing all the right things.
But one pattern I see again and again in clinic?
👉 When your body is missing certain key nutrients, regrowth becomes an uphill battle—no matter how many treatments you try.
Nutrients like lysine, zinc, iron, vitamin D, and omega-3s are foundational.
Your follicles rely on them to function, repair, and grow—every single day.
But here’s the nuance I want you to hear:
💡 If your diet is already nutrient-rich and you’re still experiencing hair loss, it’s a sign to look deeper.
Think:
• Gut dysfunction
• Chronic stress
• Hormonal shifts
• Post-viral inflammation
• Environmental toxicity
• Autoimmune triggers
Hair loss isn’t superficial—it’s a signal.
Your body is asking for attention, restoration, and support.
That’s why I’ve created a free guide: Optimising Hair Growth
It walks you through the hair growth cycle, what to tweak, and where to focus first—so you’re not guessing, or wasting time on the wrong things.
💬 Comment or DM me the word HAIR and I’ll send you the link to download your copy.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to VJ Hamilton: The Autoimmunity Nutritionist:
I have always had a interest in health and nutrition which probably started when I was young as my Mum was conscious about eating healthy food and trained as a nurse when I was a child, so I was familiar with illness and disease, and the fact that a good diet and a healthy lifestyle could help support these conditions.
I went on to study a BSc Honours Degree in Biochemistry and Immunology where I focused my studies on Vasculitis, an autoimmune disease which affects the vessels in the body causing inflammation and systemic damage in the body – it’s a tragic condition and made my passion to help people live a healthier life more intent.
In my early twenties, my brother discovered after a short illness that he had Multiple Sclerosis – it was a scary time as a family, but luckily my previous studies helped us understand what this strange illness was and ways to try to manage the symptoms. 12 years on, my brother still struggles with his illness, but he has managed to stay strong both physically and mentally since his diagnosis and is an inspiration to me everyday.
I was then engulfed by the corporate world for the next 12 years, as a Chartered Accountant, but I always stayed in touch with the science and health industry attending events on autoimmune disease, cancer, heart health, medicinal mushrooms and many more…
Over the last couple of years I have rerouted my career and trained as a Nutritionist, Pilates instructor, and health writer – all the things I love.
I studied a DipION (diploma) in Nutritional Therapy at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in Richmond, London and I have completed the Comprehensive Pilates on the mat, reformer, ladder barrel, trapeze table and the Pilates chair at Polestar Pilates. I also write articles for Thrive Magazine on a regular basis as well as being a part of their team as a Thrive Expert. And I am a Dnalife Practitioner which gives me the tools to understand someone’s underlying genetic profile and the interactions these have with the environment (epigenetics).
Health, Nutrition and Humanity
My aim is to try and find solutions for those suffering with health issues, with a particular focus on autoimmune conditions, but so many illnesses including blood sugar regulation, weight management, gut issues and circulation have similar underlying causes. I would like to provide information, aspirations and other options to those who are not at their best – we can achieve better health with improvements to our diet and lifestyle, we just need to change our priorities and often perspective with some advice and coaching, we can all get there.
I also believe in movement, core stability and body alignment to help our bodies function properly which is so often overlooked. Our body is an energy system, communicating through nerve signals, so we need to ensure our pathways are free and aligned, and that our muscles are apportioned to support our skeletal system so that our bones stay strong and our nerves stay comfortable.
With an integrated health solution you can be the person you were meant to be in life – and my hope is to help those who are struggling get to where they would like to be in life whilst enjoying the experience of getting there.
