Helen Cassidy is a qualified nutritional therapist and owner of foodhugs.

In her early career, she earned a BA (Hons) in Marketing and Languages from DCU and earned a place on the graduate programme for a large Irish financial institution. After working in various management positions over a 15-year career, she decided to apply her skills to a new challenge and qualified as a nutritional therapist to set up her own business.

In 2011, Helen earned a distinction in the 3 year Diploma in Nutritional Therapy from the Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health and in 2013, foodhugs was born. Since then, Helen has worked with numerous private clients, schools and corporate clients. She had the privilege of working with Glenville Nutrition for 2 years and currently operates a private practice in south Dublin. She has been lecturing with the Irish Institute of Nutrition and Health for the past 4 years and also supervises in their student clinic.

On the back of her own health challenges, Helen has direct experience of the impact of nutrition on the body and has seen first hand, through her work with clients, how even small changes can make a huge difference. Her style is practical, accessible and approachable. Her areas of clinical expertise include female hormonal issues, digestive health and nutrition for children.

She is particularly excited about the Runner Bean 5k Programme on the back of her own journey from couch to 5k after having a baby aged 44 years of age, completing her family of 3 boys, and understands the challenges of leading a healthy lifestyle while trying to manage work and a family.