About me
I'm Dr Kirstyn, a former NHS doctor turned health coach, and founder of The Cholesterol Coach.
I work with people who've been told their cholesterol is high and want clear, realistic support to improve their heart health without extreme diets, fear-based advice, or pressure to be perfect.
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From hospital medicine to prevention
I trained and worked as a hospital doctor in the NHS, mainly in geriatrics, supporting older adults with complex and often preventable health conditions.
Over time, one thing became impossible to ignore.
I became increasingly aware of how many people eventually arrive in hospital with multiple chronic conditions, dependent on long lists of medications, struggling with reduced mobility and independence. Many needed help from family or social care just to manage the basics of daily life.
And I couldn’t stop thinking:
"What if someone had supported
them differently, earlier?"
Like many working in healthcare, the pandemic forced me to pause and re-evaluate everything. I didn’t step away from medicine to start a business. I stepped away to catch my breath and reflect.
In that space, I realised I no longer wanted to work only at the point where illness had already taken hold. I wanted to help prevent it.
That’s when it became clear to me that we need to help people sooner, with better support, clearer guidance, and approaches that actually work in real life.
My approach
Improving heart health should feel calm, structured, and achievable, not intimidating or restrictive.
My work focuses on helping people understand what genuinely supports heart health and how to turn that into habits that fit around real life.
That means looking beyond food alone and considering movement, stress, sleep, mindset, and the realities of busy schedules and competing priorities.
There is no “perfect” way to do this. Progress comes from steady, consistent action over time, not from trying to change everything at once or following rigid rules.
Quick fixes don’t last. Shame and fear don’t build confidence. And protecting your heart should never require overhauling your entire life.
The aim is to help you feel informed, capable, and supported, so changes feel sustainable and make sense in the context of your life.
No guilt. No jargon.
No “one-size-fits-all.”
I believe health should be:
Understandable
Sustainable
Inclusive
Why I do this work
Since leaving hospital medicine and working as a health coach, I’ve had the privilege of supporting people one-to-one for months at a time, sometimes for a year or more.
Across almost 100 clients, and through conversations with thousands of people about cholesterol and heart health, the same patterns have emerged again and again.
Many people are given a high cholesterol result and genuinely want to do something about it.
But they’re left unsure where to focus, overwhelmed by conflicting advice, or trying to change everything at once.
Some become paralysed by fear of getting it wrong. Others swing between strict rules and giving up altogether.
Not because they don’t care, but because sustained lifestyle change is hard to navigate without the right kind of support.
What I’ve seen through coaching is that most people don’t need more information. They need clarity, reassurance, and guidance that adapts to real life, not ideal scenarios.
That insight is what now shapes how I work.
What makes my work different
My background as a doctor means everything I share is grounded in evidence.
My experience as a coach means I understand how hard it can be to apply that evidence in everyday life.
I specialise in:
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Translating medical advice into practical, real-world action
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Supporting people who feel overwhelmed by conflicting information
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Helping all-or-nothing thinkers find a more sustainable middle ground
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Building confidence, not dependence
My aim is not just to help people improve their cholesterol numbers, but to help them feel informed, capable, and in control of their health long term.
How I support people
I offer different ways to work with me, depending on the level of support you need.
Some people start with simple inspiration through the recipe book. Others want clear structure through the 12-Week Heart-Healthy Living Course. Some prefer personalised one-to-one support to help them apply changes around their own circumstances.
There’s no “right” place to start. You can choose what fits your life now and build from there.