Miranda Harris

Miranda Harris

Senior Lecturer, Nutritional Therapy

Department of Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Nutritional Therapy

Contact Details

email: m.harris@worc.ac.uk

Miranda Harris is a Senior Lecturer/Academic for Nutritional Therapy MSc, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and a practising Registered Nutritionist (mBANT, CNHC) with over ten years of clinical experience specialising in sports and exercise nutrition, and long-term health conditions. In 2019 she was awarded the UoW Teaching Award and in 2020 and 2021, she was awarded Outstanding Lecturer. Miranda is a keen triathlete currently on her long journey to Iron(wo)man.

Qualifications

Masters in Nutritional Therapy (Distinction)
Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Post Graduate Certificate in Nutrition for the Competitive Athlete
British Cycling Level 3 Coach for Road Racing and Time Trialling

Teaching & Research

Miranda is the module lead for Research Methods NUTH4038 and the Dissertation module NUTH4039 and has responsibility for publishing student dissertations on the MSc Nutritional Therapy course as part of her academic contract. Miranda teaches Sports and Exercise Nutrition on NUTH4034 and BIOS 3302.  Miranda has recently joined the panel of Expert Reviewers for the Nutrition Evidence Database and is on the editorial board of the Nutritional Medicine Journal.

Collaborations

Miranda has recently published work on the following topics: COVID-19 and nutrition; an evaluation of a Multidisciplinary Programme for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Fibromyalgia; the effects of low carbohydrate/high protein diets on cortisol and testosterone and the effects of probiotics on hypertension.

She is currently working on various collaborations with MSc students, including: the effect of a ketogenic diet on gut bacteria; the effects of protein and carbohydrate supplements on cortisol and testosterone; knowledge, attitude and behaviour in various health conditions; the experiences of nutritional therapists in supporting people with cognitive concerns (from midlife); diet and quality of life in those living with Desmoid tumours. She is carrying out her own research with a colleague to evaluate clinical practice and behaviour change in a student led clinic at the UoW.

Research Interests

Evaluating online nutrition and lifestyle programmes for physical and mental health;
Knowledge, attitude and behaviour in a range of physical and mental health conditions;
Behaviour change: facilitators and barriers.
Cortisol and testosterone responses to different supplementary and dietary strategies.

Professional Bodies

  • Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)
  • The British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT)
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • British Cycling

Publications

Rew, Harris and Goldie (2022) The ketogenic diet: Impact on the human gut microbiota and potential consequent health outcomes: A systematic literature review. Gastroenterology and Hepatology From Bed to Bench.

Watkinson and Harris (2022) A Pilot Study into the Effectiveness of an Internet and Video Consultation Multidisciplinary Programme for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Fibromyalgia. Open Access Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine.

Whittaker and Harris (2022) Protein and carbohydrate supplements around exercise and testosterone and cortisol: systematic review and meta-analysis. PROSPERO. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022342633

Whittaker, J and Harris M (2022) Low-carbohydrate diets and men's cortisol and testosterone: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition and Health. ISSN 0260-1060 Online ISSN: 2047-945X

Broomfield H, Harris M & Goldie J (2022) Could Probiotics be an Effective Intervention to Reduce hypertension? A Systematic literature review Online Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine doi:org/10.33552/OJCAM.2022.07.000661

Harris M & Coles E (2021) Evaluating the impact of a 10-day online dietary intervention on subjective and objective health measures European Journal of Integrative Medicine 48:101921 doi:org/10.1016/j.eujim.2021.101921

Harris M & Fellows A (2021) Evaluation of the outcomes of a multi-modal brain health pro- gramme European Journal of Integrative Medicine 48:102010 doi:org/10.1016/j.eujim.2021.102010

Harris M & Glaeser M (2021) The relationship between plant-based dietary patterns (vegan, vegetarian) and depression European Journal of Integrative Medicine 48:102011 doi:org/10.1016/j.eujim.2021.102011

Whittaker W & Harris MD (2021) Low carbohydrate diets and men’s testosterone and cortisol: systematic review and meta-analysis. PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021255957 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021255957

Harris MD & Benbow A (2021) Evaluating the effectiveness of Nutritional Therapy in the McClelland Teaching Clinic at the University of Worcester. Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine 6(3)

Bold J, Harris MD, Fellows L, Chouchane M, (2020) Nutrition the digestive system and immunity in COVID-19 infection. Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench, 20 September, Page 331-340

https://journals.sbmu.ac.ir/ghfbb/index.php/ghfbb/article/view/2094

Contribution to a journal article with statistical analysis

  • Benbow, Alison and Ralph, S. and Watkins, K. and Granger, C. (2017) Exploring the Current Working Profiles of Nutritional Therapists to Inform Curriculum and Professional Development. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 15. pp. 23-31.

Research strategy, design and statistical analysis:
BBC 'Trust Me I'm a Doctor' Gluten-free project (completed summer 2016).

Poster presentations

  • Poster presentations at the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) conference June 2018:
  • Differences in nutritional knowledge, attitude and behaviour of weight-loss programme and Health at Every Size followers (Jess Cadbury and Miranda Harris)
  • An Evaluation of the Outcomes of a Multi-Modal Brain Health Programme Research Proposal (Aurea Fellows and Miranda Harris)
  • Experiences of Living with Histamine Intolerance (Anna J. Cleary Ikin and Miranda D. Harris)

Poster presentations at the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT) regional conference June 2017:

  • Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour in non-elite Competitive Cyclists.
  • Evaluating student experience of the updated Clinic Assessment Records (CAR) for Initial Consultation 1 and 2 in Clinic.

Presentations at Conferences:

Presentations at the European Congress for Integrative Medicine (2021) on:

  • Evaluating the impact of a 10-day online dietary programme on objective and subjective measures
  • Evaluation of the outcomes of a multi-modal brain health programme.
  • The relationship between plant-based dietary patterns (vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian) and depression

Presentation at the Regional BANT Conference 2018:

  • Addressing obesity with different strategies.
    Presentation at the Annual Learning, Teaching & Student Experience Conference 2016:
  • Evaluating student experience of the updated Clinic Assessment Records

Presentation at Research in Focus 2013:

  • Nutritional knowledge, habit and attitudes of non-elite competitive cyclists

Conferences:

Cytoplan: Sports Nutrition 2017

External Responsibilities

  • Nutritional Therapist in private practice
  • Trustee and Fundraising manager for the Beer Harris Memorial Trust (Mental health charity)
  • Cycling Coach