You may be affected by health conditions which are commonly managed by diet, or you may require some dietary assistance to help you stay in the best shape possible. Below you’ll find some information about conditions I am well versed to work with you to manage.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a temporary form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It is caused by hormones your placenta is making and interferes with how your body can process carbohydrate foods. It requires medical nutrition therapy to manage dietary intake and you will also monitor your glucose levels with a small fingerprick device. For more information please go to: www.gestationaldiabetesrecipes.com/understanding-gdm A dietitian will help you optimise your diet ensure you are still meeting the nutrition requirements for pregnancy while avoiding high glucose levels to minimise pregnancy risk.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition which destroys your ability to make insulin, the hormone that control blood glucose levels. It is managed with insulin injections and diet and a dietitian will work with you to enable you to match your insulin to your diet as closely as possible and help you achieve the best control to minimise long term complications but also ensure you can manage your diabetes within the lifestyle you wish you follow.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a condition of high blood glucose levels caused by a lack of insulin hormone or muscle resistance to insulin. It is more common in those who are older, who are heavier and those with a family history of diabetes. It is also more common in some ethnicities. Dietary management centres around reducing body weight (if required), ensuring a heart healthy intake and spreading out carbohydrate intake.
Weight management
Weight loss is not easy and while quick fixes offer a magic wand they don’t usually offer a permanent solution. A dietitian can help you explore the factors limiting your success in managing your weight and discuss all the options available to you to help you reach being the person you wish to be.
Obesity surgery
Surgeries such as gastric sleeves or lap banding offer a weight solution to many people who have tried many methods before. These are major surgeries and there are dietary concerns before and after your operation that require assessment and education from a dietitian experienced in this area.
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is a condition where the body has an inflammatory response to the ‘gluten’ protein found in wheat, rye, barley among other grains. A gluten free diet requires special planning and education in concepts around balance, nutrient density and label reading. A dietitian can help you with the intricacies of this diet to keep you in the best shape possible.
IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is often a frustrating condition causing many varying gut symptoms which can severely impact on a person’s quality of life and diet is often implicated as a cause. A dietitian can help you examine your diet and see whether there are any common triggers present that are worsening your symptoms and provide information about options for managing your diet. This may include FODMAP diet education.
Nutrition support (weight gain)
If you are going through treatment for cancer and are struggling to eat well or maintain your weight or you are just keen to increase your strength or weight a dietitian can help you find ways to increase the energy density of your diet and work on making you healthier and stronger. This may include the use of commercial high energy/protein supplement drinks.