Care Nutrition and Counselling

20/07/2025

As humans we are always wanting to understand things - that’s a good thing. But it can also mean we can believe our assumptions are right.

The latest in a string of scientific misrepresentations by the Trump administration.

15/07/2025

Let’s be clear: what Juniper is doing with its new “weight stigma” campaign is calculated, strategic, and deeply dishonest.

Juniper are not tackling weight stigma — they’re rebranding it, spinning it, and using their resources to protect their own interests. The growing research interest and the Annual Weight Stigma Conference is undeniable evidence that weight stigma is harmful. Every weight loss and weight-focused business is complicit in weight stigma. Juniper’s entire business model is built on it. They profit from it. They perpetuate it. And now they want to step into this space and want to be praised for “fixing” the harms of weight stigma. They weight stigma they are complicit while continuing to sell the aspirational body ideal while framing weight loss as medically necessary, life-saving, and the only responsible choice.

Juniper are co-opting the language and dressing it up as health. And in the process is adding to weight stigma. Eradicating weight stigma is absolutely necessary to improve health, but you don’t eradicate weight stigma by reinforcing narrow body ideals with the side-serving of racism, sexism and ableism. This is not about care or inclusion. This is about silencing advocates and researchers, confusing the public, expanding control, profits, power and market share.

This isn’t just hypocrisy, it’s predatory, it’s political and it’s weaponising the language of weight stigma advocacy to expand their power and influence to shield themselves. It's being carefully packaged for media, to influence policy, and market share for profit. Articles like the one on Mumbrella don't just happen, it's part of a well-funded, win-at-all-costs PR strategy by Juniper designed to secure public, political, and medical approval while silencing critique.

The critique they get from relentless advocates, especially Louise Adams from who has been fierce, detailed, tireless, and courageous in exposing the complex, tangled web of commercial and political interests behind companies like Juniper. That kind of advocacy is disruptive and it does not go unnoticed. Juniper is clearly feeling the heat as their business model and its web of deception is being so accurately revealed. The public deserves better than spun narratives.

To be clear Weight Stigma or any form of stigma will never be solved by the very people, organisations and structures who benefit from it. It will only be eradicated by those who keep speaking up, keep calling it out and who keep demanding better not for attention or applause, but because it’s the right thing to do.

Weight Stigma harm is real, and the stakes are high. Let’s all keep calling it out. Let’s all keep demanding better from our regulatory bodies, from media and from corporations.

15/07/2025

Now taking new clients in Mandurah and surrounds.

If you're looking for a compassionate, down-to-earth dietitian who understands that life is complex, you're in the right place.

I offer nutrition support for adults and families — especially those navigating body image, disordered eating, or sensory-based feeding challenges.
• Based in Mandurah | Telehealth available
• Trauma-informed | Neurodivergent-affirming | Non-diet

Reach out to find out more.
Know someone who might benefit from support like this? Feel free to share this post

10/07/2025

It might surprise you to learn that the leading cause of acute liver failure in Australia is now drug-induced liver injury (DILI) – and it’s not just paracetamol we need to be mindful of.

According to Australian research, the three biggest contributors to DILI are: Paracetamol; Antimicrobials (like antibiotics); and increasingly Herbal and dietary supplements – an area of growing concern.

A recent Australian study found that liver injuries linked to herbal and dietary supplements more than tripled in the last decade. Between 2009–2011, they accounted for 15% of non-paracetamol cases. By 2018–2020, that figure had jumped to 47%.

The common supplements found to have increased risk are:
Green tea extract or supplement containing green tea extract; high doses of caffeine; certain Chinese herbal preparations; and now turmeric extract – especially when combined with additives that boost absorption.

The issue isn’t with turmeric or herbs themselves when consumed in normally dietary intakes, but rather it's the concentrated, unregulated supplemental forms that can accumulate in the body and rapidly overloading the liver that can quickly become liver failure.

Unlike medicines, supplements sold in Australia aren’t required to prove their safety or effectiveness before hitting the shelves.

Please if you’re using or considering using supplements for any reason it’s really worth checking in with a dietitian, doctor or pharmacist first to determine need and safety, especially identifying any potential interactions.

You deserve care that protects your health – not just promises it.

"I had essentially poisoned my liver": The 57-year-old's daily high dose of turmeric pills caused stomach pain, nausea and fatigue.

28/06/2025

The TGA is now stepping in after a growing number of Australians reported harm from taking too much vitamin B6—often from over-the-counter supplements marketed as “natural,” “gentle,” or “supportive of energy and mood.” Some people have experienced nerve damage after long-term use—sometimes even without knowing they were taking high doses.

It’s completely understandable we want to do something to support our health—especially when we're tired, stressed, or not feeling our best. Taking a supplement can for sure feel like an step in the right direction.

But here’s the thing I'd really like you to know: supplements have real effects, helpful and harmful or none at all. Also more is NOT necessarily better when it comes to nutrition. Too much of one nutrient risks throwing others out of balance. While some nutrients such as B6, can build up in our body and become toxic. Whereas others might do absolutely nothing have you running to the toilet.

Keep in mind that the supplement industry is also huge, it's worth billions globally. It's an industry driven by sales, not science. Labels like “immune boosting,” “energy support,” or “mood balance” may sound appealing, but they’re rarely evidence-based or necessary.

Every single nutrient, we need and in the form that our body can use is found in food. So if we eat enough, eat a variety of food and eat regularly most of us will be covering our requirments.

If you’re not sure or you’re dealing with health issues, speak to your doctor, a university-qualified nutrition professional or a dietitian. And if your health needs are more complex, an accredited practising dietitian can help you understand and navigate what your body needs—and what it doesn’t.

Note: Supplements can for sure be useful, BUT, they’re not always needed. And they’re not always safe. If you’re curious or concerned, seek support from someone trained in nutrition science, not marketing.

A rise in the number of B6 toxicity cases across the nation has sparked action by the TGA to move products behind pharmacy counters.

21/06/2025

Our world is often so one dimensional and idealises what is often impossible to achieve for the majority. Yet if we step away from the propoganda and marketing spin, what we might notice in real life, is that life is so much richer, broader, full of variety and difference and all of it is wondrous.

This reel is a case in point. Guess which person people are noticing and inspired by in the comments.

Send a message to learn more

19/06/2025

Food is a wardrobe, not a uniform!

Food has as many moods, limitations and purposes as the person eating it!
Like nourishment, fun, celebration, culture, season, work, play etc etc etc.

Are we over these idealised meal plans? The tone deaf media stories on how some celeb eats? The hand wringing & pearl clutching of good v bad foods?

All this creates is fear, confusion, shame and adds to disconnect from ourselves.

What we eat should reflect us: our needs, preferences, capacity and style in the same way we don’t need to be a slave to fashion fads.

You do you and if you need support work with a qualified nutrition professional who can support you like a stylist might with fashion.

12/06/2025

For anyone looking to understand why weight isn't an indication of health.

This is a great video to share - Poodle Science

An animated video exposing the limitations of current research on weight and health.To learn more about the Health At Every Size® approach, please visit us a...

01/06/2025

Image 1: Movements aren’t about ego — they’re about change. A reflection on advocacy, power, and making space.

Image 2: When advocacy becomes a hierarchy
Advocacy spaces can often mirror the same power structures and hierarchies they aim to dismantle.

That means the loudest, most credentialled voices get heard — while others are ignored.

Image 3: Here’s how it can show up
- Lived experience voices are tokenistically included not centred or trusted to lead.
- Groundwork of early and less powerful advocates is erased or ignored.
- Ideas are used from others without credit.
- Titles are prioritised more than conviction, consistency, and values-driven action.
- Advocacy becomes a brand competition rather than a movement for justice.

Image 4: What are advocacy movements about?
They’re about collective action, humility, and amplifying the voices
of those most affected.

Not about being the first, the most visible, or the most accomplished.

They should always be about effecting real change — and celebrating that change as a shared, community success, not an individual win.

Image 5: Advocacy let’s be the change makers
Step back when we’ve had enough airtime
Credit those who’ve done the hard, quiet work
Stop competing —
and start collaborating
Use our privilege to make space, not take it.

Image 6: To get better outcomes – ask better questions
Always pause to ask ourselves:
Who is missing from this space?
Why aren’t they here — or being heard?
What barriers am I upholding, even unintentionally?
How can I shift the space to centre, not just include, those most affected?

It’s not enough to invite people in — we need to actively reshape spaces so they feel safe and valued for their participation.

Inclusion isn’t passive. It’s intentional.

Image 7: To those who’ve felt erased or invisible
If you've felt erased or overlooked in spaces you helped build — I see you.

Your work matters. Your voice matters. The movement is stronger because of you.

Image 8: Let’s choose change not ego
Let’s build movements rooted in change, justice and equity not ego.

In collective care, not competition.

Tag someone who builds the space
— not just shines in it.

15/05/2025

🧠 Not all health advice online is good advice – especially when it comes to ADHD.

This week someone shared a video with my by Dr. Eric Berg, a chiropractor and popular health YouTuber, who makes bold and misleading claims about ADHD. None of his claims are supported by credible scientific evidence — but like many people who sound confident and speak well, his videos are widely accepted as fact and shared.

This means his misinformation spreads easily, confusing people, oversimplifying complex health conditions, and potentially leading them away from the support that actually works.

Let’s break it down. 👇

1️⃣ "ADHD is caused by nutritional deficiencies." ❌
This is completely false.

Yes, nutrition plays a role in brain health. Yes, some studies suggest supplements (like omega-3s or zinc) may help some people a little. But ADHD is not caused by a vitamin deficiency, and NO supplement or diet will “cure” it.

Berg’s claims are simplistic and ableist — they ignore the reality that ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, involving genetics, brain structure, and neurotransmitter differences, particularly with dopamine. It’s not something you can “fix” with a smoothie or a supplement.

2️⃣ "ADHD can be reversed with keto, fasting, gluten-free or other fad diets." ❌
Nope. There is no scientific evidence that diets like keto or intermittent fasting cure ADHD. While dietary changes may help some individuals manage symptoms, they are not a substitute for evidence-based treatments such as behavioural therapy or, when appropriate, medication.

Fad diets are not cures. They are fads.

3️⃣ "ADHD isn’t real. It’s not genetic." ❌
This is where his contradictions really show.

If ADHD isn’t real, why is he trying to sell people a way to fix it?

ADHD is one of the most heritable neurodevelopmental conditions, with genetic influences estimated at 70–80%. It's recognised in the DSM-5, and its diagnosis is backed by decades of research.

Suggesting it’s made up or just a lifestyle issue is not only factually wrong — it’s gaslighting. It stigmatises people living with ADHD and discourages them from seeking the care they need.

4️⃣ "Sugar causes ADHD." ❌
Ah, the classic myth. Berg claims sugar and carbs cause ADHD — again, a condition he also says doesn’t exist!

Here’s the truth: sugar does not cause ADHD. Glucose is the brain’s preferred fuel. While excessive intake of refined sugar might affect mood, behaviour or energy in some people, it’s not the cause of ADHD, which is far more complex.

Simplifying ADHD down to a bowl of cereal or a lollipop is not just wrong — it’s disrespectful.

5️⃣ "Chiropractic adjustments or detoxes cure ADHD." ❌
There is no evidence that chiropractic care or detoxes do anything for ADHD. None.

Promoting these “treatments” is dangerous because it encourages people to delay or avoid evidence-based care. Dr. Berg is not qualified in psychiatry, psychology, nutrition, or paediatrics. Yet he continues to use his platform to spread false hope and health misinformation.

⚠️ The bigger problem is that misinformation like this, when shared is harmful as it can:
- discourage people from seeking evidence-based treatment
- increases stigma around ADHD leading to shame and avoiding seeking our appropriate supports
- exploits vulnerable people and families
- muddies the waters around what actually helps

As a health professional, I would always encourage people to seek multidisciplinary, evidence-based support — including medical, psychological, educational and behavioural interventions.

Please be cautious about anyone selling one-size-fits-all “cures” or miracle diets. If it sounds too good to be true… it probably is.

23/12/2024

The next Weight Stigma conference has finally made it down under for July 2025. Now open for abstract submission


weightstigmaconference.com

27/11/2024

If you haven't watched this yet. I so recommend that you do. Aubrey from Your Fat Friend. is an awesome story-teller.