Carter Nutrition

05/08/2025

Your child looks fine…
But underneath the surface, their gut might be telling a different story.

💥 Gut imbalances (a.k.a. gut dysbiosis) don’t always show up as bloating or tummy pain.

Often, they look more like:
• Mood swings or meltdowns
• Poor immunity or constant sickness
• Sleep struggles
• Eczema or skin issues
• Nutrient deficiencies (despite a decent diet!)

You can’t always guess what’s going on in their gut - but we can test.
At Carter Nutrition, we use advanced gut microbiome testing to get real answers and create a food-first plan that actually works.

💩 No band-aid fixes. Just real support for kids with big feelings, tired tummies, and frustrated parents.

📍 Paediatric Nutritionist | Tamworth Clinic
💻 Telehealth available Australia-wide
📩 DM “GUT” to learn more or book

01/08/2025

🧠✨ The Brain as an Orchestra
Ever feel like your child’s brain is out of sync? Like there’s too much noise, not enough focus, or big feelings that hit like a cymbal crash?

Think of the brain like a finely tuned orchestra:
🎼 Each section plays a role in harmony and regulation.
🎻 The sensory systems keep us attuned to the world around us.
🥁 The brainstem sets the tempo for arousal and survival.
🎺 The limbic system adds emotional tone and memory.
🧠 The prefrontal cortex- the conductor- directs attention, planning, and impulse control.
🎵 And neurotransmitters? They're the sheet music keeping it all in rhythm.

In ADHD brains, the conductor can sometimes lose the beat. But with the right support, we can help bring the orchestra back into balance.

📍 Consults in Tamworth + via Telehealth Australia-wide
💻 www.carter-nutrition.com
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Thank you to Carolyn Walker and for this great metaphor

29/07/2025

Let’s be honest - I’m not for everyone.

And that’s a good thing.

If you’re after a quick fix or hoping a multivitamin will solve everything. We might not be the right match.
If you’re looking for someone to hand you a generic plan without asking why your child is struggling - I’m probably not your person.
But…
If you’ve been dismissed, told “it’s just a phase,” or feel like no one’s really looked at the full picture - you’re not imagining it. And you don’t have to keep figuring it out alone.

I’m Casey, a Paediatric Clinical Nutritionist based in Tamworth.
I help families get to the root of what’s going on with their child’s gut, mood, immunity, sleep or behaviour and create personalised plans that actually work in real life.

If you're ready for support that feels doable, tailored, and backed by evidence - I’d love to help 💚

📍 In-person consults in Tamworth
💻 Telehealth available Australia-wide
📅 Book online: www.carter-nutrition.com

27/07/2025

💤 Why Your Child Still Isn’t Sleeping

Tried the calm baths, no screens, earlier bedtime…
But your kid is still wide-eyed at night?

👉 Sleep issues in kids are often about more than routine.
Think: nutrients, nervous system, and light exposure.

Here’s what actually helps:

✅ Magnesium threonate, zinc, B6, iron: for calm + melatonin production
🥝 Kiwi, tart cherry juice, pepitas, eggs: sleep-friendly snacks
🌞 Morning sun + no screens before bed = better sleep signals
🎧 Dark room, white noise, sensory-friendly bedtime setups

If sleep is a nightly battle, you’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong.

Read more on the blog 👉 https://www.carter-nutrition.com/blog/why-your-child-isnt-sleeping-and-what-might-really-be-going-on

24/07/2025

The longer you delay added sugar, the easier real-food introduction becomes.

By age 4, kids are still learning what food “should” taste like and taste buds are developing further. If fruit and veg etc are their normal, they’re more likely to eat them without a fuss.

🧠 Studies show:
Avoiding sugary drinks before age 2–3 = more fruit & veg eaten by preschool
Exposure to veggies before 5 boosts acceptance
Early sugar introduction? Much harder habits to unpick later

It’s not about being perfect- just about giving their tastebuds a fair shot.

👉 If you’re just starting solids: this is your golden window. Stick with fruits, veggies, grains, protein; real flavours. Every spoonful helps shape what they’ll reach for later.

✅ Quick Tips:
• Hold off on sweetened and natural juice, sweet snacks, and dessert-style/sweetened yoghurts
• Keep offering veggies, even if they say no (it can take 15+ tries)
• Get them involved- touching, smelling, serving builds comfort and familiarity
• You’re not “depriving” them, you’re giving them a head start 😀

23/07/2025

Nature speaks in color, and each hue brings its own nourishment.

🍓 Red for immune health
🥕 Orange for endocrine support
🍋 Yellow-tan for gut wellness
🥬 Green for cardiovascular health
🍇 Blue-purple for brain health

Eating a rainbow isn’t just beautiful — it’s a simple way to support whole-body wellness with a diversity of nutrients and phytonutrients.

🌈 This information is for educational purposes only and not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

23/07/2025

Rural Private Practice Opportunity - PhysioSpec Pelvic Health & Rehabilitation

Location: Tamworth, NSW
Position Type: Full-time / Part-time
Join a clinic where your passion can truly make a difference.
Are you a physiotherapist with a passion for women’s health, equity, and education? Do you want to empower women to understand their bodies, improve their quality of life, and access care that’s respectful, inclusive, and life-changing? If so, we want to hear from you.
At PhysioSpec, we’re looking for a Women’s Health Physiotherapist who is ready to bring their expertise and heart to a rural community. Working in rural health is not just a job, it’s a chance to make a meaningful impact in the lives of women who might otherwise have limited access to care.
✨ What You’ll Love About This Role:
Deliver holistic, culturally respectful, patient-centred care to women across all stages of life.
Work in a calm and inviting environment that values equity, advocacy, and social change.
Educate and empower women to better understand their pelvic health, postpartum recovery, continence, and wellbeing.
Experience the deep reward of rural practice, where relationships with clients and community are central.
Join a collaborative, supportive clinic that believes access to quality care is a right, not a privilege.
✅ We’re Looking for Someone Who:
Is passionate about health equity and delivering care in underserved areas.
Embraces a advocacy approach to women’s health and education.
Thrives on autonomy, initiative, and creative problem-solving.
Values cultural safety, inclusivity, and community connection.
Is excited by the challenge and reward of rural health work.
🏡 What We Offer:
A flexible, supportive working environment.
Opportunities for ongoing professional development.
Strong community connections and purpose-driven work.
A chance to make a real difference in women’s lives—every single day.

Ready to bring your passion to a place where it matters most?

21/07/2025

Science alert: Can food help protect your gut during antibiotics?

A new mouse study suggests that redox-active fibre, a type of plant-based fibre that interacts with the gut’s chemical environment, may help reduce gut disruption during antibiotics.

Researchers found that feeding this fibre before and during antibiotic treatment appeared to help keep gut “oxygen stress” in check.
🧠 In simpler terms: it helped stop the gut from becoming too oxygen-rich, which is often what allows harmful bacteria to thrive.

➡️ The fibre-fed mice showed:
— Lower redox potential (aka less oxygen stress)
— Less overgrowth of bad bugs like Proteobacteria
— A more stable, balanced gut microbiome

🛡️ The results suggest that certain fibres might help support microbial balance during antibiotic use, but more research is needed to confirm this in humans.

Takeaway? Including the right kinds of fibre before or during antibiotic treatment might offer some protective effects, and it’s another reason to keep real, whole foods on the menu. 🍎

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40553-x

18/07/2025

Were you raised with the Empty Plate Expectation?
If finishing every last bite felt like a rule (not a choice), you’re not alone, and it might still be echoing in how you feed your kids (or yourself).

A lot of us were taught to eat past fullness, not out of harm, but out of love. Because empty plates meant respect. Gratitude. Not wasting food. Being “good.”

But when finishing the plate becomes the goal - instead of tuning into our body, we lose touch with what nourishment actually feels like.

🍽️ Over time, that can look like:
— Feeling guilty for leaving food behind
— Eating past fullness, even when your body’s done
— Struggling to recognise when you’re hungry or full at all

Sound familiar?

If so, you’re not doing it wrong, but there’s a chance to do it differently, especially for your kids.

Here’s how we start to shift it:

✅ Offer small portions (you can always offer more, no panic)
✅ Focus on your role: to offer the food, set the tone, and stay neutral. Let them decide what and how much.
✅ Try not to bribe, beg, or battle. When mealtimes feel calm and respectful, kids are more likely to stay connected to their own appetite.
✅ Leftovers are allowed - and are even a win

Because the goal isn’t an empty plate.
It’s raising kids who trust their body and stop when they’re full - not when the food’s gone.

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Thanks to for original content idea.

17/07/2025

No better reason to start planning a Spring garden!

Seasonal foods align with our biology — delivering the nutrients we need, just when we need them.

16/07/2025

10 years ago today.

My last day of my very first student clinic placement - nervous, curious, and quietly dreaming of the work I get to do now.

Funny how life circles back… in a different building these days, but still surrounded by the same support and still working alongside the incredible naturopath who once mentored me from the very start. 💚

From humble beginnings to building something of my own.
Those early days were all about learning, observing, soaking up every bit of wisdom I could about health, nutrition, and the kind of care that truly helps people, and now bringing my focus to kids.
It’s where the spark was lit, to carve out my own path, pioneer my way, and one day help kids feel better in their bodies and minds, in ways I wish more people could.

Grateful for the opportunity, journey, the growth, and the reminder that every beginning matters.