Dietetics in the Blue Mountains

Do you want to improve your diet in order to prevent chronic illness or treat medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal issues, obesity and more? Our Dietitians and nutritionists at our Springwood and Katoomba Clinics are here to guide and inspire you to build nutritionally healthy lifestyles and help you achieve a healthier lifestyle through food.

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What is a dietitian?

An Accredited Practising Dietitian is qualified to treat a range of health conditions. They understand how nutrition affects the body and will give you expert nutrition and dietary advice. Dietitians will provide you with personal support to help you improve your health and wellbeing.

Not only do they treat medical and health conditions, but they also help patients reach their health or fitness goals, such as increasing muscle mass, assisting in weight loss, improving energy levels and the nutritional status of vegetarians or vegans.

All our dietitians have obtained the Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) credential, meaning they have committed to ongoing training and education throughout their careers and they adhere to the Dietitian Australias code of conduct. They also have the knowledge and skills found in the National Competency Standards for Dietitians.

Why see a dietitian?

Food plays a major role in our physical and mental health and our dietitians and nutritionists understand the mechanisms of how nutrition impacts your bodily functions and they use this knowledge to provide evidence-based, practical, simple and clear advice as well as nutritional counselling.

If you want to fuel your body adequately and improve your quality of life, then seeing one our Dietitians will enable you to feel and look better as well as prevent further health complications down the track.

There is no “one size fits all” and therefore our dietitians provide personalised nutrition plans and customised advice and recommendations that are tailored to each individual’s goals and health needs.

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What does a typical dietitian consult look like?

Have you ever wondered what it is like to see a Dietitian? Well, each appointment is different depending on the individual and it often takes multiple appointments with our Dietitians to ensure successful results and progress.

The overall structure of the appointment can involve our dietitians getting to know you by collecting background information, such as your medical (including previous blood test results), social and personal history. Your personal and/or medical goals and what you want to achieve is then discussed and this is often followed by a brief diet history.

Usually, education regarding specific nutrients, dietary habits or health issues are discussed with the use of resources or diagrams. This helps patients have context and an understanding of the recommendations and advice that often follows.

Our dietitians and nutritionist then work with you to find practical and sustainable strategies to change your diet in order to successfully meet your goals. They use behaviour change techniques and motivational interviewing to assist patients in feeling enabled and ready to make the necessary dietary alterations as our dietitians are aware of the complex nature of eating. They do not provide large or unachievable recommendations but rather smaller steps which are proven to be effective and are more likely to be implemented.

What is the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian?

A dietitian is a qualified health professional that provides a range of evidence-based nutrition services, but in addition to a nutritionist, dietitians have the expertise to provide individual dietary counselling, medical nutrition therapy and group dietary therapy.

A dietitian, specifically an accredited Practicing Dietitian undertakes ongoing training and education to ensure that they are providing the most up-to-date nutrition information. A nutritionist, on the other hand, is not regulated and therefore can sometimes be unqualified.

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FAQ’s

Do I need a referral to see a dietitian or nutritionist?

No. You can see either service privately and some private health insurances may cover some of the visit.

Can my dietetics appointment be bulk-billed under Medicare?

A dietitian can be claimed via Medicare using an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) referral from your General Practitioner if you’re eligible. Bulk billing is also available for dietetics.

Does my health fund cover dietetics appointments?

Yes, some health funds will cover a dietitian or nutritionist. Check with your provider for these benefits as each plan is different.

What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?

A dietitian is a qualified health professional that provides a range of evidence-based nutrition services, but in addition to a nutritionist, dietitians have the expertise to provide individual dietary counselling, medical nutrition therapy and group dietary therapy.

A dietitian, specifically an accredited Practicing Dietitian undertakes ongoing training and education to ensure that they are providing the most up-to-date nutrition information. A nutritionist, on the other hand, is not regulated and therefore can sometimes be unqualified but here at OnePointHealth, we ensure our nutritionists are highly qualified with a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition and Physiology and provide an evidence-based, holistic approach.

Nutritionists cannot be bulk billed or covered by your health fund, whereas a dietitian can.

What is an Accredited Practising Dietitian?

Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) are university-qualified professionals that undertake ongoing training and education programs to ensure that they are your most up-to-date and credible source of nutrition information. They translate scientific health and nutrition information into practical advice and practise in line with Dietitians Australia Professional Standards, including the Code of Conduct for Dietitians & Nutritionists.

Do dieticians put people on ‘Diets’?

No, our goal is to make small changes to your current diet that suit your needs, wants and lifestyle. We provide evidence-based nutrition advice to help you reach your personal and/or health goals. We want to help you create a positive lifestyle and eating plan that you enjoy and that works for you.

Does eating healthy mean no bad food is allowed?

No. We like to avoid using terms like “bad food” or restrictive eating practices. Our goal is to help our patients understand how certain foods affect the body and to help them build a positive relationship with food. This means learning to enjoy the food we consume and reducing the types that can lead to poorer health outcomes. Balance and moderation are key.

Is a dietitian going to ask me to make a lot of changes all at once?

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What does a dietetics appointment involve?

A dietitian appointment involves going through the patient’s reason for coming in (problem). Then diving deeper into lifestyle, medical history, diet and any other relevant information regarding diet choices. We then create recommendations and set goals to help the patient reach their desired outcome.

We also provide education on why these recommendations and goals have been provided and how this affects the patients current medical condition. This may include resources for the patient to take home if necessary. Reading nutrition labels or meal plan appointments are structured slightly differently but fundamentally the same principles are applied.