Food Allergy
Did you know that food allergy occurs in around 10% of infants, 4-8% of children, and about 2% of adults in Australia and New Zealand? A food allergy is an immune reaction to a protein in food. Almost any food could trigger an allergic reaction, but the most common food allergens are:​
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cow’s milk
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eggs
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peanut
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soy
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sesame
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tree nuts
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fish and shellfish
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wheat
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What should I expect when seeing a FAID Dietitian?When you are seeing your FAID Dietitian, know that they are an expert in all things food allergy and intolerance. During your consults, they will: Get to know you, asking questions about your medical history Review recent test results Discuss your medicines and supplements Assess your food and nutrient intakes Consider your lifestyle and schedule Provide you with personal nutrition education Create nutrition goals and plans in partnership with you The number of consults you may need will depend, but most people benefit from between two and five sessions.
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What should I bring to my consult?You will receive a form to completeprior to your consult, so that your consult can be tailored to you. Email any recent medical test results or reports that you have, as well as any allergy results (skin prick or blood test). If you have a GP referral letter or Chronic Disease Management Plan from your GP, email these as well.
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How do I book a FAID consult?To book a consult, use the Bookings page. If you have questions or queries, send an email using the contact form on the Bookings page. Each FAID Dietitian will have different days and times available, as well as online or face-to-face options for you. You don’t need a referral to see a FAID Dietitian - see ‘FAID fees’ below for details about a Chronic Disease Management plan.
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What are the FAID Fees?Initial consults $180 (standard, 45-60 mins) $210 (extended, 60-90 mins) Review consults $100 (standard, 20-30 mins) $120 (extended, 30-45 mins) If you think you will need longer than the standard times, please choose extended consults when booking, so more time can be set aside for you. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please contact us with at least 24 hours notice, so that we can make that time available to someone else (to help them achieve their nutrition and health goals). A $50. cancellation fee will be incurred for failure to cancel or reschedule without 24 hours notice. FAID Dietitians accept direct deposit payments only, which need to be paid in full prior to your consult time.
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Do I need a referral? Are there any rebates?If you are seeing a FAID dietitian for a condition that you have had for at least 6 months, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate (~$58.00) (up to a max of 5 visits per year). Speak with your GP about whether you are eligible for a Chronic Disease Management Plan. Or, if you have top-level cover with a Private Health Fund, you may be eligible for a rebate. Rebates from Private Health Funds are set by the insurance company and will depend on your level of cover. Please note if you have both a Chronic Disease Management plan and Private Health Insurance, you will need to choose one or the other to claim; it’s not possible to claim both. If you have access to Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) services, you may be eligible to receive Dietetic Support. You may also have access to NDIS funding for a Dietitian. Please note, not all our FAID Dietitians are registered providers with NDIS and DVA, so please ask us if you think you are eligible.
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What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?Did you know in Australia all dietitians are considered nutritionists, however, nutritionists without a dietetics qualification cannot take on the expert role of a dietitian? Some nutritionists might have no formal qualifications in human nutrition at all. Accredited Practising Dietitians in Australia are: tertiary qualified; meetistrict criteria; and holdi the only nutrition credential recognised by Medicare, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and most private health funds. Accredited Practising Dietitians also do not use testimonials on their websites to ensure that you aren’t exploited for promotional or financial gains.
How can a FAID Dietitian help?
Your FAID dietitian will help you or your child balance a healthy diet while avoiding the foods you are allergic to ─ they provide you with personalised nutrition advice. They can also help with:
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FODMAP Intolerance
Are you tired of gut symptoms like pain, bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhoea? Food is a common trigger of gut symptoms and limiting certain foods can radically improve these symptoms in sensitive people. A diet low in fermentable carbohydrates known as ‘FODMAPs’ is clinically recommended for the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
What Are FODMAPs?
FODMAPs stands for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols. These scientific terms classify groups of carbohydrates that trigger gut symptoms, like bloating, gas, loose stools and stomach pain, in sensitive people. FODMAPs are in a wide range of foods in varying amounts. Some foods contain just one type, while others contain several.
The main sources of FODMAPs include:
OLIGOSACCHARIDES
Wheat, rye, legumes and certain fruits and vegetables, like garlic and onions.
DISACCHARIDES (LACTOSE)
Milk, yoghurt, ice cream and soft cheese.
MONOSACCHARIDES (FRUCTOSE)
Certain fruits like figs and mangoes, and sweeteners like honey.
POLYOLS (SORBITOL AND MANNITOL)
Certain fruits and vegetables like blackberries and avocado, and some low-calorie sweeteners like those in sugar-free gum.
What are the benefits of a Low-FODMAP Diet?
Research shows that IBS symptoms improve in 3 out of 4 people who follow a low FODMAP diet. Keep in mind that FODMAPs may not be the whole answer ─ stress, hormones, your genes, other food triggers and medicines can sometimes play a role as well.
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STEP 1: THE LOW FODMAP DIET
For this step, swap high-FODMAP foods for low FODMAP foods for 2-6 weeks. Some people notice symptoms improve in the first week, while others take longer.
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Once you have good relief of gut symptoms, you can move on to Step 2.
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STEP 2: REINTRODUCTION
For this step, systematically add back in high-FODMAP foods.
The aim of this is to:
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1. Know which types of FODMAPs you tolerate - few people are sensitive to all of them.
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2. Work out the amount of FODMAPs you can tolerate - this is known as your FODMAP threshold.
In this step, you reintroduce specific foods one by one for three days.
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STEP 3: PERSONALISATION
This step is also known as the ’modified low-FODMAP diet’ - in other words, you still limit some FODMAPs, but the amount and type are tailored to your FODMAP threshold, as per step 2.
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This third step helps to increase your diet variety and flexibility; which have been shown to improve quality of life. Also FODMAP foods are a useful source of prebiotics , so they can improve gut health as well.
Food Chemical Intolerance
Do you suffer from headaches, migraines, itchy skin rashes, or gut troubles like pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea?
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Do you feel like your asthma flares after certain foods or drinks?
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Your doctor may have tried many treatments, but they don’t seem to have helped.
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You may be reacting to certain chemicals found in what you are eating and drinking. The foods and drinks we consume contain both natural and added chemicals (additives), in varying amounts, and these can trigger a range of symptoms in sensitive people. Food intolerance testing, using a low chemical diet may be helpful as an adjunct to medical treatment.
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What should I expect when seeing a FAID Dietitian?When you are seeing your FAID Dietitian, know that they are an expert in all things food allergy and intolerance. During your consults, they will: Get to know you, asking questions about your medical history Review recent test results Discuss your medicines and supplements Assess your food and nutrient intakes Consider your lifestyle and schedule Provide you with personal nutrition education Create nutrition goals and plans in partnership with you The number of consults you may need will depend, but most people benefit from between two and five sessions.
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What should I bring to my consult?You will receive a form to completeprior to your consult, so that your consult can be tailored to you. Email any recent medical test results or reports that you have, as well as any allergy results (skin prick or blood test). If you have a GP referral letter or Chronic Disease Management Plan from your GP, email these as well.
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How do I book a FAID consult?To book a consult, use the Bookings page. If you have questions or queries, send an email using the contact form on the Bookings page. Each FAID Dietitian will have different days and times available, as well as online or face-to-face options for you. You don’t need a referral to see a FAID Dietitian - see ‘FAID fees’ below for details about a Chronic Disease Management plan.
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What are the FAID Fees?Initial consults $180 (standard, 45-60 mins) $210 (extended, 60-90 mins) Review consults $100 (standard, 20-30 mins) $120 (extended, 30-45 mins) If you think you will need longer than the standard times, please choose extended consults when booking, so more time can be set aside for you. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please contact us with at least 24 hours notice, so that we can make that time available to someone else (to help them achieve their nutrition and health goals). A $50. cancellation fee will be incurred for failure to cancel or reschedule without 24 hours notice. FAID Dietitians accept direct deposit payments only, which need to be paid in full prior to your consult time.
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Do I need a referral? Are there any rebates?If you are seeing a FAID dietitian for a condition that you have had for at least 6 months, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate (~$58.00) (up to a max of 5 visits per year). Speak with your GP about whether you are eligible for a Chronic Disease Management Plan. Or, if you have top-level cover with a Private Health Fund, you may be eligible for a rebate. Rebates from Private Health Funds are set by the insurance company and will depend on your level of cover. Please note if you have both a Chronic Disease Management plan and Private Health Insurance, you will need to choose one or the other to claim; it’s not possible to claim both. If you have access to Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) services, you may be eligible to receive Dietetic Support. You may also have access to NDIS funding for a Dietitian. Please note, not all our FAID Dietitians are registered providers with NDIS and DVA, so please ask us if you think you are eligible.
-
What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?Did you know in Australia all dietitians are considered nutritionists, however, nutritionists without a dietetics qualification cannot take on the expert role of a dietitian? Some nutritionists might have no formal qualifications in human nutrition at all. Accredited Practising Dietitians in Australia are: tertiary qualified; meetistrict criteria; and holdi the only nutrition credential recognised by Medicare, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and most private health funds. Accredited Practising Dietitians also do not use testimonials on their websites to ensure that you aren’t exploited for promotional or financial gains.
How do you follow a low chemical diet?
Stage 1: Low chemical elimination diet
For this stage, swap high chemical foods for low chemical foods for 2-6 weeks. Some people notice symptoms improve in the first week, while others take the full six weeks. Once you have good relief of symptoms, you can move onto Stage 2.
Stage 2:
Food challenges
For this stage, you complete a series of food challenges to help work out which food chemicals you are sensitive to. In this stage, you will reintroduce foods grouped together that contain the same chemical.
Stage 3:
Personalisation
For this stage, foods that you didn’t react to during stage 2 are added back, to increase your diet variety and flexibility.
Stage 4:
Liberalising
Food chemicals that you reacted to during stage 2 are gradually added back to work out the amount of each chemical you can tolerate ─ this is known as your ‘chemical threshold’. This stage helps to increase your diet variety, so you can eat as widely as possible.
Coeliac Disease
Did you know about 1 in 70 Australians have coeliac disease and that about 80% of these people are undiagnosed? Coeliac disease is an immune reaction to gluten, a protein present in the grains wheat, spelt, rye, triticale, barley and controversially oats. Gluten is also found in small amounts in ingredients made from these grains, such as thickeners and starches.
In those with coeliac disease, gluten can cause inflammation that damages the lining of the small intestines. This damage causes issues with absorbing some nutrients and can lead to other long-term issues.
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What should I expect when seeing a FAID Dietitian?When you are seeing your FAID Dietitian, know that they are an expert in all things food allergy and intolerance. During your consults, they will: Get to know you, asking questions about your medical history Review recent test results Discuss your medicines and supplements Assess your food and nutrient intakes Consider your lifestyle and schedule Provide you with personal nutrition education Create nutrition goals and plans in partnership with you The number of consults you may need will depend, but most people benefit from between two and five sessions.
-
What should I bring to my consult?You will receive a form to completeprior to your consult, so that your consult can be tailored to you. Email any recent medical test results or reports that you have, as well as any allergy results (skin prick or blood test). If you have a GP referral letter or Chronic Disease Management Plan from your GP, email these as well.
-
How do I book a FAID consult?To book a consult, use the Bookings page. If you have questions or queries, send an email using the contact form on the Bookings page. Each FAID Dietitian will have different days and times available, as well as online or face-to-face options for you. You don’t need a referral to see a FAID Dietitian - see ‘FAID fees’ below for details about a Chronic Disease Management plan.
-
What are the FAID Fees?Initial consults $180 (standard, 45-60 mins) $210 (extended, 60-90 mins) Review consults $100 (standard, 20-30 mins) $120 (extended, 30-45 mins) If you think you will need longer than the standard times, please choose extended consults when booking, so more time can be set aside for you. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please contact us with at least 24 hours notice, so that we can make that time available to someone else (to help them achieve their nutrition and health goals). A $50. cancellation fee will be incurred for failure to cancel or reschedule without 24 hours notice. FAID Dietitians accept direct deposit payments only, which need to be paid in full prior to your consult time.
-
Do I need a referral? Are there any rebates?If you are seeing a FAID dietitian for a condition that you have had for at least 6 months, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate (~$58.00) (up to a max of 5 visits per year). Speak with your GP about whether you are eligible for a Chronic Disease Management Plan. Or, if you have top-level cover with a Private Health Fund, you may be eligible for a rebate. Rebates from Private Health Funds are set by the insurance company and will depend on your level of cover. Please note if you have both a Chronic Disease Management plan and Private Health Insurance, you will need to choose one or the other to claim; it’s not possible to claim both. If you have access to Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) services, you may be eligible to receive Dietetic Support. You may also have access to NDIS funding for a Dietitian. Please note, not all our FAID Dietitians are registered providers with NDIS and DVA, so please ask us if you think you are eligible.
-
What is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?Did you know in Australia all dietitians are considered nutritionists, however, nutritionists without a dietetics qualification cannot take on the expert role of a dietitian? Some nutritionists might have no formal qualifications in human nutrition at all. Accredited Practising Dietitians in Australia are: tertiary qualified; meetistrict criteria; and holdi the only nutrition credential recognised by Medicare, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and most private health funds. Accredited Practising Dietitians also do not use testimonials on their websites to ensure that you aren’t exploited for promotional or financial gains.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for individual medical health advice, and doesn’t constitute a provider-patient relationship.