A balanced approach to nutrition

“Please just tell me what to eat!”

I hear this all the time in clinical practice, and honestly, I completely understand why.

There is so much conflicting information online about food, nutrition, and health that it can feel almost impossible to work out what the actual takeaway message is supposed to be. One minute a food is labelled a “superfood,” and the next it’s being called “toxic.” It’s exhausting. While there is plenty of valuable nutrition information available, there are also a few trends in the wellness space that are very cringe-worthy.

1. Extreme messaging around foods or entire food groups

If someone calls a food a “poison,” that’s usually a red flag. In reality, nutrition is rarely black and white.

Seed oils have become one of the most recent examples of this kind of hyperbolic messaging. Rather than demonising seed oils, I’d recommend a nuanced, evidence-informed approach that encourages moderation and variety; choosing fats like olive oil or avocado oil more often can be a great option, but there is no need to fear foods or obsess over perfection.

2. “Maxxing” everything

Protein-maxxing. Fibre-maxxing. Anything-maxxing. More is not always more.

Take fibre, for example. Increasing your fibre intake can absolutely support digestive health, but if you suddenly jump from a relatively average (low) intake to a very high one overnight, your digestive system will not be happy. Bloating, discomfort, and changes in bowel habits are common when changes happen too quickly. In most cases, slow and steady wins the race. Building habits gradually, focusing on whole foods, and allowing your body time to adapt is usually far more sustainable.

3. “Foods I would never eat as a health professional”

You’ve probably seen posts that start off with “Foods I always avoid as a doctor/naturopath/dietitian…” Personally, I find this kind of messaging often oversimplified and sometimes quite misleading.

The foods I genuinely think people should avoid as a general rule are:

• Foods they are allergic or intolerant to

• Foods they dislike

• Foods that are spoiled or unsafe to eat

Beyond that, nutrition is incredibly individual.

Nutrition is personal

There is no single “perfect” diet that works for everybody. So much of what works for someone depends on factors like:

• Culture and traditions

• Budget and food accessibility

• Access to cooking facilities 

• Sensory preferences

• Genetics and health conditions

• Personal values

• Lifestyle factors (like time)

In clinical practice, I try to avoid overly restrictive meal plans whenever possible because long-term sustainability matters far more than short-term perfection. Many of the recommendations I make are broadly aligned with Mediterranean-style eating patterns because they are well-researched across many age groups and health conditions. At its core, this way of eating includes:

• Plenty of fruits and vegetables

• Whole grains

• Nuts and seeds

• Olive oil

• Dairy foods

• A mixture of plant and animal protein sources

Importantly, it is flexible, balanced, and adaptable to different lifestyles and preferences. Of course, personalised nutrition advice may also include specific therapeutic foods, nutrients, or dietary adjustments depending on an individual’s health concerns and goals.

Progress over perfection

One of the biggest things I’ve noticed when working with patients is that small, consistent changes often make the biggest difference to overall wellbeing. Your nutrition does not need to be perfect for you to feel better. In fact, sustainable habits will almost always outperform short bursts of “perfect eating.” Progress over perfection, every time.