Alive Nutrition

18/07/2026

MAFLD What is that????

MAFLD or metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease is increasing in the Australian population. If left unmanaged it can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. MAFLD is in part a lifestyle disease related to the change in the foods we eat.
This condition is related to insulin resistance and occurs when your body stops responding efficiently to insulin. Insulin is a hormone we produce in the pancreas that helps us to use glucose. it does this by allowing the glucose to enter muscle fat and liver cells to be used for energy or for storage.
Insulin resistance is related to diet.
There is significant evidence that high fructose corn syrup that is used in soft drinks and the fructose in juice drinks and a diet containing more processed foods (ultraprocessed diet) are important precursors.
A study demonstrated that just a can and a half a day of soft drink (200gms of fructose) was enough to elevate the liver enzymes.
A diet high in red met consumption can also increase the risk for MAFLD, through a link to increased oxidative stress and other metabolic conditions such as high cholesterol and blood fats. The best way to manage MAFLD is to exercise, cease soft drinks juices and drink more water. It is also important to reduce processed foods and eat a diet high in unprocessed foods ( the mediterranean style of eating) and including fruit.
Fruit contains fructose but as a whole food it has a different impact on the body.
The best way to start is be value adding to your eating pattern, for example substituting fruit and nuts and wholegrains for your snacks.
Aim to reduce your red meat and eat more fish and vegetarian meals that include beans and legumes.
Start slow, by all means, but cut back on soft drink and juice as well as value adding fresh vegetables and salad to your meals.
Your body will thank you.

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01/10/2025

Coeliac Disease and Gluten Intolerance. Are you confused.
Lee Mason Dietitian

Coeliac disease affects about 1 in 70 people in Australia, but only 20% or 1 in 5 have been diagnosed. This means there may be people in the community who have this autoimmune condition but are not aware they have it.
The symptoms can be fatigue, low iron levels, a range of gastric symptoms, allergy like reactions such as hives, as well as a skin condition called dermatitis herpetiformis.
Ignoring these symptoms can lead to nutritional deficiencies, osteoporosis, and an increased risk for certain cancers.
Coeliac disease is genetically linked. If you have family members with coeliac disease you have a higher likelihood of developing this condition, and it can develop at any age.
Gluten intolerance or non coeliac gluten sensitivity can have very similar symptoms.
The difference is that this is thought to more like a chemical sensitivity and does not cause inflammation and damage to the small intestine that is seen in coeliac disease.

How do I know if I have coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity or non coeliac gluten sensitivity?

There is no specific test for non coeliac gluten sensitivity.
The best idea is to discuss this with your doctor.
There are tests that can be done to identify coeliac disease.
These are blood tests to identify gluten sensitivity and also the GP can test you for the HLA DQ genes.
If these tests are positive the GP will recommend a gastroscope to take a sample of your small intestine. This is to assess if there is damage to the nutrient absorbing fingerlike projections called villi.

What if the tests are negative and I still get the symptoms?

You may have non coeliac gluten sensitivity.
The treatment for both conditions is that same and that is to avoid gluten.
Gluten is in wheat rye triticale and barley. Be aware that wheat free oats are generally well tolerated by people with coeliac disease. A small percentage (less than 10%) of people with coeliac disease react to oats.
The best option is to discuss your issues and symptoms with your Dietitian as they can help you understand and navigate the complexities of avoiding gluten.
Also it is worth reading food labels very carefully and knowing that wheat can be called other names such as spelt durham farro and kamut and be in products such as semolina and bulgur.
Not all gastrointestinal issues are related to gluten. We have become aware of the impact of the bacteria in our bowel, the gut microbiome, on our overall health.
Come and discuss you gut health with me Lee Mason Dietitian.

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28/09/2025

The Weight Loss Revolution

There has been much media hype about the new weight loss medications Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro. When Ozempic was initially released for use as a diabetic medication, it was difficult to source, as it became instantly popular as a weight loss injectable medication.
Their primary purpose was for use in Diabetes, as along with weight loss there is a positive effect on blood sugar control.
Ozempic and Weygovy are ‘glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists’.
These help the body produce more insulin to assist with blood sugar control, as well as keeping you feeling fuller for longer by slowing stomach emptying.
Mounjaro includes GLP-1 receptor agonist as well as another hormone agonist, GIP.
GIP helps with insulin secretion and has a second effect on fat metabolism. These medications reduce hunger signals and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
These mimic how the body work naturally.
They are not without side effects. The more common side effects can be nausea, vomiting, constipation and or diarrhoea. Other common side effects are reflux particularly if you continue to consume fatty foods! The side effects usually reduce as you become used to the medication.
They may also increase when you increase the dose.There are other less common side effects and it is essential you discuss the use of these medication with your doctor.
Ozempic is the only medication that is on the PBS. This is only prescribed for people with difficult to manage diabetes.
The other medications are available with a prescription, and are expensive.
The weight loss chat groups talk about how these medications help in reducing the “food noise”, that is the constant thoughts and desire to eat calorie dense sweet or fatty foods.
There is also discussion about sulphur burps which are offensive smelling burps related to the slowing of stomach emptying. This can be improved by limiting certain foods.
There is research suggesting that these medications can reduce cardiac risk, and may be useful with some addiction conditions, but further research is needed.
These medications work for most people, when taken correctly, but they require the taker to also look at their diet and their lifestyle. it is not a quick fix.
Once the medication is ceased the effects stop. This can lead to rapid weight regain.
Dietitians and Exercise Physiologists can support you to review you eating and exercise patterns to focus on a successful and ongoing healthier lifestyle.
If you want to work out if this medication would be suitable for you, please discuss with you GP and book an appointment with your dietitian as ensuring you are getting the nutrition your body needs is as important as the weight loss.
Following the advice from the Exercise Physiologist will help you prevent too much muscle mass loss.

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18/11/2022

Castlemaine Physiotherapy is excited to welcome onboard Lee Mason!

Lee is an experienced dietitian who brings a wealth of knowledge in her field to the team. Lee has experience in dealing with all types of chronic conditions, eating conditions, and weight loss and gain. To book with Lee please give our office a call.

Welcome to Castlemaine Physiotherapy Lee!🤍

06/10/2020

The gut microbiome and the diversity of species is now being linked to many conditions. The species are influenced by many aspects of how we live and in particular what we eat. Pre bionics are now not just fibre. it is better to think about it from the perspective of foods and yes a plant based diet wins again!
If you are interested in finding out how diverse and positive the species of bacteria, fungi and viruses that live in your gut microbiome are and what you are best to eat, you can have a genomic test done through Microba.https://www.microba.com/
😊

Explore your microbiome with Microba

05/10/2018

I thought I would bring something to our attention. I could not get Black Swan Lactose Free yoghourt and I recommend it as one of the options for those needing Lactose Free. When I contacted the company they informed me they had deleted the line. The reason was the two big supermarket chains (three if we include IGA) had made a decision not to stock it so it was no longer a viable product for the company. Interestingly other companies like Jalna are just getting into making Lactose free yoghurt. My reason for posting though is about the issue that we do not get to select products , the supermarket chains are selecting what we get to choose. This makes buying from local farmers markets even more important and also going back to making our own foods rather than purchasing pre-made. Yes it takes more time BUT you know what you are consuming.I am not sure how we address this as consumers as it is a significant issue.

19/11/2017

It is interesting seeing other cultures and the foods they eat. In Vietnam fish sauce is a staple as is rice. Fish sauce is made over a 1-2 year time period. Farming families who don’t have access to anchovies use any fish and salt and in 1-2 years after filtering through cloth the taste and results are similar! Farmers are now growing more chilies in the Mekong region because it is a more profitable crop

27/07/2017

Personalized memory and brain training. Scientifically based cognitive training. Suitable for all ages.