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For more information, contact us by email [email protected] or mobile 0421905993

The friendly team of dietitians at Peninsula Physical health and Nutrition we are dedicated to assist you to achieve your optimal level of health, fitness and wellbeing by providing the highest quality functional training, physical rehabilitation and nutritional advice. We are skilled in a range of conditions including obesity and weight loss advice, food allergies and food intolerance, gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease, oncology, sports nutrition and much more. We value excellence and integrity at every level so we strive to provide you with a comprehensive, effective and personalised experience. Our focus in managing our clients is to empower them with prevention strategies as well as to enhance their recovery through the use of the most current nutritional advice and innovative physical training and rehabilitation techniques. Our vision is to provide a holistic approach to improving your health therefore we regularly liaise with other healthcare professionals to ensure your care is integrated into all aspects of your life.

25/10/2026

Understanding Iron Studies & Boosting Your Iron Levels

Iron studies are a series of blood tests that assess your body’s iron levels and help diagnose conditions like anaemia. Here’s a quick breakdown:

1️⃣ Serum Iron: Measures the amount of iron circulating in your blood.

2️⃣ Ferritin: Indicates the stored iron in your body; low levels suggest iron deficiency.

3️⃣ Transferrin: Evaluates the protein that transports iron in your blood; high levels can indicate low iron stores.

4️⃣ Transferrin Saturation: Shows the percentage of transferrin bound with iron; low saturation points to iron deficiency.

If you’re diagnosed with iron-deficiency anaemia, consider these tips to boost your iron levels:

🍖 Include Heme Iron Sources: Consume lean meats, poultry, and seafood for easily absorbed iron.

🥦 Add Non-Heme Iron Foods: Incorporate beans, lentils, tofu, spinach, and iron-fortified cereals into your diet.

🍊 Enhance Absorption with Vitamin C: Pair iron-rich meals with vitamin C sources like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and capsicum to improve absorption.

☕ Limit Inhibitors: Reduce intake of coffee, tea, and calcium-rich foods during iron-rich meals, as they can hinder iron absorption.

💊 Consider Supplements: If dietary changes aren’t enough, consult your healthcare provider or dietitian about iron supplements.

22/10/2026

Want to lose weight and keep it off? Focus on habits that help your body regulate appetite, stabilise energy, and feel satisfied after meals — not strict rules.

Here are the foundations that actually work:

1. Prioritise sleep: Poor sleep disrupts hunger hormones (ghrelin & leptin), which can increase cravings and make healthy choices harder. Aim for a consistent bedtime, a calm wind-down routine, and less screen time before bed.

2. Include protein at every meal: Protein boosts fullness, keeps blood sugar steadier, and helps prevent overeating later. Think eggs, Greek yoghurt, tofu, chicken, legumes, fish or cottage cheese.

3. Choose slow-digesting, low-GI carbs: Small portions of options like sweet potato, rolled oats, grainy bread, legumes or basmati rice help keep energy consistent and avoid that mid-afternoon slump.

4. Fill half your plate with veggies: High-fibre, high-volume foods create fullness without excess calories — a key part of sustainable weight loss.

5. Aim for consistency, not perfection: Repeating doable habits beats any short-term “all or nothing” plan.

Small changes, done regularly, make the biggest difference. You don’t need extremes — just balanced, evidence-based habits that support your body day after day.

19/10/2026

Only 1 in 10 adults meet the daily 30g fibre recommendation. Fibre supports a strong gut microbiome by feeding your healthy gut bacteria, it supports healthy digestion, and it helps manage cholesterol and blood sugars levels

Are you eating enough fibre?!

Here are simple, realistic ways to boost fibre without overhauling your whole diet:

💚 sprinkle chia, flax or psyllium on yoghurt, oats or cereal
💚 mix a spoon of oats or chia into smoothies
💚 add lentils or beans into mince dishes (tacos, spag bol, shepherd’s pie)
💚 swap white pasta/rice/bread for wholemeal, brown, or a 50/50 mix
💚 use avocado as a spread or topping
💚 snack on fruit, nuts/seed mix, hummus with crackers or veggie sticks and air popped popcorn

14/10/2026

🍽️ Closing nutrient gaps — eating less makes every bite matter more; a dietitian helps you get more from fewer calories

🍽️ Working with the side effects, not against them — nausea, fullness, and GI changes respond well to smart meal timing and food choices

🍽️ Building the habit that outlasts the medication — whatever happens long-term, the eating patterns you build now are what stick

The medication creates momentum. A dietitian makes sure that momentum is taking you somewhere sustainable.

On a GLP-1 and working with a dietitian? What’s made the biggest difference for you? 👇

12/10/2026

Did you know creatine isn’t just for athletes?

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in the world and it has benefits that go way beyond building muscle. Here’s what the science says:

🧠 Brain health: helps your brain recharge quickly, supporting memory, focus + reducing mental fatigue

💪 Healthy aging: combined with resistance training, creatine helps maintain muscle + strength as we age, lowering fall risk + supporting independence

⚡ Energy and performance: creatine is your body’s energy reserve, helping you recover faster + train harder (or even just keep up with everyday tasks)

🙂 Mood and wellbeing: early studies suggest creatine may play a role in supporting mood + mental health.

Creatine naturally comes from red meat and fish, but most people only get about half of what’s considered optimal through diet alone. that’s why supplementation (3–5 g/day) can be beneficial for many, especially vegetarians + vegans.

Creatine monohydrate is safe + well studied, but always check with your dietitian before starting supplements to make sure it’s right for you.

08/10/2026

Things a dietitian needs you to understand before taking GLP 1 medications 👇

GLP 1 medications can be an incredibly useful tool for weight management, but they aren’t a substitute for nutrition.

Before starting, there are a few things I want you to understand:

1. They reduce appetite. That’s the point… but it can become a problem.

Feeling less hungry can make it much easier to eat less. But eating too little can mean you’re not getting enough protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals or overall energy.

2. You still need to prioritise protein.

When you’re eating less, protein becomes even more important. Including a good source of protein at each meal can help support muscle retention and nutritional adequacy.

3. Muscle loss is a real consideration.

The goal shouldn’t simply be to make the number on the scales go down.

We want to maximise fat loss while preserving muscle.

That means protein + resistance training + adequate nutrition.

4. Your food choices matter more, not less.

When your appetite is reduced, you have less room for nutritionally poor foods.

Think:
🥩 Protein
🥦 Vegetables
🍓 Fruit
🌾 High fibre carbohydrates
🥑 Healthy fats
💧 Fluids

5. Side effects can affect your nutrition.

Nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, reflux and bloating can make eating difficult.

You don’t just have to “put up with it”. Meal timing, portion size, food choices and hydration can make a significant difference, and persistent or severe symptoms should be discussed with your prescriber.

6. Don’t let the scales become your only measure of success.

Your strength, energy, nutritional status, body composition, relationship with food and ability to maintain healthy habits matter too.

If you’re considering starting a GLP 1 medication, working with a dietitian before you start can help you establish the foundations first, rather than trying to fix nutritional gaps after your appetite has disappeared.

05/10/2026

Mindful eating is a practice that involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both physically and emotionally. It encourages awareness of your body’s hunger and satiety signals, as well as the sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise during meals. The goal is to cultivate a more thoughtful, non-judgmental approach to food, which can improve your relationship with eating and foster healthier habits.

Key Aspects of Mindful Eating:
1. Eating Slowly and Savouring:
- Taking time to chew food thoroughly and enjoy its flavors, textures, and smells.

2. Tuning in to Hunger and Fullness Cues:
- Eating when you are physically hungry and stopping when you feel comfortably full, rather than eating out of habit or emotional triggers.

3. Being Present:
- Focusing on the food in front of you, rather than eating while distracted (like watching TV or working).

4. Non-Judgmental Awareness:
- Not labelling foods as "good" or "bad" and avoiding feelings of guilt or shame. Instead, observing how certain foods make you feel physically and emotionally.

5. Connecting Emotionally:
- Noticing emotional connections to food, such as eating due to stress, boredom, or sadness, and learning to distinguish between emotional hunger and physical hunger.

Benefits of Mindful Eating:
✅ Helps prevent overeating and promotes better digestion.
✅ Reduces emotional or stress-based eating habits.
✅ Encourages healthier food choices.
✅ Enhances overall enjoyment and satisfaction with meals.

Mindful eating is about bringing awareness to the process of eating, helping you cultivate a healthier, more balanced relationship with food.

17/09/2026

Sunlight and vitamin D generated in mushrooms!

Humans have preserved mushrooms through sun-drying for thousands of years, without appreciating that the process made the mushroom a significant source of vitamin D. The abundant ergosterol present in mushrooms is converted to vitamin D2 through exposure to any source of UV light, such as the sun, as demonstrated in studies.

In one particular study, on a cloudless, mid-summer day, with just 15 minutes of sun exposure the vitamin D content of mushrooms rose from close to zero to about 18 mcg/100g fresh weight, which exceeds the daily requirements of vitamin D.

After one hour in the sun the level had risen to a maximum of 32 mcg/100g mushrooms, which wasn't bettered even after six hours of sun exposure.

This study suggests that placing mushrooms in only 10-15 minutes of summer sun will give you your daily D needs in a single serve (100g or 3 button mushrooms).

14/09/2026

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that plays a key role in maintaining healthy nerve cells, producing DNA, and forming red blood cells. A deficiency in vitamin B12 can lead to a variety of health problems, especially related to the nervous system and blood formation.

The primary natural sources of vitamin B12 are animal-based foods such as meat (especially liver), fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and dairy products

Vegans and vegetarians are more prone to B12 deficiency due to a lack of animal products in their diets. Conditions such as pernicious anemia (an autoimmune disorder), Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, or stomach surgeries (like gastric bypass) can impair B12 absorption. Older adults may have a reduced ability to absorb B12 due to lower stomach acid production.

Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency can include fatigue and weakness, nerve problems resulting in tingling, numbness, and balance issues, cognitive impairment, mood changes, pale skin and mouth ulcers.

If you suspect a vitamin B12 deficiency, it's important to seek medical advice, as blood tests can confirm levels and appropriate treatments such as supplements or dietary changes can be recommended.

10/09/2026

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy (usually after the 24th week) in women who didn't have diabetes before. It occurs when the body can't produce enough insulin to manage the increased blood sugar levels that develop during pregnancy. Left untreated, gestational diabetes may lead to complications for both the mother and baby, such as high birth weight, preterm birth, or increased risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.

A dietitian plays a crucial role in managing gestational diabetes by:

1. Creating a Personalised Meal Plan: A dietitian will design a balanced diet tailored to the woman’s specific needs, focusing on controlling blood sugar levels while ensuring that both the mother and baby receive adequate nutrition.

2. Carbohydrate Counting: Carbohydrates have a direct effect on blood sugar, and a dietitian can teach the mother how to monitor carbohydrate intake and distribute it evenly throughout the day to prevent spikes in blood sugar.

3. Portion Control and Meal Timing: A dietitian can guide on how to portion meals and snacks properly and advise on the best times to eat to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

4. Education on Low Glycemic Index Foods: Foods that have a low glycemic index (GI) release glucose more slowly and can help manage blood sugar levels. A dietitian can recommend specific low-GI foods that fit into a healthy pregnancy diet.

5. Weight Management: Appropriate weight gain during pregnancy is important. A dietitian can help track and manage healthy weight gain through diet and activity.

6. Monitoring and Adjusting: As pregnancy progresses, the dietitian will adjust the meal plan based on blood sugar monitoring, ensuring it continues to meet the mother’s needs as her body changes.

By working with a dietitian, a pregnant woman can reduce the risks associated with gestational diabetes and help ensure a healthy pregnancy for herself and her baby.

Address

15 Railway Grove
Mornington, VIC
3931

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.healthandnutrition.com.au/

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