Digestive health is deeply personal, and unpleasant symptoms can have a significant impact on everyday life. Whether you're experiencing bloating, abdominal discomfort, reflux or IBS, understanding why these symptoms have developed can help guide a more personalised approach to care.
As an integrative clinical nutritionist, I work with clients in Christchurch and throughout New Zealand, providing personalised, evidence-informed nutrition care. My focus is on understanding what's driving your symptoms, not simply managing them, so together we can create a personalised plan that supports meaningful, lasting improvements in your digestive health.
Nutrition Support for Gut and Digestive Health
AREAS I SUPPORT
Does this sound like you?
RECOGNISING THE PATTERN
Bloating, abdominal discomfort or excessive wind
Acid reflux or heartburn
Constipation, diarrhoea or unpredictable bowel habits
Food intolerances, including gluten or dairy
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)
Small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO)
Gut dysbiosis
Increased intestinal permeability ("leaky gut")
Concerns about parasites or previous gut infections
Ongoing digestive symptoms despite normal test results
Gut symptoms can look different from person to person, but many of my clients experience one or more of the following:
What your digestive symptoms may be telling you
A LITTLE CLARITY
Your digestive system does far more than digest food. It plays an important role in immunity, metabolism, hormone regulation and mental wellbeing. Ongoing digestive symptoms are often a sign that something deserves further investigation.
Conditions such as IBS, SIBO, gut dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut) can present with many of the same symptoms, including bloating, reflux, abdominal discomfort, constipation and diarrhoea. While they often overlap, they don't always have the same underlying cause.
While therapeutic diets, such as a low FODMAP diet, can be valuable tools, they're rarely intended as a long-term solution. My approach is to understand your unique health picture and develop a personalised plan to improve gut health, support digestive function and restore confidence around food. Where appropriate, this may include targeted nutrition and lifestyle strategies, supplementation, or advanced functional testing such as breath testing for SIBO or comprehensive stool analysis.
This Work Is Personal
WHY THIS MATTERS TO ME
My path into digestive health began long before I studied nutrition. After developing a Blastocystis hominis infection in my early twenties, I spent seven years living with persistent digestive symptoms, including bloating, abdominal pain, IBS and increasing food intolerances.
Even after the parasite was finally eradicated, rebuilding my digestive health, restoring my gut microbiome and learning how to support my body took time, patience and persistence. It's a journey that continues to shape how I work today, bringing together lived experience and evidence-informed nutrition to provide personalised support for people navigating their own digestive health challenges.
How I work with you
WORKING TOGETHER
Improving digestive health isn't about following increasingly restrictive diets. It's about understanding what's contributing to your symptoms and finding the right combination of nutrition, lifestyle and targeted support to help you feel better, eat with confidence and enjoy food again.
01
Your initial consultation
A 70-minute nutrition consultation, in person in Christchurch or online, where we'll explore your health story, digestive symptoms and the patterns that may be contributing to your gut health.
02
Building Foundations
A personalised nutrition plan tailored to your individual needs, which may include therapeutic dietary strategies, supplements or lifestyle recommendations.
03
Further Investigation
Where appropriate, we'll discuss whether functional testing such as a stool or breath test may provide additional insight and help guide your personalised plan.
04
Ongoing coaching as you progress
Regular follow-up sessions allow us to adapt your plan as your needs change, building understanding and confidence along the way.
Related areas I support
CONNECTED AREAS
Digestive health is closely connected to many other systems throughout the body, including hormone balance and skin health. Symptoms often overlap, so you may also find these related areas helpful.
AREAS I SUPPORT
Skin & Hair Health
Explore the important connection between gut health and inflammatory skin conditions.
EXPLORE →
AREAS I SUPPORT
Women’s Hormonal Health
Because gut health and hormone balance are closely connected, symptoms often overlap.
EXPLORE →
COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions people often ask
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Although they often overlap, they're not the same condition. Histamine intolerance occurs when histamine builds up because it isn't cleared efficiently, whereas MCAS involves mast cells releasing histamine and other chemical messengers more readily than they should. Some people experience one, while many experience a combination of both.
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No. A low histamine diet is usually a temporary strategy to help settle symptoms. The goal is always to expand your diet again, creating the most varied and nourishing way of eating your body can comfortably tolerate.
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Yes. Histamine intolerance and MCAS can be complex and often benefit from a collaborative approach. Where appropriate, I work alongside your GP and other healthcare providers to ensure your care is coordinated, evidence-informed and tailored to your individual needs.
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Not necessarily. Functional testing is only recommended when it's likely to provide meaningful information that will change your care plan. In many cases, we can make significant progress through a detailed health history, nutrition and lifestyle changes alone.
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I am currently certified in both Integrative Nutrition and Performance Nutrition and am completing my final year of supervised clinical mentoring towards becoming an Accredited and Registered Clinical Nutritionist and Complementary Medical Practitioner in Australasia. As part of this process, I continue to practise under the guidance of an experienced clinical mentor.
Not sure where to start?
A GENTLE NEXT STEP
A complimentary 15-minute chat is a simple way to connect, ask questions and explore whether we're the right fit. No pressure, no obligation, just a conversation.