Firstly, Introduce yourself! Who are you, what do you do, and what are your passions?
Hi! My name is Melissa, and I am an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Registered
Nutritionist from Melbourne, Australia.
I help individuals who are following a plant-based/vegan lifestyle to improve their health, manage a variety of medical conditions and optimise their wellbeing.
My goal is to educate, guide and support you to achieve your health goals with evidence-based strategies in a judgement-free zone. I am passionate about helping you to follow a diet that aligns with your core values. I also specialise in treating clients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I have completed extra training in this space, having completed the Monash University Low FODMAP diet for health professional’s course.
I have been vegan for over 9 years. I am passionate about advocating for a plant-based lifestyle and I understand first-hand the importance of having a health professional that can understand and relate to the core values of a vegan lifestyle.
In my spare time, you will either find me in the kitchen creating delicious plant-based
recipes or eating at cafes and restaurants. I also love getting outside and being active I love running, hiking, camping and swimming.
What exactly is a plant-based diet? What does it consist of?
Plant-based eating is a broad term that covers a range of eating patterns, from vegan to including small to moderate amounts of animal-based products in your diet.
Plant-based eating means most of the foods you eat are from plant sources, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, beans and oils.
This eating pattern may include small amounts of animal products, such as meat, fish/seafood, eggs and dairy.
Plant-based can also describe food or drinks that don’t contain animal products, including soy milk and ‘meat alternatives’ (usually made from soy, textured vegetable protein or wheat gluten).
A vegan diet/lifestyle is the exclusion of all animal products and their counterparts. This includes meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and honey - as well as their derivatives. Most vegans will also adhere to not wearing or purchasing materials/clothing derived from animal products- i.e: Leather, down, fur etc, as well as avoid the purchase of products that test on animals.
So what this means is, you can be considered “plant based” and consume small amounts of animal products on occasion, or you could be vegetarian or vegan. I am personally vegan myself. However, I do also see clients who aren’t vegan/plant based.
How and why did you initially discover and get into eating this way?
I adopted a vegan lifestyle in late 2013 after learning of the ethical and environmental impacts of consuming animal products and since then I haven't gone back.
What are some of the benefits of a plant-based diet?
Plant-based eating has been associated with reduced body weight and lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers such as bowel cancer.
Benefits from plant based dietary patterns can mainly be attributed to:
Increased fibre intake – Fibre is the indigestible component of plant foods such as wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. Fibre is very beneficial for our health in a number of ways including: Improved bowel function, improved gut microbiome profile, reduced cholesterol levels and reduced risk of colon cancer.
Decrease in saturated fats - Saturated fats are the unhealthy type of fat that can increase our cholesterol levels. Foods high in saturated fats include Red meat and processed meat as well as full fat dairy products and processed food (chips, chocolate, fried foods etc) Typically when implementing a plant based pattern of eating, your saturated fat intake decreases, which can have positive effects on health. However, it is important to note the coconut is a notable source of saturated fats, so it is important to not rely on coconut products solely as replacements.
Increase in antioxidants & phytochemicals – Plant based foods are rich sources of antioxidants. They are mostly found in fruits and vegetables, nuts and wholegrains. A diet high in antioxidants may reduce the risk of many diseases (including heart disease and certain cancers). Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from the body cells and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation. The most common example of an antioxidant is beta-carotene, typically found in orange vegetables such as carrots and pumpkin.
What is IBS, and how do you help to treat the condition?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects 1 in 7 people. Symptoms include bloating, gas, stomach pain and altered bowel habits
(constipation/diarrhoea). It is thought that a number of factors play a role in the development of this condition. Treatment of IBS is a very individualised approach, as the condition can vary significantly from person to person. During the consultation, I typically examine the nutritional adequacy of your diet as well as fibre intake, possible food triggers including FODMAPs, food chemicals, and others. You may then be guided through dietary elimination and rechallenge in order to determine your individual food triggers. The low FODMAP diet is recommended to be undertaken under the guidance of a dietitian in order to formulate an individualised management plan and to determine which FODMAP subgroups are best tolerated. Due to the restrictive and difficult nature of the low FODMAP diet combined with a vegan diet, I help ensure individuals are meeting their nutritional requirements and fuelling their body adequately.
There is a lot of stigma around plant-based or vegan diets - such as that people on these diets do not get enough iron, protein or sufficient overall nutrients. What are your thoughts around this?
Well-constructed and planned plant-based diets such as vegetarian and vegan can be successfully achieved; however careful consideration in some groups is needed to prevent nutrient deficiencies. It is definitely possible to receive adequate intake of the above nutrients, however it is important to consume a well-balanced diet and supplement appropriately. If you are vegan, it is important to be supplementing Vitamin B12. It is important to be aware of your intake of some specific nutrients. Some key nutrients to keep in mind are:
Iron
B12
Calcium
Zinc
Omega 3
Vitamin D
Whether you are new to the game or have been vegan for a considerable amount of time, I do recommend seeing a dietitian who specialises in the area to ensure your diet is optimal to sustain good long term health outcomes and prevent deficiencies.
For someone interested in trying more of a plant-based focused diet, what are some
easy food swaps we can make each day?
Including more fruits and vegetables into your diet is a great first step. I recommend filling up at least ½ of your plate with vegetables at main meals. When starting out, try to think of what you can add to your diet rather than what you can takeaway.
Other Simple swaps:
Incorporate more legumes. For example, if you would typically have bolognese sauce with your pasta, try using brown lentils or Textured vegetable protein (TVP) as a substitute.
Trial some plant based milks to find out which one you enjoy most – i.e: Soy, Almond, Oat etc.
Swap butter to Nuttelex
Swap the meat in your stir fry to tofu
Try a dairy free yoghurt (I personally love Vita Soy Greek Style Soy Yoghurt)
Do you think the plant-based diet is for everyone? What type of dietary needs is this
diet best for?
Plant based dietary patterns can be particularly helpful for those with high cholesterol, due to the increased fibre content and low saturated fat profile. It can also be helpful from a weight management perspective in some cases, as well as reducing blood pressure. Taking an individualised approach for each client is very important. While I always encourage individuals to incorporate more plants into their diet, sometimes a fully vegan diet may not be appropriate in every single situation (i.e: Eating Disorders)
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