Food allergy dietitian
Eat with confidence again, without guessing what is safe
Every meal feels like a risk assessment, and the list of foods you avoid keeps getting longer. A dietitian can help you narrow that list to what genuinely needs avoiding, then build meals around it.
Medicare, NDIS, DVA and private health funds accepted.
Understanding Food allergy dietitian
A food allergy is an immune system reaction to a food protein, and it can be serious. A food intolerance is different: your body struggles to digest or process a certain food, which causes discomfort rather than an immune reaction. Both are manageable once you know what you are dealing with.
Your dietitian works from your diagnosis and test results to build an eating plan that avoids your triggers, still covers your nutrition needs and works for your household. Where a trigger is unclear, a structured elimination and reintroduction plan helps you find it without cutting out more food than you need to.
Who does it affect?
children and adults, including families managing more than one allergy at home.
How common is it?
around 1 in 10 Australian infants and 2 in 100 adults live with a food allergy [CONFIRM: ASCIA prevalence figures].
What is the recovery like?
varies. Many childhood allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy settle over time, while nut and seafood allergies are often lifelong.
Who should I see for treatment?
your dietitian, an Accredited Practising Dietitian, alongside your GP or immunologist.
What funding options are available?
Medicare, NDIS, DVA and private health funds accepted.
What is a food allergy?
A food allergy happens when your immune system treats a harmless food protein as a threat. Reactions usually start within minutes to two hours of eating and can involve your skin, gut, airways or blood pressure. Nine foods cause most reactions in Australia: peanut, tree nuts, milk, egg, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, and shellfish.
A food intolerance involves no immune reaction. Symptoms come from digestion, food chemicals or an enzyme shortfall, build more slowly and depend on how much you eat.
Things that shape how allergy and intolerance develop include:
Family history of allergy, eczema, asthma or hay fever
Age, since the gut and immune system change through childhood
Eczema in infancy, which is linked with higher food allergy risk
Delayed introduction of common allergens in the first year of life
Enzyme levels, such as the lactase you need to digest lactose
Dose and timing, which matter for intolerance but not for allergy
Symptoms of Food allergy dietitian
Hives, welts or flushing after eating
Swelling of the lips, face, eyes or tongue
Vomiting, stomach pain or sudden diarrhoea
Wheeze, cough, a tight throat or trouble breathing
Bloating, wind and cramping hours after a meal
Reflux, poor growth or food refusal in young children
Your plan comes out of the assessment, so it reflects your diagnosis, your triggers and how you actually eat.
What to expect at your first appointment
Tell us what is going on
Bring your symptoms, your test results, and the list of foods you currently avoid.
A full assessment
Your dietitian reviews your usual intake, your reaction history, your growth or weight, and any nutrition gaps.
A clear plan
You leave with what to avoid, what to eat instead, and how to handle labels, eating out and reactions.
Review and adjust
Follow-up appointments track symptoms, guide reintroduction and keep your nutrition on track as things change.
When to book an appointment
You have been avoiding a food for more than six weeks and still have symptoms
Your diet has narrowed to the point that meals, work or social life are difficult
You have tried cutting foods out yourself and cannot pin down the trigger
You are unsure whether your reaction is an allergy, an intolerance or something else
Book an assessment if:
Looking after yourself at home
These steps help while you wait for your appointment, and they work alongside your plan.
Family history of allergy, eczema, asthma or hay fever
Age, since the gut and immune system change through childhood
Eczema in infancy, which is linked with higher food allergy risk
Delayed introduction of common allergens in the first year of life
Enzyme levels, such as the lactase you need to digest lactose
Dose and timing, which matter for intolerance but not for allergy
Meet the team who treat this
Behind every appointment is a team of practitioners who know each other, trust each other and work together for you. Across seven clinics and nine disciplines, our team shares expertise, coordinates treatment plans and celebrates your progress together.
Aimee Fuller
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Alicia Whiticker
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amanda Banks
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amanda Duggan
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Amy Meekings
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Anita Beerapu
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Benjamin Tucker
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Blake Cossar
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Bronte Tupper
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Chris Farrugia
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Corrina Aitken
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
David Logue
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Dean Gresser
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Emma Nassif
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Esha Sharma
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Fatima Hussaini
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Felicity Spencer-Davey
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Frankie Raikadroka
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Hannah Norrie
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Heather Edwards
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Isaac Vella
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Jarrah Nesbitt
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Jonathan Lopez
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Justin Hanna
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kasey Collins
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Katrina Gauci
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kennedy Touet
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kristy Edwards
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Kyle Perry
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Lorna Nicastri
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Maja Bosic
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Marxy Koronel
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Matt Barton
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Michael Todd
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Mr Jeffery Jenkins FACPS
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Nathan Cavanagh
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Patrick Celeban
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Praise Khin
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Sarah Bonnici
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Shannon Smith
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Siobhan Kelly
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Taleisha Bozzi
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Trystan Singh
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Uty Kotwal
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Yoni Hochberg
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
Zak Lloyd
Healthcare Support Officer
Available at Blaxland
EPC, DVA, NDIS and WorkCover welcome
Nearly half of our appointments are funded through Medicare, DVA, NDIS or WorkCover. We manage the paperwork so you can focus on your health.
NDIS
We support eligible NDIS participants across podiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology, dietetics and psychology, depending on your plan and goals. Eligibility and funding are set by your plan.
Medicare
Medicare may rebate podiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and dietetics sessions when your GP refers you under an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) or Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan, and psychology sessions under a Mental Health Care Plan. The number of sessions is set by your plan.
DVA
Gold and White card holders can access DVA-funded care across our services with a valid referral.
WorkCover
If you have been injured at work, we accept WorkCover referrals for physiotherapy, exercise physiology and psychology, and manage the paperwork with your insurer, with a clear return-to-work plan.
Seven clinics across three regions
Find a clinic near you. Each location is staffed by local practitioners who know your community.
Penrith
Western SydneyOur largest centre, with our full range of services under one roof.
Ropes Crossing
Western SydneyPodiatry, at Ropes Crossing Village.
Blaxland
Blue MountainsPodiatry, physiotherapy, exercise physiology and group classes.
Springwood
Blue MountainsPodiatry, dietetics and a boutique footwear store.
Katoomba
Blue MountainsPodiatry, physiotherapy and dietetics, in a restored 1914 cottage.
Ryde
North ShorePodiatry, physiotherapy, dietetics and exercise physiology, with a footwear store and gait analysis.
Lindfield
North ShorePodiatry, with mobile podiatry across the North Shore and Northern Beaches.
Ready to stop guessing what is safe to eat?
See a dietitian who knows food allergy, and get a plan you can actually live with.
Frequently asked questions
Can a dietitian diagnose a food allergy?
No. Diagnosis sits with your GP or a clinical immunologist, who combines your reaction history with skin prick testing, blood testing or a supervised food challenge. Your dietitian works from that diagnosis to build and manage your eating plan. If you have not been tested yet, your dietitian can help you organise your history and symptom diary so that appointment is more useful.
Are IgG food sensitivity tests, hair analysis or bioresonance worth doing?
No. These tests are not validated for diagnosing food allergy or intolerance and often return long lists of foods you react to on paper but tolerate in real life. Acting on them usually narrows your diet without improving symptoms. A supervised elimination and reintroduction plan remains the reliable way to identify a food trigger.
Is lactose intolerance the same as a milk allergy?
No. Lactose intolerance is a shortage of the enzyme that digests milk sugar, so symptoms are gut based and depend on how much you have. Milk allergy is an immune reaction to milk protein and can be severe with tiny amounts. Many people with lactose intolerance manage hard cheese, yoghurt or lactose-free milk comfortably.
Can children outgrow a food allergy?
Often, yes. Allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy commonly resolve during childhood, while peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish allergies are more likely to persist. Only your child’s doctor can decide when a repeat test or supervised challenge is appropriate. Never test at home. Your dietitian then helps reintroduce the food properly once it is cleared.
Do I need to avoid foods labelled "may contain traces of nuts"?
It depends on your risk, so this is a decision to make with your treating doctor rather than in the aisle. Precautionary labelling is voluntary in Australia and does not tell you how much allergen might be present. Your dietitian can show you which everyday products carry it, so you do not lose more staple foods than necessary.
How do I manage eating out and travelling with a food allergy?
Plan ahead and communicate early. Call venues before you arrive, ask about ingredients and preparation surfaces rather than menu labels alone, and carry safe snacks. For travel, pack medication in your hand luggage with a letter from your doctor, and take translation cards for your allergens. Your dietitian can help you build these scripts and a travel food list.