Savanna Nicka - Clinical Nutritionist

Savanna Nicka - Clinical Nutritionist As a Nutritionist I strive to educate and support my clients to achieve optimal health and wellness.

Time for a little reintroduction! Welcome to my page — and a big hello to all new faces here!I’m Savanna, a nutritionist...
08/10/2025

Time for a little reintroduction!

Welcome to my page — and a big hello to all new faces here!

I’m Savanna, a nutritionist passionate about helping people reconnect with food in a way that feels nourishing, balanced, and sustainable. My approach is rooted in evidence-based nutrition, but also honours real life — because food is more than nutrients, it’s connection, culture, and comfort.

With a super strong food as medicine approach, i absolutely love working with my clients to achieve their goals in all areas of health and well-being.

My speciality areas are gut health, paediatrics, diabetes/cholesterol and weight management.

I'm not amazing at posting on social media, so if you have questions and would like to connect, give me a call! I'm always up for a chat when it comes to health!

I look forward to supporting you on your wellness journey.

📷 Lauren Murphy Photography

Do you eat 30-50 plant foods per week?Consuming a broad range of plant foods significantly increases gut bacteria divers...
19/07/2025

Do you eat 30-50 plant foods per week?

Consuming a broad range of plant foods significantly increases gut bacteria diversity, leading to better digestive health, stronger immune function, and lower levels of inflammation. Think vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, legumes, and wholegrains.

Need more information on achieving the ideal plant food intake? Like this post and comment "gut food" and I'll send it straight to your in box!

Healthy snacks! Look at that colour! I am asked aaalllllllll the time for healthy snack ideas. If you've got enough prot...
26/04/2025

Healthy snacks! Look at that colour!
I am asked aaalllllllll the time for healthy snack ideas. If you've got enough protein and healthy fats in your diet, then you may only need one nutrient dense snack in your day. This would vary if your energy expenditure was really high... obviously. This one is a mixture of tuna, avo, spring onion, corn kernels, chopped cucumber, salt and pepper, lemon juice, and a dash of mayo. Yummo!


Zucchini Fritters.If you're looking for a way to use up your zucchinis like I was, these fritters turned out pretty damn...
10/04/2025

Zucchini Fritters.

If you're looking for a way to use up your zucchinis like I was, these fritters turned out pretty damn good. I don't waste food, so most of my inspiration for cooking comes from whatevers left in the fridge and needs to be used!

Always always make extra so you have leftovers for breakfast, lunch, snacks, etc. Organisation and preparation are key to eating well.

I just served these with a basic salsa (too many cherry toms in my garden) and some fish. And then today, I topped them with eggs and the leftover salsa for breakfast, so good!

3-4 medium zucchinis, grated, moisture squeezed out
Medium onion, diced - i used red but brown would be fine
3/4 tin of corn, drained. Reserve rest for salsa.
Parmesan, approximately 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup or so of flour, i used buckwheat flour but any will do
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients and form into patties on a lined baking tray. Brush with olive oil and bake at 200 fan forced for around 30 minutes, turning once. Add chopped tomato, spring onion, coriander, avocado and lemon juice to reserved corn for salsa. You're welcome.

Hi! This is me, and I completely dislike taking selfies! So, I'm putting myself out there for this post.Last Saturday 8t...
12/03/2025

Hi!
This is me, and I completely dislike taking selfies! So, I'm putting myself out there for this post.

Last Saturday 8th March was International Women’s Day.  While I’m late to the party, the message I want to put out will never date.  In a clinic situation I see LOADS of women, all ages, sizes and ethnicities.  But unfortunately, EVERY one of them has some criticism of their own bodies.  You’ve heard the saying, you are what you eat, well what about you are what you think?  Your thoughts are super powerful and when you are constantly thinking negative thoughts around your body image and self-worth then physically you will reflect this in the way you dress, your posture and self-care.  Your body knows when you are hating on it.

As women there are many unrealistic standards thrown our way through media/social media, diet culture, cultural and peer pressures which influence heavily on our self-worth and comparisons to others. 

This constant criticism of self, impacts mental health, forms negative behaviours towards eating and food, encourages obsessions with exercise and leads us to social withdrawal and isolation for fear of being judged on appearance.

News flash babes – not one single person is perfect.  We are all perfectly imperfect.  Learn to love your amazing bodies and what they have achieved for you. Question yourself and your behaviours, challenge those negative thoughts.  Focus on fuelling and nourishing your body with healthy, wholesome food.  Move your body because you love it not because you want to punish it and TALK about it, whether that be to friends, family or professional services. 


Cheap and cheats, fish & chips! While it's not your average fish and chips, this inexpensive version will fill you up an...
03/03/2025

Cheap and cheats, fish & chips!

While it's not your average fish and chips, this inexpensive version will fill you up and provide a healthy,  nourishing meal while not blowing out the budget!

Eating healthy doesn't need to be expensive.  Here's one meal you could add to your meal rotation with leftovers for lunches.

Tuna and Sweet Potato Patties.
*Medium sweet potato, cooked and mashed.
*Small - Medium brown onion, finely diced.
*Large tin of tuna.
*One egg.
Mix all together and refrigerate for an hour before rolling into patties and shallow frying in olive oil. I use a bit of rice flour to coat for some crispy crunch. Served with home made wedges and salad. Lemon a must.

Picked these coloured beauties from my garden over the weekend! We've all heard that ‘eating the rainbow’ is good for yo...
24/02/2025

Picked these coloured beauties from my garden over the weekend!

We've all heard that ‘eating the rainbow’ is good for you, but do you know why?

Eating a variety of colourful fruit and veg is beneficial because different colours provide different nutrients and antioxidants. The benefits of expanding your dietary intake of nutrients and antioxidants are endless! Hot tip – include some of the colours below in each meal.  Yep that’s right, veggies with EVERY meal. Keep the fruit intake to approximately two whole pieces per day.

Red - Lycopene, anthocyanins, vitamin C - tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, capsicum, cherries, watermelon, beetroot, red onion, radish, red cabbage, pink grapefruit

Orange & Yellow - Beta-carotene, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, Vitamin A - carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apricots, peaches, oranges/lemon, mangoes, capsicum, papaya

Green - Chlorophyll, folate, lutein, zeaxanthin, indoles, vitamin K - spinach, broccoli, avocados, cucumbers, kiwi, kale, cabbage, brussel sprouts, bok choy, rocket, green peas, leafy greens

Blue & Purple - Anthocyanins, resveratrol, vitamin C - blueberries, eggplant, grapes, blackberries, black currant, elderberries, plums, prunes

White & Brown - Allicin, Allium, Quercetin, anthoxanthins, fibre/prebiotic, vitamin C - garlic, onions, leeks, mushrooms, potatoes, turnip, parsnip, cauliflower, jicama, celeriac

 

Brain fog? Anxiety? Moods all over the place?  Well, you could blame it on perimenopause (if you’re female), but have yo...
17/02/2025

Brain fog? Anxiety? Moods all over the place? 

Well, you could blame it on perimenopause (if you’re female), but have you considered your blood sugars? Unstable blood sugars throughout the day will lead to all the above symptoms, not to mention inability to lose weight, low energy, increased levels of inflammation, and a higher risk of dementia and stroke. 

Starting your day with a savoury breakfast is a game-changer for balancing your blood sugars.  Higher in protein and healthy fats to stabilise your energy, improve focus, and overall health.

In this pic:

*2 egg omelette = protein and healthy fats
*Small amount of cheese = protein
*Tomato = warmed tomato releases lycopene, potent antioxidant.  It's even better if you drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
*Rocket = fibre and bitters for bile flow and improved digestion.
*Kimchi = fibre, pre and probiotics for good gut health.










Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that play a key role in digestion, immunity, mood, and overall well-being. Inc...
12/02/2025

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that play a key role in digestion, immunity, mood, and overall well-being. Increasing intake of soluble and insoluble fibres can have super positive effects on your gut, BUT if your gut health isn’t optimal, then there’s a downside, too.

Pros:

*Feeds good bacteria – Fibre acts as a prebiotic, fuelling the beneficial microbes in your gut.

*Supports digestion – Bowel regularity and prevents constipation.

*Boosts immunity – A healthy gut = a stronger immune system.

*Regulates blood sugar – Slows down glucose absorption for steady energy.

*Satiation – Aids in weight management by curbing cravings and keeping you fuller for longer.

Cons:

*Bloating & Gas – A sudden increase in fibre can cause discomfort, particularly if your gut bacteria struggle to break it down and over ferments.

*Digestive Issues – Too much fibre, especially without enough water, can lead to constipation or diarrhea.

*Nutrient Absorption – Excess fibre may interfere with the absorption of minerals like iron, calcium, and zinc.  Consideration is needed in a strict vegan or vegetarian diet.

*Feeling Too Full – Fibre can reduce appetite too much, making it hard to eat enough calories, especially for those with higher energy needs.

If you align with the cons rather than the pros, then you may need some gut work!  Rebalancing the microbiome and healing the gut will improve your tolerance to fibres, giving you the freedom to expand your dietary fibre intake without the gut issues.  Want to know more? Book in for a free discovery call.

 

Hello! It's been a looonnngg time between posts. So I'd better start with a foodie pic. I've said it 100 times but I'll ...
10/12/2024

Hello! It's been a looonnngg time between posts. So I'd better start with a foodie pic. I've said it 100 times but I'll say it again...nutrition can be super easy! This tuna salad was a complete throw together to get the week started right. Don't be scared to mix and match flavours and always make sure it's a blend of plant food, protein and healthy fats to support gut health, energy, blood sugar balance and EVERYTHING really. Too many people overthink healthy eating, what's the saying? Keep it simple stupid...something like that. Don't cook your brain by counting calories, weighing foods and just generally worrying about what you should and shouldn't be eating. Whole food nutrition is where you start, the basics of meat/fish, veg, herbs, nuts, seeds, fruit, eggs. If it's not out of a packet then you're probably on the right track. I love talking about this stuff and utilising food as medicine, so book a free discovery call to see if a consultation with me (in the new year) would be right for you.
Back to the tuna salad...large tin tuna, chickpeas, chives, broccoli, asparagus, capers, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. This was the base. I then used it for a baked potato topping for dinner and as a salad for lunch the next day, topped with pine nuts and goats feta of course, because it's the best! ❤️

Metabolic flexibility.  This is one of my favourite terms and if you have blood sugar dysregulation then this is what yo...
21/03/2024

Metabolic flexibility. This is one of my favourite terms and if you have blood sugar dysregulation then this is what you need to regain.

How do you know if your blood sugars are dysregulated?

Low energy (particularly crashing in the afternoon)
Mood imbalance
Sugar cravings
Hormonal imbalance
Inability to lose weight
Weight gain
Recurrent infections
Poor immune function
Headaches
Brain fog
Insomnia/sleep irregularities
Premature ageing.

This symptom set can apply to many conditions but in our society where rates of obesity and diabetes are excessively high you can bet that if you tick these boxes then you need to make some changes.

To start:
Reduce your intake of simple carbohydrates
Increase consumption of protein, healthy fats and fibre
Daily exercise- as simple as a 30 minute walk, pace increases health benefits

Depending on how inflexible your metabolic function is, you may also need therapeutic doses of particular nutrients.

Obtaining metabolic flexibility is extremely important for ongoing health and avoidance of chronic disease.

Book a discovery call if this sounds like you.

How's your food prepping for 2024 going so far? Organisation is key to setting yourself up with healthy meal choices on ...
04/01/2024

How's your food prepping for 2024 going so far?

Organisation is key to setting yourself up with healthy meal choices on a daily basis. If you spend just a little time thinking about your shopping list, cooking a bit extra or even just making sure you have your favourite staples in the fridge and pantry, you're saving yourself from the poor food choice roller coaster. 

Some tips for success:

*Plan your week (or roughly anyway). Get some meal ideas and do your shop based on that.

*ALWAYS cook extra. This allows for you to either reheat for lunch what you've had the night before or use the leftovers to create something else. For example,  additional rice/quinoa/pasta = add to a chopped salad or poke bowl, extra baked veg (bake ALL the veg) = use for salads, omelette,  frittata.

*Batch cook salads, stir-fry,  soups, veggie fritters, muffin frittatas, batches of savoury mince, anything that will last a few days in the fridge or you can portion and freeze for another meal.

*Mix up your flavours! Staples for me would be a variety of nuts and seeds, fresh herbs and spices, lemons and limes, infused oils, feta, avo, parmesan and basic sauces like soy or tamari. You can easily make a marinade or dressing to top anything. 

*And finally,  think outside the box. If it's the end of the week and you literally have 2 veggies left in your fridge and can't be bothered going shopping,  google the hell out of those veggies for recipes! You will no doubt have some form of protein in the freezer and additional items in your pantry to come up with something tasty.

Cheers to healthy eating. 😘

#2024

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3922

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Friday 9am - 5pm

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