Riverland Balanced Nutrition

Riverland Balanced Nutrition Felicity is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and Riverland local with over 15 years experience. Specialising in rural health care across every life stage.

In-person (Riverland) and Telehealth Australia wide. Special interest in women’s health.

Early in my career, I worked in a major tertiary hospital.I rotated through radiotherapy, respiratory and paediatrics.An...
30/03/2026

Early in my career, I worked in a major tertiary hospital.

I rotated through radiotherapy, respiratory and paediatrics.
And there are people I still think about, 15 years later.

The young father with oesophageal cancer.
He couldn’t swallow. He couldn’t speak.
I saw him twice a week for months. I met his wife. His kids.
He later passed away.

Patients so malnourished they couldn’t eat, because breathing took everything they had.

The toddler with severe facial burns after pulling a cup of boiling tea down in a split second.

The man in his 50s, facing life without his leg after years of uncontrolled diabetes.

These weren’t textbook cases.
They were real people. Real families. Real outcomes.

And they’re a big part of why I care so much about preventative health.

Because while not everything is preventable…
a lot is influenced by what we do consistently over time.

The hard part?
Prevention doesn’t feel urgent.

It’s the small, repetitive, often boring habits.
The ones that are easy to put off.

Until one day, it isn’t.

Prevention isn’t about perfection.
It’s about:
• catching things earlier
• building sustainable habits
• reducing risk where we can

My job is to take something that feels overwhelming…
and break it down into steps that actually feel doable.

Because your future health isn’t something that just happens.
It’s something you’re building, one decision at a time.

The cool weather is approaching, and with it comes the season of sickness. However, supporting your immune system doesn’...
30/03/2026

The cool weather is approaching, and with it comes the season of sickness. However, supporting your immune system doesn’t start in the supplement aisle. It starts with the things most people skip because they’re not flashy.

Here’s what actually makes a difference:

• Enough sleep
This is when your immune system does most of its repair work. Consistently cutting sleep short = reduced immune function.

• Hydration
No, water isn’t magic. But even mild dehydration can impact how well your body functions, including your immune response.

• Fibre for gut health
A huge part of your immune system lives in your gut. Fibre feeds beneficial bacteria, which play a key role in immune regulation.

• Vegetables & fruit
You’re not just getting vitamin C and calling it a day. Whole foods contain a combination of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and plant compounds that work together, something supplements can’t fully replicate.

• Adequate protein
Your body needs protein to produce immune cells, antibodies, and signalling molecules. Skimping here doesn’t help.

• Regular movement
Supports circulation of immune cells and overall health. You don’t need punishment workouts. Consistency wins.

• Vitamin D
One of the few nutrients where supplementation might be useful, depending on your levels and sun exposure. Get your levels checked before jumping on the supplement train.

• Stress management
Chronic stress = impaired immune response. Whilst we cant always eliminate stress, we can work on how we respond to it. Enter good sleep and nutrition.

Supplements can have a place.
But they’re not a shortcut past the fundamentals.

Most people don’t need more products.
They need better consistency.

A last-minute appointment has become available:- Tomorrow Wednesday 25th March- 3:45pm- Loxton officeMy next available n...
24/03/2026

A last-minute appointment has become available:

- Tomorrow Wednesday 25th March
- 3:45pm
- Loxton office

My next available new client appointment isn’t until the 5th of May, so this is a great opportunity to be seen sooner.

If you’ve been meaning to book in for support with nutrition, chronic health conditions, or women’s health, now is your chance.

Send a message or book in online to secure this spot.

It was a pleasure speaking with parents and children at Our Lady of the River last week on building lunchboxes to fuel g...
16/03/2026

It was a pleasure speaking with parents and children at Our Lady of the River last week on building lunchboxes to fuel growing bodies. Food makes a difference to children's learning, concentration and behaviour, and small changes can go a long way.

“I feel like I ruined everything this week.”A client said this to me recently after telling me about a day of eating tha...
15/03/2026

“I feel like I ruined everything this week.”

A client said this to me recently after telling me about a day of eating that looked a bit like this:

Toast for breakfast.
A fried pub meal with family.
Ice cream on the way home.
Chocolate after dinner.

In her mind, this meant she had completely fallen off track.

So we slowed down and looked at it together.

That day happened because she was exhausted.
She was hungrier than usual.
She didn’t have the energy to prepare the meals she normally would.

She also spent time with family and enjoyed a spontaneous ice cream.

When we zoomed out, something interesting appeared.

It was one day.
Not a week.
Not a month.
Not a pattern.

One day.

But diet culture has taught many people that eating something “off plan” means you’ve ruined your progress and need to start again on Monday.

That’s not how real life works.

Your health is built on patterns over time, not a single tired day where dinner was a pub meal and dessert happened to include ice cream.

Instead of guilt, we reframed it:

• It was a busy, tiring day
• Food was convenient and social, and she enjoyed it.
• Nothing was “ruined”
• Tomorrow simply returns to normal routines

No punishment.
No starting again.
Just continuing on.

Because one day of eating never defines your health.

I’m incredibly honoured to be nominated for Dietitian of the Year in the 2026 Allied Health Awards.Running a rural diete...
26/02/2026

I’m incredibly honoured to be nominated for Dietitian of the Year in the 2026 Allied Health Awards.

Running a rural dietetics practice isn’t always the easy path, but it’s one I care deeply about. Every referral, every patient story, every collaboration with local GPs and health professionals has shaped the work I do.

Thank you to the person who took the time to nominate me. It means more than you know.

I’m proud of the service I’ve built here, and the difference nutrition care can make in our community 💛

How many of your meals today contained fresh food?Be honest. Did it look something like this?Breakfast: cereal and milk?...
24/02/2026

How many of your meals today contained fresh food?

Be honest.

Did it look something like this?

Breakfast: cereal and milk? Toast?
Lunch: ham and cheese toastie? Vegemite sandwich? Saladas and cheese?
Snack: biscuits and coffee?

You can get to 5pm and realise you’ve eaten very little fruit or vegetables.

When you’re meals are lacking fresh food, they’re often low in:

• Fibre (gut health, blood sugar control, cholesterol)
• Bulk and volume (fullness and appetite regulation)
• Vitamins and minerals (energy, immunity, hormones)

Fresh food is where the magic happens.
It’s the difference between “I’ve eaten” and “I’m actually nourished.”

This isn’t about cutting foods out.
It’s about noticing what’s missing.

Before you overhaul your whole diet, try this tomorrow:
Add one fresh food to each meal.

A piece of fruit with breakfast.
Spinach or tomato in your toastie.
Salad or veggie sticks on the side.

Frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables are are a great option when fresh isn’t available.

Small additions. Big impact. Your body will thank you for it.

When I was running on broken sleep, my hunger cues were completely skewed. I was hungrier than usual, eating past comfor...
23/02/2026

When I was running on broken sleep, my hunger cues were completely skewed. I was hungrier than usual, eating past comfort, and constantly “needing” food for energy. It felt physiological, and a lot of it was. But there were also behaviours layered on top that I had to own.

Here are the three things I had to get honest about.

1. I wasn’t hungry. I was exhausted.
When you’re chronically tired, your brain wants fast energy. Translation: sweets, quick carbs, anything that promises a lift.

Except the lift is usually a blip. Then you crash. Then you want more. Repeat until 8pm and you’re wondering why you feel flat and snacky.

The turning point wasn’t cutting sugar. It was catching myself in the moment and asking:
• Am I physically hungry?
• Or am I desperate for energy?

That awareness alone changed my choices. Sometimes I still ate. But often I addressed the actual issue, which was fatigue, hydration, fresh air, movement, or simply accepting I was tired instead of trying to eat my way out of it.

2. The “little extras” weren’t little.
The second milky coffee I didn’t really need.
A row of chocolate after dinner.
Finishing the kids’ leftovers.

Individually? Harmless.
Daily? Not so harmless.

When appetite regulation is off, these unconscious extras creep in easily. I didn’t need a dramatic overhaul. I needed small boundaries.

Not restriction. Just intention.

3. I stopped waiting to “feel motivated” to move.
When you’re tired, you move less. Incidental steps drop. You sit more. Your body feels heavier. It becomes a loop.

I had to drop the all-or-nothing mindset.

Some days it was a 30-minute walk.
Some days it was 3–5 minutes of high-intensity exercise while the kids watched a show.

Was it glamorous? No.
Was it consistent? Yes.

Doing something within my energy capacity every day rebuilt momentum. And momentum beats motivation every time.

If your weight has crept up during a season of poor sleep, stress or hormones, it doesn’t mean you lack willpower. It often means your physiology and your habits quietly shifted together.

The fix usually isn’t extreme. It’s awareness, honesty, and small consistent actions.

Annoyingly simple. Incredibly effective.

Did you know I visit Renmark once per month, consulting from Renmark Medical Clinic?As a rural dietitian, I support peop...
18/02/2026

Did you know I visit Renmark once per month, consulting from Renmark Medical Clinic?

As a rural dietitian, I support people of all ages with:
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart health and cholesterol
• Weight management
• Women’s health (PCOS, perimenopause, fertility)
• Pregnancy and paediatric nutrition
• Gut health concerns

Living regionally shouldn’t mean limited access to evidence-based nutrition care.

Medicare EPC referrals and private health rebates available.
Appointments are limited each month.

I’m getting personal with this one. Last year I had to get honest about my sleep and get professional help. Finally my k...
16/02/2026

I’m getting personal with this one. Last year I had to get honest about my sleep and get professional help. Finally my kids were sleeping well, but I wasn’t. I was diagnosed with a health condition that directly messes with sleep. Teamed with some very average lifestyle habits, I was cooked. Running on stress. Gaining weight. Mood all over the place. Functioning, but not well.

So here’s the part where I practise what I preach. These are things I routinely tell clients and yes, I actually do them myself.

1. No caffeine within 8 hours of bedtime.
Not a typo. Eight.
Caffeine has a long half-life, meaning half of it is still circulating in your system long after you drank it. If you’re sensitive, it can absolutely be interfering with your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep even if you feel tired.

2. Limit fluids within 3 hours of bed.
Comfort sips only. No big drinks.
There’s zero benefit in letting your bladder be the thing that wakes you at 2am. Sleep is hard enough without internal sabotage.

3. Limit alcohol.
I love a wine too.
But alcohol is a guaranteed way to trash sleep quality. It fragments sleep and reduces restorative deep sleep. If I do drink, it’s earlier in the day so my body has time to process it. Evening drinks are now rare, because feeling human the next day matters more.

4. No nighttime snacking.
Yes, it’s hard.
But eating close to bedtime keeps your digestive system switched on when your nervous system is meant to be winding down. Blood flow, hormones, insulin, gut activity all stay elevated. Your body can’t fully rest if it’s still busy processing food. Sleep quality takes the hit.

If you’re trying to lose weight or manage health conditions, sleep is not optional. Poor sleep drives hunger hormones, worsens insulin resistance, increases cravings, reduces motivation for movement, and makes fat loss significantly harder.

Fixing sleep doesn’t make everything perfect. But ignoring it makes everything harder.

If this sounds like you and you’re struggling, I can help and there’s a lot more we can do. Because addressing your sleep is worth it.

We’ve had a last minute cancellation and an appointment is available tomorrow morning. Available to:- New or existing cl...
16/02/2026

We’ve had a last minute cancellation and an appointment is available tomorrow morning.

Available to:
- New or existing clients
- Body composition scan

Get in touch if you’d like to come in.

Parents are always asking me for lunchbox protein ideas and for good reason. Protein helps stabilise blood sugars, which...
13/02/2026

Parents are always asking me for lunchbox protein ideas and for good reason. Protein helps stabilise blood sugars, which supports better mood, focus and energy regulation for kids across the school day.

If your kids are anything like mine, they go through phases. One week they’ll eat cold chicken or leftover meat. The next week it’s a hard no. Boiled eggs get rejected. Cheese sticks and yoghurt are usually a win… until they’re suddenly not.

This is where French toast, made the right way, can be a surprisingly good option. It’s a non-meat source of protein, provides longer-lasting energy, tastes good cold, and is lunchbox-friendly.

Protein-packed French Toast (lunchbox-friendly)

Ingredients
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1T maple syrup (less if you prefer less sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• 3 slices wholemeal bread
• Butter, for cooking

Method
1. Whisk eggs, milk, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Heat a frying pan on medium and add a small amount of butter (adds flavour and colour).
3. Soak bread slices in the egg mixture until very soft.
4. Add to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes each side, until golden and cooked through.
5. Sprinkle lightly with icing sugar.

Yes, it’s sugar. And yes, sometimes a small sprinkle improves acceptance for pickier kids. That matters.

Lunchbox tips
• Tastes great cold
• Can be frozen and defrosted overnight
• Cut into fingers or squares for younger kids
• Cheap, filling, and a great way to use up stale bread

Balanced nutrition doesn’t have to look perfect. It just has to get eaten.

Address

39 East Terrace
Loxton, SA
5333

Telephone

+61448917129

Website

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