SB Nutrition

Home
New Zealand
Dunedin
SB Nutrition

Helping busy women improve their health and feel better from the inside out
- no fads, just simple, science-backed support.

Gut Health, Women's Health and Nutrition for Kids
| MSc Human Nutrition | 1:1 Coaching I can help with individual consultations, as well as seminars and cooking demonstrations for groups and employee wellness programmes. I also provide nutrition consultancy services for businesses.

20/04/2026

I’m really excited to share that the research paper based on my Masters project has finally been published!
This is something I’ve been working on for a (very!) long time, with a lot of help and guidance from my fantastic supervisors who are experts in the field.

My research looked at front-of-package labelling (in particular, the Health Star Rating (HSR), which is used in Australia and New Zealand), and how well this aligns with dietary guidelines in Australia, and the Nova food classification system.

The main takeaways were that over 70% of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and 58% of discretionary foods scored a “healthy pass” (≥2.5 stars out of a possible 5 stars) - despite updates to the HSR algorithm that were meant to bring it more in line with dietary guidelines. The proportion of UPFs scoring ≥2.5 stars also increased over the implementation period of the updated algorithm.

This shows that a high proportion of UPFs can still achieve “healthy” ratings, and although the results represent selective uptake of the HSR, mandating the current scheme (as is now planned in Australia) will still allow unhealthy products to display high ratings.

⭐️ Even if you’re not located in Australia or NZ, the results of our study may still be relevant: some other front-of-package labelling schemes use similar algorithms to the HSR, so are vulnerable to the same issues. Before starting my own research I completed a review paper of previous research, and found that many other schemes also allow unhealthy foods to achieve “healthy” ratings. Those that aligned best with the Nova classification system were the “warning label” schemes that are used in many Latin American countries.

Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/4vzzq3B

13/04/2026

Hands up if you feel like you get enough sleep? 🙋🏽‍♀️

Sleep is one of the areas I believe most of us could do with improving (myself included!), which is why I specifically included this as a focus point for my online group program.

Poor sleep can have many negative effects on health, including
• increased cortisol
• inflammation
• gut permeability (“leaky gut”)
• uncomfortable gut symptoms like bloating

Lack of sleep can also disrupt your hunger and satiety hormones (ghrelin and leptin) – which can make you feel hungrier, and more likely to reach for energy-dense, ultra-processed foods.
👉🏼 These choices can impact your gut microbes, reducing the beneficial types and increasing amounts of pro-inflammatory microbes.

But this is also a two-way relationship: your gut and gut microbes can also influence your sleep quality, by producing neurotransmitters that regulate sleep and promote calm.

You can help promote better quality sleep by having regular sleep and wake times, avoiding screen use 1-2 hours before sleep, and limiting other “sleep disrupters” like caffeine and alcohol.

Interested in learning more about how to support better sleep and a healthier gut?
I’m opening enrolments soon for the next cohort of my online gut health course, Restore-Balance-Thrive.
👉🏼 Join the waitlist here: https://mailchi.mp/c0049a365b1c/restore-balance-thrive

📷: Greg Pappas/Unsplash

02/04/2026

Looking for healthier Easter treat ideas?
Here are a few of my favourites 👉🏼

• Hot Cross Bliss Balls
• Carrot Cake Mini Muffins
• Chocolate Bliss Balls
• Bunny Banana Pancakes
• Carrot Cake Bliss Balls

You’ll find all these via the “Recipes” link in my bio 👆🏼
or at https://www.sb-nutrition.com/recipes-blogs/tags/easter-recipes

Happy Easter! 🐣

20/03/2026

I get it - it can be a big, scary step to see a nutritionist.
“What happens if she tells me I can’t eat the foods I love, and that I’m only allowed to eat vegetables?”

Many people think my job is just about telling you to eat lots of fruit and veg, and to stop eating all the things you enjoy.

Yes - I will suggest adjustments you could make to your meals to make them more nutritious.

And yes - if I see that less healthy foods are taking up more space than they should (ie. making up the majority of your diet), then I’ll let you know that you could reduce these.

BUT - I’ll also work with you to create a plan as to HOW you can reduce these (for example suggesting an alternative that’s acceptable to you, or perhaps gradually reducing your intake).

👉🏼 Swipe for more on how I can help

My services are designed to meet you where you are.
See the “Work with me” link in my bio
to find out how I can help👆🏼

18/03/2026

Most of us experience symptoms such as bloating and gas on a daily basis, and sometimes an occasional case of diarrhoea or constipation.

🚩 But if these are accompanied by pain, are ongoing,or impact your quality of life – this couldbe a sign that things aren’t normal, and it’s time to see your doctor for tests and to rule out underlying conditions.

If you’ve been cleared by your doctor, and are still experiencing symptoms, you could be your own symptom investigator with the approach I’ve taken my Restore-Balance-Thrive participants through:

1️⃣ Record your symptoms, food intake, other significant information (eg. stress, menstrual cycle, mood etc) for a week.Check for any patterns between your symptoms and foods,or with other factors.

2️⃣ Have you seen a pattern? Try limiting or omitting foods you think you might be reacting to for a short period (start with 2 weeks). Check in after this period: do you still have symptoms?

3️⃣ Reintroduce the foods to see if your symptoms return.

Find out more about Restore-Balance-Thrive and join the waitlist for our next cohort here: https://mailchi.mp/c0049a365b1c/restore-balance-thrive

04/03/2026

Obesity isn’t just about “willpower, and can’t be solved simply by “eating less and training more”.
Weight is influenced by a complex web of biological, environmental, and social factors.

Our food environment has changed dramatically over time, and is now dominated by ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
UPFs are often energy-dense, nutrient-poor, and designed to have us coming back for more. They’re also aggressively marketed, cheap, widely available, and convenient.

At the same time, we know the gut microbiota can play an important role in inflammation, metabolic health, and weight regulation.

A diet high in UPFs can negatively affect the balance of the gut microbiota: when we eat extensively processed foods, our gut bacteria are deprived of the fibre and nutrients they rely on to thrive, which leads to a reduction in beneficial bacteria.

Some additives that are often found in UPFs (particularly emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners) are also thought to have a negative effect on the gut and microbiota.

If you’d like to learn more, I’ve put together a practical guide to understanding UPFs, and a resource on supporting your gut health — you can download these for free via the link in my bio, or at https://www.sb-nutrition.com/free-resources

19/02/2026

📝 Start small
Break down your main goal into smaller, easily achievable goals: this makes it easier to stay on track, and when you’re consistent with your habits, you’ll also increase your motivation.

Once you’ve successfully implemented 1-2 small habits, you can begin to build on this and add others. Small habits add up to big changes over time!

📝 Make your goal specific
Do you want to start running? How far? How long? How often?
Do you want to improve your diet? What specific habit could you start today? For example, could you eat one extra portion of veggies each day?

Make your goal specific so you know what you’re aiming for. This also helps you know when you’ve actually achieved it too 😉 Tracking on your calendar or a habit tracker can also be helpful for consistency.

📝 Focus on INclusion rather than EXclusion
Research on habit-based lifestyle changes found that focussing on starting a new healthy habit (inclusion) gave better results long term compared with trying to stop unhealthy behaviours (exclusion).

💡 If you focus on inclusion you may find your new healthier habits eventually crowd out some of the ones you wanted to stop anyway.

📝 Identify your barriers
What could stop you from being consistent with your new habit? What hasn’t worked for you in the past?
By identifying your potential barriers you can come up with a plan to overcome these hurdles when they do come up.

What’s your best tip to keep you motivated and consistent with your health habits? 👇🏼

13/02/2026

I was asked a really interesting question today: why should I pay for a nutritionist, when I can get nutrition advice for free from ChatGPT?

This is a GREAT question.

Swipe 👉🏼 for my answer

08/02/2026

Today is Mother’s Day here in Norway, so to show appreciation for all the amazing things mums do, I want to give away a spot on my group program to a deserving mum 💜

My group program helps busy women (especially mums!) reduce stress around eating, feel calmer about food choices, and find a health routine you can maintain long term.

You don’t need to be in Norway to take part - the program is online, so you can join from wherever in the world you are 🌏
We kick off the next round of the program on 16 February.

Just leave a comment below to enter the giveaway, or if you know a mum who deserves to take some time to prioritise herself, tag her below to enter her in the draw 👇🏼

* Giveaway will be drawn 11 February.

29/01/2026

Research has found that both calorie restriction and changes in eating patterns (such as timing of meals and fasting) can influence gut microbiota composition and production of beneficial substances. Although much of the evidence comes from animal studies, there’s also similar results from some human studies.

These microbiota changes were associated with positive metabolic changes in certain groups (such as individuals with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes):
◦Improved insulin sensitivity
◦Improvements in blood lipids (HDL, triglycerides, LDL, total cholesterol)
◦Improved blood pressure

There were also positive effects on cardiovascular health, cancer-related outcomes, neurological conditions (such as MS), gut conditions, and a possible slowing of age-related dysbiosis.

⚠️ There are also some cases where dietary restriction may have a negative effect on the gut and microbiota.
Outcomes will depend on the types of foods that are restricted (this will influence the types of microbes present in the microbiota), the degree of restriction (for example, if you’re cutting out entire food groups - especially those rich in fibre), and if you have underlying health conditions.

For example, low-fibre diets are associated with reductions in beneficial bacteria, and high-fat diets are associated with reduced microbial diversity.
Another important finding: some studies found that alternate-day fasting can worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms, while other types of fasting had a positive effect on symptoms.

So, while some dietary changes may produce beneficial effects, overly restrictive diets and strict fasting regimens could have a detrimental effect on the gut and microbiota, particularly if you have a condition linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis.

To support overall gut health and promote diversity and abundance of beneficial bacteria it’s important that your diet includes adequate amounts of fibre-rich foods (particularly those rich in prebiotic fibre).

If you’re interested in supporting your gut health by increasing your intake of fibre-rich plant foods, you can download free plant point tracker from my website (link in bio 👆🏼).

21/01/2026

Given the increased focus on dieting at this time of year, this felt like a good time for a reminder about why calorie (or kilojoule) counting isn’t as helpful as we’re often led to believe.

Calorie counting is often one of the first things we think of when it comes to weight loss, but weight regulation is complex, and calories are only one small part of the picture.

Your body’s decision to store fat or use energy is influenced by many factors including:
• thyroid function
• hormones (thyroid, stress, s*x hormones, insulin)
• gut microbiota
• sleep quality
• stress

Another important and often overlooked factor is that your body absorbs calories differently depending on the type of food, so we can’t really compare calories across foods in the way many apps suggest.

Fats are relatively easy for the body to break down, so around 97% of calories are absorbed from fat.

Carbohydrates are absorbed at around 90–95%, depending on the type (more calories are absorbed from simple sugars, compared with complex carbohydrates).

And when it comes to protein, we absorb only around 70% of the calories.

⚠️ Processing also influences calorie absorption, and because processing breaks down food structures and makes nutrients easier to absorb, we absorb more calories from ultra-processed foods.
Minimally-processed foods are more intact and take more energy to digest, so we often absorb fewer calories overall from these types of foods.

👉🏼 Fibre helps slow digestion and reduce calorie absorption, as intact fibre isn’t absorbed in the small intestine - instead this travels further down to the large intestine to be fermented by gut microbes.

This is just one reason why rigorous calorie counting can be inaccurate, frustrating, and unhelpful for many people.

The number on a package (or in an app) is likely not the same as what your body actually absorbs, and there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes in your body that a tracker can’t account for.

13/01/2026

If you’ve chosen to focus on your health this year, it can be tempting to be drawn to approaches that promise quick results with minimal effort, or to go all-in with a complete overhaul of your diet, physical activity, or both.

But this is often the path to overwhelm, and can be very challenging to sustain consistently.

Starting instead with smaller, sustainable habit changes can help you stay consistent and motivated to maintain healthier habits long term.

💡 Research shows that focussing on starting new healthy habits can be more effective than trying to break unhealthy ones.
This may be because, as humans, we generally don’t like feeling as though we have to give things up. If you’re working towards healthier lifestyle changes, you may find it easier to focus on what you can add in, rather than what you need to stop doing.

👉🏼 Aim for small, sustainable changes rather than a complete overhaul. Shift your focus to what you can include, rather than what you feel you should exclude.

👉🏼 Break larger goals into smaller, achievable habits, and identify any potential barriers that might get in the way of consistency. Having a backup plan makes it easier to stay on track when challenges arise.

👉🏼 Nudge yourself towards healthier choices by planning and preparing in advance — this saves time and makes it easier to stick to your new habits.

Want to learn more about how to create and implement sustainable health goals?
I’m hosting a goal-setting workshop on 22 January! Register for free at the link in my bio👆🏼

Address

Dunedin

Website

https://www.sb-nutrition.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when SB Nutrition posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to SB Nutrition:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Dunedin?

About SB Nutrition

There is so much conflicting and confusing nutrition information around these days, it’s my aim to help you navigate this complicated advice so you can take charge of your own health and make healthier lifestyle choices.

I’m a qualified nutritionist (BSc Public Health Nutrition) providing both tailored nutrition advice for individuals, as well as presenting seminars, workshops and cooking demonstrations for groups and corporate wellness programmes.

I have a particular passion for gut health, and believe in sensible, evidence-based nutrition advice.