Chantel, Bianca and Megan are dietitians with a passion to heal your relationship with food and body
Imagine Dietitians (practice number: 0595039) opened its doors on the 4th of January 2016 in Stellenbosch. Imagine Dietitians offer various dietetic services which include (but is not limited to) nutritional assessments and counseling in hospital for patients who need nutritional support (sip feeds, enteral- or parenteral nutrition) or patients diagnosed with insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus (or any other chronic disease of the lifestyle), cancer, renal problems, auto-immune disease, eating disorders, and children who are picky eaters, suffer from constipation, have an iron deficiency or have inadequate dietary intake. We are three registered dietitians working at the practice: Chantel Walker, Maya du Plessis and Danielle le Riche.
16/03/2026
✨ Menopause: What’s Really Happening in Your Body ✨
Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life — usually starting between ages 40–50, and confirmed after 12 months without a menstrual cycle.
💛 Heart Health
Menopause doesn’t cause heart disease, but lower estrogen levels can reduce the natural protection estrogen offers to blood vessels. This is why heart health becomes extra important during this life stage.
🦴 Bone Health
From around age 35, we naturally start losing bone calcium. When estrogen drops, this process speeds up — increasing the risk for osteoporosis. Supporting your bones with movement, nutrition and lifestyle becomes key.
⚖️ Weight Changes
Many women notice weight gain during the transition to menopause. This isn’t “lack of discipline” — it’s biology.
Lower estrogen can affect:
• energy metabolism
• insulin sensitivity
• inflammation
• fat distribution
Your body isn’t failing you — it’s adapting.
🌿 You don’t have to navigate this alone.
If this is something you’re struggling with, reach out. We’re here to support you through this transition with compassion, evidence-based guidance and a non-diet approach.
10/03/2026
🚨 Stop paying out-of-pocket for nutrition care that should be covered.
Most people don’t know that many dietitian services qualify for PMB benefits — and YES, we can apply for you.
This includes:
🥼 Consultations for PMB conditions
🧃 Supplement prescriptions
🧴 Tube feeding formulas
💉 Parenteral nutrition support
Nutrition is not optional. It’s part of essential medical care — and PMBs are designed to protect you.
👉 If you have a PMB condition, ask your dietitian to submit a PMB application. You deserve the support.
06/03/2026
Weight is influenced by a combination of biology, environment, behaviour, and health conditions — many of which are not within someone’s full control.
Genetics
Research shows that 40–70% of weight variation is determined by genetics. Your genes influence metabolism, appetite regulation, fat distribution, hormone responses, and even how your body stores energy.
Environment
Food access, finances, cultural norms, work schedules, caregiving responsibilities, and stress load all influence eating patterns and opportunities for physical activity.
Mental Health
Anxiety, depression, trauma, and eating disorders can impact appetite, food choices, and energy levels — all of which can influence weight.
Hormones & Physiology
Hormones like leptin, ghrelin, insulin, cortisol, s*x hormones, and thyroid hormones play major roles in hunger, fullness, stress, and how your body uses energy.
Chronic stress, sleep deprivation, menstrual cycle changes, PCOS, and thyroid disorders can all affect weight.
✨ The bottom line:
Weight is not a simple reflection of effort, discipline, or character.
It’s the result of complex, interlinked factors — and focusing only on weight misses the bigger picture of health.
Approaching health with compassion, curiosity, and respect is far more effective (and sustainable) than pursuing weight at all costs.
02/03/2026
Coffee in hand, patients on our hearts ☕
Doing what we love, with people we love working with. 🤍
DietitianLife
02/03/2026
Coffee in hand, patients on our hearts ☕
Doing what we love, with people we love working with. 🤍
24/02/2026
FOOD FOR STRONGER BONES!
Building and protecting your bones starts in the kitchen! Here are some delicious, everyday meal ideas packed with calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, and protein - all essential for bone health.
Remember: You don’t need “perfect” meals, just small, consistent additions of nutrient-rich foods that support your bones. Your plate can play a big role in your long-term strength.
22/02/2026
Here is why I don’t routinely supplement all patients;
When it comes to bone health, more isn’t always better, and supplements aren’t always the first answer. In fact, your body is incredibly smart, and it often absorbs nutrients better from food than from a tablet.
Food-first matters because 🦴 :
• Nutrients from whole foods come packaged with proteins, fibre, fats, and co-factors that naturally support absorption and utilisation.
• Calcium from food is absorbed more steadily and comfortably than high-dose calcium supplements.
• Vitamin D works best when paired with a balanced diet and regular movement.
• Magnesium, vitamin K, and protein, all essential for bone strength, are easiest to obtain through varied, consistent meals.
So why not supplement everyone?
Because over-supplementation has risks!
• High-dose calcium can increase the risk of kidney stones and GI discomfort.
• Unnecessary vitamin D supplementation can lead to toxicity if taken long-term without monitoring.
• Taking single nutrients in excess can throw off the balance of other minerals your bones rely on.
Each person’s medical conditions, medications, and blood results are different, which means a blanket approach simply isn’t safe.
My approach:
I look at the whole picture, your diet, bloods, medical history, lifestyle, and symptoms, before recommending any supplements.
If your intake is low or you have clinically low levels, then supplements can be incredibly helpful. But they should always be targeted and personalised.
Bottom line 🫶 :
Supporting your bones starts with food, movement, and lifestyle, and supplements are just one tool, not the foundation.
19/02/2026
✨ Eating disorders and disordered eating ARE NOT the same thing ✨ and understanding the difference matters.
Why this distinction matters:
Because not every person with disordered eating has an eating disorder, and not everyone with an eating disorder looks unwell on the outside.
Recognising the difference helps ensure people get the right level of care, support, and early intervention.
🫶 If you see yourself in either of these descriptions, you deserve help, long before things feel “serious enough.”
HealthAtEverySize WeightStigmaAwareness MentalHealthMatters FoodRelationship IntuitiveEatingJourney NonDietDietitian BodyImageSupport
19/02/2026
✨ Eating disorders and disordered eating ARE NOT the same thing ✨ and understanding the difference matters.
Why this distinction matters:
Because not every person with disordered eating has an eating disorder, and not everyone with an eating disorder looks unwell on the outside.
Recognising the difference helps ensure people get the right level of care, support, and early intervention.
🫶 If you see yourself in either of these descriptions, you deserve help, long before things feel “serious enough.”
Address
Suite 110, Drive Abrie Vermeulen's Rooms, Stellenbosch Mediclinic Stellenbosch 7600
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Imagine Dietitians (practice number: 0595039) opened its doors on the 4th of January 2016 in Stellenbosch. Our motto is – Imagine Living a Healthier Life. Now it is possible - we believe a holistic approach is the best way to a healthy lifestyle:
Live – signifies living an active life by doing exercise most days of the week. We will be collaborating with personal trainers and biokineticists to ensure that the client receives appropriate advice on exercise.
Health – signifies a healthy life through health promotion. We do Vitality Nutrition Consultations and will be arranging health days or nutrition talks at local businesses and schools.
Life – The last part of the motto is directly related to nutrition – healthy recipes, interesting topics and articles on the latest research will be published regularly on our blog.
Imagine Dietitians offer various dietetic services which include (but is not limited to) nutritional assessments and counselling in hospital for patients who need nutritional support (sip feeds, enteral- or parenteral nutrition) or patients diagnosed with insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus (or any other chronic disease of the lifestyle), cancer, renal problems, rheumatology disease, eating disorders, weight loss and children who are picky eaters, who had weight loss or poor weight gain, suffer from constipation, have an iron deficiency or have inadequate dietary intake.
At the moment there are two registered dietitians working at the practice: Chantel Walker and Maya du Plessis. All clients / patients in hospital are billed at medical aid tariffs to ensure that their medical aid allocation for allied health will be stretched and they can benefit from proper nutritional care and follow-ups where needed, without unnecessary financial limitations. Out of hospital our tariffs are based on medical aid fees and clients / patients can claim back from their medical aid.
Chantel started her dietetics career at the University of Stellenbosch in 2010. After graduating in 2013 she decided to move far away from home for her community service year. She was placed at Sabie Hospital, in Mpumalanga and after her community service she packed her bags and moved back to the Western Cape, where she started at an established private practice in Worcester where she gained valuable knowledge in the field of private practice. She eventually decided to start her private practice – Imagine Dietitians in Stellenbosch and officially opened the doors in January 2016.
Qualifications / Courses:
BSc Dietetics Honours (US) 2010 – 2013
Infant Feeding course, BFHI (20 hour, Western Cape, Department of Health)
CDE – 5 day Advanced course in Diabetes Care (CDE, Johannesburg)
Bariatric Accredited Dietitian (CEMMSSA)
Chantel is passionate about assisting her clients with making sustainable dietary changes and lifestyle choices by following an individualized approach with each person that walks into her office. She is a firm believer of intuitive eating and practices these guidelines with each session. Her areas of interest include critical care (ICU) chronic diseases of the lifestyle (diabetes – type 1 and type 2, hypercholesterolaemia), eating disorders, disordered eating and emotional eaters, weight loss, women’s health (PCOS, hypothyroidism) and gastro-intestinal diseases.
When Chantel is not cooking regular, everyday meals, she is experimenting with new recipes and flavours – often leaving her friends and family having to be the guinea pigs. She loves to read and has a variety of books on her bookshelf at home: ranging from love stories, autobiographies, short stories, classics and economy or research based books. She enjoys the vineyards and mountains in her backyard and regularly explores new areas in the Western Cape with the love of her life. She loves to travel and is already planning her next trip, where she will be exploring the variety of food, traditional ingredients and recipes that they have.
After graduating from Stellenbosch in 2017 with a degree in dietetics, Maya went on to do her community service year at Kimberley Hospital in the Northern Cape. There she gained considerable experience by working in the various intensive care units, neonatal unit, the pediatric wards and various medical and surgical wards. After completion of her community service year she headed back to Stellenbosch and joined Imagine Dietitians in 2019. Maya is also busy with her Master’s degree in Therapeutic Nutrition at Stellenbosch University.
Maya is a firm believer that lifestyle changes can start at any age and loves being part of her patients’ journeys to optimal health. As an avid foodie she is passionate about promoting healthy cooking without compromising on taste and appearance.
Her areas of interest include pediatric nutrition, allergies and intolerances, nutrition in pregnancy and lactation, critical care nutrition, nutrition in kidney failure and gastro-intestinal disorders.
Qualifications / Courses:
BSc Dietetics Honours (US): 2014-2017
Masters in therapeutic nutrition: currently busy completing
Infant feeding course, BFHI (Northern Cape Department of Health)
Maya loves cooking food and regularly hosts dinner parties for friends and family. She is also fond of checking out new restaurants and cafes over weekends. Maya enjoys nature and hiking in the beautiful mountains in the Western Cape and often goes camping with friends. Maya’s parents live overseas so during her holidays she normally travels to new countries and explores the nature, meets new people and always does a cooking class or two.
