We provide specialist support in a safe, compassionate environment.

ABOUT LEAH
Director

Leah is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with over seven years of private practice experience. She obtained her Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition & Dietetics) from the Queensland University of Technology in 2014. Having grown up locally, Leah moved back to Toowoomba to practise in a place she feels a strong connection with.

Leah’s love for food and cooking has shown her how much of a positive impact it can have on every day life. This is reflected in advice that is practical and effective. Leah is interested in all things women’s health, but maintains a strong focus on PCOS, endometriosis and thyroid disease, as well as fertility & pregnancy.

Leah is a part of the amazing team at Toowoomba Weight Loss Surgery. Leah believes in a food first approach to support clients to develop positive relationships with eating & body image. She is particularly interested in supporting women through their fertility, pregnancy & postpartum journey post weight loss surgery.

As a member of the Early Life Nutrition Alliance, Leah is recognised as a leader in Early Life Nutrition & provides training for other dietitians on considerations for fertility & pregnancy with thyroid disease. Leah presented at the 2019 Dietitian’s Australia annual conference on prenatal & pregnancy supplementation.

ABOUT RHIANNON
Dietitian

Rhiannon is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with over three years of private practice experience. After finishing boarding school in Toowoomba & relocating from Roma, Rhiannon completed a Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics at Griffith University in 2017. Rhiannon's sporting background & boarding school upbringing helped her develop a strong connection with the Toowoomba community.

After living & working in London, Rhiannon moved home at the end of 2020 to work with Balance Nutrition, where she continues to develop her clinical practice alongside her personal values of compassion, curiosity & mindfulness.

Rhiannon is currently undertaking further training to become an Accredited Sports Dietitian, with a special interest in the impact of disordered eating on performance. Rhiannon loves connecting with women who are going through times of change in their lives, such as during adolescence, as young adults & as women experiencing menopause.

Rhiannon is a part of the amazing team at Toowoomba Weight Loss Surgery providing practical, no nonsense advice to guide clients towards better health. Rhiannon is skilled at building relationships with clients who may be overwhelmed & seeking to simplify their approach to nutrition several years after surgery.

ABOUT LAURA
Paediatric Dietitian

Laura is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with over eight years of hospital & private practice experience, completing her Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition & Dietetics) at the Queensland University of Technology in 2013.

Laura recently returned to her hometown of Toowoomba, having spent the last six years working in paediatrics at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, in the Special Care Nursery at Monash Health, & in private practice.

Laura is highly skilled in managing complex paediatric gastroenterology cases, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Coeliac disease & upper & lower gastrointestinal issues. Laura also provides general paediatic nutrition advice regarding faltering growth, allergies & intolerances, enteral feeding & tube weaning.

Laura also assist mothers with exclusion diets whilst breastfeeding, introducing solids & fussy eating.

Laura loves teaching & participating in reformer pilates, cheese & wine (of course!) and spending time with friends. She is excited to be back & to contribute to the Toowoomba community.

ABOUT BALANCE NUTRITION

Dietitians are often required to stretch themselves across a broad range of health conditions in generalised practice. This can make the search for specialist advice feel difficult. Balance Nutrition was created in 2019 by Leah Stjernqvist to simplify this process for women who are looking for tailored, professional advice in a safe & compassionate environment.

Balance Nutrition is proud to be a member of Nutrition Plus, a curated group of dietitians around the world who are passionate about improving women’s health. This network ensures that Balance Nutrition is up to date with the latest research & most effective practising methods.

Balance Nutrition provides dietetic services to Toowoomba Weight Loss Surgery under surgeon Dr Neil Wylie.

HOW IT WORKS

Initial Consultation

This is where your personal nutrition journey begins. Your accredited practising Dietitian will identify and calculate what your individual requirements are to ensure that you receive personalised care from the very beginning.

As opposed to a quick fix, we pride ourselves in the detail and quality of service we offer you. We conduct thorough investigations and dive into your concerns and motivations to address the root cause of your nutrition issue.

We Will Discuss

· Your medical conditions

· Relevant biochemistry or blood test results

· Your medications and supplements

· A comprehensive dietary assessment

· A lifestyle assessment

· Review of your personal goals

Please bring details of any medications, nutritional supplements or blood test results that you have to your initial appointment or request your doctor to forward your results to us.

It is also beneficial to record your food intake for a few days prior to the appointment to support your assessment.

We will send a copy of our report to your doctor and specialists (as required) to advise them of your treatment plans.

Follow Through

A nutrition plan will be negotiated at the initial appointment, containing a meal plan if required. Ongoing review consultations will be recommended as creating and sustaining healthy habits is necessary to reach any health goal. Review consultations are used to touch base, celebrate the wins, troubleshoot ongoing concerns and provide an opportunity for ongoing education and counselling. As a guideline, clients usually consider a total of eight consultations over a 6 to 12 month timeframe.

What Is The Cost?

Leah's Fees

Initial consultation $240

Review consultations $110

Rhiannon's Fees

Initial consultation $190

Review consultations $95

Can I Get A Rebate?

As you are seeing an Accredited Practising Dietitian, private health rebates are available dependent on fund and level of cover. Those with an Enhanced Primary Care Plan from their GP may be entitled to a $56.00 Medicare rebate per visit, totalling the number of visits indicated on the referral.

Unfortunately, Balance Nutrition is not currently a registered NDIS provider.