Ellen Phillips

My focus in nutrition is women’s health. There is so much conflicting information out there when it comes to women’s health nutrition.

I help my clients to separate the myths from the evidence-based advice. I will help you break down the complex web of information into something understandable and practical, that you can actually apply to your food choices.

When I first graduated as a dietitian I worked in a hospital as an acute clinical dietitian, which helped me to quickly build my knowledge of dietetics and health conditions. However, it also made me realise that in my career I want to provide one-on-one, individualised nutrition advice which you don’t have time for in a hospital.

Until recently I have worked in outback NSW, as a menopause and chronic care dietitian. Working in this role, it was a shock how little we are taught about women’s health issues, and how long it can take for women to be diagnosed and find the support they need. I am passionate about providing support to women and helping them navigate their health journey, whether it’s through pregnancy, menopause, or conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis. I use a non-diet and weight neutral approach with clients, focussing on intuitive and mindful eating and habit building.

Ellen can help you with:

General Health and Wellbeing – healthy eating, weight maintenance, weight loss or weight gain through balanced and healthy habit changes, managing nutritional deficiencies, malnutrition, healthy ageing, HAES (healthy at every size) and weight neutral practice, and vegetarian and vegan eating.

Gut and Digestion –  maximising and improving gut health, digestive issues (diarrhoea and constipation).

Chronic Disease – support for heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular disease, lowering cholesterol and/or blood pressure, type 2 diabetes management, reducing insulin resistance, fatty liver and other liver conditions, and inflammation and anti-inflammatory diets.

Women’s Health – Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Women’s health (amenorrhea, menopause, etc), Fertility and pre-conception nutrition, Pregnancy and post-partum nutrition, Endometriosis

Ellen’s Qualifications:

• Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) with Dietitians Australia (DA)
• Bachelor of Human Nutrition from the University of Canberra
• Master of Nutrition and Dietetics from University of Canberra
• Training in trauma-informed care

Q&A with Ellen!

What’s your favourite food?

I have a sweet tooth, and my favourite food would probably be cake. I love cakes of all types, and I don’t discriminate. A good cheesecake, carrot cake (cream cheese icing is mandatory), or chocolate cake are top of my list.

What’s your favourite cooking method?

I love the versatility of baking – it produces not just sweet foods, but also delicious savoury foods like roast veggies and bread. The oven is definitely my most used kitchen appliance.

Why did you become a dietitian?

There were a few reasons that I decided to become a dietitian, and I came to it after starting a career in public health. I loved the topic areas that I worked in, but always wished that I had a more direct connection with the people who were impacted by this work. I decided to go back to uni, and as I’ve always been a science nerd I chose science courses, including ‘Intro to Nutrition’ and ‘Food Science’ classes which were so enjoyable for me. I love food and cooking, and moving into dietetics seemed a perfect combination – now I get to talk about food and science all day at work!