Dr Sharon Vasey
Specialist General Practitioner Women's Health | Medical Educator
Dr Sharon Vasey sees patients at Elara Women's Health, Joondalup.
Nutrition & Weight Management
Evidence-based nutritional guidance to support your health at every stage of life.
Table Of Contents
Nutrition for Women's Health
With so much conflicting advice available, it can be difficult to know what dietary changes will truly benefit your health. At Elara, we provide evidence-based nutritional guidance tailored to your individual needs, whether you're managing endometriosis, navigating perimenopause, or working towards sustainable weight management.
We understand that nutrition and weight are sensitive topics, and we approach these conversations with compassion, respect, and a non-judgmental attitude.
Women's Health Nutrition
With so much advice available, it's important to focus on nutrition at every stage of life. A diet rich in antioxidants and that is anti-inflammatory may be very helpful for endometriosis management and during perimenopause.
Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition: Incorporating omega 3 fatty acids such as oily fish, nuts and seeds can help to reduce inflammation and pain and protect brain and heart health.
Nutrition for specific conditions:
- Endometriosis: Anti-inflammatory diet, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant-rich foods
- Perimenopause/Menopause: Calcium and vitamin D for bone health, phytoestrogens, heart-healthy fats
- PCOS: Blood sugar management, low GI foods, balanced macronutrients
- IBS: FODMAP guidance, fiber management, trigger identification
- Painful Bladder Syndrome: Bladder-friendly diet, trigger food identification
Making dietary changes can help symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and painful bladder syndrome and our doctors can provide guidance on simple exclusions including referral to our Elara dietitian Melissa Raybould when needed for a more detailed assessment and expert nutritional advice.
Key nutritional principles:
- Whole, minimally processed foods
- Plenty of vegetables and fruits
- Healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds, oily fish)
- Adequate protein intake
- Limiting inflammatory foods (processed foods, excess sugar)
- Staying well hydrated
Weight Management
We now know that obesity can aggravate perimenopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats but also how difficult and frustrating it can be to lose weight. We also know what a sensitive area weight is for many women and the importance of a non-judgemental approach with weight management.
Multidisciplinary Support: Our naturopath, dietitian and exercise physiologist play a key role in assisting patients with making lifestyle changes to work towards weight management.
Our approach to weight management:
- Non-judgmental, compassionate care
- Focus on health, not just weight
- Sustainable lifestyle changes, not quick fixes
- Addressing underlying factors (hormones, stress, sleep)
- Multidisciplinary team support
- Realistic, achievable goals
Team support available:
- Dietitian (Melissa): Personalised nutrition plans, meal planning, dietary education
- Naturopath (Tracy): Holistic approach, herbal support, lifestyle counseling
- Exercise Physiologist (Dan): Safe, effective exercise programs tailored to your needs
- Doctors: Medical assessment, hormone optimisation, medication when appropriate
Injectable Weight Loss Medications: Sometimes injectable medications can be helpful and our doctors will ensure that patients are appropriately counselled regarding protein intake and adequate resistance exercise to minimise the risks of muscle loss with these medications.
When medications may be considered:
- BMI over 30 (or over 27 with weight-related health conditions)
- Previous unsuccessful attempts at lifestyle modification
- Comprehensive counseling on nutrition and exercise
- Monitoring for muscle mass preservation
- Adequate protein intake (1.2-1.6g per kg body weight)
- Regular resistance exercise program
Important considerations:
- Weight loss medications are not a quick fix
- Lifestyle changes are still essential
- Focus on preserving muscle mass
- Regular monitoring and follow-up
- Long-term sustainability is key
Our Nutrition & Weight Management Team
Dr Aye Kinzanar Kyaw
Specialist General Practitioner Women's Health
Dr Aye Kinzanar Kyaw sees patients at Elara Women's Health, Joondalup.
Mel Raybould
Accredited Practising Dietitian
Mel Raybould sees patients at Elara Women's Health, Joondalup.
Tracy Gaibisso
Clinical Naturopath
Tracy Gaibisso sees patients at Elara Women's Health, Joondalup.
Daniel Meaden
Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Daniel Meaden sees patients at Mobius, Joondalup.
Frequently Asked Questions
We are a specialised women’s health service delivered by a highly skilled, multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals dedicated to evidence-based care and advanced women’s health expertise. Meet our team.
Dr Sharon Vasey holds the Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK), and Dr Aye Kinzanar holds the Diploma from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). Both doctors are members of the Australasian Menopause Society.
If you would like the opportunity to discuss your health issues with one of our doctors and receive guidance on next steps for your health journey we can offer a bulk billed video discovery call. Find out more.
Women’s health can be complex and require a longer appointment. At Elara we offer appointments ranging from 15 minutes to an hour.
For or latest fees, check out our pricing page.
1/165 Grand Boulevard, Joondalup.
Review our contact page for full contact information and how to find us.
For answers to more questions, check our frequently asked questions pages for patient information, menopause, endometriosis and contraception.
Why Choose Elara for Nutrition & Weight Management?
Non-Judgmental Approach
We understand how sensitive these topics are and provide compassionate, respectful care without judgment.
Multidisciplinary Team
Access to our dietitian, naturopath, exercise physiologist, and doctors for comprehensive support.
Personalised Action Plans
Nutrition and weight management strategies tailored to your individual needs, preferences, and health conditions.
Start Your Nutrition Journey
Our comprehensive assessment allows us to develop a personalised nutrition plan that aligns with both your symptom management needs and long-term health goals. Let's work together to find an approach that works for you.