An online Indian dietitian for Melbourne, by video or phone

Who this is for

This page is for people of Indian background living in Melbourne, particularly Punjabi and other North Indian households, who want dietetic advice that starts from the food already on the table rather than a plan that gets adapted after the fact. That might mean a consultation in Punjabi or Hindi, or simply not having to explain what sarson da saag or rajma are before getting to the actual health question. The clinical goal — managing cholesterol, blood sugar, weight or a busy family's eating pattern — comes first; language and food are how the plan gets made practical. South Indian households are just as welcome — the Sydney page goes into how North and South Indian eating patterns differ in more detail.

How an online appointment from Melbourne works

The appointment itself is a video or phone consultation, booked the same way as any other Karma Nutrition appointment: no GP referral needed to book privately. One practical detail: the practice is based in Queensland, which doesn't observe daylight saving, while Melbourne does. Appointment times are given in Queensland time. From the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April, Melbourne is an hour ahead, so a 10:00am Queensland appointment is 11:00am in Melbourne. It's worth double-checking the time when you book.

Beyond that, the consultation structure is the same as an in-person one: a review of your current diet, health history and any referral information, then a practical, prioritised plan rather than a generic handout. See the full consultation approachfor what that looks like session to session.

Punjabi home cooking, cholesterol and blood sugar

Punjabi home cooking is often dairy-rich and that's not something to undo — it's something to work with sensibly.Sarson da saag with makki di roti, finished with a spoon of ghee, is a vegetable-rich dish that also provides some iron; the amount of ghee stirred through at the end, rather than the saag itself, is usually the easiest lever to adjust for cholesterol.Rajma and chole, simmered in a tomato-onion gravy, are a strong source of fibre and plant protein, and both hold up well with less oil in the tadka than a restaurant version typically uses. Paneer, whether in a curry, grilled, or eaten plain, is a useful protein source — portion and how it's cooked matter more than avoiding it. Butter, ghee and full-cream lassi are common places where saturated fat adds up across a day, and they're also among the easiest to adjust gradually without the meal feeling restricted — a thinner lassi, a smaller knob of butter on the roti, ghee added at the end rather than throughout cooking. For blood sugar, the same principles that apply to rice and roti elsewhere apply here: portion, what else is on the plate, and how regularly a meal is eaten matter more than labelling any one dish "good" or "bad." Seerice vs roti for diabetesfor more on how that plays out at the plate.

Vegetarian eating: protein, iron and B12

Many Punjabi and other Indian households in Melbourne eat vegetarian some or all of the time, and a well-built vegetarian diet can meet protein and iron needs without meat. Dal, rajma and chana are reliable protein sources when eaten in a reasonable serve at most meals, not as a side thought.Paneer and sprouted legumes add further protein and, in the case of sprouts, extra fibre and vitamin C, which helps with absorbing the iron from dal and legumes at the same meal. Pairing iron-rich foods with something containing vitamin C — a squeeze of lemon on dal, tomato in the gravy, a side of salad — is a simple, practical habit rather than a strict rule. One thing worth knowing: vitamin B12 comes mainly from animal foods such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy, so people eating vegetarian, especially with little dairy or egg, can have lower levels. This is well-established general guidance, not specific to any one person's situation, so anyone eating vegetarian should ask their GP whether a B12 check is worth considering. SeeIndian food and diabetes: what to eatfor more on balancing legumes, dairy and carbohydrate in a vegetarian pattern.

Busy families, and home cooking versus takeaway

Most households don't cook every meal from scratch every day, and a realistic plan accounts for that rather than assuming it. On nights when dinner is a bought curry, rice and naan rather than a home-cooked thali, the useful questions are simple: is there a vegetable or salad alongside it, is the rice portion reasonable next to everything else, and is naan (which is enriched and often brushed with butter or ghee) being eaten instead of rice rather than as well as it. None of that requires giving up takeaway altogether — it's about which one or two adjustments make the biggest difference on the nights home cooking isn't realistic, which is often most of what a busy family actually needs.

What we help with

Common reasons Melbourne clients book includecholesterol and heart health,diabetes and prediabetes, andweight management — often alongside a family history or an existing diagnosis that makes a generic meal plan unhelpful. Pregnancy and women's health nutrition is also available by video. If your situation needs examination, testing or another clinician's assessment, that should still happen through your GP or specialist — a dietitian works alongside that care, not instead of it.

Booking from anywhere in Greater Melbourne

The appointment is online, so it reaches wherever you are in Greater Melbourne, including Point Cook, Tarneit, Craigieburn, Clyde North, Glen Waverley and Dandenong — and just as easily anywhere else in Melbourne or further afield. The same service is available for Sydney and the rest of Australia; see theonline dietitian page for the national telehealth details.

What does an online dietitian appointment cost?

Private appointments can be booked with no GP referral and no waiting on Medicare paperwork. For current private fees, and how Medicare and private health rebates fit together, see thefees and funding page — and for a full breakdown of how dietitian costs work in Australia, seewhat does a dietitian cost in Australia?

Medicare and referrals

Appointments can be booked privately with no GP referral at all. If your GP has set you up with a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, you may be eligible for a Medicare rebate on a dietitian consultation by video — eligibility, current item numbers and what your GP needs to provide can change, so check directly with your GP or see the referring GPs pagefor the pathway.