How could 9 years as a mum in a tiny village in France end up changing the way I saw food and its relationship on kids moods?
I’m passionate about working to help reduce the anxiety that kids live with.
It all started when I married a Frenchman and moved to a 500 person village in central France with a 5 month old baby. On returning to Australia I was struck by the level of anxiety, concentration and mood issues in Sydney kids compared to the French kids I’d been around. Sure…. one was city and one was country life but that was too simple an explanation.
And so, I kept digging.
The one area I knew was different was the way kids in each country eat and how food and lifestyle is very different in the two places. And so began my nutritional study to work out why and to work on how Sydney kids could be helped.
Gutsy Kids Nutritional Care, my practice name, is called that because firstly there is a two way highway between the gut and the brain, with food influencing mood and in reverse, mood influencing how kids eat. Secondly, I love seeing kids changing over time- they may come in feeling like they’re only just coping with life and we work towards them feeling more “gutsy”. They love this as an ambition!
My specialty is working with kids with anxiety, depression, concentration, energy and mood swings, often with a focus on kids on the spectrum (ASD),ADHD and OCD, already diagnosed or suspected. I understand the difficulty that these kids have in living a great life, and also how difficult it is for parents , in living a normal family and food life with children who have these health issues.
I work holistically with the child and the parent, through a thorough health and family history, to identify and optimise the nutritional and lifestyle factors that play a role in exacerbating symptoms. For example, unexplained mood swings or constant low energy, inability to focus on school at various points in the day.
It can be as simple as identifying underlying nutritional deficiencies like protein or over-consumption of sugar of simple carbs , in combination with lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress, and exercise.
The greatest success is when I work on the reflection of the child. The idea is to empower them at any age, to see the difference the changes they make, on how they feel, and how their confidence in their world changes as a result.
I often work in combination with other practitioners and teachers, informing them of my treatment plans and referring for identified needs, to ensure the child has all the support they need to overcome the problem and to optimise their happiness and confidence in life.
I have had school teachers call me, amazed, and asking what treatment I have started, as the child’s attention and resulting confidence in class, had visibly turned around within weeks.

I treat kids 2 years to 32 years, and sometimes the parents as well, if this is required to help the whole family.
We can’t all have a French diet or lifestyle but we can see where the current food our kids eat , the timing of it, and the life our kids are living may be, at a base everyday level, influencing the way the feel.
And simple changes can move them to a happier place over time.
And a happy child is what every parent wants.