Desi Carlos
Desi Carlos
Dietitian & Nutritionist, Complex Condition Specialist
BAppSc, Grad Dip NutrDiet APD AN
Desi is a leader in nutrition and dietetics for women’s health, with a special interest in treating chronic or complex issues. She is the Founder, Director, and Principal Dietitian of Tree of Life Nutrition clinics. Since 1993, Desi has helped thousands of patients through one-on-one consultations. She also offers education, is an author on the anti-inflammatory Mediterranean Diet, and has her finger on the pulse of the latest research around nutrition and dietetics. Desi is an accomplished public speaker and media spokesperson on nutrition issues.
As well as her expertise in women’s health dietetics and training in Nutrition in Fertility, Desi is a renowned expert in gastrointestinal nutrition and the Mediterranean Diet. Before her Graduate Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics, Desi achieved a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in Biochemistry and Microbiology. She is also Monash University FODMAP Certified, and Microba-trained (for improvement of gut microbiome health).
As a mother of three, and a businesswoman, Desi understands the pressures that our busy, modern lives can put on us and our eating habits. She offers you lots of practical experience and advice to help you incorporate health into your everyday life with ease.
Desi’s philosophy is “eat well, feel good, look great.” She is a champion for the Mediterranean Diet, Gut Health and balanced non-diet eating for decreased inflammation and improved health. She is the author of Mediterranean Eating Cook.Eat.Live and The Mediterranean Diet – The Lifestyle of Eating.
Can Desi’s dietary protocols help you?
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Using nutrition therapy and anti-inflammatory protocols, Desi works with your team at Vera to help manage pain and improve your quality of life. She can also help you manage any accompanying irritable bowel symptoms. Supporting the underlying causes of IBS with endometriosis, she considers gut microbiome health, food intolerances and/or sensitivities and also food irritants.
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Desi offers dietary protocols for PCOS centred around reduction of insulin resistance and inflammation. She utilises an anti-inflammatory diet which is low GI with modified carbohydrates. Desi can also help you reduce excess weight that may be making your symptoms worse.
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Good nutrition creates the best environment for fertility. Desi’s protocols enhance your general nutritional health during pre-pregnancy, and can also support you during fertility treatments like IVF. Desi focuses on reducing inflammation, rebalancing the diversity of microbial flora, correcting any nutritional deficiencies and reducing weight if appropriate.
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Desi can help optimise your diet for vibrant health during pregnancy and beyond. Balance nutrients to reduce cravings, manage weight and nurture your baby’s growth. Desi can also offer prenatal care in preventing or managing gestational diabetes.
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A postpartum nutrition plan helps nurture you as you do the hard work of nurturing your baby. Get nutritional support to increase milk production, or for a high-fuel, high-nutrient diet plan.
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Get dietary support to help reduce symptoms of menopause, with a protocol that puts gut health and gut repair at the centre. Improving your digestive health can also help to reduce cravings.
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Get help to apply the world’s leading anti-inflammatory diet to support your health. Reducing or preventing inflammation is key to management of pain and reduction of symptoms for a whole host of conditions. Desi is an expert on the Mediterranean diet, and author of two lifestyle books. She combines her Australian-Greek heritage and dietetic experience to help formulate a Mediterranean diet that suits your lifestyle and tastes.
What about you?
You may be looking to boost nutrition during perimenopause, or pregnancy. To utilise nutrition to optimise fertility or assist with pelvic pain management. Maybe you’d like guidance for managing weight. Or perhaps you’re looking for deeper support for a complex condition such as PCOS, endometriosis, or IBS. Desi has developed powerful protocols over her 30 years in practice for women of all ages and stages. Desi focuses on you as a whole person. She believes the sum of your health is more than just those parts. She incorporates the health of your entire system, including and especially, your digestive system, to nurture and support your reproductive health or manage chronic inflammation, and pain.
Pricing.
In-person & telehealth consultations available.
Initial consultation*
Initial consultation
45 minutes — $230Initial consultation - extended
> 45 minutes — $275
Follow-up consultations*
Review consultation
30 minutes — $155Review consultation - extended
45 minutes — $185Subsequent consultation
15 minutes — $85
Private Health & Medicare
Private health insurance rebates apply.
Medicare rebates may apply (Enhanced Primary Care Plan can be obtained from your GP)
*Please note prices are subject to change and are current as of 1st July 2024.
Desi is available at Vera & via telehealth fortnightly on Mondays, 8:00am–5:00pm and at Tree of Life Nutrition at South Brisbane, Tuesday – Friday 7:30am – 5:00pm.
Desi also supports these conditions
Gastrointestinal disorders including IBS, Inflammatory bowel disorders and Coeliac Disease.
Nutrition for Pelvic Pain, Endometriosis, Adenomyosis and Anti-inflammatory Diet
Perimenopause and Menopause
Autoimmune disorders, including Thyroid Disorders
PCOS, Insulin resistance, Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes
Weight Management
Anxiety & Depression
Allergies and Intolerances
Chronic Disease Management
What does a consultation involve?
ANTHROPOMETRIC ASSESSMENT
Weight and Height
Body Mass Index
Measurements (abdominal, Waist, Hip, others as required)
Comparisons to healthy recommendations
DIETARY ASSESSMENT & REPORTING
24-hour food recall and assessment (and/or food diary review)
Goal setting anthropometric and dietary
Computer analysis (if required)
Detailed explanation of recommendations
Necessary supply of supporting dietary literature
Recommendations & individualised meal plan supplied to facilitate client goals
Blogs by Desi
