dietitian

We offer a monthly, subsidised dietitian clinic.  Our dietitian, Jo Pannabecker has been interested in food all her life. Growing up in Auckland she always wished she lived on a farm.

Jo studied agriculture, then completed a Masters in International Development. To put her study of subsistence agriculture into practice she worked with a US volunteer agency in Chad, Africa for 3 years. When life took her back to the USA, she expanded her interest in food to dietetics and retrained to be a Dietitian.

Most of Jo’s work since graduating has been in long term/aged care, where food becomes a medicine and a way to preserve dignity. Working with the Health Trust allows Jo to see a wider range of people, which is stimulating and fun.

Being part of the Waiheke community-focused Health Trust team is rewarding because Jo believes that “communities are where we live and -ideally-thrive.

Services offered by the Dietitian include:

  • Healthy eating
  • Weight management
  • Diabetes and pre-diabetes
  • High cholesterol
  • Diet myth busting
  • Food intolerances and allergies
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Lactose intolerance
  • Other digestive disorders; Coeliac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, reflux
  • Poor appetite and building up
  • Older person’s health
  • And other clinical nutrition issues

Access to the Dietitian service is usually through a GP referral, or by contacting us directly to make an appointment.