Type-2 Diabetes

A type 2 diabetes dietitian provides personalised, evidence-based nutrition support to help manage blood glucose, reduce cardiovascular risk, and where appropriate, work toward remission. 

This includes reviewing your current eating patterns, applying the most current dietary evidence including Mediterranean-style and lower-carbohydrate approaches, addressing medications that interact with food, and building practical strategies that fit your actual life, not a theoretical version of it. 

Yes, for some people. The landmark DiRECT trial demonstrated that 46% of participants achieved remission at one year through structured dietary intervention, with 13% still in remission at five years. The Australian DiRECT-Aus study found 56% remission at 12 months. 

Remission — defined as sustained normal blood glucose without diabetes medication, is not a cure, and it isn't achievable for everyone. But it is a real, evidence-based goal for some adults, particularly those in earlier stages of the condition.

There is no single best diet for type 2 diabetes. High-quality evidence supports both Mediterranean-style dietary patterns and lower-carbohydrate approaches for improving blood glucose control. 

Mediterranean eating, which is built around vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, fish, and olive oil, with less processed meat and refined grain, consistently shows strong results for both glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk. 

The best dietary approach is the one that is evidence-based, safe given your individual health history, and sustainable for your life 

Lower-carbohydrate dietary patterns are well-supported by evidence for blood glucose management in type 2 diabetes and are safe for most people. However, for individuals on certain diabetes medications, particularly sulfonylureas or insulin, reducing carbohydrate intake without medical supervision can increase the risk of hypoglycaemia. 

Any significant dietary change should be coordinated with your GP or treating specialist, and a dietitian consultation ensures any approach is applied safely given your specific medications and history 

 In some cases, yes — under GP supervision. Significant dietary improvement can lead to meaningful reductions in blood glucose, which for some patients makes medication dose reduction possible over time. This is not a guarantee, and medication should never be altered without your GP's guidance. 

The goal of nutrition support is to give dietary change every opportunity to do its work alongside and in some cases ahead of pharmaceutical management. 

Measurable improvements in blood glucose can occur within days to weeks of consistent dietary change, particularly with reductions in refined carbohydrates and increases in fibre, protein, and unsaturated fats. Longer-term markers such as HbA1c — which reflects average blood glucose over approximately 3 months, typically show meaningful improvement within 3–6 months of sustained dietary change. 

Individual response varies depending on starting glucose levels, current medications, and the specific dietary modifications made. 

No referral is required to book directly with Lara. However, type 2 diabetes is a qualifying chronic condition for a GP-referred Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan, which provides a Medicare rebate of approximately $60.35 per session for up to 5 allied health consultations per calendar year. 

Asking your GP about a CDM referral before booking can significantly reduce the out-of-pocket cost of your consultations. 

Yes. Lara offers telehealth consultations to patients anywhere in Australia. For clients in the Moreton Bay region, Lara also offers home visits by prior arrangement - bringing the consultation to you.