Meet Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition

• Course author: plans each course, writes the lessons and designs the trackers, meal planners and checklists that go with them.
• Nutrition content reviewer: checks that food and nutrition advice matches current Australian guidance, that numbers such as serves, kilojoules, standard drinks and supplement amounts are quoted correctly, and that every claim is backed by a named source.

1. Start from official Australian sources, such as the Australian Dietary Guidelines, Eat for Health, Food Standards Australia New Zealand, the NHMRC Infant Feeding Guidelines and healthdirect.
2. Write in plain English, without promises of results or claims that food treats or cures anything.
3. Add a check first list for people who should speak to a health professional before making changes.
4. Add a when to get help section that points to the right service, such as your GP, midwife, child and family health nurse, healthdirect or 000.
5. List the sources at the end of the course so you can read the original advice.

Some courses cover topics beyond nutrition, such as menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), mood and anxiety, sleep problems, relationships and parenting. These courses are written as general education from healthdirect and other official Australian information. They explain your options and help you prepare questions, and they tell you when to speak to your GP, pharmacist or another qualified professional. They are not clinical advice.

Her title comes from her doctorate in nutrition. She is not a medical doctor and does not hold Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) status in Australia, so our courses never replace advice from your GP, midwife, child and family health nurse, pharmacist or another health professional who knows your situation.