Medical Research

I am passionate to explore the possibility to reinstill faith in 2 quotes in the context of gut health and ultimately overall wellbeing, which are:

“You are what you eat.” and “Let food be thy medicine.”

Having lived in India, Toronto and Australia has made me strongly believe that food assumes significance in all cultures. To better understand the fascinating relationship between food, nutrients, dietary pattern, gut bacteria, and gastrointestinal health, I am doing my PhD on role of diet (as a therapy and causative factor) in Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease at University of Newcastle.

The ultimate goals of my research efforts are:

• Minimise rates /prevent Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Include diet as an isolated or complementary therapy once the evidence builds up for it
• Have immigrants adopt other pathways for the acculturation process than diet

In an ideal world, I would love for people to:

• Retain scientifically proven healthy aspects of their own traditional diets along with being open to trialing scientifically proven healthy aspects of other traditional cuisines.
• Inculcate cooking skills in children during school years (why not as a part of the academic curriculum)
• Eat more of simple, homecooked foods.

This in my opinion will help reduce the chronic inflammatory and metabolic diseases risk globally.

Nisha Thacker is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) with diverse nutrition and dietetic experience. 

Nisha has a Bachelor of Science (Home Science: Majors in Food, Nutrition and Dietetics) (Mumbai University, India), Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics (S.N.D.T. University, Mumbai, India), Masters of Nutrition and Dietetics (Griffith University, Australia), and is currently pursing her PhD with the University of Newcastle.
Nisha is passionate about gut and overall health, and she hopes to contribute to the goal of keeping people healthy by imparting valuable knowledge and evidence-based advice about food and nutrition. Nisha loves to cook and share her cooking experience and recipe modifications.

Special Interests

1. Gastrointestinal diseases: Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Coeliac Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Constipation, Diverticular disease
2. Paediatric Nutrition, Fussy Eating, Introducing solids
3. Vegetarian/Vegan nutrition
4. Gestational Diabetes

Research on eating habits in immigrant families and its impact on disease risk

1. Crohn’s Disease dietary therapy (includes Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet i.e., CDED)
2. Low FODMAP Dietary approach by Monash University
3. Paediatric Nutrition and Dietetics from Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
4. SOS Approach to feeding

University of Newcastle
HMRI – CRE Digestive health
Children’s Hospital Westmead-Gastroenterology department
DECCAN (group of dietitians working in IBD around Australia)