Joe Leech is a university-qualified dietitian from Australia.
He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in exercise science, followed by a Master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Wollongong in 2011 (completing his thesis in Finland).
He then worked as a both a clinical and private consulting dietitian for several years, focusing on food intolerance, autoimmune diseases and metabolic health issues.
In 2013 he began learning the skill of science communication - specifically nutrition science - as a member of the Australasian Medical Writers Association. He then became the primary contributor to Healthline's Authority Nutrition website in 2014, and has been researching and writing articles on nutrition ever since.
Joe also creates expert nutrition videos, and has now created almost 200 videos for Healthline's Authority Nutrition Youtube channel, which have been viewed by over 5 million people.
How does Joe make health a priority?
"I try to cook at home as much as possible, even if it means batch cooking and freezing meals. Just this year I've made going to the gym a priority as I was really slack last year. Aiming to train 4 times per week!"
Learn more about Joe:
- Instagram: @joe_leech
- Diet vs Disease Youtube
Articles by this author
The Low FODMAP Diet Beginner’s Guide
Are you dealing with persistent digestive issues and wondering how to do a low FODMAP diet properly?
This is one of the most common questions we get at Diet vs. Disease, and if you’re tired of spending all your free time trying to figure out digestive relief on your own, this article is exactly what you need.
We’re going to cover everything you need to start a low FODMAP diet successfully, so you can get through it as smoothly as possible, find relief from symptoms, and one day eat with freedom like a normal person again.
[Discover More…]Why You’re STILL Bloated on Low FODMAP (It’s Not What You Think)
Are you still getting bloated on a low FODMAP diet even though you’re following it perfectly? You’re not crazy, and you’re definitely not alone.
Many people have this exact same frustrating experience. They’ve eliminated all the high FODMAP foods, they’re using the Monash app religiously, but that uncomfortable bloating just won’t go away.
Here’s the thing — clinical research shows the low FODMAP diet actually works for up to 86% of people with IBS (1). So statistically, if it’s not working for you, it’s likely user error rather than FODMAPs not being an issue for you.
But it’s not your fault, because there are actually two crucial hidden traps that you probably were never taught, which we’ll dive into in this article.
[Discover More…]Your Gut is Causing Your Arthritis (New Research Explains Everything)
Your knee pain, your hip stiffness, that arthritis your doctor calls “wear and tear” — what if it’s actually coming from your gut?
Recent research discussions from the highly reputable Arthritis Foundation suggest that an unhealthy gut may be the primary cause of osteoarthritis, not “wear and tear” like we’ve all been told (1,2,3). And since arthritis is the number one cause of disability in America, this connection could change everything about how we treat joint pain, which we’ll dive more into in this article.
If this gut-arthritis connection is real, it means that inflammatory damage might be starting in your digestive system years before you feel any joint pain. That “wear and tear” your doctor sees on X-rays could actually be inflammatory damage that began in your gut long before symptoms appeared.
[Discover More…]Why You Can’t Stay Low FODMAP Forever (The Hidden Dangers)
Have you been following a Low FODMAP diet for months — or even years — because it’s the only thing that keeps your symptoms under control? If so, then this article is for you.
What most people don’t realize is that staying in the elimination phase long-term isn’t just unsustainable — it’s actually dangerous for your gut health. Most doctors won’t tell you this, and most websites don’t explain it properly.
There’s a reason the Low FODMAP diet has specific phases, and skipping the reintroduction phase can leave you worse off than when you started. In this article, we’ll explore exactly why staying restrictive forever backfires, what it’s doing to your gut bacteria, and how to safely expand your diet without bringing back the symptoms that scared you in the first place.
[Discover More…]The Hidden Causes of Digestive Issues After 50
If your gut has gotten more unpredictable as you’ve gotten older—and you’ve been told it’s just in your head or that you should simply cut out more foods—this article is for you.
Because the truth is, the causes of digestive issues after 40 or 50 are often hidden. They’re misunderstood by friends and family, dismissed by the medical system, and buried under years of confusion and trial-and-error.
In this article, we’re not just talking about food triggers. We’re going deeper. You’ll learn how stress, hormone shifts, and even well-meaning advice can leave people stuck with worsening IBS symptoms that no diet alone can fix.
[Discover More…]The Real Reason You’re Always Bloated (And It’s Not FODMAPs)
If you’re eating all the “safe” foods but your belly still blows up like you’re 5 months pregnant after every meal, there’s a reason no one’s told you about.
Because what you think is bloating might actually be a gut-muscle issue. It has nothing to do with what you ate, and everything to do with how your body is reacting to digestion.
There’s a hidden condition where your abdominal wall and diaphragm stop working in sync, and instead of creating space during digestion, your body does the opposite: it pushes out when it should be pulling in.
Most doctors don’t test for it. Many have never even heard of it. But if you’ve tried restrictive diets, probiotics, or gut protocols — and your symptoms still haven’t improved — this could be the missing piece.
[Discover More…]IBS, Anxiety & Bladder Issues: The Hidden Link Doctors Miss
If you’ve ever had IBS symptoms that come with bladder urgency, pelvic pain, or just feel like your whole lower body is out of sync…
You’re not imagining it.
The gut, the brain, and the bladder — plus the pelvic floor — are all part of the same network. And if you don’t understand how they influence each other, you’ll never get full relief.
This is a monumental missing link in gut health that I want to unpack for you today, and it’s especially important if your approach has always been limited to diet changes and hasn’t really helped your gut.
In this article, I’m going to give you a quick foundation so you understand what the gut-brain-bladder axis is, why it matters, and how to restore balance when this axis becomes disrupted.
[Discover More…]Is It Really IBS… or Is It SIBO? (Most People Never Get Tested)
Have you been told you’ve got IBS… but your symptoms never seem to go away, even when you try a low FODMAP diet and other approaches?
There’s a reason for that—1 in 3 IBS cases could actually be caused by something called SIBO.
And the worst part? Most doctors don’t test for it.
At Diet vs. Disease, we’ve tested and treated this in thousands of clients across North America, Australia, and Europe — and in this article, you’ll learn exactly if you should suspect SIBO, how to test for it, and what your results actually mean.
[Discover More…]How To Treat Diverticulitis: The 2 Steps You Need To Know
So you’ve experienced just how awful a diverticulitis flare-up can be.
Or perhaps you’ve had multiple flare-ups and you don’t want to go through that anymore.
The good news is based on my experience of more than 10 years in the field, I’m going to share with you two fundamental steps that will ensure that you get symptom-free and that you restore your gut health and resilience.
[Discover More…]What Are The 5 Warning Signs Of Severe IBS?
In this article we’ll look at the 5 main warning signs and symptoms of IBS, because a lot of patients get left on their own here by the doctor and are not sure if they have IBS or what to do.
In fact, can you guess what percentage of people these days are believed to have IBS, both globally but then also specifically in western countries, like the US, Canada, UK and Australia?
[Discover More…]The Baking Soda Test for Digestion
Your dietitian might suggest this simple test involving baking soda and water, known as ‘The Baking Soda Test’. Here is why. Your stomach is like a chemical factory, churning out various acids to break down the food you eat. Sometimes, this acid production can get out of balance. Some folks end up with too much stomach acid, leading to reflux issues. Others might have too little stomach acid, which can mimic reflux symptoms such as bloating, fullness, and discomfort. Now, let’s dive into some basic chemistry: Baking soda is a base (or alkaline substance), and it reacts with stomach acid to produce carbon dioxide gas. If you take baking soda on an empty stomach, it should trigger a burp within a few minutes due to the gas formation. If you don’t burp, it could be a sign that your stomach[Discover More…]
55 Low Calorie Meals – Easy And Delicious Recipes for Weight Loss
Are you running out of ideas for some tasty low calorie meals which are easy to prepare?
If you are trying to lose weight, having a variety of simple recipes on hand that you are happy to eat will make a big difference to your efforts.
I’ve rounded up 55 delicious low calorie recipes to help keep you motivated.
Recipes are no more than 500 calories a serve, which will fit in nicely to your daily plan if you are sticking to a 1,500 calorie diet plan.
Click the recipe photo or name for the full instructions and more photos.
[Discover More…]
