I thought I’d write this post out to clear up any confusion you may have. Maybe you’ve heard of what a dietitian does, and maybe you’ve heard of fertility specialists – but perhaps this is the first time you’ve heard of a fertility dietitian.

So here we go. I’m going to break down exactly what a dietitian is, what we do, and how we work on fertility. I’m also going to talk about my unique approach with integrative and functional nutrition, as well as what you can expect from your first call with me.

What is a dietitian?

An RD, or Registered Dietitian, is someone who has at minimum a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or dietetics and 1200 clinical training hours. RDs must pass a comprehensive national exam (in the United States) and have continuing education hours every year to ensure we remain current on the latest science, research and best practices.

Only a person who has met these stringent requirements can use the title “Dietitian.” In 2020, the requirement to be a dietitian will also require a Master’s degree.

Becoming an RD requires completing a rigorous academic program that includes courses in food science, clinical dietetics, community nutrition, lifecycle nutrition, medical nutrition therapy, education methodology, biochemistry, microbiology, social sciences, human anatomy and physiology, and other culinary and nutrition-related classes.

As a side note, my undergraduate degree was not at all science related – in fact, I studied International Relations and my career prior to becoming a dietitian was in international development and anti-hunger policy work!

A Dietitian is a Nutritionist, but a Nutritionist is not a Dietitian

A nutritionist, is not a regulated term, and thus anyone can call themselves one. Because of this, the nutrition world has become saturated with misinformation. You could take a 6 week course online and reasonably call yourself a nutritionist.

Now, I know this is super confusing, especially because as dietitians, we ARE nutritionists – meaning we can provide nutrition information to individuals and communities, but we also can provide medical nutrition therapy in a hospital or acute setting (think feeding tubes, diabetic diets, diets for specific disease states like heart disease, renal disease, or cancer). A nutritionist cannot do this.

Formal training and credentials are vital for achieving your nutrition and health goals, as what may work for one person, could be ineffective or even harmful to another. That’s why working with a Registered Dietitian is so important.

What is a Fertility Dietitian?

A fertility dietitian is an RD who specializes in helping women (and men) optimize their diet for fertility. Women with specific hormonal imbalances such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) can benefit from working with a fertility dietitian, or those who have been trying to conceive for 6 months or more with no results.

A fertility dietitian will tailor a program specifically for you – whether that means weight management to reach a healthy BMI, reduce insulin resistance, balance hormones, support egg health, regulate cycles, or work on more in-depth conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s, or Hypothyroidism.

In my own practice, I take an integrative and functional approach to nutrition, utilizing specific lab tests to get to the root cause of your fertility struggles.

What is Functional Nutrition?

Functional nutrition is a component of functional medicine, which is a framework that some doctors use to address the root cause of a disease. It is a model that looks at the whole patient (mind, spirit, body) and works WITH the patient together to address underlying causes of disease by evaluating biological systems.

Functional nutrition “emphasizes the importance of high-quality foods and phytonutrient diversity to address clinical imbalances and move people to the highest expression of health.” (Institute of Functional Medicine – https://www.ifm.org/learning-center/introduction-to-functional-nutrition/).

Functional Approach to Fertility vs. Conventional Approach

The main difference between a functional approach to fertility vs. a conventional approach is that a functional approach will look at the underlying issue (starting to recognize a pattern?)

A functional nutrition approach to fertility will look at why your hormones are off balance, what body systems are off, how inflammation impacts fertility, gut health, sleep, stress, and much more. We work with you to uncover the root cause of your fertility struggles, rather than prescribing synthetic hormones to mask the problem.

Conversely, a conventional approach to fertility would likely include a prescription for hormone replacement therapy such as Clomid or Letrazole, either IUI or IVF, often including several rounds of each. While IVF has about a 40% success rate (and costs tens of thousands of dollars), it also does nothing to address the root cause behind what was going on before.

If you’re looking to address the underlying issue and prefer a more holistic and natural approach, then functional fertility nutrition is for you.

What to Expect From Your First Call with a Fertility Dietitian

During your introduction call we’ll discuss you’re eating patterns, medical history, any blood tests or procedures you’ve had, discuss your medications and supplements, sleep patterns, stress levels, menstrual cycle, and bowel movements. The goal is to get a pretty complete picture in order to know which treatment protocol is right for you.

We’ll also discuss your specific health goals, which can range from regulating menstrual cycles, weight loss, improving energy, reducing PMS symptoms, and of course – getting pregnant.

After our first call, I’ll send over your treatment proposal and suggest certain functional lab tests to help uncover some of the root causes behind your symptoms. The reason I weave in functional lab testing into all my programs is because it allows me to give you a specific, customized recommendation for you – rather than a broad approach.

Functional lab testings also allows us to:

• Save time and money by eliminating the need to guess and check
• Expedite finding the root of the issue
• Personalize interventions and recommendations 
• Have a roadmap to help you succeed 
• Put puzzle pieces together
• See what the eye can’t see

If you’re interested in scheduling a free 30 minute discovery call – you can do so right here, to see if we’re a good fit to work together.

So, what questions do you have? Leave a comment below and let me know!

If you’re like most of my clients, you’ve probably already spent a lot of time googling at 3am what foods you should be eating to get pregnant. Maybe you’re googling at 3am right now looking for the perfect fertility diet. If you have, welcome.

I know how frustrating it can be to sift through the internet to find information that is not only useful, but also legitimate. Maybe you’re just starting out on this fertility journey, or perhaps you’ve been trying to conceive for 6 months, a year, or longer. Wherever you are in your journey, I know that following these three simple steps will greatly help you to realizing your dreams of becoming a mother.

I should preface this post by saying that there is no one “perfect diet” for every single person on the planet. As I’m sure you know, what works for your girlfriend would be torture for you. Some of my clients eat three meals/day, others eat six mini meals – some do better on low carb, and others need to have meat every day.

However, there are three basic components to my perfect fertility diet that will work for everyone, regardless of your individual needs. Of course, working with a Registered Dietitian will be the best way to get individualized recommendations based on your hormones, gut health, and nutrient needs. [If you’re interested in working with a dietitian specializing in fertility nutrition – book your free discovery call with me here.]

While there are certain foods you can emphasize throughout your fertility journey, you also want to think about your diet as a whole – meaning how to pair foods together for optimum nutrient absorption, breakdown of macros, and balancing blood sugar and hormones.

I’m going to break this down for you in 3 easy steps. Alright, let’s get right into your perfect fertility diet plan.

The Perfect Fertility Diet

Step 1 to The Perfect Fertility Diet: Always pair your carbohydrate source with a protein, fat, or both.

When you’re eating a carb source like a sweet potato, rice, or quinoa you want to make sure you’re not eating that carb alone. Or as Lily Nichols says, you don’t want to be eating a “naked carb.”

This goes for things like fruit too. Yes, fruit are healthy sources of carbs and fiber and you should definitely be including them in your diet, but just make sure you’re pairing your fruit or any other carb with a protein and/or fat source.

The reason for this is because you want to avoid spiking and crashing your blood sugar throughout the day. If you’re eating just oatmeal by itself for example, even though oats have fiber, it’s often too many carbs all at once.

This simple graph illustrates the point. When you eat just carbohydrates, there is a fast response – the carbs are broken down into sugar, causing the amount of sugar in your blood to spike. In response, the hormone insulin is released to quickly deal with all the sugar, and carries it into your cells to be used for energy. The result is a sharp decrease in blood sugar (the red line on the graph).

If you’ve ever eaten breakfast and then 30 minutes later you’re still hungry, this is probably what happened. By adding in a healthy fat source or protein, you’re slowing that process down (as seen above). You’re allowing a more slow release that will keep you fuller for longer, and won’t send your body in a cascade of disrupting your hormones.

Why does this matter for fertility?

So how does blood sugar spikes relate to the perfect fertility diet? Well, when you are eating in a pattern of spiking your blood sugar throughout the day, every day – this tends to cause more inflammation in your body. The ultimate goal of a fertility diet plan is to decrease as much inflammation in the body as we can, in order to make it an environment suitable for reproduction.

Furthermore, all carbohydrates (even healthy ones) raise blood sugar, which increase insulin, which increases testosterone, and can lead to irregular cycles – especially if you have PCOS. So if you’re dealing with irregular, long cycles – you’ll definitely want to start putting this into practice.

Snack Examples: Carbs + Protein / Fat

CARBOHYDRATE	PROTEIN/FAT
1 Medium Apple	1-2 Tbsp Nut Butter
5 Whole Grain Crackers	1-2 Hardboiled Eggs
1 Cup Cantaloupe	2 oz Cottage Cheese
¾ Cup Berries	6-8oz Plain Greek Yogurt
2 Tbsp Dried Fruit	12-15 Almonds

Step 2 to The Perfect Fertility Diet: Base most of your plate off of a variety of vegetables.

Vegetable recommendations from a dietitian – I know, shocking. But eating enough vegetables throughout the day is KEY to your perfect fertility diet plan.

When you’re trying to conceive, it’s a super energy-intensive process that requires a flood of vitamins and nutrients. This is why I emphasize vegetables at every single meal. And if you think about it, the general requirement is at least 6-12 servings of vegetables per day.

Most people are not getting nearly this much. So if you start thinking about your plate as starting with vegetables and then adding in other components you’re likely to be getting more of those veggie servings.

Some ideas would be leafy greens like spinach and kale, zucchini, bok choy, and so many others. All these vegetables are going to help with your fiber intake as well, which will help keep you regular and keep your digestive track healthy.

Step 3 to The Perfect Fertility Diet: Always choose a good source of protein

What I mean by this is – if you’re including meat into your diet, be sure to choose organic grass-fed meats, pasture-raised organic eggs, and line-caught or wild-caught seafood. This is definitely going to be more expensive, but you’re also avoiding all of the hormones, antibiotics and other sh*t that is pumped into our food supply.

Now, if you can’t afford to do this all the time, I would recommend eating it less often, and instead choosing plant proteins like lentils or beans to help boost your protein intake. Canned tuna or salmon from brands like SafeCatch or WildPlanet are also really affordable options too.

Most women do not get enough protein, and especially if you’re vegan you’re likely not getting enough.

Recap: The Perfect Fertility Diet

So to recap:

1. Don’t eat naked carbs – always pair your carbs with a fat or protein

2. Make the majority of your meals vegetables

3. Choose organic and high quality protein

Remember, what you eat now will affect the health of your baby, so you want to choose wisely as often as you can. This doesn’t mean you need to stress out about it. In fact, reducing your stress if part of an overall fertility plan that I recommend with my clients.

If you’re looking for a more individualized approach to your fertility nutrition plan, and are serious about getting pregnant naturally – let’s set up a free discovery call to see if we’re a good fit.

Remember, you are strong and you got this.

What is a Fertility Diet?

You may have heard that eating a “fertility diet” would help you get pregnant. Or perhaps you’re here because you think your diet could be the reason behind some of the symptoms you’re experiencing like PMS, irregular cycles, or other hormone imbalances.

As a fertility dietitian, I work with women specifically on diet and lifestyle modifications to improve their chances of conceiving naturally. Below are my top 10 favorite fertility foods, as well as the reason behind why they are so good for you when trying to conceive.

As you may know, what you eat affects your body, including for fertility. Think about it, the food we eat affects our heart, our blood sugar, our weight – why wouldn’t it also be affecting our reproductive system?

All of the fertility foods I include are functional foods, meaning they have a health promoting function in the body – specifically for balancing hormones, fertility and pregnancy.

If you’ve tried any of these fertility foods before, let me know in the comments, and be sure to keep your eye out for more fertility nutrition blog posts.

The Top 10 Fertility Foods (Dietitian Approved!)

The first fertility food I recommend is pasture-raised organic eggs. Eggs are an amazing source of choline, specifically the yolk, which is essential for developing your baby’s brain. The cholesterol in the yolk is also a building block for the hormone progesterone. Eating enough healthy cholesterol in the form of pasture-raised organic eggs is an egg-cellent way of eating for fertility. (Sorry, had to! 🙂 ) One of my absolute favorite ways to eat eggs is by making Shakshuka– an Israeli-Tunisian dish. I have an Instagram highlight dedicated just to Shakshuka if you’re looking for some inspiration!


Next up is dark leafy greens – which are full of folate. You may have heard that folate is super important for your baby’s development, but why is it exactly a fertility food? Folate is a co-factor in many metabolic processes in your body, namely in DNA methylation and replication – aka making new copies of DNA. When you have adequate folate in your diet, your body does a better job of copying DNA, aka making a new baby! Don’t be fooled by prenatal vitamins that have folic acid though. Folic acid is a less bio-available form of folate, meaning your body doesn’t absorb it as well. [Here’s a link to my favorite prenatal vitamins that were formulated by a dietitian!] Getting a variety of greens is great too, so don’t be afraid to mix it up! Some of my favorites are spinach, bok choy, collard greens, kale, swiss chard or rainbow chard, and arugula.

 

Omega-3 Fats are amazing for fertility!

The third food I recommend is salmon! Salmon is an amazing source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are a brain boosting fat. Omega-3s have been shown to improve cognitive development in fetuses. They balance out the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats in the body. Since the Standard American Diet (SAD) is filled with omega-6 fats, we need to put an emphasis on eating more omega-3 fats. Other fish I recommend are tuna, cod, halibut, sardines (I’m super into them right now!) and herring. Looking for the most delicious salmon recipe, EVER? Definitely go bookmark this recipe for delicious salmon kebabs.

Full Fat Dairy & Citrus

The fourth food I recommend is full-fat dairy. Full-fat dairy has the active preformed vitamin A, while plant sources of vitamin A are pro-formed and less bio-active. Full fat dairy can also be very supportive of balancing hormones. [Note: only eat dairy if you can tolerate it.] I love full fat plain greek yogurt or adding some full fat cream to my coffee for a delicious treat.

Number five is citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges. Citrus are an excellent source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that’s helpful in reducing oxidative stress in your body. I love zesting citrus and adding it to water, smoothies, and salad dressings. There are so many ways to add citrus to your diet including add lemon to your water, making homemade vinaigrettes, or just packing an orange for an afternoon snack. It doesn’t get easier than this one!

 

Our bodies naturally create oxidative stress, but an overload can cause inflammation. When you eat foods that are rich in anti-oxidants, they are literally cleaning up that oxidative stress and reducing inflammation.

The sixth food I recommend is berries. It’s summer now in Australia, and all the farmers markets are bursting with beautiful blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. If you’re in the northern hemisphere or found this article in the winter, you can definitely use frozen berries as well. Berries are rich in antioxidants, and getting a variety is key as each berry will provide something slightly different. Our bodies naturally create oxidative stress, but an overload can cause inflammation. When you eat foods that are rich in anti-oxidants, they are literally cleaning up that oxidative stress and reducing inflammation. (We want this!) Think of eating rich colors – those colors represent phytonutrients that are super anti-inflammatory and can scavenge free radicals. They’re also a good source of fiber and rich in vitamin C as well.

Number seven on this list may scare you away – but don’t go so quickly. The seventh food I recommend is liver and other organ meats. I know I know, this is probably the most shocking of the list – but organ meats in particular are like nature’s multivitamin. They have everything you really need to support a healthy baby and are especially high in vitamin A and CoQ10 – which is great for female AND male fertility supplement. If the thought alone is making you nauseous, I recommend taking beef liver capsules, like these from Vital Proteins (affiliate link). And if you happen to live in New York City, one of my favorite Israeli restaurants makes an excellent chicken liver pita – promise, it’s delicious.

Oyster Date Nights

Now, if I lost you on seven, I think I can win you back with number eight. The eighth food I recommend is oysters – which are the BEST source for bioavailable zinc. They’re also a great source of selenium and iodine – all very supportive for fertility. I love to recommend oyster date nights as it can be a great way to bond with your partner, and eat some delicious fertility foods together. Win, win!

The ninth food I recommend is fermented foods. Sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, and yogurt all have raw active enzymes and probiotics. Probiotics are great for your gut, digestion, and can reduce inflammation. If you’re new to fermented foods, I recommend starting out with a full-fat yogurt. The other items have more intense flavors, so experiment and go slow.

And the very last food I recommend is bone broth. Bone broth provides a rich source of amino acids, namely glycine which is essential during pregnancy. Bone broth is soothing for the gut, it’s anti-inflammatory and can help increase your protein intake.

 

So there you have it, my top 10 fertility foods for women trying to conceive. If you liked this article, be sure to share it with a friend or pin it for later! And let me know in the comments, which fertility foods are your favorite!

 

Do you know when your fertile window is?

I’ll be honest, I never even tracked my period before this past year. My period was something I dealt with, not something I was particularly interested in or fond of.

But once I started down this TTC journey, I became fascinated with periods, ovulation, and all the cascade of hormones that beautifully come together to make this ish happen.

SO WHAT IS A FERTILE WINDOW?

Your fertile window refers to the most fertile days in your menstrual cycle which give you the highest chance of conceiving. The most fertile days in your cycle are the days leading up to ovulation, before the egg is released from the ovary.

 

Alright, let’s get down into it.

 

The BEST way to know if and when you’re ovulating is:

1. Measuring your BBT – basal body temperature
2. Noticing your CM – cervical mucus

[Note: Some people like to use Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs), but this will not show if you’ve actually ovulated, rather it detects the LH surge that precedes ovulation.]

BBT:

Your basal body temperature shows you if you’ve already ovulated, not that you’re about to. When an egg is released, the body starts producing progesterone, which raises your body temperature.

 

Thus, your basal body temperature (BBT) increases after you ovulate, and tracking this can be one way of verifying ovulation.

 

If you track your BBT every day, you should see an increase at least by 0.72 °F (0.4 °C) the day after you ovulate.

 

• In the first phase of the cycle, BBT usually stays below 98.6 °F (37 °C). Most often BBT falls between 97.52–98.24 °F (36.4–36.8 °C) because of low progesterone concentration.

 

• One day before ovulation, a luteinizing hormone (LH) peak is observed, which can be accompanied by an additional decrease in temperature by 0.36–0.54 °F (0.2–0.3 °C.)

 

• After ovulation, the progesterone level sees a sharp increase (approximately 10-fold), which causes a temperature leap above 98.6 °F (37 °C.)

 

With an adequate corpus luteum function, it will stay at this level for 10–14 days.

 

If the fertilized egg doesn’t implant, the progesterone level and basal body temperature will decrease before menstruation.

How to track BBT:

1. Take your temperature every morning at the same time.
2. Stay in bed when taking your temperature.
3. Always measure the temperature in the same way
4. Use the same thermometer (electronic or other).
5. You should have had at least 3 hours of sleep before taking the temperature.

 

Note: Your temperature can change based on other factors aside from ovulation such as lack of sleep, stress, if your immune system is compromised, etc.

CERVIAL MUCUS

I like this image as it brings everything together, all the hormones, temperatures, and phases of the menstrual cycle. I know this stuff can get really confusing, which is why I like the BBT and CM method – because you’re literally getting in tune with your body and your own individual cycle.

 

Too Long Didn’t Read: Track your temperature daily and notice the white sticky stuff in your underwear to accurately know when you’re ovulating, aka baby making time.

 

Questions? Interested in more fertility topics? Comment below!

How to Eat Healthy on a Budget

One of the things I always hear people say is that eating healthy is “too expensive.” I get it, if you think you can only shop at Whole Foods (#wholepaycheck) to eat healthy, or only eat organic, it can seem pretty daunting.

I wanted to share some of my favorite ways to eat healthy while staying on budget, because let’s be real – we might want to spend our money on fancy shoes, or in my case, my next plane ticket 🙂 Here it is, my favorite ways to eat healthy on a budget: 

Buy in bulk: if you’re trying to eat healthy on a budget, buying from the bulk section is a great resource. Don’t want to drop $$ on a huge bag of quinoa or almond flour – buy in the bulk section to grab exactly how much you need. This also ensures you’re getting whole grains and legumes without any additives.

Shop on the periphery of the supermarket – its pretty easy to eat healthy when you have a pantry and fridge stocked with healthy foods. The easiest way to do this? Shop on the outside of the supermarket, and you won’t need to even worry with nutrition labels. By sticking to whole fruits and vegetables, good sources of protein, and organic full fat dairy products – you should be good to go! Bonus – if you fill your cart with fruits and vegetables, your bill will likely be much less than buying packaged foods. Sweet!

When thinking about how to put together a meal – focus on vegetables first, then add your source of protein (fish, beef, eggs, etc.), and add a healthy fat (nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado). If I’m looking at a plate, I’ll cover the entire plate with vegetables first like salad greens, roasted vegetables, or crunchy fresh vegetables (get a variety!) and then add my protein and fat. This ensures you’re getting loads of fiber, slow-burning carbs that won’t spike your blood sugar, and protein and fat that help keep you full and satiated. Aim for all of your meals to look like this, or even just start with lunch or dinner in this way. Your body may not be used to all of this fiber at first, but it will get used to it!

Lose the soda, juices, and other calorically dense drinks and stick to water or sparkling water. If this is a huge deal for you, start by reducing it by 1 each day. If you drink 1 soda/day, try drinking 1 every other day instead. Sodas and juice add loads of extra calories and don’t have much to add except sugar. If you’re looking to eat healthier or lose weight, making this switch will be huge for you. It may take some time to adjust, but just take it slowly and don’t beat yourself up over it! I also recommend avoiding diet sodas despite having zero calories. Remember, water is free! You can get it from the tap or invest in a water filter and never pay for soda and juice again. Make the switch to water and never look back 😉

Meal prep!!! I have an entire blog post on how to meal prep like a boss, go check it out! In the meantime, meal prepping is the #1 thing I recommend to all of my clients, and personally use this method to help me reduce stress during the week by having ready-made or almost ready-made meals available that are healthy and delicious. Most importantly, you can save loads of money by actually using up all the food in your fridge and not letting anything go to waste!

Hydrate hydrate hydrate. Start your day with water, and continue to stay hydrated throughout the day by keeping a big reusable water bottle by your side. Try drinking before and after each meal to help remind you, or take a sip of water at the top of every hour. This aids in detoxification in the body, increased metabolism, and weight loss. Don’t overlook this step!

Share meals with friends – have a group of friends that all wants to eat healthier? Try having a weekly potluck! You make less food, but everyone gets to enjoy together! I typically have a potluck meal once a week on Friday nights and it’s my favorite time of the week. Good healthy foods, good friends, and good conversation. What more could you want? 🙂 

That’s all for now! If you have more tips on how to ball on a budget, or your favorite ways to save money while still eating healthy, share them below! 

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