Ovulu Nutrition

🚩 5 Signs You Might Be Taking the Wrong Prenatal:

When it comes to choosing a prenatal supplement, there's no one-size-fits-all. Here are 5 red flags that you might not have the right one for you:

1. Nausea: If your prenatal leaves you feeling bloated, nauseous, or uncomfortable, it might be time to explore other options. Sometimes this means choosing a prenatal with a more bioavailable form of certain nutrients.

2. Fatigue: Prenatals should help provide the nutrients you need to support your energy levels. If you're constantly feeling fatigued, your current choice might not be delivering. Sometimes this also means getting your levels checked and choosing to take an additional supplement (e.g. B12 or Iron)

3. Digestive upset: Sometimes the nutrients in prenatal supplements can cause digestive upset. If you're having major issues with your digestion, it might be worth changing the timing or type of prenatal supplement you're taking.

4. Headaches: Headaches, even mild ones, can be a sign that you're allergic or incompatible with your prenatal supplement - so

5. Lastly, when taking supplements, it's always a good idea to get somewhat regular blood tests (especially when trying to conceive). If changes to your micronutrient levels change unexpectantly (either too much or not enough), this can be an indication that your prenatal should be changed

Choosing the right prenatal is essential for your health and the health of your future baby. Consult your healthcare provider to find a prenatal that meets your specific nutritional needs and supports your journey to motherhood. 🤰🌟

🍞 Why Cutting Out Carbs Won't Help Your PCOS Long-Term 🍞

Although some other dietitians / nutritionists might recommend cutting out carbs completely if you have PCOS, there's a few reasons why I don't believe this is the best approach long term.

For one, carbohydrates provide essential nutrients that support hormone balance and overall well-being. Eliminating them can lead to deficiencies that often worsen PCOS symptoms.

Carbs are your body's primary energy source. Without enough energy, you might experience fatigue, mood swings, and reduced metabolism - which especially if you're cutting out carbs for weight loss, is not the best strategy long term.

Not only that, but a sustained, extremely low-carb diet can trigger increased cortisol levels, which may exacerbate stress and hormonal imbalances (which is exactly the opposite of what we want when managing PCOS.) This can also lead to a metabolic adaptation, making weight loss harder over time.

Lastly, whole carbs, like fruit and whole grains, are rich in fibre that supports gut health. You gut health is so important, for your hormonal health and overall wellbeing especially in PCOS. Cutting them out might negatively impact digestion.

Instead of cutting out carbs completely, focus on consuming complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. A balanced approach that includes healthy carbs, proteins, and fats supports hormone regulation and overall well-being. Remember, every person's PCOS journey is unique, so consult a healthcare professional to find the best nutrition plan for you. 🥦🍎

🤔 WHY I DON'T FOCUS ON WEIGHT AS A PRENATAL DIETITIAN ⬇️

💚 People are often confued when I tell them that, as a dietitian, I don't place a strong emphasis on weight or even ask about specific weight details.

🥑This may seem strange, especially since doctors commonly refer patients to me for weight loss.

⭐️So, why don't I focus on weight?

👨‍⚕️Unlike the prevalent weight-centric medical model, I consider myself to be weight-neutral dietitian.

💙 Essentially, this means that while I help clients who desire weight changes, I generally work outside the confines of weight as the primary goal.

⚖️I strongly believe that cultivating healthy habits and enhancing overall dietary quality are MUCH more important in most cases than fixating on a number on the scale.

❤️Personally, I know how challenging it can be to detach our self-worth from our weight.

🥬In my clients, I usually see, that regardless of weight, there are aspects of their diet, lifestyle, or eating behaviors that can be changed to improve their health. Often, adopting these improved health behaviors does result in weight changes. However, irrespective of weight outcomes, these behaviors invariably have a positive impact on overall health.

💉Adopting a weight-neutral approach can present some challenges in the fertility and preconception space, as many doctors have strict BMI cut-offs for undergoing IVF or other fertility treatments.

🍎In these cases, I shift the focus from weight loss to enhancing diet quality and diversity. This approach is gentler, more actionable, and typically more sustainable. It is much more empowering to concentrate on our behaviors and habits, as these are elements within our control!

💙 WHY DON'T OPKs ALWAYS WORK ON PEOPLE WITH PCOS? // Yesterday, I made a post about the different ways to track ovulation including the use of OPKs! OPKs, or, ovulation prediction kits, are strips or tests (often similar looking to a pregnancy test), that can help predict when ovulation is near.

🥑 If you have polycystic o***y syndrome (PCOS), you maay have found it difficult to use OPKs to predict ovulation.

Here's 4 reasons why that might be ⬇️

⭐️ 1. Irregular menstrual cycles: PCOS can cause irregular menstrual cycles, making it difficult to predict when ovulation will occur. This means that you may need to use OPKs for an extended period of time or use other methods of tracking ovulation, such as basal body temperature monitoring.

⭐️ 2. Higher levels of luteinizing hormone (LH): OPKs work by detecting a surge in LH, which triggers ovulation. However, women with PCOS may have higher baseline levels of LH, making it more difficult to detect the LH surge that indicates ovulation. This can result in false negatives or inconsistent results.

⭐️ 3. Multiple follicles: Women with PCOS may have multiple follicles developing at the same time, which can cause higher levels of LH and make it difficult to accurately detect ovulation with an OPK.

⭐️ 4. Other underlying hormonal imbalances: PCOS is a hormonal disorder that can impact many aspects of reproductive health, including ovulation. Other hormonal imbalances, such as high levels of testosterone, can also impact the accuracy of OPKs.

💙 If you have PCOS and are struggling to use OPKs to track your menstrual cycle, don't stress! Sometimes, clients can be concerned that OPKs aren't working for them, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're not ovulating. If this is you, it might be worth using other methods like symptom tracking, temping and charting or chatting to your GP about getting other medical tests to confirm ovulation

HOW TO WORK OUT WHEN YOU'RE OVULATING

⭐ Although it's common in the ttc space to track your ovulation, if you're new to learning about your cycle, you may not be fully aware of when you're ovulating.

⭐Whether you're planning (or naturally preventing) pregnancy, knowing when, and if, you ovulate is essential!

⭐ Although most period tracking apps (such as Flo or Clue), give you an estimated day of ovulation, unless you're also entering temperature or opk results, estimating your ovulation day based on the 'average' 14 day luteal phase (the phase between ovulation and your period.) These apps also can't confirm whether or not you are ovulating, or if you're having anovulatory cycles, which can be an issue if you're trying to conceive.

⭐ That's when other methods like using OPKs (ovulation prediction kits), temping, tracking symptoms or getting medical confirmation can come in handy!

⭐A lot of these methods don't necessarily confirm ovulation (nor do you need all of them ovulate), but they can be a great place to start when trying to understand your cycle better!

⭐I'll make a few more posts in depth on some of these methods in the coming few weeks - but feel free to drop a comment or send me a DM if you have any questions!

WHY I'M NUTS ABOUT NUTS! (And you should be too!) If you're trying to conceive, or even just improve your overall health, adding some nuts to your diet is an amazing place to start.

🥜 When it comes to optimising your fertility, nuts can play a role in regulating ovulation, boosting s***m health and egg quality and potentially supporting implantation!

🥜 Boosting s***m quality: Studies have shown that men who eat more nuts have higher s***m counts and better s***m motility. This is likely due to the high levels of antioxidants, healthy fats, and other nutrients found in nuts.

🥜 Regulating ovulation: Nuts are a good source of protein, healthy fats, and fiber, which can help to balance hormones and regulate ovulation. This is particularly important for women with irregular periods or conditions such as polycystic o***y syndrome (PCOS).

🥜 Improving egg quality: Nuts contain high levels of vitamin E, which has been shown to improve egg quality and reduce the risk of miscarriage. Vitamin E is also important for overall reproductive health and may help to protect against age-related decline in fertility.

🥜 Providing essential nutrients: Nuts are a rich source of many essential nutrients, including folate, zinc, selenium, and magnesium, which are all important for fertility. These nutrients help to support healthy ovulation, s***m production, and embryo development.

🥜 Supporting overall health: Nuts are also good for your overall health, which is important for fertility. They can help to reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and lower cholesterol levels, all of which can impact reproductive health.

🥜 So next time you're looking for a healthy snack, reach for a handful of nuts! Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and Brazil nuts are all great choices!

If you found this interesting, be sure to check out the link in my bio to register for my free fertility food masterclass, where I'll be providing more tips and strategies for improving your health before conception! 🥜

⬇️ SAVE THIS POST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE! ⬇️

🌼 If you have PCOS and are currently trying to conceive, you may be wondering what you can do to help improve your chances.

🩸Alongside tracking your cycle length and symptoms, there are various blood tests that can help provide insight into the factors influencing your ability to ovulate regularly and conceive. The following markers are ones that I love to see clients have tested when trying to conceive with PCOS.

⭐FSH & LH: These hormones play a key role in regulating ovulation. Women with PCOS often have high levels of LH and low levels of FSH, which can indicate anovulation (lack of ovulation).

⭐ Testosterone: High levels of testosterone are common in women with PCOS and can impact ovulation and insulin sensitivity.

⭐ Glucose and insulin: Women with PCOS are at increased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Your doctor may order tests such as HbA1c, serum insulin, fasting and non-fasting glucose.

⭐ Thyroid function: Thyroid disorders are common in women with PCOS and can impact fertility.

⭐ Prolactin: High levels of prolactin can impact fertility by suppressing ovulation.

⭐ AMH (with Vitamin D): AMH is a hormone that is produced by the ovaries and can help predict the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries. Women with PCOS often have high levels of AMH, which can indicate an increased number of immature follicles. I recommend getting your Vitamin D checked at the same time whenever testing AMH.

⭐ Lipid profile: Women with PCOS are at increased risk of high cholesterol and other lipid disorders. Your doctor may check your lipid profile (ldl cholesterol, hdl cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides) to monitor your risk and help manage your symptoms.

👩‍🔬Not all of these tests will be required for everyone with PCOS, but they may be a good place to start when trying to conceive. It's imprtant to work closely with your doctor to determine which tests are necessary based on your individual health history and symptoms.

🍵 SPEARMINT TEA FOR LOWERING ANDROGENS?! Can having a cup of tea really help with managing your hormone levels?

If you're unsure what I mean by this, let me explain ⬇️

🌼 Androgens (for example testosterone), are s*x hormones responsbile for growth and resproduction. Androgens are important in the female body as well, however in much smaller amounts. In conditions like PCOS, high androgen levels are often present, contributing to symptoms such as acne, hair growth, weight gain, insulin resistance anovulation and infertility.

So how does spearmint tea come into this? 🍵

📖 Well, some research suggests that having just one cup of spearmint tea a day can significantly lower androgen levels and improve insulin sensitivity in women with PCOS! ✅

🐭 Unfortunately (as with a lot of nutrition research), the evidence is FAIRLY limited, with only 2 studies researching this effect. Although both did conclude a significant improvement, one study was fairly small, and the other was done in rats (not humans.)

💕 In saying that, there hasn't been any research showing any negative effects, and spearmint tea is cheap, yummy, can be part of a relaxing night time routine and may help with lowering androgens, so I'd say it's worth trying right?!

🌻 Let me know in the comments is this is something you do, or might try!
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ARE YOU CURRENTLY TRYING TO CONCEIVE AND WONDERING WHAT SUPPLEMENTS TO TAKE? // Here are the top 5 mistakes you might be making with your supplement regime when trying to conceive (and in general!)

🔥 Does your supplement shelf look like the picture in the second slide? If so, you're most likely taking way too many, and you might be doing more harm than good. Not only are you likely spending a fortune for expensive p*e, you might actually be doubling up on nutrients that can be harmful at high doses. One example of this is vitamin B6, which is found in a lot of supplements, and can be toxic at high amounts.

❤️ Different forms of nutrients absorb differently in the body depending on how bioavailable they are. One example of this, is choosing a prenatal with methylated folate (like in the Kin fertility prenatal) over a folic acid prenatal vitamin. This isn't always necessary, but can make a difference in some women if not able to absorb folic acid completely.

🦋 Timing of your supplements matter, as different nutrients can inhibit one another when taken at the same time. An example of this is iron and calcium. It's also important to be aware of potential medications that might be influenced by your supplements (for example, st john's wort is a common supplement that interacts with many other medications)

🐣Some nutrients, such as COQ10, inositol and choline are found in very small quantities in most prenatal supplements.

🌸 Be careful when it comes to your protein powders, preworkouts, energy or vitamin drinks, as again, you might be doubling up on nutrients that you're already getting in your supplements!

🙍 Feeling a little overwhelmed with your supplements? Book in for an initial session, or an express supplement consult for a full review of your diet and supplement regime. I'm also currently in the process of editing my masterclass to include some more info about supplements (and the other feedback I received), so stay tuned over the next few days! :)


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5 FOODS TO LIMIT WHEN TTC // It's important to make sure you're fuelling your body with the right nutrients when trying to start a family 🍇🍓🥦

🥑 But did you know there are certain foods that can negatively impact your fertility? 🤔Although you don't have to be perfect, here are my top 5 foods you should try to limit when trying to conceive:

🍷 1. Alcohol
Did you know that even moderate alcohol consumption can affect your fertility?
Saying no to alcohol not only helps to protect your reproductive health, but also ensures a healthier pregnancy and baby. 💕

2. Processed Meats
Processed meats like bacon, hot dogs, and ham contain harmful chemicals and preservatives that can negatively impact your reproductive health.
Opt for healthier options like grilled chicken, fish, and plant-based proteins instead! 🌱

3. Sugary snacks
Excessive sugar intake can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, and other health issues that can impact fertility (especially if you live with PCOS.)
So, while it's okay to indulge in moderation, it's best to limit sugary foods and opt for healthier options like fresh fruit and natural sweeteners 🍇

4. Trans Fats
Trans fats, found in many processed and fried foods, can increase inflammation and negatively impact hormonal balance.
Make healthier choices by opting for foods high in healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and olive oil 🥑

6. Caffeine
While a small amount of caffeine is okay, excessive consumption can negatively impact your fertility and overall health.
Opt for decaf coffee or tea, and choose natural energy boosters like herbal teas or a morning walk to start your day.🌞

For more specific guidance send me a DM and we can chat about what approach will suit your needs best!

WHO HERE LOVES CINNAMON ❓// Not only is cinnamon delicious and soo versatile, it's also great from a nutrition standpoint (especially in PCOS!)
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✨Cinnamon has shown a few benefits for PCOS, especially those struggling with insulin resistance. Not only that, but regular cinnamon intake in those with PCOS may also help improve menstrual regularity and lower cholesterol levels.
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🙈All the more reason to add it into your brekkie oats!

✨PINEAPPLE DURING THE TWO-WEEK-WAIT// Does it actually help with implantation? ✨

🍍Pineapple has become a key symbol in the infertility and TTC community partly due to the belief that it helps with implantation during the two-week-wait

🩸The theory is that pineapple (especially pineapple core) contains bromelain, which acts as a mild blood thinner and promotes additional blood flow to the uterus during implantation.

👀 Unfortunately to date, there's no scientific evidence to support this claim. However, that doesn's mean you need to stop having pineapple. Pineapple is an amazing source of vitamins, minerals and fibre and is fantastic for overall health and egg quality.

WHAT TO EAT IN THE TWO WEEK WAIT

This is a question I get asked all the time, both in clinic and in my Instagram DMs.

Most of the benefits from diet to your fertility will happen in the 3-6 months before conception, and what you eat during the two week wait is much less important than this initial groundwork.
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⠀​​​In saying that, there is some evidence to suggest that some foods may help promote healthy implantation, so here are my top 4 recommendations for foods to include during this time.

1. Cooked eggs - Rich in choline, which recent research is showing is almost as important as folate in neural tube development. Only around 1% of women meet their choline reccommendations, and it's not commonly included in your prenatal supplement!
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2. Beetroot - Rich in nitrites which work as a mild vasodilator and may improve blood flow to the uterus. In a few different studies, daily beetroot intake improved pregnancy rates by 20 - 40% in women undertaking IVF. Although these are faily small studies (~300 women per study), it's definitely worth a try!

3. Yoghurt: Yoghurt is a great source of calcium, protein and probiotics - all of which can be beneficial when trying to conceive.

4. Leafy greens - Finally, number 4 should come as no surprise! Leafy greens such as kale, spinach and even avocado, are an amazing source of folate, which we all know is super important when trying to conceive. These foods are also all high in fibre, which is great for our gut health, and reducing excess estrogen.