Laura MacDonald Nutrition

Hi 👋 It’s been a while! I’ve just been on a call with my colleagues at the .nutrition.centre and one thing that came up was the amount of time we spend on our clients (and we wouldn’t have it any other way because we like to leave no stone unturned! 💕)

So I thought I’d tell you a little bit about what goes on outside your consultation time because the time you spend on zoom with me is just a fraction of the work I do for you.

💕 For every client I see I research their case before we even speak.
💕 I call laboratories about testing and spend time interpreting test results.
💕 I go through research papers to make sure my protocols are up to date and are suitable for my clients
💕 I check whether supplements are safe alongside client medication.
💕 I sometimes speak to colleagues to see if they have any thoughts on how to best help my clients (keeping clients anonymous) - many minds are better than one!

😊 And I think about my clients every day because I sooooo want them to succeed! (So if you’re a client or ex client of mine please keep me posted on your news, I really want to hear it!)

🤷🏻‍♀️Any questions about working with me? Let me know 👇

Who else would you add to that list? It might be different for everyone 🤷🏻‍♀️

👉 IVF is tough on the body and mind, so having a support network to help look after you is really useful.

👉 Working with practitioners such as an acupuncturist, reflexologist, counsellor, nutritionist, yoga teacher - whoever you’re drawn to - can help support your fertility but also your overall well-being, alongside your team of medical professionals.

😊 It might also help to share with friends and family - or if you’re not comfortable with that, sometimes finding like-minded people in support groups or even Instagram can help.

Accurate representation of where you‘ll find me for the next couple of weeks - curled up with cookbooks (and probably a few family labradors… if that’s not living the dream I don’t know what is!? 🐾🐾🐾)

🥰 I’ve so enjoyed the privilege of being part of my clients’ health journeys and to help those who are struggling with fertility. I’ve been there, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, and it means the world to me to be able to be a source of help and guidance to others going through it 🥰

💕 I’m going to take some time off social media to recharge the batteries and spend some quality time with my family so I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🥳

These are my top five tips!

💤 If I had to pick just one, I’d choose sleep. Sleep is fundamental to health and even if everything else is optimal, if you’re not getting enough quality sleep it will be difficult to make progress.

🍬 Sugar is inflammatory and can cause blood sugar imbalance - this is a key part of PCOS so it’s an important one to remember.

🧘‍♀️ Stress can disrupt hormonal balance, which is what lies at the heart of PCOS. You don’t have to take up yoga or meditation - do whatever chills you out.

🥑 Good fats help build healthy s*x hormones and are potently anti-inflammatory.

💁🏻‍♀️ You don’t have to figure it all out by yourself! Sometimes it helps to have a helping hand. If you’d like to book a consultation with me pop me an email or send me a DM 😊 [email protected]

🤧 Tips for when you get sick.

😤 I resent being ill. It p*sses me off! Fortunately (I’m about to brag 😬) I have a pretty kick-ass immune system which means it rarely happens but when it does I have some tricks up my sleeve.

1️⃣ Eat ALL the vegetables. Seriously - like 10 a day. If I lose my appetite I’ll have smoothies, juices, soups. Anything to pack in as much veg as I can - all the colours of the rainbow. When sick, your body needs all the help it can get.

2️⃣ Hydrate. Ginger tea by the gallon. Bone broth every day. It’s stereotypical for a reason - it helps.

3️⃣ Rest. I’m not one of those people who thinks ‘it’s just a cold, I’ll go about my business as normal’. As I mentioned, I HATE being ill, so the quicker I get over it the better and that means giving my body time to do that (Lola is not a fan of me resting 🐾 😂)

4️⃣ Supplements. I will confess I am currently taking quite a lot of supplements. And I have upped the dosage temporarily on a few of them. Vit C, zinc, elderberry, omega 3, vit D are some of my staples (but might not suit you so please don’t go out and buy them if you’re not sure!) There are some more specific ones I take but they can be harmful if taken incorrectly so I’m afraid I’m not going to share them here.

5️⃣ Avoid inflammatory foods. If I’m sick I steer clear of all alcohol and really limit my sugar intake. I don’t want to give my body anything else to deal with.

6️⃣ Take medical advice if needed. I think it’s important to mention this. Yes, I belief in the power of food and natural healing but I am also a huge fan of modern medicine.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Tell me, what are some things you do when you’re sick?

If I had to pick just one fertility/hormone food these guys might just be it. And the good news is that we’re in pumpkin season! (Is there a better season?)

🤷🏻‍♀️ Why do I love them so much

🎃 Zinc - known for regulating hormonal balance, supporting healthy ovulation and required for cell division. Also suuuuper important for s***m health.

🎃 Magnesium - has over 300 roles to play in the body, including helping the nervous system and supporting sleep, two things anyone TTC will be in need of.

🎃 Fatty acids - good fats that help support healthy blood flow to reproductive organs, balance blood sugar and reduce inflammation.

🎃 Anti-oxidants - potent little free radical ‘scavengers’ which essentially help to clean up damage in the body. They can indirectly help improve egg health.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Convinced yet? Helps that they’re also delicious! I love them gently toasted and sprinkled on porridge, soups or just about anything really - I aim for 1tbsp a day.

⭐️💕 Catch me over on on Monday where I’ll be doing a takeover to chat all things fertility nutrition - it will be useful for anyone not currently trying to conceive too! I’ll be providing lots of useful info so make sure you come and join me 🥰

🤓 Some of my top diet and lifestyle tips for improving egg quality - link in bio.

💊 This is also an area where supplements can make a huge difference (as well as, not instead of, dietary and lifestyle changes!)

⭐️ A lot of the tips also apply to s***m health too - remember that infertility is just as much a male problem as a female one.

🐾 Been away from this one for a whole week and I am SO excited to get back see her today!

🥦 We’ve also had a lot of pretty indulgent food and I’m reeeaaaally looking forward to getting back to my kitchen. I’m craving vegetables!

👉 Making a real effort to get more than 7 a day this week - who’s with me!?

😬 I’m lying, there are actually four. But let’s focus on the three key players which dominate in different stages of our lives.

💁🏻‍♀️ E1 - ESTRONE the weakest oestrogen. Produced predominantly in body fat but also in small amounts in the ovaries. Estrone is the predominant oestrogen post-menopause.

💁🏻‍♀️ E2 - ESTRADIOL the most active oestrogen and the dominant type in women of reproductive age. Plays a major role in the menstrual cycle and the type which people *usually* mean when they say ‘oestrogen’.

💁🏻‍♀️ E3 - ESTRIOL another weak form but the main player during pregnancy.

Bonus oestrogen… E4 - ESTETROL only detectable during pregnancy because it is produced by the liver of a foetus! How amazing is the human body!?

👉 Did you know about all these types of oestrogen?

🤷🏻‍♀️ First things first, why is there no beetroot emoji!?

💩Second… please remember that if you eat beetroot your p**p might go red!!! I’ve had many a panicky email from clients about this 😂

👉 Beetroot is a phenomenal hormone superhero.

👩‍🍳 Some of my favourite ways to eat it:

👉 Beetroot and baked feta (a classic!)
👉 Beetroot and lentil soup (hooray for soup season 🍁)
👉 Added to smoothies or juices
👉 Beetroot and apple slaw (gets super messy but totally yum)
👉 Beetroot latte (yup, very millennial, I know 😬)

👋 Tell me your favourite ways to eat it?

🦠 I’m talking bacteria! (If you’ve been following me for a while you’d be forgiven for thinking I am obsessed with bacteria. I totally am.)

💕 The oestrobolome is seriously exciting stuff. It is a collection of microbes which modulate and metabolise oestrogens (yes, plural - more on this another day).

🤷🏻‍♀️ What does that mean? It means that the oestrobolome directly affects oestrogen levels.

⚖️ Oestrogen levels affect a huge range of things, from PMS to acne to weight to libido to mood to fertility… the list goes on.

🤷🏻‍♀️ How can we look after the oestrobolome? By looking after our gut health!
🦠 Plenty of fibre
🦠 Hydration
🦠 Movement
🦠 Fermented foods
🦠 The list goes on (I can’t give away all my secrets on Instagram after all!)

🤷🏻‍♀️ Questions? Leave a comment, DM me or get in touch at [email protected]

Well this was unfortunate 😂

A lovely wholesome photo of Lola and I with an autumnal vegetable basket…

I don’t know how and I didn’t see it 😂 Of course special mention to .gittins.of.agc and her enormous marrow!

I suppose I am all about fertility so 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

🤷🏻‍♀️ A lot!

👉 You’re gut must be functioning optimally in order for you to be detoxifying toxins, excess and metabolised (used up) hormones.

👉 You need to get rid of these so that they don’t get absorbed back into the blood stream where they can knock things out of balance.

👉 Hormone imbalance can be a key driving force behind things like acne, PMS, PCOS, fertility problems, stress response, weight gain/loss and poor sleep.

💩 One key thing to look out for is your bowel movements! Are you going regularly? Are you constipated? Do you go too often? Do you regularly feel urgency or have diarrhea? Do your stools smell bad? Do they float? Let go of the poo taboo and pay attention - it’s a really useful sign of what else is going on in the body!

🤓 More on the gut and hormone balance coming this week!

🤷🏻‍♀️ Questions? Ask away!

Well this was unfortunate 😂

A lovely wholesome photo of Lola and I with an autumnal vegetable basket…

I don’t know how and I didn’t see it 😂 Of course special mention to .gittins.of.agc and her enormous marrow!

I suppose I am all about fertility so 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

Happy Saturday everyone! X

Delighted to be joining Pippa Campbell’s team! Reposting from with all the details… BIG ANNOUNCEMENT 🎉

Launching our NEW Fertility Gold DNA Package and welcoming Laura to the PCH Team to specialise in Fertility, PCOS & Hormonal Imbalances in younger women 😍

Fertility 🧬 package includes -

LifecodeGx DNA Test Kit

+ Methylation Report

+ Oestrogen Balance Report

+ Practitioner Support

Lifecode Gx DNA Test Kit - to collect a sample of cheeks cells from which DNA is extracted and analysed. It takes just 1 minute to collect the sample, place the swab in the test tube with the stabilising table, compete and sign the consent form and place everything in the return packaging provided. The test is not impacted by HRT, contraceptives, pregnancy, nutritional supplements, exercise or any other environmental factors.

Methylation Report - examines the key genes and variants (SNPs) involved in 5 Methylation cycles - folate, methionine, neurotransmitter, transsulphuration and urea. Genetic results will inform of individual needs for folate and other B vitamins (B12, B2, B3, and B6) and nutrients including choline, betaine, zinc and minerals to support fertility and pregnancy. Reports are provided in electronic (pdf) format.

Oestrogen Balance Report - analyses the genes and variants (SNPs) involved in the oestrogen hormone lifecycle and identifies nutrition and lifestyle intervention to protect against the risk of imbalance. Hormonal imbalances can contribute to fertility problems, weight gain, dry or oily skin, poor memory, dry or thinning hair, mood swings, painful periods, PCOS and hormone sensitive cancers. Reports are provided in electronic (pdf) format.

Practitioner Support - a detailed analysis of your reports and 45 minutes telephone/ Zoom call with Laura, to further explain your results, recommend nutrition and lifestyle interventions and answer any questions you may have.

❤️ £584.10 special launch price for one week only.
Link in bio and at www.pippacampbellhealth.com

🦠 A post in honour of the bacteria in your va**na 🦠

😊 Yep, it’s a good thing. If you have enough of the good guys and not too many of the bad guys.

👉 In the gut you want microbial diversity BUT in the va**na you want lots of a few key strains but not too much diversity.

🤷🏻‍♀️ How do you know what you have? TEST! I use the Vaginal Ecologix from with some of my fertility clients.

💕 Questions? Let me know!

💕Would you prefer to be in the know?

💜 I understand that sometimes test results can cause more stress and worry on what is already, all too often, a difficult journey. And I understand that sometimes you sort of wish you didn’t know what you know.

BUT…

👉 I’m a huge advocate of testing. Having hard evidence from which to work means you can create a targeted programme which is much more likely to get the results you’re after. I believe that there is always something you can do, however big or small that thing is.

🤓 I also believe that being clued-up puts you in a stronger position to advocate for yourself - which, unfortunately, you often have to do when you’re dealing with fertility.

🌸 Research, seek help, get second opinions, and try to look at testing as ‘levelling-up’ your fertility journey. The more you know, the better your plan will be.

😊 Always here to help if you need me at [email protected]

🌸 My Five Fertility Foundations (… and to be honest the five foundations for general well-being!)

🙋🏻‍♀️ These are the steps I take with every single client who walks through my (virtual) clinic doors. But each step won’t look quite the same for everyone!

🥦 NOURISH your body with good nutrition.
💧CLEANSE from toxins, both external and internal (no juice cleanses on my watch!)
🤸‍♀️ BALANCE hormones, microbiomes, life!
😊 CALM your nervous system, your mind, any inflammation going on
🤓EXPLORE what is going on in your body using functional testing.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Which of these steps do you think you could do with paying more attention to? For me it’s always the calm for sure!

👋 HI! My break lasted a little longer than anticipated… two weeks turned into four… it was lovely!

🌸 I’m back with a very simple message today.

🐾 Take small steps.

👉 September has that January, ‘new year, new me’ vibe to it. It’s full of messages of motivation, encouragement and a ‘go get it’ mentality. Which is all fine until you inevitably run out of steam.

💜 It can also feel like a frustrating vibe when your goal isn’t something that can be achieved by hard graft - like trying to conceive.

😊 So go easy and take one step at a time.

🙋🏻‍♀️ If you’d like a hand, give me a shout at [email protected]

👋 I’ve decided I’ll be taking some time off social media for a couple of weeks. It’s always such a welcome break when I do this, I highly recommend it!

👉 I’ll still be on my emails so best way to get in touch is at [email protected]

😊 See you in September! Xx

👉 Are you over-looking choline in your fertility diet?

👉 Daily recommended intake during pregnancy is 450mg (550mg for breastfeeding). Many of us don’t get enough from our diets so it’s an important nutrient in supplements - and yet it’s missing from many!

👉 It is needed for placenta development, spinal cord, vital organ and brain development and protects against neural tube defects. Pretty important!

👉 Food sources include egg yolks, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, spinach and liver (N.B. liver is not recommended during pregnancy but can be eaten preconception)

Do your research before you buy supplements.

👉 Many women can’t process folic acid so need it in the form of folate.

👉 You want a supplement to be jam-packed full of nutrients, not bulked-up with excipients which are fillers at best and harmful at worst.

👉 If you’re taking lots of different supplements there’s a good chance you’re over-doing it. Nutrients can be harmful if levels are too high, and too much of one might leave you deficient in another (e.g. a zinc supplement at a high level/over a certain period of time can push out copper)

👉 Supplements won’t work overnight. It can take weeks, or in some cases months, before they take effect (another reason to start planning in advance if you can!)

🙋🏻‍♀️ I do a supplement review with all my clients and more often than not I change what they’re on a few times. Interesting in finding out more? DM me 😊

💊 I recommend supplements to all my fertility clients… BUT it’s never the same ones for everyone.

🤷🏻‍♀️ I would always prefer that someone gets everything from food but frankly, with people who are struggling with fertility, the therapeutic doses of nutrients from supplements can be really helpful.

👉 But you need to understand what to look for and what to avoid. Some of the commonly-used prenatal supplements don’t contain the most bioavailable forms of nutrients, and have high proportions of fillers and excipients.

👉 You also need to understand YOU. Do you absorb nutrients well? Are you particularly prone to certain deficiencies? Are you likely to need less of a certain nutrient and more of another? Is your clinic putting you on meds that need to be factored into your supplement regime?

👀 More on the specifics to look for later in the week.

🤷🏻‍♀️ Questions? Let me know 👇

💕 A gentle reminder that Instagram is smoke and mirrors.

👉 Yes, most of the time I have a pretty healthy diet and lifestyle BUT…

🙋🏻‍♀️I don’t constantly drink green smoothies. Not every meal is entirely nourishing. My diet contains sugar. Dairy. Gluten. I use some plastic products. I use some products containing parabens. I have days where I sit on my bum all day. I have evenings where I’m scrolling on social media. I forget to take my supplements. I don’t always follow my own advice. I am human!

👉 I think ‘getting it right’ all the time can feel so overwhelming that we sometimes abandon the mission altogether. But I honestly don’t know anyone who manages to do all the things all the time.

💕 It’s about doing what you can, when you can. Make changes that are realistic for you. Listen to the advice and do what you can with it, but please don’t beat yourself up for not doing all of it. Even the people who seem like they do all of it aren’t doing all of it - it’s the great Instagram illusion!

🤷🏻‍♀️ Who can relate!??

🥳 And you can influence your bacteria to improve your health in all those areas! And… it’s not difficult to do.
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👉 Follow some of my tips from yesterday’s post to support your oral microbiome.
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👀 You can also find out out which bacteria have actually set up camp in your mouth, which you can do with a simple saliva test (I use one by a company called ).
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😊 I find it very reassuring to know that something as simple as good oral hygiene can have such a huge impact on our health.
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🤷🏻‍♀️ Thoughts?

👉 SWIPE for my top tips on supporting your oral health!
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🦷 Remember, the oral microbiome communicates closely with the reproductive and gut microbiomes.
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🦠 Looking after our bacteria has HUGE potential for general health as well as for fertility and even pregnancy outcomes. It’s an incredibly exciting area of research.
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🥦 And as usual, nutrition has a role to play. Not only do the nutrients we consume affect the function of every cell in our body, they also affect the bacteria.
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🧫 On an unrelated topic, I just discovered there’s a Petri dish emoji and I am here for it 😂

🦷 There are SO many avenues we can look at when trying to conceive but I bet you didn’t think your oral hygiene would be a factor!?
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😊 Before you read the rest, remember - it’s usually an easy fix if you know what you’re looking at, that’s the exciting part!
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🦷 When the oral bacteria is disrupted it can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation. This can trigger interleukin-1 which can cause body-wide inflammation. This can inhibit hormone signals required for ovulation.
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🦷 Disrupted oral bacteria and periodontal disease has been linked to miscarriage, preterm birth and low birth weight.
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🦷 Lower s***m quality and motility has also been linked to periodontal disease (which is driven by bacteria)
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🤓 Stay tuned for some tips on how to support your oral microbiome later in the week.

What happens if you work with me?

💕 The first thing to know is that I give you time. I get to know you and I’ll ask you all about every step of your journey so far. I don’t need the short version, I want you to tell me as much as you can.

💕 I get to know your lifestyle so that we can make things fit in as smoothly as possible.

💕 I consider whether there are tests that might be useful - functional tests that a doctor is less likely to order. Hormone panels, stool testing, va**nal microbiome testing, in-depth thyroid testing, nutrient testing, for example.

💕 We make some dietary changes but we use baby steps so that it’s manageable.

💕 I recommend a personalised supplement programme to support your individual requirements.

💕 We catch up regularly - the bottom line is that I am here for you 😊

💕 We can tailor the program to work alongside conventional fertility treatments.

👉 If you’re interested in finding out more please do feel free to get in touch and we can email or have a quick chat on the phone, no obligation. [email protected]

Fertility treatment is tough regardless of which form it takes and just the nature of going through a struggle with infertility is stressful.

👉 So toning the vagus nerve can be a really useful exercise! It helps that many of the things you can do to tone it are relaxing in themselves.

👉 Check my previous post for idea on how to tone your vagus nerve, but today I wanted to explain more about my love affair with the Sensate device (not an ad!)

🙋🏻‍♀️ I use it every single day without fail, for between 10-30 minutes. You lay it on your chest, connect your headphones to an app and listen to meditative music while it vibrates at different strengths and in different patterns. It is incredibly relaxing.

💜 The lovely team have given me a code LAURA which you can use for a discount if you’re interested in trying it out for yourself.