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http://www.thechickenandtheegg.com.au/

The Chicken & the Egg, Brisbane (2025)

19/10/2023

🤰 WHAT MOST DOCTORS WON'T TELL YOU WHEN TRYING TO CONCEIVE

When it comes to trying to conceive, doctors often focus on reproductive health from a medical or weight focused perspective. Although these can both be important factors to consider, there are so many ways a dietitian can help get your body ready for conception, that may not be discussed by your GP!

1. Nutrients not found in your prenatal vitamin 🌟

2. The role that diet can play in improving your egg and s***m health 🌟

3. How nutrition and body fat might influence ovulation 🌟

4. The importance of exercise (and not over-exercising!) 🌟

5. Which foods you should be avoiding when trying to conceive (other than alcohol) 🌟

If you'd like to discuss any of these topics but are unsure of where to start, check out the link in my bio to book in a free discovery call!

31/08/2023

🚩 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. 🤰🌟

29/08/2023

🍞 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. 🥦🍎

29/07/2023

Do you want to eat to support your hormone health? Swipe right to see my top 6 recommendations! ➡️

🥬Leafy green vegetables: Spinach, rocket, kale and other leafy greens are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins and magnesium. These nutrients support overall reproductive health and may indirectly contribute to hormonal balance.

🥜Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, and pumpkin seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, fiber, and essential minerals. They can help support hormonal function by providing omega-3 fatty acids and certain micronutrients - which are super important for our body to produce our hormones.

🥑 Avocados: Avocados are also a good source of healthy fats, including monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are essential for hormone production and overall reproductive health.

🐟 Salmon: Fatty fish like salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for overall health, including hormonal regulation. Omega-3s can help reduce inflammation and support the body's hormonal processes. Omega-3s are also incredibly important during pregnancy for the healthy development of baby's heart and eyes.

🌱 Chickpeas: Legumes such as chickpeas or lentils are a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber can help with hormone regulation and supporting a healthy gut microbiome (which also plays a huge role in hormone production.) Chickpeas are also packed with important minerals, such as zinc and magnesium, which are ESSENTIAL for hormone health.

🥛 Probiotic rich foods like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi contain beneficial bacteria that support gut health. A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for overall well-being, including hormonal balance!

⭐Do you include all of these foods regularly in your diet?
If not, it might be worth adding them to your shopping list! ⭐

18/05/2023

🤔 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!

17/05/2023

💙 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

17/05/2023

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!

17/05/2023

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! 🥜

17/05/2023

⬇️ 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.

The Chicken & the Egg

19/10/2023

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Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm