I’ve been wanting to write this piece for a really long time.

It’s the first of two articles that I believe every woman must read about supporting bone health.

For decades, diet culture has influenced our eating behaviours, replacing nutrition with unrealistically tiny body ideals.

Now, in 2026, we’ve seen the return of “#skinnytok” and “#pro-ana” (meaning pro-anorexia nervosa) content online.

As a dietitian (but tbh just as a woman), I find this highly disturbing. Not just because of the patriarchal symbolism, but because of the very real health consequences incurred by this type of restriction.

With that said, under-eating isn’t the only culprit for long-term complications. In fact, that only contributes to a fraction of the cohort. A lifetime of unintentionally missing the key nutrients, movements, and lifestyle choices required to keep a healthy skeleton can be equally as detrimental.

We often think of diseases - like osteoporosis, cancer, or diabetes to name a few - as something that “just happens”. Like one day you’re healthy, and the next you’re not. But the truth is, that these conditions develop over years to decades. The choices we make now are paving the way for our future health.

So let’s talk about it, because every woman deserves the independence and freedom that comes with a healthy body.

In this article we will be discussing:

• How to build and maintain a strong skeleton,

• The role of nutrition in bone health,

• Nutritional requirements and practical examples,

focussing particularly on the pre-menopausal years.

In the next article, I’ll be writing about the role of oestrogen in bone health, nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support bone health after menopause, and what to do if you’ve received a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis.

If there’s just one thing that you take away from this article, let it be that you are never too young or too old to be prioritising your bone health… especially as a woman.

So on that note, let’s begin.

Did you know that by the age of 30, our skeleton has reached its “Peak Bone Mass”?

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I don’t know if it’s a consequence of me entering my thirties, but everyone around me seems to be developing gut problems.

Whether it’s manifesting as indigestion, constipation, hormonal problems, acne, chronic fatigue, or brain fog, more often than not these symptoms are a proxy for the health of the gut. Symptoms creep up on us slowly and we adapt to them unknowingly. Over time, we accept a lower baseline of health and vitality as normal. Until, eventually, the symptoms become so loud that they’re impossible to ignore.

What I’ve noticed though, is that whether it’s self-directed or under the supervision of a care provider, the primary level intervention for these symptoms seems to be medication. A prescription for pain relief, expensive probiotics, or countertops of supplements like L-Glutamine. And whilst I recognise that there’s a place for all of those things, they’re only going to serve as a band-aid if we don’t take the time to audit and reconstruct our foundations.

A quick note: This article is intended for general use, and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Please seek help from a medical practitioner if you’re in need. I’ll be referring specifically to idiopathic gut problems, however we’ll dive into clinical gut disorders and functional gut disorders like IBS in future Substacks. 💌

There’s a lot of misinformation and disinformation on the internet when it comes to gut health, so I’ve created a 4-step, food-first guide to rebuilding a healthy gut.

And in case you’re new here,

Hi 🤍

I’m Zali, a registered women’s health dietitian and integrative and functional medicine practitioner, and I warmly welcome you to this community. ✨

The Microbiome

We can’t talk about the gut without referencing the ‘microbiome’, so let’s talk about that first. The microbiome is an ecosystem of trillions of microbes living on and within us! It’s made up of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and archea, which are all essential for our functioning. In fact, the microbiome is deeply interconnected with our biology, producing compounds and signals that influence everything from digestion to immune activity and even how our genes are expressed.

The ‘gut microbiome’ refers specifically to the ecosystem of microbes living in the gut. And these play a huge role in maintaining our health. Everything from:

• Digestion (our microbiome does more digestion than our organs!),

• Vitamin synthesis,

• Immune system regulation,

• Protection against harmful microbes,

• Producing short-chain fatty acids (compounds that reduce inflammation and support the gut lining),

• Metabolic and hormonal signalling.

Countless factors shape our microbiome; where we’re raised (e.g. farm, city, indoor pets etc), environmental exposures (e.g. heavy metals, radiation, toxicants; persistent organic pollutants such as PFAS, PCB’s, dioxins, DDT), stress, alcohol, tobacco, pharmacotherapies… the list goes on!

Whilst we can’t change where we’ve been, we can change where we’re going. Our gut microbiome is highly reactive to our environment, and can adapt in as little as 24hrs! So it’s never too late to make positive changes.

‘Gut dysbiosis’ refers to an imbalance or disruption in the gut microbiome. And dysbiosis has been linked to different health conditions such as IBS, IBD, SIBO, obesity, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, PMOS (formerly PCOS), endometriosis, and infertility.

I share all of this to say, it is essential to learn to nourish your microbiome. It’s a way to protect yourself against disease, promote longevity, and truly create space for your health to thrive. So with that, let’s get into it… 🕯️

Step 1: Eat more plants!

Less than 20% of Australians meet their daily fibre requirements.1 The figures are even lower in other parts of the world, with just 4% of adults in the UK,2 and 5% of Americans reaching their recommended intake.3

But why should we care?

Well, firstly it’s important to understand what fibre is, and what it does.

Fibre is the part of plant foods that our body can’t digest, but it has many important functions. It bulks out our stool which supports digestion and healthy bowel motions, moderates cholesterol levels, controls blood sugar levels by slowing the release of glucose into the blood, and feeds our ‘good’ gut microbes.

All plant foods contain fibre! That includes your fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

The goal is to aim for 25-30g fibre daily.

Exercise: For one day, record everything you eat in a food journal (foods, quantities, brands etc) and plug it into ChatGPT. Learn approximately how much fibre you’re eating and where the fibre is coming from. This is your baseline.

If you’re not yet hitting 25-30g, then start there! Focus on gradually increasing your intake until you’re consistently meeting this target.

I’ve included some tips at the end of this article on how to increase your fibre intake comfortably and safely. But for now, the table below illustrates approximately how much fibre different foods contain.

Step 2: Dietary diversity (eat the rainbow)!

As discussions around nutrition increase online, I’m noticing a lot more people focussing on the macronutrient distribution of their plates (protein : carb : fat ratio). Whilst this is an important part of building a healthy plate, what’s missing from this picture is diet quality.

‘Diet quality’ assesses the nutritional profile of the whole diet. So yes, it looks at your plate’s macronutrient distribution, but it also looks at the micronutrient profile (vitamins and minerals), to determine how well your diet is contributing to your overall health and wellbeing. It’s near impossible to meet your micronutrient requirements if you’re not filling every plate with colourful plants!

In 2018, a landmark study on microbiome health called “The American Gut Project” was published. It’s one of the world’s largest citizen-science projects to date, with over 10,000 participants. It looked at the impact of diet, medications and lifestyle on microbial diversity (a marker for microbiome health).4 The study found that people who ate more than 30 plant foods weekly had increased microbial diversity, which is associated with better gut resilience and metabolic health.

Side note: When they’re talking plants, they included all kinds of plants; fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, herbs and spices.

Thirty plus plant foods weekly may feel like a lot, but you still only need to be consuming 25-30g fibre daily. So once you’re comfortably reaching that target, move onto step 2:

Step 2: Diversify your diet to include 30+ plants weekly.

Include a variety of different fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, herbs and spices.

Exercise: Record how many plants you’re eating in a week. You get 1 point for each different fruit, vegetable, nut, seed, and whole grain, and 1/4 point for each different herb and spice. Remember, you can only count each food once! So if you eat a banana 2x days in a row, it’s only worth 1 point for that week.

When it comes to the 30+ plant foods, you don’t necessarily need to be eating a larger quantity, you just need to focus on improving the diversity. In practice, this can look like a few simple swaps. For example:

• Frozen blueberries —> frozen mixed berries at breakfast,

• White bread —> sourdough at lunch,

• Lettuce —> mixed leaves on the sandwich,

• Cashews —> mixed nuts at afternoon tea,

• Kidney beans —> 4x bean mix at dinner,

We’ve gone from 8 plant points to 21 plant points in 24hrs.

Option 1: 8 points

Breakfast: Oatmeal (+1) with frozen blueberries (+1)

Morning tea: Muffin + coffee

Lunch: White bread sandwich with lettuce (+1), tomato (+1), ham and cheese

Afternoon tea: Handful of cashews (+1)

Dinner: Mexican beef bowls w/ can of kidney beans (+1), sweet potato (+1) and avocado (+1)

Option 2: 21 points

Breakfast: Oatmeal (+1) with frozen mixed berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries) (+4)

Morning tea: Banana (+1) + coffee

Lunch: Sourdough (+1) sandwich with mixed leaves (+3), tomato (+1), ham and cheese

Afternoon tea: Handful of mixed nuts (cashews, walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds) (+4)

Dinner: Mexican beef bowls w/ can of four bean mix (+4), sweet potato (+1) and avocado (+1)

Another tip is to focus on eating seasonally. This is a great way to introduce variety, whilst supporting local, eating sustainably, and reducing the weekly grocery bill!

Step 3: Prebiotics (food for your gut bugs)!

Prebiotic rich foods are a special subgroup of fibre* (*usually). When we eat them, they move through the small intestine, into the large intestine where they’re fermented by our beneficial bacteria. As a result, the beneficial bacteria grow in quantity and diversity; specifically promoting the growth of protective species such as lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and F. prausnitzii. TLDR: Prebiotic rich foods are the fertiliser that grow a healthy gut microbiome.

These bacteria help maintain the gut lining, support immune function5, suppress the growth of harmful bacteria in the colon6 (in fact, lower levels of F. prausnitzii are associated with the presence of Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease7), relieve diarrhoea8, and improve calcium absorption9.

As well as this, the short-chain-fatty-acids (SCFA) “butyrate”, “propionate”, and “acetate”, which are anti-inflammatory and incredibly protective for our health, are produced as a bi-product of this fermentation reaction.

Where do we find them?

• Vegetables: Onions, leeks, garlics, beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, asparagus, artichokes, and chicory, cooked-and-cooled potatoes/sweet potatoes.

• Legumes/grains: Chickpeas, split peas, soya beans, mung beans, lupin and oats.

• Fruits: Apples, pears, and green bananas.

Exercise: Once you’re comfortably completing steps 1 & 2, attempt to incorporate at least 1x prebiotic rich food daily.

Step 4: Fermented foods (nature’s probiotics).

If prebiotics are the food for your gut microbes, probiotics are the microbes themselves.

Probiotic-rich foods contain live beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium that we discussed above! When you eat these foods, you’re introducing those beneficial microbes into your digestive system, where they can interact with and support your existing gut microbiome.

Think of it like adding more helpful players to the team.

You get the same effect from taking capsules of probiotics, however I prefer to use these for targeted therapies. If you’re just aiming to build and maintain a healthy gut (i.e. no specific health problems in mind), then I tend to opt for the naturally occurring probiotics found in foods.

Where do we find them?

• Yoghurt,

• Kefir,

• Miso,

• Tempeh,

• Sourdough,

• Kimchi,

• Sauerkraut.

You don’t need a lot - even just a few servings a week (e.g. where one serving is equal to a few forkfuls of kimchi) is great. Smaller amounts of fermented foods are often more tolerable too. It’s the consistency that compounds into great returns. You’re better off eating a little bit frequently, than eating a whole jar of sauerkraut and forgetting about it for the rest of the month.

Fermented foods are best thought of as the icing on the cake rather than the foundation. If they’re already part of your routine, amazing 😻, keep them in. If not, there's no need to rush - focus on building the foundations first and add them in when you’re ready.

Doing everything "right", but still feeling bloated?

When increasing your fibre intake, make sure you do it slowly. When bacteria ferment prebiotic rich foods, they release methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide as by-products of the fermentation reaction. This is why some people get a bit of bloating, indigestion, or wind after eating plants. As you build your microbiome, your tolerance to fibre will increase and improve - so you’ll be less sensitive to larger amounts.

My girl, you need to train your gut. You wouldn’t go into a gym and benchpress 100kg without ever having lifted weights before, so don’t go from a low-fibre to a high-fibre diet overnight!

In practice, this may look like introducing one serving of a new plant food every few days. So if you’re currently eating 1x piece of fruit for a snack and 1x salad at dinner, then increase it by eating an additional piece of fruit throughout the day. Stay there for 2-3x days, and then increase it by adding one extra serve of vegetables with your lunch… and repeat the cycle.

Some of my clients have reported being a little more sensitive to lentils/legumes. I always recommend rinsing them thoroughly before use, and starting really small. Eating lentil dahl for dinner may be too much, but adding 1-2tbsp of lentils into your salad at dinner may be tolerable. Don’t be discouraged by this - diversity matters a lot. So even small servings can have big impacts!

Quick reminder: A little bit of bloating or flatulence is normal when we increase our fibre intake! In fact, it’s actually a good sign to show that things are working. But if the symptoms are severe to a point where they’re impacting your quality of life, then it’s worth getting them checked out.

If you’re experiencing gut issues like severe bloating, severe flatulence, cramping, diarrhoea or constipation, then this points to an underlying issue that may warrant some investigation.

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A final note … 💌

I sincerely hope that this was helpful! If you have any questions on the topic, or anything you’d like discussed in future Substacks then please let me know in the comments.

Until we speak again,

Zali xo

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As we move into the weekend, I’m excited to be writing this article for you. Over the last 2.5 months, I’ve been studying a professional development program for dietitians called ‘Nutrition Therapy for Fertility’.

So, deep into studying for my final exam next week, I thought I’d create a little guide on how to support egg quality for fertility.

And whilst I’m writing this article with a particular cohort of women in mind, that being:

• The women actively trying to conceive,

• Those preparing for ovulation induction to freeze their eggs, and

• Those preparing for ovulation induction to undergo assisted reproductive therapies (ART),

I truly believe that every woman can benefit from these strategies. Because at its core, fertility preparation is a practice of nourishment, repletion, self-love, and nervous-system regulation. The body requires safety - both emotionally and physically - to support a pregnancy. As a healthcare worker, it breaks my heart witnessing how many people need a life-altering event like pregnancy or a health-scare to find the motivation to care for themselves. You can make the changes now because you deserve to feel energised, embodied, and full of vitality. So whether or not fertility is a priority for you, hopefully this piece can provide a place to start. 🤎

Okay, let’s rewind to the very beginning…

Women are born with all the eggs we’ll ever have. At birth, we start with a reserve of around 1-2 million immature eggs (AKA oocytes). As we age, the total number naturally declines. This is a part of our biological programming, and happens whether or not we’re menstruating. In fact, by puberty, we’re already down to around 300,000-400,000 eggs. Similarly, the body is continuously removing eggs that are damaged or no longer viable.

But whilst we’re born with millions, across the reproductive lifespan women only ovulate around 300-500 eggs. And whilst we’re constantly reminded of our “biological clock” *facepalms*, I like to remind my clients that you only need one good egg to make a baby.

So, how do we actually improve egg quality??

An important distinction needs to be made here! Since we’re born with our eggs, we can’t actually change the eggs themselves. But, we can modify the environment around the eggs.

Think of an egg like a seed. We buy the seed as it is, however, we get to choose the quality of the soil, the type of fertiliser, how much sunlight, how frequently we water it... etc.

As I mentioned above, our eggs are immature at birth, and stored inside tiny follicles in our ovaries. In order to ovulate, eggs need to undergo a process of maturation. This takes ~90-120 days (3-4 months). You may have heard this period termed as “Trimester Zero”.

During this 3-4 month window, the dominant follicle releasing the egg becomes highly responsive to nutrients, hormones, oxidative stress (inflammation), and mitochondrial demands (the “energy generators” for our cells).

—> A quick refresh on biology here; egg cells (AKA oocytes), are the largest cell in the human body. They contain all the genetic material to create a human (chromosomes), as well as all the mini organs to allow our cells to function (organelles). The “mitochondria” are a type of organelle, and they’re known as the “energy generators” for our cells. Egg cells have many mitochondria, because egg maturation is an energy-intensive process! It requires growth, healthy chromosomal division, and early embryo development. So, we need lots of healthy mitochondria to fuel that growth.

Trimester Zero

There are two priorities for trimester zero:

1. Make positive lifestyle changes to support the body’s internal environment for egg maturation (i.e. fertilise the soil to promote egg quality)!

2. Ensure that we’re supporting and nourishing your body in preparation for pregnancy! Pregnancy is one of the most nutrient-intensive experiences in human biology. If we can replete your nutritional status prior to conceiving, then we can significantly improve your quality of life throughout pregnancy, and reduce your risk of developing pregnancy-related complications.

In an ideal world, I’d recommend starting to prepare 4-6 months prior, or 12 months prior if you have any known health conditions. This is because it takes time to replete nutrient levels if tests don’t come back within normal range. It also allows us the time to make small, sustainable changes (think reducing stress as much as possible here).

With that said, I completely understand that time is a luxury not afforded to everyone, and not everyone intentionally plans their pregnancy either! That’s completely okay, there’s no “wrong” way to do it - a miracle is a miracle, is a miracle.

It’s also worth me pointing out that whilst I intend to provide a framework, there’s no one size fits all approach. The hot water that softens a carrot will boil an egg. For that reason, I would highly recommend seeking out a holistic fertility dietitian if this is something within your means, as this really is an area where personalised support will make a tangible impact on both yours & baby’s health.

The plan!

There are many environmental factors that influence egg quality (or rather - the environment surrounding the egg… but, you know what I mean)! Everything from age, diet, sedentary behaviour, pharmacotherapy, stress, sleep quality, excess body fat, alcohol use, THC use, environmental toxin exposure etc impacts either our hormones, nutrient status, oxidative stress or mitochondrial activity, which go on to impact egg quality. For this article though, we’re just going to focus on diet.

There are three priorities that will move the needle the most:

1. Increasing antioxidants,

2. Improving fatty acid profiles,

3. Reducing sugars and unhealthy fats.

🫐 Increasing antioxidants

In our body we have trillions of cells, and they’re constantly renewing themselves. As old cells break down and new ones form, they leave behind waste products that the body needs to clean up. These waste products are called “reactive oxygen species” (ROS), and they contribute to inflammation in the body.

This is a normal process, and is always happening. And the body has its own natural defence systems to combat ROS. But when we add additional stressors on the body, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, poor sleep quality, chronic stress, alcohol use, etc, it starts to overwhelm our natural internal defence systems.

ROS in the follicular fluid are known to damage egg cell DNA , decrease embryo quality, and impair cell functions such as cell division.

This is where our antioxidants come in. They are “anti-oxidation”.

There are certainly foods high in antioxidants (think our berries, dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, nuts & seeds), but overall, an anti-inflammatory dietary pattern is going to be the most effective strategy.

Queue ✨ The Mediterranean Diet✨

The Mediterranean diet is a traditional way of eating that emphasises:

Large amounts of: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and extra virgin olive-oil (EVOO).

Moderate amounts of: fish, poultry, eggs, fermented dairy products (yoghurts, kefir, feta cheese), and red wines (although let’s limit this in the fertility context!).

Small amounts of: red meats and sugars.

Traditionally, the Med Diet excludes all ultra-processed foods (think anything that comes from a packet like biscuits, confectionary, ice-creams, chips etc). As well as foods like hydrogenated oils, deep-fried foods, and take-aways.

At its core, it’s about eating less from a packet, and more from the ground.

And lastly, something that I find is often missed in these conversations is that the Med Diet is also defined by it’s lifestyle factors; living slowly and intentionally, low in stress, being social, being physically active, eating with friends and family, and sleeping with the moon and rising with the sun.

Of course, this isn’t always possible in modern living. But you can use this pattern as a guide, and find ways to adopt it in where you can.

🐟 Improving fatty acid profiles

Healthy fats are an essential part of the diet, and especially important in the context of fertility. Every hormone in the body is synthesised from fatty acids. They support ovulation and follicular development. And every cell membrane - including the membrane surrounding our eggs - relies on fatty acids for structure and function.

Dietary fats are also essential for our metabolic health. They help to regulate inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and communication between reproductive hormones.

Studies have found that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids prolong reproductive function into later age. Meanwhile, diets rich in omega-6 fatty acids have been associated with poorer reproductive outcomes in later age. So we need to be consuming enough fatty acids, but we also need to be consuming the right types.

Polyunsaturated fats

Omega-3’s: These are essential for both fertility and pregnancy, as they’re used to build baby’s brain and retinas. Consequently, getting enough through the maternal diet is critical. They’re also associated with long-term brain health and preventing cognitive decline later in life. Focus on consuming a mix of plant-based and animal-based sources if possible.

• ALA’s (plant-based): Walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds.

  • Note: these are important to include for dietary diversity. However, only 5% of omega-3’s from plant-based sources are bioavailable.

• DHA’s & EPA’s (animal-based): Oily fish that’s low in mercury. Think your salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.

  • Aim for 2-3x servings (~120g each) weekly.

  • For my vegetarians & vegans, I would absolutely be recommending an algae-based omega-3 supplement. Look for: a minimum of 500-1000mg daily, where at least 200mg of that is coming from DHA’s.

  • Please consult your medical provider before starting or ceasing any supplements. This is general dietary advice and does not take into account your personal circumstances.

Omega-6’s: Small amounts are necessary for heart health, insulin sensitivity, and lowering cholesterol. But high amounts of omega-6’s (specifically a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3) is associated with increased levels of chronic inflammation. So …everything in moderation.

• Good sources of omega-6’s include: sunflower seeds, tofu, walnuts, brazil nuts.

• Be mindful of seed oils e.g. soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil etc. These oils, and processed foods containing high amounts of seed oils (like cakes, pastries, biscuits etc) contain very high amounts of omega-6’s. Consuming large amounts of these can throw out your ratio of omega-6’s to omega-3’s.

Monounsaturated fats

Omega-9’s: Olive oil, olives, avocado, peanuts, almonds.

• Consuming adequate amounts of monounsaturated fats, particularly high quality fats like the first cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil are extremely medicinal. You can consume these liberally!

Saturated fats

Are known as the “bad” fats. It’s okay to have small amounts, in fact, up to 10% of our total dietary intake should be coming from saturated fats. However, higher amounts of saturated fats lead to higher levels of cholesterol. In the context of fertility, they’re also associated with higher levels of inflammation, which is what causes ROS. So limiting sat fats to reduce the burden on the body is important for supporting egg quality. You find saturated fats in:

• Animal fats (e.g. full fat dairy, meat trimmings), processed meats (e.g. sausages, frankfurts, salami, pepperoni, devon etc),

• Creams, butter, ghee, palm oil, cocoa butter,

• Coconut oil & coconut products,

• Confectionary & baked goods (e.g. pastries, pies, biscuits, chocolate etc).

🍭 Reducing sugars and unhealthy fats

The ultimate goal is to minimise the amount of inflammation and ROS to support a stable and nutritious environment for eggs to thrive. Processed sugars (note that fruits aren’t included here), and high amounts of saturated and trans fats cause inflammation in the body. That doesn’t mean you should never eat a cookie! It just means that we should prioritise a strong dietary foundation, so that when we do enjoy the cookie it won’t collapse the scaffolding.

A final word on supplements 💊

My teacher Dr Aviva Romm (OBGYN) says, “No pill without a skill”. I’ve really adopted this ethos into my practice. It’s easy to be swept up in targeted advertising. There are thousands of different ‘blends’ and ‘supplements’, all seemingly “essential” in the name of supporting your fertility. But whilst nutrient therapies can be extremely effective - especially during trimester zero, it’s really important that we’re dosing with intention. This means knowing:

• Which are safe to utilise for my body,

• How much of each is the therapeutic dose for me,

• And when should I cease taking them?

With all that in mind, I’ll share the supplements that I use in practice so that you know which have a strong body of evidence behind them. But please, always seek medical advice before starting or ceasing any new supplements. We need to do testing to know where your body’s baseline is before introducing anything new. As Dr Aviva would say, “test, don’t guess”. Similarly, if we can do a thorough dietary assessment first, then we can see what you’re already getting, what can be adjusted, and what’s lacking.

① The nutrients that we know influence fertility:

• Folate

• Iron

• Vit D3

• Vit B12

It’s of the highest priority that we correct these nutritional deficiencies prior to conception! They influence short and long-term child health outcomes, and are linked to pregnancy-related complications for mum too.

② Nutrients with a good body of evidence:

• Coenzyme Q10 - supports mitochondrial health,

• Carnitine - supports mitochondrial health,

• Omega-3 (DHA/EPA) - anti-inflammatory benefits,

• NAC - potent intracellular antioxidant,

• Vitamin C & E - antioxidants.

There is a phenomenon called “reductive stress”, which is kind of the opposite of “oxidative stress”. While oxidative stress (an excess of ROS) is damaging to the internal environment, we still need a littleeee bit of oxidative stress. In an effort to remove oxidative stress, there’s been a movement of people supra-dosing nutritional therapies leading to the opposite effect, reductive stress, which is also damaging! So pls ppl, dose under supervision haha.

③ Nutrients with promising emerging evidence:

• Melatonin - hormone regulator & antioxidant,

• NAD+ - supports mitochondrial health, reduces oxidative stress.

④ If you have:

• PCOS, then it may be worth considering NAC & Inositol,

• Gut dysbiosis, then it may be worth considering probiotics (especially if you’re undergoing IVF as they can support the vaginal microbiome and implantation).

⑤ Lastly, it’s certainly worth taking a prenatal when you're trying to conceive. A good time to start is at least 1 month out. However, I strongly believe that a woman’s prenatal should be individualised to her body’s needs! So perhaps I will write an article about that soon.

Wowee, that was a big one.

I sincerely hope that this article makes sense… I’m realising that learning information is a very different skill to teaching it! If you have any questions at all, or any future topic requests, then please do put them in the comments below as I’d love to hear from you. 💌

Wishing you a lovely start to the week.

Until we speak again,

Zali xo

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I recently got home from a trip to Paris with my partner and an old friend. It was my first European trip in 11 years, and I’ve been reflecting on everything that’s changed in that time.

In 2015, I was limited to accomodation wifi… none of this ‘24/7 roaming’ or e-sims! I’d write down directions as I couldn’t access google maps offline, and would find places to explore using my 2009 Lonely Planet guide. I’m very grateful that the instagram algorithm finally knows me and my priorities (food, food & more food).

The ease of travel this time around was incredible. Smooth and serendipitous. But without a doubt, the thing that stood out to me the most was the way that my eating habits and relationship with food have changed over the last decade.

I used to have no concept of “balanced” eating. I would yo-yo between extreme restriction for weeks to months, visibly losing 10-15kg at a time, before feeling so starved that I would binge-eat uncontrollably and yo-yo back the other way. I’d either be eating green salads (afraid of even eating carrots, because a girl at choir said they were “the vegetable with the most sugar in it”) and coffee, or becoming so hungry that I’d eat a full block of chocolate because the intensity of my appetite left me with such little control over my actions. Then, I’d feel an overwhelming amount of shame, guilt, embarrassment and a sense of failure. And so the cycle would repeat itself.

The idea of “control” over my body is an interesting phrase. Because that’s truly not how I view the relationship with my body anymore. “Control” implies power, but now, I think of my relationship with my body as a partnership. Where we’re creating space to listen and be heard by each other. A space for safety, nourishment, and healing.

But it took some sharp growing pains to get me to this point. To undo the decades of influence that diet culture has had on me as a ‘95 baby. Eight years of nutrition training, as well as a decade of intermittent psychological therapy, and an intentional journey to reconnect with my body in a positive way.

I suppose the reason that I’m sharing all of this is because these unexpected but vivid memories of my past have reminded me that nutrition information is not general knowledge. Women’s bodies have been commodified, sexualised, and scrutinised dating back to 1750 BCE. And diet culture - the idea that there’s a moral weight attached to food choices, and that thinness equates to societal value - has influenced food trends and subsequent behaviours for centuries.

I’m proud to share that my current relationship with food is healthy and balanced. I no longer feel exhausted, distracted, or live with deafening food noise throughout the day like I used to. But in order to feel nourished, satiated, and energised, there are a few guidelines that I follow to fuel myself sustainably, and I take them with me wherever I travel.

A Guide to Healthy Eating on Vacation ✨

From motorway meals to Mediterranean summers, these guardrails will help you feel energised and nourished

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Sending you a very warm welcome to my first Substack deep-dive ✨

Whether you’re thinking about conceiving in the future, actively trying to conceive, or just interested in the topic - I really appreciate you being here.

As a women’s health dietitian, I really always imagined myself working exclusively with women. This is for a few reasons:

1. A woman’s ecology of hormones is beautifully unique. As such, working with women at different life stages is a specialty of its own. Conventional medicine was built around treating men, but this can’t, and shouldn’t, be extrapolated to treating women; and vice versa.

2. Women behave differently, learn differently, present differently and communicate differently in the presence of men. The research suggests we do this to conform to gender expectations and navigate social dynamics. It also identified that women contribute and engage more in all-female environments. In an effort to support healing and transformation, it’s important to me to cultivate a place where women can present authentically to reconnect with themselves.

3. As a practitioner, I consider it my duty to create a safe space for patient consults. With one in three women worldwide having experienced violence at the hands of a man, I wanted to ensure that any woman seeking my care always felt safe.

With that said… recently I’ve been contemplating making an exception to that rule.

Before we get into sperm health, a quick note. I celebrate and welcome all gender identities, expressions, and the many ways people build families - including same-sex couples, trans parents, and families formed through adoption or donation.

Because this article focuses on biology, I’ll sometimes use a simplified, heterosexual framework (referring to a male and a female as assigned at birth) to explain certain concepts. I know this doesn’t fully reflect everyone’s experience or the richness of modern family-making, and I hope that I don’t cause any offence. You are seen and welcomed here. I’m just aiming to keep the science as clear as possible. Thank you for your understanding 🤎

Two people, one pregnancy: why his health matters too

When it comes to fertility, the male’s contribution to the picture cannot be overstated. Male’s contribute half the genetic material to the embryo. The state of his health at that time will have lifelong impacts for the child. And I’m not just talking about rare genetic abnormalities like chromosomal disorders that can be detected at birth. I’m talking about the way that the male’s genes will program the child’s long term metabolic health, chronic disease risk, weight profile, and much, much more.

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