Quick links to the information and resources you need.
Quick links to the information and resources you need.
Reproductive Health
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Setting the intra – uterine stage for the conception and health of a new little human being, is an essential and intelligent choice both mom – and – dad – to be, can make together.
Let me show you how to develop healthy daily eating habits, as a team, to optimize nutritional health for both of you, and to achieve sensible weight.
Eating well, and obtaining enough nutrients, requires that you have accurate knowledge of great natural foods, to to help regulate your reproductive metabolism.
Whether you experience spontaneous conception, or need fertility treatment, dietary habits have a profound effect, on the ease, comfort and joy of the pre-conception period, and during the pregnancy.
During the pregnancy and thereafter, the good habits you establish now, for example planning, shopping, and delegating to a helper, will become your ‘default setting’ when busy life challenges increase.
I look forward to inspiring dad-to-be to optimize male fertility health, and to plan the quality and quantity of intra-uterine nourishment, which mom-to-be and the little person will need, when he / she/ they are conceived.
Pre conceptual care can be the ‘start’ button you push together to make a profoundly important lifestyle choice.
Reproductive Health
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Setting the intra – uterine stage for the conception and health of a new little human being, is an essential and intelligent choice both mom – and – dad – to be, can make together.
Let me show you how to develop healthy daily eating habits, as a team, to optimize nutritional health for both of you, and to achieve sensible weight.
Eating well, and obtaining enough nutrients, requires that you have accurate knowledge of great natural foods, to to help regulate your reproductive metabolism.
Whether you experience spontaneous conception, or need fertility treatment, dietary habits have a profound effect, on the ease, comfort and joy of the pre-conception period, and during the pregnancy.
During the pregnancy and thereafter, the good habits you establish now, for example planning, shopping, and delegating to a helper, will become your ‘default setting’ when busy life challenges increase.
I look forward to inspiring dad-to-be to optimize male fertility health, and to plan the quality and quantity of intra-uterine nourishment, which mom-to-be and the little person will need, when he / she/ they are conceived.
Pre conceptual care can be the ‘start’ button you push together to make a profoundly important lifestyle choice.
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We have up to date schedules, contact information, & let you book appointments online.
Nutrition during Pregnancy
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Pregnancy is probably the most important time of your life, to manage your diet and your weight.
It not only influences your own comfort, mood, and quality of life, but has a profound effect on the future health of your baby / babies.
It is not at all necessary to gain excessive or unnecessary weight during your pregnancy.
Let me plan the appropriate weight gain for your body, and plot your weight curve on an ante natal weight gain chart, during regular follow – up visits.
It is important to realize “every bite counts’. Let me help you to eat more nutrients now than ever before, by choosing the best food options, you also like.
This does not mean that no ‘treats’ are allowed.It just means that a considered choice must be made, when you eat the treat, and the portion size.
I will help you with accurate knowledge, and practical advice, to incorporate foods providing the iron, protein, fibre, calcium, essential fatty acid, omega 3’s, and more, for your pregnancy, during the different trimesters.
We will discuss how your nutrition will minimize uncomfortable symptoms or risks you may be concerned about.
Let me help you with a clever shopping routine, packing the fridge wisely, delegating preparation, if possible, timing of meals and healthy snacks, and portion sizes appropriate for you.
You really can be the beautiful healthy looking mom with her baby / babies on the beach or in the park!
Nutrition during Pregnancy
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Pregnancy is probably the most important time of your life, to manage your diet and your weight.
It not only influences your own comfort, mood, and quality of life, but has a profound effect on the future health of your baby / babies.
It is not at all necessary to gain excessive or unnecessary weight during your pregnancy.
Let me plan the appropriate weight gain for your body, and plot your weight curve on an ante natal weight gain chart, during regular follow – up visits.
It is important to realize “every bite counts’. Let me help you to eat more nutrients now than ever before, by choosing the best food options, you also like.
This does not mean that no ‘treats’ are allowed.It just means that a considered choice must be made, when you eat the treat, and the portion size.
I will help you with accurate knowledge, and practical advice, to incorporate foods providing the iron, protein, fibre, calcium, essential fatty acid, omega 3’s, and more, for your pregnancy, during the different trimesters.
We will discuss how your nutrition will minimize uncomfortable symptoms or risks you may be concerned about.
Let me help you with a clever shopping routine, packing the fridge wisely, delegating preparation, if possible, timing of meals and healthy snacks, and portion sizes appropriate for you.
You really can be the beautiful healthy looking mom with her baby / babies on the beach or in the park!
Nutritional care while Breastfeeding
HOW DO I HELP YOU
If optimal nutrition habit were not in place during your pregnancy, it is now more important than ever to avoid gaining excessive or unnecessary weight, by avoiding ‘empty calorie’ foods, and planning nutrient rich options.
As a breastfeeding mother you could gain weight easily during this post birth period, as you may be more tired, sleep deprived, and have less time and ‘free hands’ to prepare nutritious food.
Nursing a newborn, and maintaining your own energy levels, require that high nutrient dense meals and snacks are made available, at the moment of hunger.
Let me help you to plan your daily meals, a healthy shopping list, for online orders, or to ensure that well-meaning friends and family members buy appropriate nutritious foods.
Let me assist you with minimising toxins, and non nutritive substances from food, water and the environment. For example, how to limit unnecessary exposure to pesticides and to limit animal fats, which contain higher amounts of environmental contaminants.
If needed, a safe steady weight loss process is not only possible but easy with the right knowledge and advice!
Nutritional care while Breastfeeding
HOW DO I HELP YOU
If optimal nutrition habit were not in place during your pregnancy, it is now more important than ever to avoid gaining excessive or unnecessary weight, by avoiding ‘empty calorie’ foods, and planning nutrient rich options.
As a breastfeeding mother you could gain weight easily during this post birth period, as you may be more tired, sleep deprived, and have less time and ‘free hands’ to prepare nutritious food.
Nursing a newborn, and maintaining your own energy levels, require that high nutrient dense meals and snacks are made available, at the moment of hunger.
Let me help you to plan your daily meals, a healthy shopping list, for online orders, or to ensure that well-meaning friends and family members buy appropriate nutritious foods.
Let me assist you with minimising toxins, and non nutritive substances from food, water and the environment. For example, how to limit unnecessary exposure to pesticides and to limit animal fats, which contain higher amounts of environmental contaminants.
If needed, a safe steady weight loss process is not only possible but easy with the right knowledge and advice!
Essential Nutrition Care during INFANCY
HOW DO I HELP YOU
The “golden window of opportunity” is now, when your infant is between 6-24month old.
Let me guide you to introduce as wide a variety as possible, of natural, healthy, nutritious, ideally home prepared foods and meals, during this time. Let me help you by taking assessment of mom’s, dad’s and the family’s dietary lifestyle, and to make critical decision to optimize these now.
Let us plan for your infant (s) to eat meals with the family, at the family table, as they are great imitators of the people they admire, who should help them through enthusiastic role modelling of healthy eating behaviour. It is much more difficult later, often impossible, to teach a child to eat sufficient healthy foods which are indispensable for concentration, immune support, sustained energy and more!
Your infant needs help now, to learn to eat various nutrient – rich foods.
Let me help you to plan the inclusion of iron-rich foods, sources of high quality protein such as strained meats, yogurt, pureed legumes, mashed egg yolk, pureed fish with a low mercury content such as sardines, many vegetables and fresh fruit.
Let us plan your toddler’s meals by combining oats, fruit and yogurt, or dairy alternatives, or a meal containing a green or orange vegetable, a high energy grain or legume food and a protein or iron rich food. This may also be the structure for the family meal!
Essential Nutrition Care during INFANCY
HOW DO I HELP YOU
The “golden window of opportunity” is now, when your infant is between 6-24month old.
Let me guide you to introduce as wide a variety as possible, of natural, healthy, nutritious, ideally home prepared foods and meals, during this time. Let me help you by taking assessment of mom’s, dad’s and the family’s dietary lifestyle, and to make critical decision to optimize these now.
Let us plan for your infant (s) to eat meals with the family, at the family table, as they are great imitators of the people they admire, who should help them through enthusiastic role modelling of healthy eating behaviour. It is much more difficult later, often impossible, to teach a child to eat sufficient healthy foods which are indispensable for concentration, immune support, sustained energy and more!
Your infant needs help now, to learn to eat various nutrient – rich foods.
Let me help you to plan the inclusion of iron-rich foods, sources of high quality protein such as strained meats, yogurt, pureed legumes, mashed egg yolk, pureed fish with a low mercury content such as sardines, many vegetables and fresh fruit.
Let us plan your toddler’s meals by combining oats, fruit and yogurt, or dairy alternatives, or a meal containing a green or orange vegetable, a high energy grain or legume food and a protein or iron rich food. This may also be the structure for the family meal!
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Optimizing Nutrition for Children
HOW DO I HELP YOU
I encourage mom and/ or dad or the primary caregiver to consult with me in order to understand your child’s unique nutrition related risks. Whether your child is healthy or diagnosed with a condition or symptoms, I recommend an initial consultation without your child present.
During this session I ask your for information, to evaluate your child’s typical dietary intake, and physical activity levels, in order to identify areas needing optimization. I will ask you to take a height and weight measure of your child, for me to assess percentile growth and development. We may include your child at a later stage to do a ‘nutrition – fun” age- appropriate and light hearted consultation.
Should your child be diagnosed with a condition, I will contact your child’s doctor, with your permission, to obtain medical information, allergy reports or blood results done, etc.
It is my intention to assist you with accurate knowledge of the nutrition related concern, and with best practice dietary guidance. I guide you to do the bulk of the work ‘behind the scenes’ and to discuss dietary changes / restrictions with your child sensitively, with a nurturing and encouraging attitude, often using humour and to offer healthy options enthusiastically. Where possible, we will integrate your child’s dietary pattern with those of the other members of the family
Optimizing Nutrition for Children
HOW DO I HELP YOU
I encourage mom and/ or dad or the primary caregiver to consult with me in order to understand your child’s unique nutrition related risks. Whether your child is healthy or diagnosed with a condition or symptoms, I recommend an initial consultation without your child present.
During this session I ask your for information, to evaluate your child’s typical dietary intake, and physical activity levels, in order to identify areas needing optimization. I will ask you to take a height and weight measure of your child, for me to assess percentile growth and development. We may include your child at a later stage to do a ‘nutrition – fun” age- appropriate and light hearted consultation.
Should your child be diagnosed with a condition, I will contact your child’s doctor, with your permission, to obtain medical information, allergy reports or blood results done, etc.
It is my intention to assist you with accurate knowledge of the nutrition related concern, and with best practice dietary guidance. I guide you to do the bulk of the work ‘behind the scenes’ and to discuss dietary changes / restrictions with your child sensitively, with a nurturing and encouraging attitude, often using humour and to offer healthy options enthusiastically. Where possible, we will integrate your child’s dietary pattern with those of the other members of the family
Optimizing Nutrition for Adolescents
HOW DO I HELP YOU
I wish to help you and your adolescent to understand how to eat, to achieve and maintain your ideal weight, without compromising energy, growth, concentration or mood.
Designing a daily plan, with the best food options, which your adolescent likes, to fulfil nutrient requirements, is my intention. I want to guide your adolescent to make the healthiest choice whenever faced with meals or snacks away from home.
Choosing alternative, interesting yet healthy options, not typically part of the family meals, may also add significant variety and nutrition value, and result in a happier teenager!
I encourage parents to positively influence the food and beverage choices of their adolescents by modelling healthy eating habits and setting limits on the consumption of unhealthy snack foods.
Studies report that when teens regularly share dinners with their families, they are more likely to have diets of higher nutritional quality. If this is not possible, eating breakfast together, provides similar benefits. Adolescents who eat meals with their families, have been found to have better academic performance, and are less likely to engage in risky behaviours such as illicit drug use.
I want to help you with the meal planning, delegation to your helper/housekeeper to nurture the entire family and accommodate ( some of ) your adolescent’s preferences
Optimizing Nutrition for Adolescents
HOW DO I HELP YOU
I wish to help you and your adolescent to understand how to eat, to achieve and maintain your ideal weight, without compromising energy, growth, concentration or mood.
Designing a daily plan, with the best food options, which your adolescent likes, to fulfil nutrient requirements, is my intention. I want to guide your adolescent to make the healthiest choice whenever faced with meals or snacks away from home.
Choosing alternative, interesting yet healthy options, not typically part of the family meals, may also add significant variety and nutrition value, and result in a happier teenager!
I encourage parents to positively influence the food and beverage choices of their adolescents by modelling healthy eating habits and setting limits on the consumption of unhealthy snack foods.
Studies report that when teens regularly share dinners with their families, they are more likely to have diets of higher nutritional quality. If this is not possible, eating breakfast together, provides similar benefits. Adolescents who eat meals with their families, have been found to have better academic performance, and are less likely to engage in risky behaviours such as illicit drug use.
I want to help you with the meal planning, delegation to your helper/housekeeper to nurture the entire family and accommodate ( some of ) your adolescent’s preferences
Nutritional Excellence in the Adult years
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Eating well need not be stressful.
Nutritional truths are based on science, which is clear, researched, referenced and not confusing. This is easy to implement if you have the correct guidance!
I intend to be an inspiring and positive influence, assisting you to make meaningful and real changes with a focus on prevention.
Let me help you to choose good quality, nourishing foods, and establish purchasing and preparation methods, which are easy and become a joyful part of your daily life.
With consideration of various challenges:
- your daily work or time schedule and travelling,
- taste preferences, budget, or practical skills in the kitchen,
- work, family, cultural influences,
I will show you how to choose and plan your daily diet successfully.
Let me help you to ensure that good nutrition will be made available and consumed during a busy work day, for your mental focus, sustained energy, and furthermore, protection of a most significant and irreplaceable asset: your health!
Nutritional Excellence in the Adult years
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Eating well need not be stressful.
Nutritional truths are based on science, which is clear, researched, referenced and not confusing. This is easy to implement if you have the correct guidance!
I intend to be an inspiring and positive influence, assisting you to make meaningful and real changes with a focus on prevention.
Let me help you to choose good quality, nourishing foods, and establish purchasing and preparation methods, which are easy and become a joyful part of your daily life.
With consideration of various challenges:
- your daily work or time schedule and travelling,
- taste preferences, budget, or practical skills in the kitchen,
- work, family, cultural influences,
I will show you how to choose and plan your daily diet successfully.
Let me help you to ensure that good nutrition will be made available and consumed during a busy work day, for your mental focus, sustained energy, and furthermore, protection of a most significant and irreplaceable asset: your health!
Skip The Waiting Room!
Register Online Before You Arrive.
We have up to date schedules, contact information, & let you book appointments online.
Support Safer Ageing & Quality of Life
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Always supporting your Quality of Life, the joy of eating, and striving for a well-nourished status is my intention.
Let me assist you, if you live independently, alone or with others, to plan necessary adjustments to your nutrition habits. I also aim to guide your caring family members, or paid carers, to understand and manage nutrition – related challenges.
My intention is to offer personalized assistance, planning of optimal meals, drawing up food shopping lists, providing easy recipes, and recommendation of supplemental nutrients or shakes as needed, supporting independent living.
Palliative Care and / or End of Life Care:
I am keen to offer and communicate, to all your caretakers, a sensitive adjustment of your nutritional regime, should you require a supportive palliative process. This guidance can be provided to you whether in an outpatient or inpatient setting. I assist with adjusted meal composition and textures, oral supplementation choices, Nasogastric or PEG feeding regimes or Intravenous nutrition.
I respect the autonomy of my patient, as the highest priority, and seek to implement his / her wishes, as communicated to me, or recorded in a Living Will, at all times.
I am guided by ethical guidelines regarding end-of-life nutrition and / or hydration care, as these carefully documented, legally authorized guidelines recommend
Support Safer Ageing & Quality of Life
HOW DO I HELP YOU
Always supporting your Quality of Life, the joy of eating, and striving for a well-nourished status is my intention.
Let me assist you, if you live independently, alone or with others, to plan necessary adjustments to your nutrition habits. I also aim to guide your caring family members, or paid carers, to understand and manage nutrition – related challenges.
My intention is to offer personalized assistance, planning of optimal meals, drawing up food shopping lists, providing easy recipes, and recommendation of supplemental nutrients or shakes as needed, supporting independent living.
Palliative Care and / or End of Life Care:
I am keen to offer and communicate, to all your caretakers, a sensitive adjustment of your nutritional regime, should you require a supportive palliative process. This guidance can be provided to you whether in an outpatient or inpatient setting. I assist with adjusted meal composition and textures, oral supplementation choices, Nasogastric or PEG feeding regimes or Intravenous nutrition.
I respect the autonomy of my patient, as the highest priority, and seek to implement his / her wishes, as communicated to me, or recorded in a Living Will, at all times.
I am guided by ethical guidelines regarding end-of-life nutrition and / or hydration care, as these carefully documented, legally authorized guidelines recommend
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Book an Appointment
We have digital and printed forms, either of which are required to be completed, with personal details, medical aid details, and accepting our terms and conditions and your agreement to pay the deposit in order to secure your online booking..
Only if you are treated in hospital and your medical aid provides authorisation.
For consultations at the rooms and online, payment is required after each consultation.
You are responsible to submit your claim to your medical aid.
Contact our reception a minimum of 24 hours in advance to make alternative arrangements, we are happy to assist.
According to the POPIA ( Protection of Personal Information Act), I am bound by law to obtain your permission to investigate your nutrition status and health profile, obtain your medical records, blood results, histology reports, and communicate with your doctor (s) or health care practitioner (s) such as a psychologist, or speech therapist, if needed.
My responsibility is to safeguard your medical and nutritional records and ensure these are locked and private at all times, for the duration required by the law.
I also require your consent to inform the practice secretary at least 24hours prior to the booked time of consultation, if changes or cancellation is required, and your consent to pay the bill (private rate), on the day of consultation, and to claim back from your medical aid, what portion may be covered by your medical plan, after payment was received by the practice
You may book a consultation with me at the rooms, prior to your admittance, for discussion and planning of your nutrition care whilst in hospital.
Alternatively, you may request a 10 – 30min consultation via email/WhatsApp, for me to assist you on the day of your admittance or surgery, or on any day during your hospital stay.
If your doctor did not refer you to me already, I will contact him/ her, obtain consent, as well as necessary information from your hospital file, to assist you, with the most appropriate nutrition care.
I will come to meet with you in the ward, at a suitable time, in between other procedures, and discuss and arrange the appropriate Nutrition Therapy, which may include one or more of the following:
- pre or post-surgery Oral Nutritional Supplements,
- nasogastric / tube feeding
- PEG ( percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube) feeding
- Intravenous nutrition ( TPN)
- Special meal requests presented to the Hospital Food Service
A daily check-in session will be done, usually, 10-30minutes, your nutrition care progress will be discussed with you, and the nutritional regime adjusted as needed.
In-hospital consultations are charged at Medical Aid rates and billed directly to your Medical Aid if your medical aid plan provides dietetic cover.
If not, you will be responsible for the payment of the bill.
During the consultation I ask you to give me information regarding any or all of the following which may be relevant:
- Your personal objectives, and what you would like to achieve with my assistance
- Your primary concerns, symptoms and/or diagnosed condition (s)
- Your intentions re losing/gaining weight
- Your height and weight may be measured if you wish, and measurements such as girth if needed
- The medication and/or supplements you take,
- Medical history ( including for eg Cholesterol/ Blood Pressure / Reflux Disorders / Colon conditions / Anemias / Kidney, liver or gallbladder disease/ Diabetes or Blood Glucose problems / Allergies / Thyroid function / Bone density results / Eating Disorders / Rheumatic Disease / previous surgeries involving abdominal organs / Gastro-Intestinal Tract) / Cancer diagnosis / surgery or treatment(s) / Fertility treatment and / or pregnancy
- Previous successful/unsuccessful efforts you had made to manage your nutrition
- Previous advice given which left you with Questions / Areas of confusion
- Family, cooking, cultural, social, religious, work or travel-related influences
- Emotional / comfort eating habits
- I ask very specific questions re your typical daily intake of foods snacks and drinks
- Also portions sizes and frequency of eating certain foods.
- Also exercise and weekend habits
I answer your most important questions, or if time allows, provide you with a few good meal options to choose from immediately.
After this consultation, I spend time obtaining more medical information, if needed, and prepare an individualized nutrition plan with explanatory notes for you.
This is usually discussed at the second consultation in detail, with the best food options, portions sizes and quantities, meal and snacks for the day, supplementation, cooking advice, and suitable recipe examples.
Only if this is needed to give a clearer picture of your nutrition-related health status.
During the first consultation, it may be clear from your history that blood tests or a medical check with your doctor will be indicated.
For eg previously raised blood glucose or cholesterol, symptoms such as disturbed or recently changed colon function, sudden or extreme weight loss, chronic fatigue, hair loss, family history of thyroid function problems, etc.
If recent blood tests were done we will obtain these results with your permission, or provide you with the Lancet or Ampath form to do the indicated blood tests. These results will be discussed with you during the consultation and also with your doctor, with your permission, should this be needed.
The first consultation is always 60min. Should you feel you only need one consultation, you will be given as much feedback and assistance as possible, during the available time.
In most cases, the 2nd consultation also requires 60 min.
Follow-up consultations may be 30, 45, or 60minutes.
The consultation fee is adjusted pro-rata.
Fee schedules are obtainable from the practice receptionist.
During the first consultation, a thorough assessment is made, followed by the preparation of a detailed individualized document and nutrition plan. At the second consultation, the individualized plan is discussed and explained, with the intention to help you feel well-informed and inspired to apply the advice and the plan.
You may need no further consultations. However in most cases, a follow-up consultation is recommended, after a period of implementation, which may be after 1 or 2 weeks, or 3 – 6months.
Also recommended, is a yearly consultation, to do nutrition status assessment, with repeat blood results observed, weight check, food diary, and clinical symptoms discussion.
Yes.
Your medical aid claim is prepared for you on the day of consultation and payment, emailed to you, and/or provided in hard copy.
As per required practice standards, this includes your ICD10 code(s), your referring doctor if applicable, his / her practice number, my practice number, consultation date (s), treatment codes, and fees paid.
Depending on how unhealthy your previous dietary habits were, you may lose 1-2kg of weight during the first week or 2. The safe, more sustainable pace of weight loss is 500-700g / week, therefore, 40weeks to lose 20kg.
The journey of nutrition care and weight control lasts a lifetime.
It is important to accept that this is not a ‘quick fix”, but an intelligent approach to understanding applying and enjoying good nutrition choices every day. It is about learning a set of skills that you use for a lifetime.
Your nutrition plan will contain sufficient nutrients to support metabolism ( such as colon function ), mood and concentration, energy to exercise and maintain lean muscle mass, and not reduce resting energy expenditure.
You will feel a difference in your body within 48 – 72hours.
Your abdominal comfort is usually the first tell-tale sign.
Soon, within a week or 2 of consistent application, you will be seeing and feeling the difference.
No.
Hunger is an intelligent natural signal and guide, to encourage eating.
If hunger is satisfied with a complement of nutritious foods, you will feel nourished, comfortably satisfied, and energized, until it is time for the next good meal / healthy snack.
Physiologically, cravings are important messages from the body that those important nutrients are required.
Your nutrition plan will be structured to fulfill your nutrient requirements appropriately.
Eating enough good nutrients every day is the most powerful way to eliminate physiological cravings.
Cravings related to emotional factors, should be identified and understood with empathy. You may need the help of a therapist/psychologist.
I will assist you during the consultation to understand the difference.
Emotional challenges are much easier to deal with when your body is nutritionally fulfilled and nourished.
What you choose to eat, can:
- assist your body’s metabolism significantly, reducing the need for medication.
Examples: Blood pressure, cholesterol, a diabetes medication.
- slow down the progression of the disease.
Example: maintaining the current level of kidney or pancreas function, avoiding premature deterioration and need for dialysis or Insulin therapy.
- restore and regenerate healthy organ function.
Example: improve liver function and decrease liver enzymes.
- minimize Gastro Intestinal symptoms and improve the sense of well-being significantly.
Examples: reduce esophageal reflux, stimulate comfortable stool production, alleviate bloatedness.
- maintain strength, mobility, and independence in later years
Example: maintain bone and muscle density, slow the progression of osteoporosis
Absolutely yes.
In fact, it is one of the most important stages of your life to optimize your diet.
Understanding which foods to eat, to meet the increased nutrient requirements of your body and the growing fetus ( or twins/triplets / etc ),
WITHOUT an unnecessary increase in kCalorie intake, is essential.
Examples:
Your dietary habits during pregnancy reduce
- reflux and constipation risk,
- hypoglycemic episodes,
- risk of hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes,
- premature delivery, postnatal depression,
- unnecessary weight and body fat % increase,
It prepares your nutritional stores for successful breastfeeding and protects the unborn fetus from cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes risk in adult life
The most beneficial thing to do is to establish good dietary habits and ideal weight prior to conception.
Your diet dictates your glucose and insulin levels, which influences both male and female reproductive health significantly.
Therefore, the nutritional health of both parents – to – be should be optimized.
Seeking help as a couple, to get your nutritional status optimized is under your own control, to enhance your chances of spontaneous conception .
Practical steps can be taken, such as:
- drawing up a healthy shopping list for the week,
- delegating to a helper to pre-prepare vegetables, cut up a fruit salad, prepare lunch boxes
Certain nutrients ( such as folic acid, iodine ) are essential for optimal fetal brain development during the first few weeks of pregnancy.
It is wise to prepare your body for this special time, as you may only realize you are pregnant at about 6 weeks.
I do not recommend appetite suppressants. See the FAQ and my answer regarding this above.
Gastric bypass surgery may be an option in some cases.
However, it is associated with significant medical, and / or psychological risks immediately post – surgery, as well as long term nutritional deficiency risks.
IGB placement is usually recommended for 6-12 months and does not require permanent or surgical changes to the gastro intestinal structures. It is associated with much less risk factors, but still needs to be managed, to ensure nutrient intake is sufficient during these months.
Before making the final decision, I recommend consideration of the following list of “Nutrition- for -My- Lifetime” Truths:
- This game is never over. Even if you choose surgery / IGB placement, you still need to eat every day.
With the right assistance, could you still find a better way of eating, a happier and healthier nutrition lifestyle, to play this game safely for life?
- There is always a place where “healthy” and what you consider as “nice” overlap.
Maybe you could succeed in selecting these foods and building a daily enjoyable successful eating pattern by combining them!
- Which are the ‘weak links’ in my chain? How did these hamper my success in the past?
With the right guidance, you may be able to identify these ( lack of planning, emotional factors, cultural, family, or work influence, etc ) and find intelligent sustainable solutions.
- Healthy enjoyable meals and snacks must be available every day at the moments of hunger.
Have you done enough in the past to arrange your nutrition successfully with this intention?
Come and have a chat with me whilst you are considering your options, or before making a final decision.
I look forward to support and assist you, to achieve your goals, whichever decision you make!
Zhan is highly trained and educated in Medical Nutrition Therapy
“ No matter what your concern, your first stop is Zhan, who is an accessible, expert health professional. ”
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