Spotlight on: Fertility Dietitian Alex Ballard
This month, we’re speaking to fertility dietitian Alex Ballard (@alextalksdiet), who specialises in preconception nutrition and offers support to Aria Fertility patients.
What are your qualifications and experience as a dietitian?
I qualified as a dietitian in 2015 following a four-year degree involving various clinical placements. These included specialties such as paediatrics, intensive care, oncology and surgery.
Since then, I have worked in the NHS for ten years, seeing patients from all walks of life needing nutritional support. A lot of my current NHS work focuses on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, menopause and elderly care within GP surgeries.
Five years ago, I started my private practice as a specialist fertility dietitian following extensive research and additional training. I have advised hundreds of clients on diet and fertility, fertility treatment and foetal development.
I am a member of the British Dietetic Association and am HCPC registered.
What is the most rewarding part of your role as a fertility dietitian?
That is easy!
Firstly, clients’ feedback that they felt listened to, not judged, and were motivated to make changes following our session.
Secondly, getting updates from past clients to say they are pregnant. I love hearing back from clients to know how their journey is going.
What do you consider to be a healthy diet?
The reason it is so valuable to see a dietitian is that a ‘healthy diet’ can look incredibly different from person to person.
It is fantastic that diet is such a powerful tool for helping with fertility and managing health conditions (such as PCOS, diabetes, coeliac disease and endometriosis), but it’s essential that advice is personalised to an individual.
In general, balance is key! All foods can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, focusing on adding a variety of different colours and maximising naturally occurring foods is a helpful foundation for most people.
What inspired you to get into fertility nutrition?
I have always had a keen interest in female health and understanding how diet can improve symptoms for conditions such as PCOS, hypothalamic amenorrhea and endometriosis. This likely started following some of my own hormonal issues.
I started reading the research available on how diet can impact fertility and was astonished that nutrition wasn’t being talked about more in this space. I really wanted to use my knowledge to help individuals on their fertility journey and give them back some control.
What can clients expect when they work with you?
A friendly face and a non-judgemental conversation. My private consultations are relaxed and involve working together to formulate realistic nutritional goals.
My consultations are online, and an initial appointment ranges from 60 to 75 minutes. I can see individuals or couples.
We will start by getting to know each other and you explaining your goals. Then we will gather information about your current dietary intake and lifestyle. Following this, we will discuss relevant information about how nutrition can help you and together agree on what you want to work on first.
Review appointments are also available so that we can chat about how things have gone, discuss any challenges and add in some more changes when the time is right.
What are the most common challenges that your fertility clients face?
Often, my fertility clients may have multiple nutritional needs alongside trying to conceive and, for example, have a health condition that is impacted by diet (such as PCOS, high blood pressure, IBS), an allergy or intolerance to particular foods or food preferences (such as following a vegan diet).
Typically, in these cases, there can be so much information – often conflicting – that they are left confused and unsure of what to do.
A dietitian can help unpick this and make sure the agreed goals are appropriate for all of your needs.
Do you have one piece of advice for couples or individuals trying to conceive?
There can be too much of a good thing. Always have a sensible hat on when you hear advice about food.
It is fantastic that particular nutrients can be so helpful for fertility. However, it is always good to have a wide variety of ingredients instead of overloading on the same specific foods.
Yes, red/pink fruits and vegetables are helpful for lycopene. No, you do not have to drink glasses of beetroot juice each day.
Yes, a preconception supplement can be helpful for some people. No, you do not need to take three different ones or spend a fortune.
Yes, eating more nuts and seeds can be fantastic for fertility. No, restricting yourself to just seed cycling is not necessary.
Contact fertility dietitian Alex Ballard for more advice. We work closely with a wide range of practitioners to provide support throughout your fertility journey – click here to visit our Support Hub.