Meet Aleeza Rosenberg – senior specialist dietician in pre-conception, fertility and pregnancy health.
She graduated cum laude with an Honours degree in Dietetics and was awarded the degree MSc Clinical & Public Health Nutrition (Eating Disorders) with distinction from University College London (UCL). She has been practising since 2004, both in private practice and for the NHS and has led the eating disorders dietetic service at one of London’s largest NHS Trusts for over 7 years. With weight having such strong links to fertility and having experienced her own fertility issues, she naturally began to sub-specialise in fertility, pre-conception and pregnancy and undertook further studies to enable her to support patients on their journey to parenthood.
Whether you’re looking to naturally boost your fertility, need support through an IVF cycle or are already pregnant, Aleeza is able to develop an individualised nutrition programme specific to your needs. Aleeza’s approach is holistic combining evidence-based research, cutting edge diagnostics and top-quality supplements. Having also studied psychology she provides emotional support and coaching as for some women, this journey can be long and punctuated with loss and disappointment.
Although based in London she consults with people from all over the world through online consultations. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council of the UK (HCPC) and the British Dietetic Association (BDA). She is also a member of the BDA’s Maternal & Fertility Nutrition Interest Group as well as its Mental Health Interest Group. She is an honorary lecturer for University College London (UCL) and a guest lecturer for several other tertiary institutions in and around London. She also delivers modules in the Postgraduate diploma in Obesity & Weight Management for the University of South Wales. Additionally, she consults to members enrolled on the Weight Watchers pregnancy programme which has been commissioned by several NHS Trusts. She lives with her husband and daughter in London.
How do you support people with their reproductive health and wellbeing?
I generally see clients that fall into one of 4 categories:
- People who are about to embark on the journey of starting a family and want to ensure they optimise their health and weight to maximise their chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy.
- Individuals and couples looking to gain or lose weight as being underweight as well as being overweight can affect fertility, given my extensive experience in eating disorders and weight management.
- People who are undergoing fertility treatment whether that is through IUI or IVF, as nutrition plays a significant role in all stages from optimising egg & sperm health to supporting healthy embryo development and maximising the chances of implantation and having a healthy pregnancy.
- Individuals who have specific nutrition-related conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes and thyroid conditions all of which affect fertility.
How long have you been working in your field?
Without giving my age away I have been practising as a dietitian for 17 years and have extensive experience both within the NHS and in private practice. I initially did a Masters degree at University College London (UCL) in weight management and eating disorders but with weight having such strong links to fertility I began to sub-specialise in fertility, pre-conception and pregnancy and undertook further studies in this area to support patients on their journey to parenthood.
Why do you do what you do?
Having had my own fertility struggles and realising how little support there was I became passionate about researching everything I could which helped me achieve my dream and I want to be able to share my knowledge and expertise to help others achieve their dream too.
What are you most proud of when it comes to your work?
Each and every client’s journey that ends with a baby in their arms is a career highlight for me. I am passionate about getting results and supporting them through the process whether they’re on an assisted fertility journey or not.
What do you wish people knew about nutrition and fertility?
I wish people understood the importance of what they eat when they are trying for a family not only to maximise chances of conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy but also on the health of the baby. Early Life Nutrition is the period of time from pre-conception through to toddlerhood, also known as the ‘first 1,000 days’. The first one thousand days of a baby’s life provides a critical window of opportunity where diet and lifestyle can positively influence lifelong health. The health and lifestyle of the mother and the father during the six months (180 days) before they conceive a baby is essential and can affect the health of the baby later on in life including risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and allergy.
What is one reproductive health myth that you’d like to bust?
It is a myth that nothing can be done to improve egg quality in older women. Nutrition plays a huge role in reducing oxidative stress within the egg which helps to improve chances of healthy embryos whether you are trying naturally or through IVF and I have seen so many success stories through the power of nutrition
Aside from the Parla app, where can we find you?
Website: www.thebalanceddietitian.co.uk
