Meet Danya Falkson

Danya Falkson, Johannesburg Fertility Dietitian.

I’m a Registered Dietitian in Johannesburg, here to help you on your fertility journey with personalised nutrition advice. I understand the unique challenges associated with trying to conceive and an here to guide you with empathy and expertise.

I have a degree in Dietetics (University of Pretoria, 2019), and I studied fertility via the Early Life Nutrition Alliance. As a Registered Dietitian who has studied genetics, hormone health and fertility in-depth, I have the passion, skill, and experience to help you understand your body’s nutrition needs to have a healthy baby.

I also have the nutrition know-how to support you if you have chronic conditions like diabetes, PCOS, celiac disease or endometriosis that may affect fertility.

I can help you confidently navigate nutrition for fertility while being your support against ‘superfood’ claims, magic nutrition shakes and well-intended, anecdotal advice from laymen and professionals alike.

There are no clear-cut nutrients which are sure to help everyone. Through personalised nutrition therapy, I work with you to incorporate the nutrients that your body needs from foods and sources that suit you.

That doesn’t mean tossing the contents of your pantry and starting from scratch: we’ll be adjusting your current meals, snacks, and dietary habits to work towards fertility with real, sustainable changes.

My Core Values

1. Simple incremental changes

Your diet should be tailored to your lifestyle, preferences, and needs. The changes you make also need to be meaningful to you. Minor adjustments to your current eating habits are easier to incorporate and more likely to last than any extreme fad or intense diet. We’re aiming for a healthy, balanced diet that’s sustainable through fertility, pregnancy and beyond.

2. A focus on optimal nutrient intake

Moving away from a focus on calories — I advocate for a diet with more food sources and nutrients. A variety of nutritious foods (that you would eat) can be incorporated into your diet (beyond kale and chia seeds) to ensure your body has everything it needs. Variety in the diet helps us to be less reliant on other nutrient sources like supplement cocktails and nutritional shakes.

If you have dietary specifications or don’t like certain foods, there are always alternative options. Supplements may be suggested to ensure you reach nutrient targets if food sources are inadequate. This is often the case with allergies, veganism/vegetarianism or religious restrictions.

3. Sustainability

Together, we’ll work to nourish your body with eating habits that you can stick to in the long run. I want you to be able to move forward in life with a positive experience and healthy eating habits that enhance your life.

How long can it take for fertility nutrition to work?

Both a healthy egg and sperm are needed to make a healthy baby. Sperm need a full 90 days to grow and mature properly, and a woman’s hormones can take 6 months to a year to regulate and for egg follicles to grow optimally.

Making lifestyle changes and improving the quality of your diet up to 6 months before conceiving or undergoing treatment can make all the difference. Good nutrition and health can also improve your future baby’s health.