This humble nutrient rarely gets much of a mention, mostly because your body can technically make it on its own. For most of our lives (other than pregnancy), that’s true, and it’s why glycine has long been labelled “non-essential.”

But its requirements run the whole way through life. It’s essential for your baby’s (and children’s) growing bodies, it peaks hugely (800%, in fact) for your own expanding body in pregnancy, and again later for the slow unwinding of collagen as you age.

So today I am going to give this nutrient some spotlight and share why it matters so much at each of these stages, and how to get enough of it through the foods you eat (including a recipe for my favourite marshmallows).

What our grandmothers already knew

In China, the tradition of zuo yuezi, “sitting the month,” has new mothers eating warming, gelatin-rich broths daily through the entire postpartum period, believed to rebuild strength and blood after birth. In Ayurvedic tradition, postpartum women are given soups built from animal bones, ghee and warming spices, for very similar reasons. Across Southeast Asia, many cultures follow a “hot and cold” framework where pregnancy and postpartum are treated as a time to actively restore the body with warming, nourishing, slow-cooked food, including broths. And in traditional Western households, not so long ago, a stockpot of bones was simply always on the stove, forming the base of nearly every soup and stew.

It’s a shame this tradition hasn’t continued, because this simple food is such medicine.

While these traditions weren’t followed with “collagen and glycine” in mind, they’d clearly noticed something we’re now explaining with research: that growing a baby, birthing a baby, and ageing all draw heavily on the same well, and that well needs refilling with real, gelatinous, collagen-rich food.

It’s a lovely thing, really, to realise your grandmother’s instinct and a peer-reviewed journal have landed in the exact same place, although I am not surprised.

Glycine, collagen & your baby (& children)

So what is all that broth, all that gelatin, actually going towards?

Glycine makes up roughly a third of collagen by weight, and collagen is what your baby is busy building through the second half of pregnancy: bones, connective tissue, organs, skin. Glycine is also a key source of what’s called “one-carbon units,” essentially raw material your baby’s cells need to divide, grow and lay down new DNA. This demand peaks in the third trimester, exactly when your baby is packing on the most weight of the whole pregnancy.

And once your baby grows and starts eating these foods themselves, they can continue to support digestive health, immunity, and their ongoing growth too.

Glycine, collagen & you

While you’re building your baby, your own body is undergoing an almost unbelievable feat of remodelling, and collagen is a key player in this. The demand for glycine climbs so steeply, particularly in the third trimester, that your own production can no longer keep up with it. It becomes what researchers now call “conditionally indispensable,” a nutrient your body needs from food, at exactly the moment you need it most.

The uterus is the most incredible example of this increased demand. Research suggests uterine collagen content increases by around 800% by full term compared to before pregnancy, before rapidly breaking down again in the first week after birth. Eight hundred percent! Your uterus is quite literally rebuilt from the inside out to carry your baby, then unwound again once they’re earthside. Women are extraordinary.

Your skin is stretching too. As your belly, breasts and skin expand, collagen and elastin decide whether that stretching happens smoothly or whether it tears, which is what shows up as a stretch mark. Having adequate glycine and collagen-building materials on board can support that elasticity, and may play some part in how your skin handles the stretch.

Glycine, collagen & graceful ageing

As we get older, our own collagen production slows, which is a big part of why skin loses its firmness and hydration over time.

A recent pooled analysis of 23 randomised, placebo-controlled trials, over 1,400 participants in total, found collagen supplementation meaningfully improved skin hydration, elasticity and wrinkle depth. Other trials on a specific glycine-proline compound showed real improvements in wrinkle depth and skin density over 8 to 12 weeks. There’s also early research suggesting glycine supports a healthy inflammatory response and may play a role in longer-term markers of biological ageing.

So the benefits of a “good broth” run the whole way through life, really: glycine for your baby’s and children’s growing bodies, glycine for your own stretching, expanding body in pregnancy, and glycine for the unwinding of collagen as you age.

How to incorporate more into your diet with traditional foods (& my fav marshmallow recipe)

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It’s a confusing topic, because there aren’t many markers we can actually test for, which is why so many women fear AMH and are devastated when it comes back below average (understandably... but it’s not the be all and end all when it comes to egg quality).

So in today’s article I want to break it all down for you. Why it actually matters (it’s more than just fertility), what impacts it, the importance for both assisted therapies and natural conception, and a clear, evidence based guide on how to support egg quality, holistically.

Let’s start with why egg quality is so important.

Your eggs aren’t just cells. Each one carries half the genetic blueprint for your future child, along with the majority of the mitochondria, the tiny energy factories that will power every single cell division from the moment of fertilisation onwards. Egg quality isn’t just about whether conception happens, it also influences embryo development, miscarriage risk, and increasingly, we’re understanding the role it plays in long term health outcomes for your future child through epigenetic programming (the way genes are switched on and off, shaped by the environment the egg developed in). This blows my mind! How incredible to think that we have the power to influence the long term health of our children before they are even conceived!

Egg quality really is the biological starting point of a life.

Fertility over 40

A lot of the women who come to me with egg quality concerns are in their late 30s and 40s. And while age is one of the biggest factors in quality, because egg numbers decline and the rate of chromosomal abnormality increases as we get older, it isn’t the whole story.

I see plenty of women in their late 20s and early 30s with egg quality concerns too, often tied to PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid dysfunction, or just years of chronic stress and under-nourishment.

If you’re older and reading this feeling like the deck is stacked against you, I want you to know there are so many things in your control to improve fertility and egg quality at this age, and many of my clients are successfully having babies in this season of life.

What actually influences egg quality

• Age - the number of eggs and their genetic integrity decline over time

• Diet and nutrient status - deficiencies in B12, folate, vitamin D, iodine and zinc all play a role

• Alcohol and smoking

• Environmental toxin exposure - more on this below

• Chronic stress - dysregulates the HPO axis (the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian communication line that governs your cycle)

• Underlying medical conditions - PCOS, thyroid imbalances, endometriosis, autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s

• Insulin resistance and blood glucose dysregulation

• Chronic inflammation

• Oxidative stress - this is the direct mitochondrial damage happening inside the egg itself

• Sleep quality and circadian disruption

• Body composition - both very low and very high body fat can disrupt ovulatory hormone signalling

• Gut health - your microbiome affects hormone clearance and systemic inflammation

• Prior chemotherapy, radiation, or pelvic surgery

It’s a long list, because egg quality isn’t governed by one switch. It’s the sum of what your whole body has been doing, metabolically and hormonally, for years before that egg is ever released.

Is egg quality declining in the modern world?

Fertility rates are declining at a rapid rate. This is worrying, not only as a practitioner, but as a mother. I know it sounds crazy, but I genuinely think about my own children’s fertility, and they are 5 and 2 haha! The reality is, there is a lot in our world that is unfortunately working against our health and fertility, and a big one is environmental toxin exposure.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals, EDCs, found in plastics, pesticides, cosmetics and household products, are the main suspects. A well cited review in Nature Reviews Endocrinology laid out how EDCs like BPA and phthalates can interfere with fetal ovarian development in the womb, reduce ovarian reserve, and have been linked to women reaching menopause earlier than those with lower exposure. Around 95 percent of people have measurable levels of these chemicals in their bodies, and people who struggle to conceive tend to show higher levels of some of them.

The strongest parallel evidence comes from male fertility research. Sperm concentration has dropped by around 50 percent globally over the past four decades, and researchers point to the same class of environmental chemicals as a likely contributor. It’s often used as supporting context when discussing what might be happening on the female side too, because the underlying mechanism, hormonal disruption from chemical exposure, is shared between both.

The tricky thing is, measuring a population wide decline in egg quality directly is much harder than measuring sperm count. You can’t biopsy ovaries at scale the way you can test semen. So most of what we have is indirect evidence, earlier average menopause age, rising PCOS rates, rising infertility rates, rather than a direct, measured decline in egg quality itself. The researchers are more confident about the biological mechanism than they are about the exact size of the effect.

Really, regardless of fertility or not, if we can minimise our exposure to these chemicals, we are going to be far better off in life and longevity.

How to improve egg quality, holistically

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Ginger brings warmth and circulation to the body, and has long been used to support digestion, particularly helpful if little (or big) tummies are feeling unsettled. Garlic is one of my favourite immune allies, rich in allicin, which has natural antimicrobial properties, and has traditionally been used to help the body fight off colds and bugs. Thyme is wonderfully supportive for the respiratory system, with a long history of use for coughs and chesty colds, and adds such a lovely aromatic depth to the broth.

The beauty of this is it’s one base recipe, cooked once, that stretches into two completely different meals. We had a brothy ramen for lunch and then made the pie for the night after, for dinner.

I made this recipe in the Instant Pot, which I am obsessed with for the ease of it, but you can absolutely make this in a regular pot on the stove. I’ve included both methods below.

Ingredients:

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I’m writing this on week two of a stuffy nose that’s driving me nuts. I feel well otherwise, but during pregnancy the mucous membranes swell and it becomes much more difficult to shift a cold, it seems my trouble zone is the sinuses, and my inability to reach for the array of herbs I usually would means it’s lingering longer than I’d like.

So I’ve been leaning hard into the foundations of immune support, and I wanted to share these with you, from nourishing meals to pregnancy-safe herbal medicines and supplements, to the age-old tips that our grandmothers would have sworn by. Alongside all of this, I’ll share how I’m supporting my little loves too this winter: my five and two-year-old. This love letter is like having a naturopathic consultation with me for you and your children. x

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When I think about unhurried days in the kitchen, making sourdough is one of the first things that comes to mind. I know the thought of how long it takes turns a lot of people off even trying their hand at baking bread, which is a shame, because it really is not time-consuming per se. It just has a number of steps that span over a day and a half.

So when I say you can do this even if you feel time-poor, what I mean is you just need a couple of days where you are in and out of the home. I promise you are not standing over a bench for hours. You are checking in, doing the step and walking away.

So if you have ever had the urge to try your hand at baking bread, take this as your sign to give it a go!!

I have been on my sourdough journey for three years now and my early loaves were pretty disastrous. Dense, chewy, still flavoursome, but nothing like the soft open crumb with a crispy crust we are all aiming for. But with a lot of perseverance, I have gotten to the point where I feel comfortable enough to share this with others, so they can start their own journey.

Let me be clear: I am no sourdough expert. But this has worked for me, and I believe it can work for you too 🙂

A big lesson for me on this journey is the impact of seasons. It is currently winter here in Australia, and I have had to adjust everything. The timing of feeding my starter, how long I leave my dough to rise, and yes, I have tried some really hilarious methods to help it along overnight, including putting it in a woolworths bag with a hot water bottle. I have since found my winter rhythm, and my bread is turning out well again. There is a lot of trial and error, but that is all part of the journey, I suppose.

Why I make sourdough and why you should too

I genuinely love the process. The steps feel quite meditative, and there is something so deeply satisfying about cutting into a fresh loaf, spreading it generously with butter, and watching my children squeal with delight over fresh bread. Sitting together on the bench eating bread and butter is a memory I am sure I will come back to when I am old.

My children are part of the process, too. Yes, it is messier. Yes, it takes longer. Yes, they take far too much dough to play with (hilariously my daughter asks for a ‘biggy small piece of dough’ and no she does not know THE biggy smalls). But they are watching real food being made from scratch, and I think that matters more than most people realise. It is a connection to food that I feel is being lost in modern life, and I love that we are building it in our house.

And from a very practical perspective: each loaf costs me around $2.50 to make, compared to $13 for a good store-bought sourdough. We go through about two loaves a week, so the savings add up quickly.

Before we get into it

There are many, many ways to make sourdough. Many ways to feed your starter, many resting times, many ratios. What I am sharing is the method I currently use. When it changes, I will share those changes too. I am always learning and refining, that is part of what I love about it.

The recipe

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 880g organic white bakers flour

• 3 x ¾ cups warm water

• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

• A generous, overflowing ¾ cup of active starter (roughly ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon)

Step 1: Feed your starter

If your starter lives in the fridge, take it out the morning you want to begin, or the evening before in cooler months. You want it active and lively before you use it.

To feed, I work by eye. I usually have about five centimetres of starter in a jar and ‘feed it’ roughly equal parts flour, then a small splash of warm water, mixing until it reaches a smooth, thick paste. You don’t want it too runny or too stiff, so add more warm water as necessary. And if you add too much water, just add more flour.

Mark the top of the starter with a rubber band. You are waiting for it to double from this point in size before using it.

In summer, leave it in a warm spot inside and it will be ready in around 4-5 hours. You may not have to feed it until midday if you want it by the evening. However, in winter, it needs more encouragement. I bring mine out first thing in the morning (or the night before), feed it and place it somewhere warm, often a sunny windowsill or even outside in direct sunlight. If it has not risen enough by mid-afternoon, I warm the oven for just two minutes, turn it off, and pop the starter in. The residual warmth is enough to nudge it along.

This can take anywhere from six to eight hours in cooler weather. Be patient. Once it has doubled, looks bubbly, and smells pleasantly tangy, it is ready.

Step 2: Mix your dough

Add the flour to a large bowl. Pour in the warm water and mix together first. Once combined, add the salt and the starter. Run your hands under warm water, then mix everything together by hand until it comes together into what is called a shaggy dough. It will look rough and a little uneven, and that is exactly right. The goal here is just to make sure the salt and starter are evenly distributed through the flour. This is the most hands-on mixing you will do.

Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it to rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Stretch and fold

After that first 30-minute rest, come back to the dough and do your first set of stretches and folds. This initial round is really just to check everything is fully blended, no lumps of flour, no unmixed salt. Wet your hands, grab the edge of the dough, stretch it up as far as it will comfortably go without tearing, and fold it over the top. Rotate the bowl and repeat, working your way around the dough.

Then repeat this process three more times over the next few hours, roughly every 30 minutes. So four rounds of stretch and folds in total. Each time, you will notice the dough changing. It will become smoother, stronger, more elastic. What you are doing is developing the gluten network, building the structure that will give your bread that beautiful open crumb. You are also helping to equalise the temperature throughout the dough and gently incorporate air. The fold is doing a lot of quiet, important work.

By the final round, the dough should feel noticeably more cohesive and springy. That is your signal it is ready for its overnight rest.

Step 4: Overnight prove

Once you have completed your folds, it is usually evening. Cover the bowl tightly. I use a damp tea towel, but you can use a shower cap, a sourdough-specific cover, or glad wrap, anything that seals the top and stops it from drying out.

In summer, you can leave it on the bench overnight and it will rise beautifully in the ambient warmth. In winter, I place the covered bowl in the oven. I turn the oven on for two minutes to create just a breath of warmth, then turn it off and slide the bowl in. That gentle, enclosed environment is enough to keep the fermentation moving through the night.

In the morning, your dough should have tripled or even quadrupled in size, filling the bowl right to the top. That is exactly what you want.

Step 5: Shape and second prove

Lightly flour a clean bench and turn the dough out. Divide it in half, as this recipe makes two loaves.

Take each piece and shape it into a roll. You can stretch the dough out and roll it up tightly, or simply work it into a round shape from what comes out of the bowl. I am currently experimenting with both methods to see what I prefer. Either way, handle it with some confidence but without deflating it too much.

Cover two bannetons (which is the basket used for proving sourdough) with a liner or some muslin and sprinkle with flour so the dough doesn’t stick. Add the dough into each and leave the loaves to prove for another four hours at room temperature. They should rise again noticeably in this time.

(The real sounds of baking with two little children haha)

Step 6: Bake

About 30 minutes before the four hours is up, turn your oven on to 240 degrees Celsius. Place your bread tins or baking vessels, whether that is a loaf tin, a Dutch oven, or a ceramic pot with a lid, into the oven as it preheats. You want these vessels to be very hot before the dough goes in. That initial blast of heat is part of what gives sourdough its lift and its crust.

Once preheated, carefully remove the hot tins or pots from the oven. Gently turn the dough out of each banneton into the vessel. Then score the top of each loaf with a sharp knife or bread lame. A simple single slash down the centre works perfectly, or get creative (my sourdough art is something I want to improve on). Scoring allows the bread to expand in a controlled way as it bakes, rather than bursting unpredictably at the sides.

Place the lids on and return to the oven. Bake at 240 degrees for 30 minutes with the lids on.

After 30 minutes, remove the lids and bake for a further 7 to 8 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove from the oven and ideally allow to cool on a rack for at least 20 to 30 minutes before cutting (I often don’t do this and eat it straight away haha).

Then cut your first slice, smother it with butter, and enjoy the simple pleasure of eating something you have baked from scratch, slowly, mindfully. Well done you!

I hope you find as much joy in this process as I have. And when your first loaf comes out a little flat or a little dense, know that mine did too, many times over. Keep going. You will find your feel for it.

And please let me know how you go! I would love to know.

Ema x

I was sitting in my garden with my then one-year-old son, pondering all the things I love to talk about, share, and write about, and I realised it was so much broader than what I spoke about on my Instagram and business page.

I have built my business around preconception and fertility, a deep passion of mine and one I could talk about endlessly. However, I was also craving space to explore more expansive topics. Topics that do relate to preconception and fertility, but that also allow me to move into other areas, to follow threads, to go deeper.

At the heart of this is my desire to speak more in depth about how we as women in the modern world can live in a more biologically aligned way. More and more, I am seeing in my clinic, in the world around me, and online, women who are living so far out of alignment with their biology. And this has a profound ripple effect into every aspect of their life, their health, and their happiness, including their fertility.

I found myself craving a space to explore this more deeply, beyond an Instagram post that lives briefly and then disappears into the constant churn of information.

I began to consider writing a book. But the reality of the time it would take, the scale of the process, and the distance between now and when those ideas would finally be shared felt too far removed from what I want to speak about right now.

So, a year later, I have come back to this.

This space.

A place to write more deeply about the topics I feel passionate about. To support women who feel similar to me, ambitious, yet craving a way of living that feels more aligned with their nature, their body’s rhythms, and their current season of life. Not following the latest trends or biohacks, but instead looking back so we can move forward. Drawing inspiration from how our grandparents lived, more seasonally, more rhythmically.

This is not about switching off from the modern world, about living a slow, quiet life if that is not for you, or dropping all ambition to do and be what you want to be and accomplish in the world.

It is about learning how to live within it in a way that supports you.

Through the way you cook, the way you care for yourself, and the environment you create around you, while still chasing your dreams. It is about supporting you to do the big or small things you want to do, but not at the sacrifice of your health, your happiness, or your fertility.

I love research, and I love traditional knowledge. This is a space where I will blend both, to offer you a way of living that feels more attuned, more grounded, and more aligned with you.

I hope it inspires you in some way.

You can expect weekly love notes, from recipes rooted in traditional, seasonal wholefood nutrition, to deeper conversations on biologically aligned living for women across every season of life, from menstruation to preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. Alongside this, reflections on daily rhythms, practitioner insight, traditional wisdom, and much more.

All with the intention of offering an exhale. A space that feels inspiring, but not like something else to add to your wellness to-do list. A remembering of what it looks like to live in alignment with yourself. A place that gently peels back the layers and supports you in coming back to you.

And so, Unhurried and Well-Nourished is born.

I would love for you to join me.

Ema x