For women’s health dietitian Emma Krieg, the path into nutrition began with her own pelvic pain journey at 15. Learning about hormones and the menstrual cycle helped her understand her own health and sparked a passion for helping other women. Here, Emma talks period pain, PCOS, endometriosis, fertility nutrition, and why sometimes the answer isn’t cutting something out. It’s adding what your body needs.
Name: Emma Krieg
Pronouns: She, her
Day job: Women’s Health Dietitian
Location: Adelaide
Describe your work in one sentence.
I help women support their hormonal health through food and nutrition.
How did you land here?
I went through my own pelvic pain journey from the age of 15 and discovered a passion for learning about the woman's body, hormones and menstrual cycle. It helped me connect with my own body and learn how to nourish it so I could feel my best. I am fascinated with how important food and nutrition is, and how powerful it can be as a tool.
How do you separate useful nutrition advice from noise?
I always fact-check If I read something I am unsure about or a new piece of advice I haven’t heard about before, I dig into the research to see if there is anything to back it up. Sometimes it’s weak evidence, sometimes it’s well researched. But this process helps me feel confident that the advice I provide is the highest quality and up to date.
What’s the biggest misconception about “eating for your hormones”?
So many women feel that they need to be eating completely differently depending on their phase of the cycle. The truth is that there is not a lot of research around this.
There is very weak research around certain seeds and foods that might help with implantation for pregnancy, but that’s the main things. I think it just adds a lot of overwhelm to nutrition.
Is there a health trend you'd wish would disappear?
Yes, the generic “hormone balancing” supplements that contain trace amounts of a million ingredients. The quantities are often too small to have any real benefit and are a lot smaller than the dose used in the research they came from.
What’s something about PCOS that gets oversimplified online?
For PCOS, go low-carb. This isn’t always the best strategy, and I have seen so many women undereating carbs and making symptoms worse. It’s not as simple as avoiding anything with carbs. We need the nutrients for hormone health, but there is a correct way to include them that is a little more complex.
What’s something you’ve had to unlearn about food or your own body?
I think growing up, you are always searching for that one answer. Cut this food out to heal symptoms or add this supplement to feel better. But there are so many different factors that come together to support hormone health. And the demonising or idealising of one thing often delays results.
How has your own relationship with food changed?
Oh wow, heaps! I am way more conscious of my meals day-to-day and it’s often the small things. I feel confident in putting together nourishing meals but also don’t hold guilt when eating out or socialising, as this is a big part of food enjoyment.
What’s the hardest belief to unlearn?
That lower calorie is better. Lots of women go for long times on a very low-calorie intake and get completely stuck. It’s always a bit of a challenge, but important to explain why we need more nutrition to support our body and hormones.
Is there a link between food and period pain that’s rarely talked about?
There are many links, and this is where the area of pelvic pain gets tricky. Everyone is so unique. What works for one might not for another. For some, it’s more about foods triggering digestive upset or bloating, which adds to the pain. For others, it might be about adding in more anti-inflammatory foods.
What’s a question about periods you wish more people asked?
So many people are always focused on what they can cut out to support hormones and cycles, but often it’s more about what we can add in. Try asking yourself, what’s missing now that I could increase to support hormonal health
What does looking after yourself look like when you’re busy?
I love the phrase “good enough nutrition”. We won’t always eat perfectly, but even if we can get close to what we need,or add that one extra helpful thing in, we’re doing better than before.
What’s one health habit you swear by, and one that's overrated?
Getting good sleep for sure. This is the missing link for so many people. They might be doing all the right things but not prioritising sleep.
Overrated: getting up ridiculously early for the gym. This works for some but not all and often it compromises other factors, for example sleep.
What’s a small change that makes a big difference?
More meals are being a balanced plate. It sounds so boring and simple, but it actually doesn’t happen for so many. If you achieve this, it’s a huge chunk of your work done.
What’s a food rule you were taught that you now think is nonsense?
That people need to be GF. So many people told me that “everyone would feel better without gluten”. I don’t understand where this has come from and often it’s not gluten at all that’s causing symptoms but something else, of course except for coeliac disease.
If you had the attention of every woman for one minute, what would you want her to understand?
You don’t have to learn to just deal with your symptoms, and it is often possible to find a solution. It’s your body trying to communicate something to you and if we listen, we can work out what it needs.
MY CYCLE
- My period in 3 words: Short, sharp, shiny.
- Period self-care toolkit: Heat wrap, stool softener, anti-inflammatory supplements, and omega-3.
- Most underrated period self-care hack? BBT tracking – I feel so much more in sync with my cycle.
- Contraception of choice: Fertility awareness method (FAM).
- On day 1, you'll find me: Couch, heat pack, yoga poses, and slow walks.
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Scarlet pick: Wearable heat pad!!