Why Omega-3 Balance Drives Inflammation And Fertility great discussion with Leoni Tilley from Zinzino

We talk with applied health specialist Leoni Tilly about why omega-3 deficiency is so common and how an out-of-balance omega-6 to omega-3 ratio can keep the body stuck in low-grade chronic inflammation. We share how at-home testing makes the problem measurable, why this matters for fertility and pregnancy outcomes, and how to shop smarter in a seed-oil world.

• what “test-based not guess-based” health means and why it changes decision-making
• omega-6 vs omega-3 explained as inflammation accelerator and brakes
• why the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio matters and the 3:1 target
• how fatty acid balance affects cell membranes, nutrient delivery, and waste removal
• fertility and pregnancy links including preterm birth risk, postpartum mood, and fetal brain DHA needs
• how ultra-processed foods and seed oils quietly drive omega-6 intake
• what the at-home finger-prick dry blood spot test measures and how results are reviewed
• signs that may point to inflammation including brain fog, low energy, joint pain, recovery issues, PCOS, endometriosis
• “modern-day detective” label-reading tips and focusing on whole foods with protein, fat, and fiber

If you feel tired, inflamed, foggy, or stuck in “why won’t my body bounce back,” the answer might not be another guess. We sit down with applied health and human performance specialist Leoni Tilly to talk about omega-3 deficiency, why it’s showing up almost everywhere in modern diets, and how fatty acid balance can shape inflammation, hormones, and fertility readiness.

We get clear on the basics without dumbing it down: omega-6 and omega-3 are both essential, but the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio can decide whether your body has working brakes on inflammation. Leoni explains how an imbalanced ratio affects cell membranes across the whole body, from energy and recovery to joints, brain function, and skin. We also connect the dots to fertility and pregnancy, including research-backed links to early preterm birth risk, postpartum mood, and the baby’s brain and eye development through DHA.

A big theme is measurement. Leoni walks us through a simple at-home finger-prick dry blood spot test, why “test-based nutrition” beats guessing, and why not all fish oil supplements reliably change your results. We also talk ultra-processed foods, hidden seed oils in everyday products, and practical “modern-day detective” label-reading habits you can start on your next shop.

If you want a smarter way to support preconception health, pregnancy nutrition, and long-term wellness, listen now, then subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find these conversations.

If you'd like to connect or share your story, find us on Instagram and Facebook at Australian Fertility Summit.

How to contact Leoni Tilley;

https://longliveyou.net.au/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/long_live_you_wellness
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/longliveyouwellness
 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonie-tilley-706748229/

Transcript

Welcome To Home Of Fertility

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Welcome to the Home of Fertility, a space for real conversations and expert insights about fertility, healing, and creating family. I'm Liz Walton.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

And I'm Helen Z. We are two mums who've walked this path and are passionate about supporting you on your journey. Emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

We talk about it all. Fertility treatments, holistic support, relationships, mindset, and the emotional highs and lows.

SPEAKER_00 0:38

Because sometimes the missing piece lies in someone else's story, in the quiet wisdom of the body, or in a breakthrough that's finally made for you.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

We are so glad you are here. Let's dive in.

Meet Leoni Tilly And Zinzino

SPEAKER_02 1:02

This is Liz Walton, and I'm really excited as I get to chat to lots of people about health, about wellness, and everything in between that helps bring us back to the best version of ourselves. Today I'm speaking to the lovely Leoni Tilly from a company called Zinzino. Leone, how are you today?

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Very well. Thank you. Thank you for having me on today.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

Oh, it's a pleasure. Thank you for taking your time. We're all so busy, so it's like time becomes such an expensive commodity, doesn't it? So thank you for taking your time out of your day to speak to me.

SPEAKER_03 1:41

Anytime, anytime. Pleasure. Love raising awareness.

SPEAKER_02 1:45

Oh, you do, you do. And I love the product that you stand for. So I think let's talk a bit about you, and then let's talk about what is Zinzino, because it's quite a fun name to say, Zinzino. Yeah, absolutely. So Leone Tilli is an applied health and human performance specialist. I love that human performance. Global wellness professional, the co-founder of the Menopause Summit, which was on this time last year up in Brisbane, yay! And an independent partner with Zinzino. And Leone has a deep passion for human psychology. She specializes in inflammation reduction, which is massive at this day and age, also with gut health, fascia-based movement, and evidence-based preventative health strategies. Her career was profoundly shaped by a serious health crisis when she was 32, including a traumatic brain injury, which transformed her understanding of the body. Extraordinary capacity, the body's extraordinary capacity to adapt and also to heal. And this experience ignited a lifelong commitment to help others create the internal conditions necessary for healing, for diet for vitality, and for health. Leone integrates science-backed, tested-based nutritional strategies to support pregnancy outcomes, address nutrition deficiencies, sorry, see my test, nutrition deficiencies, and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Her work empowers individuals to take a proactive, measurable approach to lifelong health. And her mission, I love this, is to raise awareness of the global omega-3 deficiency and the powerful road fatty acids, fatty acid balance plays in fertility as well as healthy aging and our wonderful overall well-being. I love this, Leone, and what a beautiful mission there is here.

Test-Based Nutrition Explained

SPEAKER_02 3:52

So tell me, let all of us understand what is Zin Zeno.

SPEAKER_03 4:01

Yes. So Xin Xeno is a Scandinavian-based health tech company that is test-based, not guest-based. So our nutrition has changed hugely over time. We used to eat from nature, we used to eat seasonal food. We had a group of scientists who asked the question about why on earth world health is in the state that it is in. So they set about doing their research to help to answer the question in that and introduced a test-based approach towards assessing what's happening with humans, what's happening in our modern-day diets, and how is that affecting our long-term health? So I absolutely love the work that we are doing. The research is incredible. And I also love witnessing amazing change in people as well when they learn this very powerful information that everybody needs to know.

SPEAKER_02 5:04

Yeah. Yeah. And look, I can be a testament to this. What I loved with doing and meeting you amazingly for the Melbourne Fertility Expo was then learning about Zinzino. And you sent the test to me, um, of which we did, you know, the the prick test, and then you sent it off, and really it realized I had a lot of inflammation in my body. I knew I'd have some, but I had a lot. And since taking the product, um I it's really helped me to be fair. I I have found it extremely interesting and learning about this. So getting back to our chat, you know, you know, Zinzina have tested over like 1.6 million people around the world. With that, 97% of people, bizarrely enough, were globally deficient in omega-3.

Omega-3 Deficiency And Inflammation

SPEAKER_02 5:58

I mean, so what why does that matter? What what is this about inflammation?

SPEAKER_03 6:05

Yeah, absolutely. Great question. So omegas are just fats. Both omega-6 and omega-3 are essential to the human body. Our body doesn't make these fats, we rely on getting these fats from our diet. But as I mentioned, our diet has changed a lot over time, and there is more and more ultra-processed food in people's diets. So omegas are there's two different types. The omega-6 is pro-inflammatory. We need inflammation in the body. Uh, when we're sick, uh, when we stub our toe, we need inflammation to come in and try and help us. So that's like the accelerator. Omega-6. Omega-3 is the opposite. It's like the breaks on inflammation and it's anti-inflammatory. So, what we know in our modern-day diet, not many people eat wild-caught fatty fish, let's face it. So, people are hugely deficient in this essential micronutrient of omega-3. And what that means is our body does not have the ability to switch off inflammatory processes in the body. And that leaves us in a state of low-grade chronic inflammation. And often people don't even know about it. They may not know it's happening to them. But it's a real problem in our modern-day world when you think about it. Every non-communicable chronic disease is inflammation-based. So Cinzino have set about with a mission to actually change world health. Um, and I love being a part of that mission and educating people with the importance of this essential omega-3 deficiency.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

Yeah, no, that's and that's so powerful. And when we think of so much inflammation, you know, any everything with itis, isn't it? So arthritis, you know, there's all of these different things that and it it's inflammation in the body, isn't it? So uh I know my joints, I mean, I'm menopausal now, my joints, it's all definitely been so much easier in my body. I I was quite quite excited and interested to learn about that.

SPEAKER_03 8:34

So uh so in midlife as well, we are naturally more inflamed due to the hormonal change that we're experiencing. So particularly at this time in life, eating a very anti-inflammatory diet is very important, and supporting our body with omega-3 is absolutely essential. And I too, Liz have the same experience of um completely changing any perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms as a result of addressing low grade chronic inflammation. So yeah, love hearing that from you. And there are loads of testimonials similarly.

SPEAKER_02 9:13

Yeah, yes, I'm sure there really are. So, what happens when we're really deficient in omega-3? Is it just about the inflammation? Is there anything else um that we need to be aware of that people need to know because in case it's going on for them?

Cell Membranes And Whole-Body Effects

SPEAKER_03 9:31

Absolutely. So we need both omega-6 and omega-3 in our diet. Both are essential, but it's the balance that is the important bit. Yeah. So when we are out of balance, if we have, for example, too much omega-6 in our diet and not enough omega-3 in our diet, which is very common, this affects our heart, our brain, our joints, our organs, and every single cell membrane that we have. So we're made up of 37 trillion cells. And every cell, the cell membrane is made up of this phospholipid layer, this fatty layer. When our omega-6 and omega-3 is out of balance, the cell membrane becomes rigid or hard. And that means you can be eating really well, but nutrient may not be able to reach the center of the cell. And the same with cell waste or toxicity. It can't get out of the cell easily either. So that affects our heart, our brain, our joints. People often notice things like hair, skin, nails as well. So it affects our cell signaling, our mitochondria, um, our energy levels in so many different ways. Every single cell in our body is relying on this essential micronutrient to work optimally. So it's super, super important. And I just want more and more people to be aware so that they too can live in good health going forward. Um, a state of low-grade chronic inflammation uh through our test-based approach, we deem it as a predictor of your health in 10 years' time. Really? So hugely important.

unknown 11:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:24

Wow. Absolutely, absolutely.

Fertility And Pregnancy Risk Factors

SPEAKER_02 11:27

So um what would be the three, or maybe there's more, but yeah, what's the biggest risks um associated with omega-3 deficiency? So let's look at fertility and pregnancy here and sort of women's health. What would be, yeah, what are those risks?

SPEAKER_03 11:48

Yeah, well, first of all, our scientists recommend that you need to have no higher, a ratio no higher than three to one, omega-6 to omega-3. All right. So maybe just a step back before the pregnancy um discussion. So we know all of our research and literature tells us that even getting your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio four to one or less, that reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease by a whopping 70%. Wow. So it is huge to get yourself back in balance, three to one or less, if you remember nothing else from our conversation today. You want to be three to one or less. And the only way you're going to know that is to test yourself to see where you are at. From a pregnancy point of view, when you are out of balance, omega-6 to omega-3, you're at a higher risk of early preterm birth, a higher risk of postpartum depression. And this is incredibly important for uh the fetal brain development, nervous system development, and for eyes, their eyes as well. So a growing baby inside mom is relying on the nutrients that it gets from the mother. So if uh the brain is very reliant upon omega-3. So just to give you an idea, 60% of the human brain is made up of fat. And then 25% of that fat is made up of one of these essential omega-3s called DHA. So it's incredibly important in terms of reducing risk of some of the learning disorders that we're seeing more and more commonly in kids. We're seeing a lot of ADHT, autism, etc. So this is to optimize both mother and baby, um, to optimize outcomes, pregnancy outcomes. And when we think about it, if we've got rigid cell membranes, nutrient not being able to get into cells, toxin can't get out of cells, every, not only every pregnant mother, but every person on this earth should test to see what their omega-6 to three balance is if they're interested in learning about living in optimal health. And the great news about this is that we can test this now, and no matter what your result is, it's modifiable. So um it's fantastic news going forward.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

It really is. And um, like you say, we don't know what we don't know until we raise the awareness. And um, I know with a few other people hearing the discussions of optimal nutritional health coming into like preconception fertility um has a massive um impact on, say, baby child and learning um and growing. Um, because a friend of mine specializes a lot in ADHD, and she spoke at the the first conference and just saying how important that preconception nutrition was regarding to you know ADHD and several one of those neuro neurodiverse, which I thought was fascinating. So this is so interesting to hear with the brain, the fats, the oils. Um, yeah, awesome, awesome, awesome.

SPEAKER_03 15:35

Absolutely, absolutely. And more and more people need to be aware about that. You know, I think of it from a common sense point of view. It makes sense that if we're lacking in something that's essential, especially to the brain, well, how can it possibly work to the best of its ability? So, um, and I think, you know, a lot of people don't realize too just how much ultra-processed food is in our diets day to day. When I talk about ultra-processed food, I talk about anything that contains pro-inflammatory seed oil in it, for example. So canola oil, sunflower oil, it's prolific. It's in dips, chips, packaged food, it's in your bread, it's in your almond milk when you get your almond milk coffee, for example. So the problem is that people are not aware of just how much omega-6 is coming into their diet, and then they're really lacking in omega-3. So there is that chronic state of inflammation. So absolutely, I absolutely advocate for pre-conception, getting the body in optimal state before the body can take on sustaining a new life and creating a beautiful little child going forward. This is for our future generation that can live in good health.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

Yeah. Fascinating, fascinating. And I know for me, I didn't know, you know, I didn't realize I was deficient. So it's like those interesting things of what how to understand that you need to go somewhere to find out about that nutritional um, I suppose, information and to learn. Yeah, yeah, and how to find Xinxeno. So um, and again, this is what this podcast is about. It's about creating that awareness. So anyone that hears that might be going, actually, I need Leone.

SPEAKER_03 17:35

Yes, yes, native test, absolutely native test.

SPEAKER_02 17:38

Yeah.

The At-Home Omega Balance Test

SPEAKER_02 17:39

So talking about testing then, what tell us about the testing? What's involved? How do you do it? You know, give us give us all the deeds.

SPEAKER_03 17:48

Yeah, so Zinzino have a very simple at-home test, which involves a simple fingerprint, a little dry blood sample. So with a single drop of blood, we can assess what's happening for you. So our tests get sent all the way to Oslo to our independent laboratory Vitas, which is used by all of the big universities around the world. And it's very important to us that we stick with our laboratory because it is independent. So um, simple finger prick, send off your test. Usually takes a couple of weeks to get your result back. And then I sit down with people to explain to them what their test result shows and what we can do about um rectifying. So we know that despite millions of people around the world taking an omega supplement, 97% of those we are testing are still out of balance. So Cinzino have actually proven that commercial fish oil is not working, it's not taking effect on cell membrane. And that is because it does not have something called an oxidative stability index longer than about nine hours. So our unique polyphenol omega-3 formulation has an oxidative stability index of 35 hours. So that means that we can get 95% of our um protocol users back in within three to one omega-6 to omega-3 balance within 120 days. So super simple. We can work with anyone, no matter where they are, um, with a simple little at-home test kit. Very easy. And as you've experienced, it's very easy. Finger prick, away we go.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Yes, that's right. I was gonna share now. Absolutely. I got the at-home test kit, and um, you went through with me. We we test it, you put two little blood spots, and then you put that in a bag, and then you send it off. And then it was a very comprehensive test that came back that I did not know how to read. There was just lots of red, which I was like, that can't be good. So it was really good to have you help me understand and read. Um, so I got it, you know, so I could understand what was going on. And I remember at the time I had been sick and I was just finding it so difficult to recover. And you you kind of said, Are you finding it difficult to recover? And I'm like, Yes. And so that was, you know, that was big for me. And since then, I must confess it it's really helped my health, you know. So just having those balances back to normal.

SPEAKER_03 20:46

Amazing, amazing. And the beauty of the program is that we test to see where you are at, and then at 120 days, we retest to see what is going on for you. So it's completely evidence-based. There's no guesswork. I don't know about you, but in my lifetime, uh, it's been recommended to me a number of times about, you know, try this, this may help you. But how do you really know? How do you know? One, if you need it, or two, what is really going on? So it's hugely powering information. And for me, with the people I work with, there's nothing like seeing your test result to really accurately know what is happening for you as a powerful motivator to make some changes. And of course, that's where our revolutionary polyphenol omega-3 formulation comes into play. Um, and it's absolutely proven to get people back into balance of three to one or less within that 120 day period. So, yes, my message is definitely test. Definitely test.

Inflammation Clues And Gut Testing

SPEAKER_02 21:51

Absolutely. And so, what else would be the issues of inflammation that people might need to hear once they're listening? To this. Like for me, I know my joints were aching. I was finding it difficult to recover from my cold. It was probably a bit more than a cold, but you know, you're just busy and you're like, oh, you know, I'm just a bit under the weather. What would be some other things that you know might be feeling or suffering from that they might think, actually, I need to test?

SPEAKER_03 22:27

Yeah, absolutely. So endometriosis, PCOS, uh, as you mentioned, rheumatoid arthritis, uh, any cognitive decline. Um, these are all things, obviously, that are signs that your body is struggling. But it may not be uh as big as that. It can be simple things like brain fog, a low energy state that is constant. When you mention about being sick, of course, our omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is important, but also 80% of your immunity is coming from your gut. So your gut health is important too. And late last year, Zinzeno launched a world first gut health test, also via dry blood sample. So, this is amazing technology that we're um very proudly introducing into the healthcare space here in Australia. But on the other hand, you may not be experiencing very much, or maybe you're also thinking that how you are feeling is just normal, or it's just a part of getting older, or I'm just tired from work, or I'm stressed, etc. Um, but all of these messages that we get from our body are little taps on the shoulder to say something is not quite right. So this is the first step that we recommend for people to test their omega-6 to three ratio. And that's the first inclination that we can start them diving deeper, perhaps into what else is happening for them. But um very, very important. I love that, you know, I'm 53, I have zero joint pain. I see a lot of ladies suffering with joint pain in terms of recovery from exercise, um, decreased, delayed onset, muscle soreness. Um, we work with Olympians around the world. We have in um informed sport approved products. We can categorically claim via the European Food Safety Authority that we can normalize blood pressure, cholesterol, brain function, etc. So um it's helpful in many, many ways. It affects every cell in our body, as I mentioned. So test, definitely test.

SPEAKER_02 24:53

Everyone, not just pregnant women. Yeah, no,

How To Reach Leoni

SPEAKER_02 24:56

absolutely. And so how can people find you for the testing? What what where do they go?

SPEAKER_03 25:04

Yes, for sure. So on Instagram, I am excuse me. On Instagram, I am info. Sorry, on Instagram, I am long underscore live underscore you underscore wellness. Long live you wellness with underscores underneath all of the words. Yeah. Um, my website is longlive you.net.au. And I would absolutely love people to reach out to me just to have a chat if they have questions, if this could help them or what they are experiencing. I would absolutely love to chat with people um and work with them to test their omega-6 to omega-3 balance and make them aware that um, from a pregnancy point of view, we're the only company globally that is looking at omega-3 across all physiological stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding. So we can absolutely categorically state that our balance oil users do not see DHA depletion. Uh, so DHA is one of our most important omega-3s. So please, for your beautiful uh potential new babies for their health and for mother's health, yeah, I highly recommend that you test and then address any nutrient deficiencies. So this is for our future generations. We know through our testing that our teenagers are the highest at risk. They are the most inflamed because of their ultra-processed diet. So we have a mission to change that and ensure that fertility rates are addressed going forward via our test-based nutritional program. Sounds like a no-brainer, I say. Absolutely, absolutely no-brainer to optimize uh fertility and all health outcomes. At the end of the day, we know that you know cardiovascular disease is the number one killer globally. We know that one in one in three are experiencing neurodegenerative disease. And we know these things start even up to 30 years prior. They don't just begin and you start seeing symptoms. So I have an absolute mission to help as many people as I can to um prevent all of these chronic diseases because we can't just hope that it's not going to happen to us. Unfortunately, statistically, um, you know, the world isn't in not a good place with their health. So, yes, please reach out to me, Long Live You Wellness, and let's test.

SPEAKER_02 28:01

Yeah, absolutely. And I'll make sure all of this information is in the show notes as well. So everyone has that this information.

Read Labels And Avoid Seed Oils

SPEAKER_02 28:11

So as we come and you know, our chat is coming to a close. What would be your top tips or what would you like to leave as the the main message for people to take away with?

SPEAKER_03 28:26

Every single thing that you put into your body, I'm gonna use a powerful word, and that is it is harming you or helping you. We need to become more aware of what we are putting into our bodies. We have a problem in that our in our current modern-day world, everybody is so busy, so overscheduled. I completely understand the challenge of getting good food on the plate all the time. I guess my piece of advice would be to be start reading, start reading what you're buying at the supermarket. Marketing is very disleading. You can pick up a can of sardines and it will say in oil, but if you read the fine print on the back, it can say that it's in sunflower oil or canola oil. So we really have to become a modern-day detective to really become waterware aware of what we're putting into our body. So that would be, you know, I think the first step. But it's up to us um to really take charge of our health. I really think we have to accept the responsibility is ours, yeah, and really just take um, you know, as many steps as you can to gain as much knowledge as you can. Um empower yourself, take charge of your long-term health yourself. No one else is going to do it. You have to do it yourself.

SPEAKER_02 29:57

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:58

No, I I love that.

SPEAKER_02 29:59

And I've been introduced to the app. Is it Yuca, I think? And um, so I can see um, you know, the the you know, how good or bad or anywhere in between. Because I a few times they'll be like, oh my goodness, put that backwards. So let's get something that's better, just because, you know, I don't know what I don't know, really.

SPEAKER_03 30:24

No, that's right. And look, even it's pretty bewildering. You can even be in a health food store and pick up something, and on the back, you'll still see pro-inflammatory seed oil as ingredients in things. So um get your modern-day detective out and just focus on eating wholesome, nutrient-dense, fresh food, protein, fat, and fiber all the way. Um, you know, breakfast as well, stable blood sugars that helps us greatly, also. So if you can take out your uh ultra-processed food and your sugar, you're a long way forward.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

Yeah, no, absolutely. And I like that. Modern-day detective, get that one out. So, Leone, thank you. We've had a really good conversation today of understanding inflammation, what it does, the benefits, and being aware and um the the product you you have and to reach out to you. Thank you so much for your time today.

SPEAKER_03 31:28

Thank you. Thank you, Luz. Really appreciate it. And yes, come and test with me. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 31:34

Ah, yes, let's go and test with Leone. And we'll have to do some more on your different products as well, so that we understand those too.

SPEAKER_03 31:43

Amazing, yes, the gut health test as well is amazing. New technology that I'd love for people to understand as well. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 31:51

We'll have to do another one on the gut health, won't we? Yeah, absolutely. Thank you, Miss. Ah, thank you too, my lovely. And um so for now, uh, all of you listeners, let's come out when you go shopping with your modern day detective and just have a look at what we're putting into our shopping cart. And is it harming you?

SPEAKER_03 32:13

So harming or healing. Yeah, is it harming or healing?

SPEAKER_02 32:17

Yeah. That's it. Sorry, harming or healing, that's it. Is it harming you or healing you? And with that, thank you so much, Leone. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

Yes, thank you, T. Lots of love to you.

Final Takeaways And Listener Requests

SPEAKER_00 32:31

Thanks for joining us at the Home of Fertility. We hope today's episode brought you clarity, comfort, and connection.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

If this podcast resonated, please share it. Leave a review or subscribe. This helps us support more people that are on this path.

SPEAKER_00 32:50

And if you'd like to connect or share your story, find us on Instagram and Facebook at Australian Fertility Summit.

SPEAKER_01 32:59

Remember, the missing piece might be waiting in a story, your body's wisdom, or something new just made for you. Take care.