So, after publishing my first blog page, I decided to run to the local Seven 11 to pick up three powerball tickets (It’s $176 million).
The good thing is that I didn’t drive to the convenience store. Instead, I put on my flip flops and walked. (It’s about a quarter mile from my house).
The bad thing is that I had some extra cash on me and bought two 23 fl. oz. cans of Arizona Green Tea and a $.99 bag of Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream chips. Yikes.
Somehow, when I was in the store, I convinced myself that I might as well eat some crap tonight, since I’m starting my diet tomorrow. I know, I know…what the hell was I thinking? But they were so tempting!
This is part of my frustration with me! I have to learn to eat healthier.
As I write this next sentence, I have finished the bag of chips and one can of the green tea. I want to have the second can, but there are 54g carbs in it. I probably should just put it away.
Which leads me to this…how should I start my diet tomorrow? What kind of diet should I pursue?
I’ve read a few articles online about the kinds of foods I should eat to increase my fertility.
According to epregnancy.com:
What to Eat for Enhanced Fertility
Heller suggests that women add the following five nutrient-rich foods to their diet to enhance their fertility:
Yams, which are rich in folate, as well as vitamins C and B6. These vegetables contain diosgenin, a substance similar to progesterone, which can help stimulate ovaries to release one or more eggs each month.
Nuts and seeds, including almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds, are a great source of fatty acids. Omega 3 and omega fatty acids are hormone regulators and vital to a woman’s fertility since a hormonal imbalance can interfere with ovulation.
Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, contain Vitamin A as well as a substance called di-indolylmethane, which regulates the metabolism of estrogen that is essential for keeping fertility hormones in check.
Oysters, which have the highest zinc content of any food. Zinc helps maintain a healthy menstrual cycle. Zinc deficiency has been linked to decreased fertility since it can slow the production of good quality eggs essential for conception.
Berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, are exceptionally high in antioxidants, which can prevent cell damage and aging, as well as help protect eggs and sperm. For women who delay having a child, protecting egg cells from the aging process is vital for enhancing the chances of conception.
According to webmd.com:
Getting Pregnant: Easy Ways to Encourage Fertility
If you’re having trouble getting pregnant but you’re not quite ready for fertility treatments, there are things you can try on your own.
For some couples, getting pregnant is quick and easy. For others, things may not go exactly as planned.
Sometimes, problems are linked to specific physiological issues such as blocked fallopian tubes in the woman or low or no sperm count in the man — problems that can be helped by fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or insemination.
For many others, however, reasons behind their infertility are much harder to define.
“Often, problems are subclinical — meaning we know something is wrong, it’s just not showing up on the radar,” says Staci Pollack, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Montefiore Medical Center’s Institute of Reproductive Medicine and Health.
Pollack says standard fertility treatments can usually help, but that in some cases, so can a host of other, less costly techniques — some of which couples can try on their own.
The key to success: Knowing when to try — and when it’s time for more serious medical treatment. The good news: Doctors say both options can be clearly mapped out with the help of a medical fertility workup. Designed to rule out specific causes that require medical care, test results can also help you decide if any of these low-tech treatments are worth a try.
And what if you aren’t anticipating a problem but just want to give your fertility a boost? Some of these low-tech methods can work for you as well. Just keep in mind that the American Society for Reproductive Medicine says if you don’t get pregnant after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse — or six months if you are a woman over 35 — it’s time to seek help from a fertility specialist.
Fertility Booster No. 1: Eat Healthfully
Among the most common causes of unexplained infertility in women is “ovulatory dysfunction” — an umbrella term encompassing problems with ovulation.
Though a number of factors can be responsible, many doctors now believe diet is key. In a study of some 17,000 women conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, researchers were able to define a group of “fertility foods” able to improve conception odds.
Which dietary tenets were key to increasing fertility?
- Eating more monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) and less trans fats (like the kind found in many baked goods or fast foods).
- Increasing intake of vegetable protein (like soy), while reducing animal protein (like red meat).
- Eating more high fiber, low-glycemic foods — like whole grains, vegetables, and some fruits, while reducing the intake of refined carbohydrates and sugars.
- Consuming moderate amounts of high-fat dairy products — like ice cream, whole milk, and cheese.
Jorge Chavarro, MD, a researcher in the study, believes diet made a difference because the majority of women experiencing ovulatory dysfunction were also suffering from undiagnosed or subclinical PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), a condition related to insulin resistance that also affects ovulation.
“It responds well to diet, so that could be one of the reasons these foods were so helpful,” says Chavarro, who translated his medical study findings into a book called The Fertility Diet.
Getting Pregnant: Easy Ways to Encourage Fertility
If you’re having trouble getting pregnant but you’re not quite ready for fertility treatments, there are things you can try on your own.
(continued)
Fertility Booster No. 2: Weight Control
Whether or not you eat the so-called “fertility foods,” maintaining a healthy weight is another way to enhance your fertility.
Studies show that having either a very low or very high BMI (body mass index) disrupts ovulation and may also affect production of key reproductive hormones.
“One of the first things I counsel women about is the role of their weight in influencing their fertility,” says Janet Choi, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.
For many women — particularly those who are overweight — problems are traced to ovulatory dysfunction, often caused by PCOS. That said, a recent Dutch study of some 3,000 women found excess weight could also interfere with fertility even if a woman is ovulating normally.
Reporting in the journal Human Reproduction, researchers documented a 4% decrease in conception odds for every point in BMI above 30. For women whose BMI was higher than 35, there was up to a 43% overall decrease in the ability to conceive.
The good news: Losing those extra pounds may preclude the need for pricey fertility treatments.
In fact, the British Fertility Society in 2007 issued new guidelines urging members to defer fertility treatments in very obese women (BMI over 35) until they gave weight loss a try.
At the same time, being too thin can also keep you from conceiving. “Women who are extremely lean often have a problem getting pregnant because they are not able to sustain a regular menstrual cycle — for these women, it is more beneficial to gain weight,” Chavarro says.
So with that being said…tomorrow I plan to go to the supermarket to buy some of these fertility foods and workout for the first time in months. Hopefully tomorrow I start off on the right foot!
And so begins my journey. Wish me luck!
