What
does a fertility diet contain? An optimal fertility diet is about what
to avoid, as much as it is about what to include. A fertility diet
should be as fresh as possible and organic wherever possible. Key
elements are good quality protein sources and good fats.
What should you eat?
You
may eat organic meat in small quantities, game, small deep-sea fish
such as sardines and red snapper, and organic legumes that are home
cooked (not canned). Others are whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables
and fruit in season, organic where possible.
Increase
your consumption of good fats and avoid dangerous fats. Good fats
include monounsaturated fats in olive oil, polyunsaturated fats in oily
fish and nuts and midchain fatty acids found
in coconut oil.
For cooking, use
clarified butter (ghee) or coconut butter (without flavour), as they do
not become unstable when heated. For non-heated oil requirements
(salads, etc), use cold pressed olive oil, flaxseed oil and nut oils.
Avoid dangerous fats
Did
you know that consuming trans fats hidden in processed foods such as
doughnuts, biscuits, lollies, candies, chocolate, chips, pies and fries
and thousands of other unhealthy foods may increase your risk of
infertility by as much as 70 per cent?
Scientists
from the Harvard University School of Public Health advise women
wanting to get pregnant to avoid all trans fats. The sole purpose of
adding trans fats to food is to extend the shelf life. To minimise your
consumption of trans fats, be diligent about reading the ingredients and
avoid the most likely culprits altogether.
Trans fats are mostly listed as ‘hydrogenated fat’ or ‘hardened vegetable fat’ or simply ‘vegetable fat.’
Minimise animal-derived estrogens
Dairy
products account, on the average, for 60-70 percent of estrogens
consumed. Humans consume milk from cows in the second half of pregnancy
when cow’s estrogen levels are high. We usually associate dairy and
drinking milk with calcium, and never think about what else we may be
consuming along with the calcium. Dairy, by the way, is not the best
source of calcium. Here is a list of hormones that have been found in
cows’ milk: Prolactin, somatostatin, melatonin, oxytocin, growth
hormone, lutenizing releasing hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone,
estrogens, progesterone, insulin, corticosteroids and many more.
Did
you know that an excess consumption of all these hormones could disrupt
your own hormonal balance? You bet! Consumption of milk has been linked
to certain cases of male infertility. Excess estrogen and pesticide
exposure has been linked to Polycystic ovary syndrome and endometriosis.
Studies
have found higher concentrations of pesticides in cheese than in
non-organically grown fruit and vegetables. The first line of
naturopathic treatment I recommend for PCOS and endometriosis is to
minimise intake of animal products. Animal products have a high content
of hormones, pesticides and herbicides, which are known endocrine
disruptors. They play havoc with your hormones and this can lead to
anovulation (failure of the ovary to release ova over a period of time
generally exceeding three months).
Avoid two most common allergens
The
link between food intolerance and anti-sperm antibodies is now well
established. Studies have found that women with multiple allergies and
food intolerance were more likely to miscarry. An overactive immune
system is more likely to attack its own body cells.
From
an immunological point of view, an embryo and sperm cell are foreign
bodies. But Mother Nature was clever; she programmed our immune systems
to distinguish between an everyday invader and a sperm cell or embryo. A
normal and healthy immune response to an embryo or sperm cell is
orchestrated by Th2 cytokines. They suppress your killer cells (that’s
what they are called) to leave the embryo unharmed. Because of this
protection, many pregnant women are poor wound healers and can come down
really badly with a cold or flu. Your natural protection has been
suppressed so that your baby can develop properly.
An
abnormal immune response to the implantation of the fertilised egg is
orchestrated by Th1 cytokines. Rather than suppressing your killer
cells, they stimulate their activity. This can lead to defects and loss
of the foetus. The two most widely spread food intolerance are gluten
and dairy. I advise my patients to have an IgG immunoglobulin test done
to check if they are dairy and gluten intolerant. But since most people
have some level of allergy to gluten and/or dairy, it’s advisable to
avoid gluten and dairy altogether during the preconception and pregnancy
period.
Have an STD check
Most
people believe both they and their partner are free from sexually
transmitted diseases. However, there are some STDs which can be
asymptomatic, meaning that you may not be aware you have them, as there
are no obvious symptoms. One such STD is Chlamydia.
In
men, a Chlamydia infection can lead to sperm abnormalities, including
sperm antibodies. In women, it can lead to scarring, blocked tubes and
miscarriage.
A study found that 60 per
cent of asymptomatic male partners of infected females attending a
fertility clinic were found to be infected with Chlamydia. Most STDs are
easy to treat, so it pays for both partners to have an STD check. There
is no point in only one partner going for a test, as the other partner
can re-infect them.
To be concluded
-Oladapo Ashiru
-Oladapo Ashiru
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