“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
Hippocrates
I am currently in the process of designing my own Fertility diet for my upcoming Living Fertile Mastery program (more on that later). The diet is based from my own experience, teaching and wanting to cut through some of the confusion around this topic. I have started the groundwork combining the essentials of clean eating, food energetics and functional medicine, to balance hormones, elevate vibrancy and increase your chances of conception and healthy pregnancy. I love using food in this way as you eat 3-6 times a day depending on your method, 7 days a week. You can make major breakthroughs to improve your health, your body and your fertility just by choosing what you put in your mouth on a daily basis. My observation working with my clients is that they tend to make eating for fertility way more complicated that it needs to be. I wanted to give you a little taste to see what I am cooking up, and get you going in this direction.
Guidelines to Clean Eating for Living Your Fertile Life
1. 80/20 Rule. Eating for fertility is not meant to be ridged. It should be fluid and achieved with ease.
-80% of the time eating a wholesome diet where your plate is ½ full of veggies, 1/4 for protein and 1/4 whole grains and drizzled with a Tbsp. of Fat.
– 20% is your soul food. It’s a requirement.
LOVE IT, ENJOY IT, AND DON’T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT.
2. Sit at the table and eat without distractions. Turn off your phone, computer, TV etc. Chew your food slowly and mindfully. Put down your utensil in between bites. Check in with your body to feel when you are satisfied. Meal times are great for connection and great conversations.
3. To stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the day, consume a 15-30g protein in the morning along with your carbs to start your day off right.
4. Eat frequently throughout the day and eating a balance of protein, carbs and fats.
5. Eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables. If organic produce is limited in your area, try adhering to the dirty dozen, clean fifteen recommendations. More information on this can be found at http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/
6. Eat sustainable organic grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic free meat. My rule of thumb is buy the best you can afford striving for this option as your ideal.
7. Eliminate all refined sugars and artificial sweeteners. Use low-glycemic natural replacements sparingly (ie. Stevia, xylitol, agave nectar, honey and maple syrup)
8. Eliminate refined carbohydrates and wheat. Avoid wheat: the “lectins” in wheat and refined carbohydrates congest the intestines and blood; they impede the hormonal system and cause food sensitivities, allergies, and autoimmune reactions that can inhibit the reproductive response and implantation. It is ideal if you can give up gluten entirely. If this concept is new to you start with eliminating wheat. (See previous blogs about the dangers of gluten and infertility).
9. Cook with unrefined organic oil (coconut oil, ghee, olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil).
10. Replace coffee (caffeinated and decaffeinated) with any variety of healing herbal teas. Fertility Moon time tea is a wonderful option and one of my personal favorites. Other options include chamomile (calming) ginger (warming, supportive of digestion), red clover (believed to enhance fertility) and peppermint (cooling).
11. Avoid Alcohol (put this into the 20% section).
In the comments below, help me shape the Living Fertile Fertility Diet, tell me what other confusions you have about eating for your fertility,
XO
