Nutrition for fertility health
Diet
Protein and fats are the most important food groups to focus on. It is important to get 3 serves of protein a day. Obtain fats from fish, nuts, seeds and flaxseed oil.
If possible eat mostly organic foods – especially meats
Drink filtered water. Recent studies have shown that tap water may negatively affect female hormone cycles. The chlorinated by-products in water reduce menstrual cycle length, with a corresponding reduction in follicular phase length
Avoid sugar, refined carbohydrates and caffeine (2 cups of coffee a day or 1 can of coke can reduce fertility by up to 50%)
Avoid excessive alcohol and give up smoking
Lifestyle
Minimize stress, reducing stress increases your fertility
Avoid exposure to toxins – household cleaners, petrol fumes, paints, glues and solvents, chlorine and insecticides
Address weight issues: If you are underweight this increases your child’s susceptibility to disease later in life and can impair organ development. If you are overweight this considerably impacts on fertility. Neural tube and birth defects increase by 30-40% in children of overweight women, and your child is more likely to suffer cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.
Exercise more than 2 hours per week, this will reduce stress, normalize weight, and increase pelvic circulation, thereby providing sperm and eggs with nourishment
Nutrient Support
Zinc is the most important nutrient for preconception and breastfeeding and is the most important mineral for male reproductive health. It is essential for healthy sperm count and quality, as well as being vital for healthy immune function.
For women a therapeutic formula that contains right amounts of folic acid, vitamin Bs, magnesium, calcium and selenium is necessary to combat the effects of stress and fatigue, produce fertile cervical mucous, regulate oestrogen and reduce the change of morning sickness.
