Women who suffer from infertility often experience an influx of emotions when trying to get pregnant. While the process may seem daunting, there are some things you can do to help increase your chances.

One major focus is a balanced diet. Food is an easy concept to grasp. We eat to survive. Nutrition or diet, on the other hand, seems to have taken on a confusing, overwhelming and sometimes conflicting ideas of what is healthy and not healthy.

A balanced diet can have a different meaning for each person and their cultural background, each with their own opinion of what is good and bad food. To navigate the trending diets is and has been disorienting and confusing for decades.  You are what you eat! That's what we've been taught so, why must there be conflicting food gurus that spew a head-spinning volume of books, blogs, podcasts, articles, radio/TV interviews and you name it advertising the pros and cons of what we should and should not eat?

Recently, I read an article from CNN titled, "Can a fertility diet really help you conceive, In some cases, yes".  Harvard professors from the School of Public Health say yes after reviewing the diets of 18,000 women who were actively trying to conceive.

How We Can Help You Through Your Fertility Process

At Earley Wellness Group, we specialize in treating fertility among other conditions including pain and cancer. Our fertility patients come in feeling emotionally exasperated by feeling that they have no control over their uterus and ovaries. This, coupled with the fertility drugs their doctors have prescribed makes them feel physically exhausted. As transformational acupuncturists, we offer lifestyle guidance (including diet, sleep hygiene, exercise and stress reducing techniques) to help people come down from the merry go round of life and transition to the happy, healthy balanced lifestyle they deserve and desire. Introducing, or in most cases reminding, patients the foundations of a healthy lifestyle is empowering as our patients become their own health advocate. 

The foods recommended to eat from the Fertility Diet are those that we have heard of and many doctors approve of (especially cardiologists) based on the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, seafood and unsaturated fats). There's no calorie counting or wild food deprivations. It's a simple and effective approach to a balanced diet with many health benefits. During this season, we focus on eating seasonal foods, which are lighter, brighter in color and higher in water content, and which keep our bodies cool, moisturized and light.

Harvard Studies 11 Lifestyle factors that Boost Fertility versus Earley Wellness Group Thoughts

1. Avoid trans-fats which is common in commercially prepared processed products and fast food meals.

• Yes!

2. Use more unsaturated vegetable oils such as olive oil or canola oil.

• Yes!

3. Eat more vegetable protein, like beans and nuts.

• We promote more animal protein.

4. Choose whole grains and other sources of carbohydrates that have lower, slower effects on blood sugar and insulin rather than highly refined carbohydrates that quickly boost blood sugar and insulin.

• Yes!

5. Drink a glass of whole milk or have a small dish of full fat yogurt per day.

• Yes! But this doesn’t include ice cream because of its sugar content.

6. Take a pre-natal multivitamin.

• Doctor prescribed pre-natal multivitamin is best for absorption.

7. Get plenty of iron from fruits, vegetables, beans and supplements, rather than always red meat.

• Yes!

8. Beverages matter! Water is great; coffee and tea or okay in moderation; stay away from sugared sodas.

• Yes! And don’t drink alcohol.

9. Aim for a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing between 5-10% of your weight can jump start ovulation.

• No! Your constitutional weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and not diabetic is what’s important.

10. Be physically fit but don't overdo it.

• Yes!

11. If you smoke, stop.

• Yes!

If you are interested in learning more about a healthy lifestyle together with acupuncture can benefit your fertility, reach out to Earley Wellness Group. We can help you and your chances to have a child.

Written by: Shawna Snyder L.Ac.

Shawna is an acupuncture practitioner at EarleyWellness Group. She takes great care in making sure that her patients are comfortable with their treatment plan. To foster your acupuncture treatment, she will outline a custom-tailored treatment strategy including estimated number of visits, specific exercises or stretching techniques, and Chinese dietary therapy including recipes and stress relief practices. If you would like to talk more about fertility and nutrition, book an appointment with Shawna today.