Five Favourite Fertility Foods

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Eat an avocado a day.

Avocados: if you cut an avo in half – what does it look like? A pregnant woman’s belly with a bulging seed = fertility. The humble avocado is full of wonderful therapeutic fats, those ‘good’ fats that our bodies need. These fats are especially beneficial for healthy female reproductive organs and known to balance the hormones.

 Eat eggs daily they are a super fertility food.

Eggs: If you know me I love eggs. They are an excellent source of protein full of nutrients and two eggs equal a complete serve of protein, good quality fats and packed with fertility nutrients. Remember the best quality is best for you so try organic and definitely free range.

Eat Wild Caught Atlantic Salmon for fertility power. 

Fish: The perfect fish for fertility is Wild Caught Atlantic Salmon, it’s full of omega 3 fatty acids, it’s a high quality protein and packed with vitamin B12 and Iron; all the things needed for making babies. Be sure to pay the premium price because you do pay for what you get! Wild caught means that it has never been fed pink pellets to colour its flesh like some farmed salmon is – true story.

Eat seeds and nuts as an awesome fertility snack.

Seeds and Nuts: Good quality seeds and nuts are full of good fats, proteins and essential vitamins and minerals to get the fertility train moving. Try organic and definitely support local when purchasing. Pumpkin seeds or pepitas are especially high in zinc, which is essential for both males and females when it comes to excellent egg and sperm quality.

 Eat figs as a fertility treat. I love them fresh off the tree.

Figs: A real must for improving and boosting male semen, they’re quite specific for treating the male reproductive system, after all what do they look like! Eat them fresh, dried, baked, mix them with goats cheese or other culinary delights. They’re full of essential vitamins and minerals to help you reach your peak.

Of course baby making may not be that simple, so come in for a consult and we can tailor a pre-conception plan especially for you addressing you and your partners individual needs.

Are you an addict?

Is it the smell and taste of the black gold that motivates your bounce out of bed? Are you a Coffee and Caffeine addict? Do you love coffee?

Is it the thing that gets you started in the morning? 

As I walk through the city, it never ceases to amaze me how busy the coffee shops are. Everyone, it seems loves their coffee; and it’s more obvious here in Melbourne. I often think I’m in the wrong business – but really I know I’m not.

Coffee is addictive, no wonder everyone is lining up to buy his or her morning fix. It’s a mild stimulant, which affects our nervous system; it also has an affect on our adrenal glands especially if it’s the first thing that hits your belly every single morning. If you are a regular coffee drinker and decide to take a break you will suffer from withdrawal symptoms; the most common are headaches and sometimes nausea, crankiness and tiredness. Those symptoms will eventually go away but the best way to avoid them is slowly reduce your intake.

Coffee may seem like a good thing because it peps us up, it stimulates our nervous system, it can make our mind more alert and sometimes this is a good thing, it’s also a great stimulant for endurance athletes, and is often added to weight loss products – eek! I suggest a few coffees a week and best to have yours mid morning well after breakfast with a glass of water preferably before and after. As it can increase your physical stamina, why not shoot a coffee when you need an energy fix.

Yet, there are also lots of negative effects of coffee.

Burnout & Weight gain: The caffeine in coffee puts stress on our adrenal glands, this in turn releases hormones such as cortisol. An excessive release of cortisol can contribute to you feeling burnt out and exhausted – does that sound like you? The negative effect of cortisol is certainly no good for your waist and weight loss either as it is the major contributor to that excess tire around your middle and the flabby ‘tuck shop’ arms!

Blood pressure: Caffeine has the power to increase our blood pressure more than any other food in our diet and we all know what a killer heart disease is in Australia! So keep those coffees to one a day, especially if you’re not very physical.

Stimulation: We all know that used well coffee stimulates us therefore it’s great if you’re constipated and need to go! But through that stimulation and it’s ability to contract it can also contract your uterus so best to avoid coffee in the first trimester especially for those that have had fertility complications. In fact, if you can, try and avoid it throughout your pregnancy – who wants an over stimulated newborn?

De-hydration: Coffee is a diuretic, which means it makes you urinate more often than normal, making it potentially dehydrating. Always best to have a glass of water before and after your daily fix. ;)

Acidity: Caffeine is extremely acid forming in our body and we all know we want alkalinity balance – cut your coffees down to a few per week, enjoy the taste, drink water before and after to balance your body.

Enjoy your coffee anyway you like it; latte, cappuccino, short black but best not to rely on it as your kick start to the day. If you’re after a coffee alternative Dandelion root is a great bitter and liver stimulating herb or try chicory root tea as another. Mix it up with some green tea too. Find alternatives that will give you your zing back. Let me know what you think of those coffee substitutes.

Want to make a baby? My top tips on how

Fertility and pre-conception care is something close to my heart.  I love babies, I love new life, and I love assisting and educating people about healthy, smart, correct choices to make the best possible baby they can.

I’ve recently spent time at a massive Fertility Intensive Conference in Sydney. As the name suggests it was intense – four full days of current research, data, up to date information on how to assist couples with pre-conception care, fertility, pregnancy and IVF.

Some people may think ‘isn’t it easy’? You do the horizontal hump and wahlaa’. For some, yes but for many it’s not that easy. Often as Naturopaths we see people after they’ve been trying for a while, some people have already started the IVF process without success, some are older and have time concerns. We would love to be people’s first port of call when planning a pregnancy – naturopaths have lots of knowledge and expertise to assist with making babies.

If the thought has crossed your mind about starting a family, then the best way is to start a four-month preconception plan. Four months I hear you groan, yes four months is the time it takes for new healthy sperm to generate and oocytes (eggs) to mature. And did you know, the time the egg and sperm first meet it makes the genetic make-up of your baby and it’s offspring for the next 3 generations! True. Then, that embryo relies on its own cellular nutrients for the first 9 weeks before the placenta starts feeding the fetus nutrients from the mum! Why not give your bub the best possible start in life?

My Top Tips on achieving Healthy Fertility

Cleanse - Completing a detox prior to starting gives you the best possible chance of conceiving. A cleanse supports both partners to ensure viable fertility; health of the egg, sperm and the uterus.

• Improve reproductive function
• Liver function
• GIT function
• Sperm; shape, motility, quality and quantity - it's the smallest cell in our bodies and therefore the most vulnerable
• Eggs; assists with healthy egg maturity
• Makes the uterus all soft and ready for implantation and 9 months of incubation

Diet – Foods should be fresh and organically grown, don’t overcook foods, stop using microwaves, eat seasonally. Basically ‘don’t eat anything your great grandma wouldn’t recognize as food'.

A diet full of:

• Protein – 4 serves a day; organic meats, seeds, nuts, ocean fish
• Healthy fats – fats balance hormones
• Dairy – good quality, full fat. Remove Soy; it’s highly synthesized, processed and is an endocrine disrupter!
• Beverages – remove alcohol & coffee, drink filtered water, stress relief teas

Lifestyle - there are many lifestyle choices that impact fertility, here are some for you to think about

• Weight –loose those extra kilos, you certainly don’t want to be shedding them whilst pregnant, those fat stores will be carrying harmful pollutants that will just hang around in your body & bloodstream!
• Avoid chemical exposure, detergents and cleaning products. We are surrounded by these nasties! Radiation - begin being mindful of carrying mobile phones on your body and stop using them as an alarm, even turn off your Wi-Fi at night! Stop smoking.
• Stress relief – continue to have fun while planning and making your baby, this is a happy time, take those weekends away and enjoy each other.

Oh my I'm locked in!

I am locked in. I'm detoxing and febfasting and surviving - although it's only Day3!
My febfast team has half a dozen committed souls which is a great inspiration and it's not too late to jump onboard here.
I have a facebook group open for the next 28 days which is full of support, tips and ideas on how to manage your detox and get the most out of it - you can join that here.

A detox is a great opportunity to take a break from alcohol, coffee, sugar, wheat - all those inflammatory causing agents, clear the Mind Body and Soul. And by doing febfast it's a great way to incorporate all of that and raise funds for youth and families with serious drug and alcohol related issues. I've written about the benefits of detox here.

As a naturopath and nutritionist I believe in detoxing our bodies for a variety of reasons:

General Detox - helps optimise our elimination organs function including liver function and assists in regeneration of new liver cells - yes our liver is the only organ which regenerates itself! Who says our body isn't amazing? It helps eliminate the cloudiness and stresses caused by alcohol consumption which essentially helps us combat the stresses of the year ahead.

Fertility - For women (and men) thinking of conceiving it is a perfect opportunity to prepare the body for pregnancy.

• As alcohol intake increases, the chance of conceiving decreases! Truth. 
• Alcohol can also cause a rise in oestrogen excess which leads to reduction of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) secretion which may affect ovulation!

Detoxing before conception reduces the chance of Pregnancy complications, Improves infant health and if Breastfeeding alcohol can affect bubs feeding and sleep patterns! Why wouldn't you detox before making your baby.

Weightloss - And detoxing can also help you reduce your waistline!

• Alcohol is high in kilojules
• When we drink we tend to snack on really unhealthy food choices - 'lets skip dinner and open another packet of chips', scenario.
• Reduces your ability to think clearly and affects your willpower. 'C'mon lets have another..'
• Leads to junk food cravings the next day - hello the likes of Macca's!

My reason for detoxing is my health, I want to balance my hormones and regulate my menstrual cycle, clear all of those hormones from my pregnancies and breastfeeding, and begin to feel alive. And here is a chat about the phases of detox It's tough to abstain from alcohol and chocolate but I've been waiting for this and I'm ready, but like everyone I need your support too. So it's great to be apart of the Febfast 28 Day DETOX - join in and help me help you.

Eating for two?

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Lately I am speaking with more and more women who are claiming that they are adding over 20 kilos to their weight during pregnancy. I am finding this concerning as physiologically this is unnecessary; a pregnant woman should gain between 10-13 kilos during pregnancy.

When pregnant, a woman should concentrate on increasing her nutrient intake, rather than her kilojoule intake. This means forget the excuse of eating for two concentrate on diet quality rather than quantity. Continue and maintain your normal healthy diet – it doesn’t mean your growing baby needs cream buns, extra slices of choccie cake, double burgers with extra chips!

To maintain a healthy normal weight range you will only have greater benefits at the end of your pregnancy including feeling good as a new mum when you slip back into your pre-pregnancy clothes faster.
To get the best from your pregnancy and give your baby the best start to life seek advice from a Naturopath or Health professional and be advised of therapeutic doses and remedies.

Tips to prevent excessive weight gain:

• Concentrate on diet quality rather than quantity.
• Avoid the ‘eating for two’ syndrome this will lead to unnecessary weight gain.
• A healthy pregnancy only requires approx an extra 850–1,100 kilojoules a day this is equivalent to a glass of milk or a sandwich! However you will need to increase your kilojoule intake if you are breastfeeding – still best to consume wholefoods rather than those cream cakes.
• Accommodate cravings, but don’t let them replace more nutritious foods.
• Keep physically active. If you exercise regularly there is no reason to stop your current exercise regime. Healthy body, Healthy mind, Healthy baby.
• Nutrient requirements before and during pregnancy should include Folate, Iron, Zinc, EFA, Calcium and Iodine.
• Drink plenty of fluids that means water!
• Avoid alcohol, it is unknown what the ‘safe’ limit of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is and it’s recommended not to drink at all.
• Do not smoke – both direct and passive smoking are associated with growth retardation, increased risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirths, placental complications and low birth weight – making it a great one to avoid!

Be good to yourself and enjoy growing your baby. 

Magnesium an elemental mineral - what's it good for?

Magnesium in our community is an underrated mineral. I have just had a client tell me that she thinks it has changed her life! I also love Magnesium. And seemingly everyone else should – I remember one of my university lecturers saying the food with the most amount of magnesium in our trolley is usually in the block of chocolate!

Most of us know that magnesium is specific for our Musclo-skeletal system, it helps our muscles relax, and restores and repairs them after we work out, it helps ease our aches and pains. We use magnesium to prevent muscle spasms, twitches, convulsions and tremors.

The secondary action of Magnesium and I feel it’s most important – it works on our nervous system. It helps maintain healthy nerve function; aids nerve transmission, and ultimately helps our brain function properly. It helps us deal with stress and is involved in aiding cellular energy production.

It is very difficult to get the recommended daily intake of magnesium from our foods, various reasons being - the content of magnesium in our soil is often low, processing and milling removes 60% of magnesium stores and cooking in water also causes leaching.

Food sources that include Magnesium are:

• Leafy greens; Spinach
• Nuts: Almonds, cashews
• Soyabeans: non GM is best
• Whole grains, oatmeal, bran
• Milk and dairy; Natural yoghurt

Symptoms magnesium can treat:

• Muscle cramps, aches and pains
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue
• Depression
• Anxiety
•  Irritability
• Sleep disturbances and Insomnia
• Stress
• PMS and period pain
• Pregnancy; prematurity and prevent intrauterine growth retardation
• Cardio-vascular health

One third of Australians over 18 years do not get their recommended daily intake of magnesium and a deficiency may be exacerbated by stress, strenuous exercise and poor absorption. It is best to use a practitioner range of magnesium because it is formulated properly and will prevent you from having gastro-intestinal cramps and loose stools. 

The possible benefits of taking on a DETOX

Besides making you feel better physically, emotionally and potentially lighter spiritually, here is a list of things that can be achieved through a facilitated safe and healthy detox.

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* Boosts immune system
* Alleviates allergies
* Improves thyroid function
* Provides rest for the digestive organs
* Encourages physical rejuvenation
* Promotes normalized weight
* Promotes normalized blood pressure
* Reverses signs of aging
* Elevates mood and sex drive
* Alleviates symptoms of PMS
* Promotes clear skin
* Increases energy
* Increases fertility
* Combats viruses