What exactly does infertility have to do with nutrition? There are a few answers to that question.
1. Toxic foods disrupt your genes. There’s a health epidemic that’s right in front of our noses, but still isn’t being met with much urgency. Toxic foods include those that are non-organic, over-processed, genetically modified, or radiated (in North America, virtually all of our food is now exposed to toxic levels of nuclear radiation from the disaster in Japan).
The thing to understand, especially if you waffle between organic and non-organic food choices due to the cost difference, is that toxic foods play havoc in your body and will impair your body’s fertility for as long as you eat them. If your body holds high levels of toxins from the food you eat, and you manage to get pregnant, you still run the dramatically heightened risk of cancer, chronic degenerative diseases, cognitive impairments, neurological disorders, etc.
2. Toxic foods leave you malnourished. Unhealthy foods simply don’t contain the nutrients your reproductive system needs to be supported. Think about it. When your body receives some nourishment, the first priority is to serve the major “staying alive” functions, like breathing. The rest of the nourishment/energy gets divided up between various “minor” bodily functions. But if your body is in a never-ending detoxification process because you are constantly consuming more toxins (fats, heavy metals, chemicals, preservatives, etc.), which requires a TON of energy, then you are always under-nourishing those minor functions (like reproduction). And after a period of time, that malnourishment will take a toll.
3. When you’re malnourished, your body prioritizes detox. It’s a downward spiral. Once your body is malnourished, it has more and more trouble getting rid of toxins and waste. So the toxins build up, and the body finally gets to where it can’t keep up… You all know that coffee and alcohol are off limits when you’re trying to conceive; that’s easy enough for most of you (and if it’s not, that’s definitely a cue to seek support). But cleaning up your body – so there’s plenty of life-force energy available for your reproductive system – requires a more comprehensive exploration. Other MAJOR sources of toxicity? Restaurant meals, ready-to-eat foods, frozen foods, etc. But don’t stop there. Look at the chemicals you’re exposed to everyday in your cleaning supplies, your makeup, perfumes, soaps, carpets, bedding… all toxins drain your body’s energy and contribute to malnourishment.
4. High glycemic diets throw off your “fertility” hormones. How does sugar fit in, specifically? Even if you don’t officially have PCOS, a sugar-heavy diet definitely hinders fertility. It increases cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which basically means eating sugar – don’t we all know it – creates extra fat. And when your blood sugar is imbalanced, an enzyme changes estrogen into testosterone in every one of those fat cells. So. Get that blood sugar level into balance by eating a low glycemic index diet is a huge priority if getting pregnant is important to you.
1. Toxic foods disrupt your genes. There’s a health epidemic that’s right in front of our noses, but still isn’t being met with much urgency. Toxic foods include those that are non-organic, over-processed, genetically modified, or radiated (in North America, virtually all of our food is now exposed to toxic levels of nuclear radiation from the disaster in Japan).
The thing to understand, especially if you waffle between organic and non-organic food choices due to the cost difference, is that toxic foods play havoc in your body and will impair your body’s fertility for as long as you eat them. If your body holds high levels of toxins from the food you eat, and you manage to get pregnant, you still run the dramatically heightened risk of cancer, chronic degenerative diseases, cognitive impairments, neurological disorders, etc.
2. Toxic foods leave you malnourished. Unhealthy foods simply don’t contain the nutrients your reproductive system needs to be supported. Think about it. When your body receives some nourishment, the first priority is to serve the major “staying alive” functions, like breathing. The rest of the nourishment/energy gets divided up between various “minor” bodily functions. But if your body is in a never-ending detoxification process because you are constantly consuming more toxins (fats, heavy metals, chemicals, preservatives, etc.), which requires a TON of energy, then you are always under-nourishing those minor functions (like reproduction). And after a period of time, that malnourishment will take a toll.
3. When you’re malnourished, your body prioritizes detox. It’s a downward spiral. Once your body is malnourished, it has more and more trouble getting rid of toxins and waste. So the toxins build up, and the body finally gets to where it can’t keep up… You all know that coffee and alcohol are off limits when you’re trying to conceive; that’s easy enough for most of you (and if it’s not, that’s definitely a cue to seek support). But cleaning up your body – so there’s plenty of life-force energy available for your reproductive system – requires a more comprehensive exploration. Other MAJOR sources of toxicity? Restaurant meals, ready-to-eat foods, frozen foods, etc. But don’t stop there. Look at the chemicals you’re exposed to everyday in your cleaning supplies, your makeup, perfumes, soaps, carpets, bedding… all toxins drain your body’s energy and contribute to malnourishment.
4. High glycemic diets throw off your “fertility” hormones. How does sugar fit in, specifically? Even if you don’t officially have PCOS, a sugar-heavy diet definitely hinders fertility. It increases cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which basically means eating sugar – don’t we all know it – creates extra fat. And when your blood sugar is imbalanced, an enzyme changes estrogen into testosterone in every one of those fat cells. So. Get that blood sugar level into balance by eating a low glycemic index diet is a huge priority if getting pregnant is important to you.
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