Boosting Fertility through Nutrition

Morna Nelson FdSc, Dip ION, MBANT

Points to cover

• Does improving your nutrition really make a difference to fertility?

• Why it is so important?• What do you need to

help make a baby?• The Basics- are you

doing all these things already?

Why is good nutrition so important?

Healthy cells

Healthy womb

9 months of good nutrition….

Healthy pregnancy

What does it take?

• 3 month plan of pre- conceptual care

• Improve egg quality• Improve sperm quality

and quantity• Toxin removal• Boost nutrient reserves• Change old habits

1: What does it take to make a baby? LOW GL CARBS

• Carbohydrates for energy production• Choose complex low GL carbs for sustained

energy release eg oats, vegetables, legumes• Choose wholegrains eg rye, wholewheat pasta,

wholegrain bread, brown rice• Avoid simple refined carbs eg cakes, biscuits,

pancakes, scones • Eat little and often• Eat breakfast

2:What does it take to make a baby? PROTEIN

• Eat protein every time you eat:

• Oily fish• Eggs• Pulses • Beans• Quinoa • Nuts (sunflower, sesame)• Seeds (oils)

• Limit:• Chicken• Red meat• Ready meals• Sausages• Burgers• Processed meats

3: What does it take to make a baby?

FAT: Are you FAT deficient?

• Dry skin• Cracked skin on heels or

fingertips• Hair loss• Poor wound healing• Dry, frizzy hair• Dandruff• Low mood• Arthritis

• Irritability• Soft or brittle nails• Fatigue• Difficulty losing weight• High blood pressure• PMS• High cholesterol • Breast tenderness

Eat plenty of Essential Fats

• Oily fish• Olive oil• Coconut oil• Rapeseed oil• Houmous• Avocadoes• Flaxseed• Nuts• Seeds

4. What does it take to make a baby?

FEMALE HORMONE BALANCE• Regular monthly cycle• Indications of poor hormone balance:• Irregular or anovulatory cycles• PCOS• Endometriosis• Fibroids

How to balance female hormones

• Eat natural phytoestrogens regularly• Choose from :• Isoflavones found in legumes eg lentils, soya

beans and chickpeas• Lignans found in grains and vegetables eg

flaxseed• Coumestans found in alfalfa and mung bean

sprouts • Choose organic

Liver support

• Main organ of detoxification

• Need to excrete old hormones especially oestrogens

• Consider a detox programme to clear hormones and cleanse the body

• Digestive support

5. What does it take to make a baby?

IT TAKES TWO……• Sperm quality• Sperm quantity• Affected by diet, stress, smoking, alcohol• DNA protection• Antioxidants : Vitamins A, C, E; Zinc and

Selenium• Eat a rainbow of colours daily• Essential fats

6. What does it take to make a baby?

NUTRIENTS• A balanced diet?• Folic Acid• Vitamin D• Zinc • Omega 3 oils • Antioxidant nutrients A,C,E, Zinc, Selenium• B Vitamins• Magnesium

SUPPLEMENTS

• Consider:• Professional strength

multivitamin and mineral

• High strength omega 3 oil (fish/flaxseed)

• Vitamin C• Vitamin D

7. What does it take to make a baby?

FLUIDS• Clean water• Herbal teas• Grain coffees

• Instead of :• Tea- tannins• Coffee- caffeine

8. What does it take to make a baby?

WHAT TO AVOID?• Smoking• Alcohol• Caffeine• Excess sugar• Any form of drugs• Stress!!!!!!!!

The Stress Effect

9. What does it take to make a baby?

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

• Address stress• Relaxation• Regular exercise• Adequate restful sleep• Time for each other

10. What does it take?3 month period of pre-conceptual care

1- Choose high fibre, low GL carbs2- Eat little and often3- Eat lean protein each time you eat4- Eat plenty of Essential Fats5- Eat natural oestrogens6- Choose organic where possible7- Eat a rainbow daily for antioxidants8- Take quality nutritional supplements9- Reduce tea and coffee, increase water10- Change your lifestyle for the better

Tel: 0774 0555464 morna@mornanelsonnutrition.com