Fertility, Nutrition & Beyond
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Fertility, Nutrition & Beyond Hana Abdulaziz Feeney, MS, RD The Power of Food Preconception care, although new to the medical world, is not new to men and women trying to get pregnant. Within couples there is much consideration regarding when to get pregnant and how to improve fertility. Fortunately, there is emerging solid science that demonstrates the effects of lifestyle behaviors on your chances of conception that are particularly relevant in the 120 days before you try to conceive. Both partners should undertake lifestyle changes with the goal of improving fertility and the health of their baby. Here’s what we are trying to do: • Conceive more easily • Conceive a healthier baby • Maintain a healthier pregnancy • Recover more easily in the post-partum period following pregnancy • Decrease the risk of chronic health problems in your child The Preconception Window of Opportunity In the 4 months prior to conception your sperm, eggs and uterus are undergoing genetic changes that impact the likelihood of conception, implantation and development of a healthy baby. Women, your eggs are in your ovaries waiting for ovulation, but they are not completely developed. Final genetic adjustments are made when an egg is chosen for ovulation and the egg moves through the fallopian tubes to wait for fertilization. The genetic adjustments continue when the egg is fertilized and impact the likelihood of implantation and a healthy pregnancy. These genetic modifications are significantly influenced by nutritional factors. Additionally, a healthy uterus and placenta decreases the risk of miscarriages. Men, your sperm has a lifecycle of 3-6 months. Which means the efforts that you see in this packet should be considered well in advance for optimal sperm health. You may want to conceive much sooner than 4 months from now. You have been trying for months already and want to get pregnant right now! Be patient. Each step you take to ensure that your lifestyle facilitates healthy conception will make raising a healthy baby more likely. Lifestyle approaches to facilitate conception will increase the chances that you will conceive naturally and will optimize any reproductive health treatments that you receive. This Fertility Diet will enhance fertility by: increasing nutrients consumed in your diet, increasing the ability for sperm and egg cells to receive nutrients, and improve communication between hormones, cells and reproductive organs. This is all a part of a lifestyle that will optimize your health and the health of your family forever. Improving your health now, prior to conception will allow you to positively influence the health of your child for their entire lifetime.
Transcript of Fertility, Nutrition & Beyond
Fertility, Nutrition & Beyond Hana Abdulaziz Feeney, MS, RD
The Power of Food
Preconception care, although new to the medical world, is not new to men and women trying to get pregnant. Within couples there is much consideration regarding when to get pregnant
and how to improve fertility. Fortunately, there is emerging solid science that demonstrates the effects of lifestyle behaviors on your chances of conception that are particularly relevant in the 120 days before you try to conceive.
Both partners should undertake lifestyle changes with the goal of improving fertility and the health of their baby. Here’s what we are trying to do:
• Conceive more easily • Conceive a healthier baby • Maintain a healthier pregnancy • Recover more easily in the post-partum period
following pregnancy • Decrease the risk of chronic health problems in
your child
The Preconception Window of Opportunity In the 4 months prior to conception your sperm, eggs and uterus are undergoing genetic changes that impact the likelihood of conception, implantation and development of a healthy baby. Women, your eggs are in your ovaries waiting for ovulation, but they are not completely developed. Final genetic adjustments are made when an egg is chosen for ovulation and the egg moves through the fallopian tubes to wait for fertilization. The genetic adjustments continue when the egg is fertilized and impact the likelihood of implantation and a healthy pregnancy. These genetic modifications are significantly influenced by nutritional factors. Additionally, a healthy uterus and placenta decreases the risk of miscarriages. Men, your sperm has a lifecycle of 3-6 months. Which means the efforts that you see in this packet should be considered well in advance for optimal sperm health.
You may want to conceive much sooner than 4 months from now. You have been trying for months already and want to get pregnant right now! Be patient. Each step you take to ensure that your lifestyle facilitates healthy conception will make raising a healthy baby more likely. Lifestyle approaches to facilitate conception will increase the chances that you will conceive naturally and will optimize any reproductive health treatments that you receive.
This Fertility Diet will enhance fertility by: increasing nutrients consumed in your diet, increasing the ability for sperm and egg cells to receive nutrients, and improve communication between hormones, cells and reproductive organs. This is all a part of a lifestyle that will optimize your health and the health of your family forever. Improving your health now, prior to conception will allow you to positively influence the health of your child for their entire lifetime.
Nourish Your Body to Improve Fertility Restrictive diets leave your sperm, eggs and reproductive organs needing nutritional support. Without adequate nourishment, these delicate systems begin to conserve energy and their function declines. What is a restrictive diet? Any diet that is limited in variety, either by preference (e.g. vegan, Paleo, or low carb), by allergy or intolerance (e.g. gluten-free or dairy-free) or by convenience (e.g., repetitive foods or grain-based). A Fertility Diet centers around quality, high-nutrient foods to support ideal body function. Food is Not Only About Food Our decisions surrounding what, when and how to eat are complex. Slowing down to eat mindfully can help you identify why you make the choices you do. As you go through your day, first become aware of what you are eating; next observe why you are eating. Do this with curiosity rather than judgment. This will allow you to gain a better understanding of your diet, and you will be more successful should you need to make changes to your current lifestyle in order to optimize your fertility. Personal Nutrition Services
• Individual Consultations & Coaching: Personalized nutrition sessions to ensure that your lifestyle facilitates conception and a healthy pregnancy.
• Interactive Nutrition Experiences: Grocery Store Tours, Kitchen Makeovers and Mindful Eating Exercises are practical ways to better understand what to eat, what to buy and how to eat to optimize your chances of healthy conception.
www.NourishingResults.com My website has a variety of anti-inflammatory recipes and information regarding good health and fertility. You may especially like Topics related to “Anti-Inflammatory”, “Fertility”, and “Spices” and the Category “Shopping Guides”. Recommended Reading Before Your Pregnancy, A 90-Day Guide for Couples on How to Prepare for a Healthy Conception, By Amy Ogle, MS, RD, and Lisa Mazzullo, MD Be Fruitful, The Essential Guide to Maximizing Fertility and Giving Birth to a Healthy Child, By Victoria Maizes, MD The Fertility Diet, Groundbreaking Research Revels Natural Ways to Boost Ovulation & Improve your Chances of Becoming Pregnant, By Jorge Chavarro, MD, ScD and Walter Willett, MD, DrPH The Complete Organic Pregnancy http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Organic-Pregnancy-Deirdre-Dolan/dp/0060887451 By Dierdre Dolan and Alezndra Zissu
