In part 1 of the Fertility Diet series I discussed the ancestral foods that promote your fertility. Click here to access part 1 of the series. But here in the second part of the series I will be discussing the modern foods that are detrimental to your fertility. You can consume all of the wonderful fertility boosting foods I mentioned in part 1, but if you are still eating these fertility blocking foods, you might be finding yourself struggling to conceive. So read on to find out how you can optimize your fertility today.
My Personal Fertility Journey
I debated whether or not to include this in this part of the series. But I think it is important for my readers to know my story and know that they are not alone, and that there is hope. A week before I got married I began the fertility diet that I wrote about in Part 1. I was on that diet for 10 months before my husband and I started trying to conceive. After just 2 short months of trying I was pregnant, and boy was I excited. I felt like the diet worked perfectly and all my fears of infertility washed away. I looked forward to meeting my baby and I planned their nursery, name, birth and future. It was a beautiful time. But it was a naïve time.
10 weeks later I heard the most excruciating words any expectant mother can hear; “I am so sorry, there is no heartbeat”. And I was shattered. I could see my baby up on that screen; their eyes, nose, fingers and toes and I just couldn’t comprehend that I would never get to hold them in my arms.
I have never experienced a loss like that, one that isn’t just a physical loss, but a loss of the future, of my single greatest dream. On that day I went from an expectant mother to a maiden once again and for 2 weeks I grieved. Then I decided I needed to take my future into my own hands. I took as many free fertility courses I could find. Read every single fertility book I could get my hands on. Quit my job as a mechanical engineer. Planned a vacation to the mountains with my husband. And I got pregnant, again. Then 9 months later I gave birth to the most incredible little boy. And now, I want to show you what I learned about getting, and staying, pregnant. That is isn’t just about fertility foods, it’s an entire lifestyle.
When to Start a Fertility Diet
Once again we must turn to the wisdom of our ancestors to determine when to start a fertility diet. Ideally, we all should be consuming fertility boosting foods from the moment we enter our childbearing years. That is how our ancestors took charge of their fertility. When a young couple was first married, they were often fed the most nutrient dense foods available. Then they would continue to eat these foods for months or even years prior to conception. Based on my research it looks like the optimal time to start a fertility diet is a minimum of 3 months prior to conception, and ideally 1-3 years. And it is never too late, even if you are already pregnant, nursing or raising children these tips will absolutely improve the health of your children.
What Foods to Avoid Completely when TTC
There are only 2 main foods that should be completely off limits when trying to conceive. And those foods are sugar and seed oils.
Sugar
Sugar sounds pretty obvious right? But, it is important to remember all of the hidden sources of sugar. I’m not just talking about sodas and donuts. I’m talking about reading every single ingredient on the label. If there is cane sugar, PUT IT BACK. Chances are if there is cane sugar added, there are also other poor ingredients. Refined white sugar is detrimental to your health and has been shown time and time again over the last 60 years to be a leading contributor to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, alzheimers and mental disorders. However, cane sugar goes by many names, and the industrial food industry is very good at hiding these on your labels. There are over 75 synonyms for cane sugar. Below I have listed the top 5 I see on food labels.
- Corn syrup
- Barley malt
- Dextrose
- Fructose
- Maltodextrin
Seed Oils
If you’re new to the world of health and ancestral eating you might not even know what seed oils are. These are your hydrogenated vegetable oils such as; canola, soybean, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, corn, grapeseed, etc. Today, the average American consumes roughly 59 lbs of seed oils every year and only 4 lbs of butter. Yet our heart disease, obesity and diabetes are all drastically on the rise. How can this be? When canola oil (polyunsaturated fat) is heart healthy and butter (saturated fat) is not?
Well, take a look at how canola oil is made and that might just answer your question. I won’t get into the science here, but it is safe to say these oils are toxic. They have been proven to lead to cancer, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, heart disease, gut imbalances, inflammation, mental health issues and INFERTILITY. This is proven. If there is one take away from this post it is to stop eating these, and trust me, they are hidden in everything. Read ingredient labels carefully. Avoid these like the plague.
What Foods to Limit when TTC
These next foods should be limited during your TTC journey. And these foods to limit are; starches, soy, natural sweeteners, alcohol and caffeine.
Starches
Starches are carbohydrates, and carbs break down in your body as sugar. And your body can either run on sugar (glucose) or fat. A traditional fertility diet as shown in Part 1 is high in saturated fats, so we are trying to let our bodies burn fat for fuel. Therefore, it is best to cut back on the carbs (glucose) when consuming a diet higher in fat. People run into problems like gaining weight when they eat a diet that is both high in fat and carbs. So, limiting starches is a good practice when TTC. Now, this does not mean you can’t eat them. It just means to limit to maybe one or two servings a day. Starches include grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squashes etc. A nice slice of sourdough at breakfast, or potatoes at dinner is not a problem at all.
Soy
I debated whether or not to put soy in the list of foods to completely avoid. I certainly avoid it. But, ultimately I wanted the emphasis to be on sugar and seed oils. However, soy is another food with drastic fertility implications. Soy has been shown to decrease testosterone so it is important for men especially to limit intake. Soy is also one of the highest sprayed crops with pesticides, which is detrimental to your health. It has also been linked to low thyroid function, alzheimers, tumor growth and mental illness.
Natural Sweeteners
Natural sweeteners such as maple syrup, honey, date sugar and coconut sugar are all simply sugar. As discussed above in the starch section, we know why we should limit our sugar. Even though these are far better for you than refined white cane sugar, they still break down in your body as sugar. So it is best not to overdo it on the sweeteners. A little maple syrup in your coffee isn’t the end of the world. But pancakes drowned in syrup alongside baked goods made with 2 cups of coconut sugar should be limited.
Alcohol & Caffeine
Everyone probably already knows to limit these two. I mean, every fertility site spouts the dangers of alcohol and caffeine. But these can be the hardest to limit. If you have to have alcohol or want to celebrate something important, it is best to stick to organic wines such as Dry Farm Wines, or clear spirits. And it’s best to have just one. For caffeine, start by cutting back to just once a day. From there you can switch to tea or my personal favorite, Swiss Water Process Decaf coffee (for more info click here). It is 99% decaf and tastes like regular coffee. Plus it isn’t made with any chemicals, just water and charcoal filters.
Additional Supplements
Here is a quick list of the supplements I used during pregnancy and plan to use in my next ones. Click on each one to find the exact brand I use every day.
- Prenatal vitamin– I use this brand because it is the most affordable and is made from real foods.
- Electrolyte balance– This brand is incredible, it contains magnesium bicarbonate, calcium, potassium, sodium and chloride.
- Trace mineral drops– This is a less expensive version of the electrolyte balance that contains magnesium, potassium, chloride and sodium. You do not need both.
- Collagen powder– It is important to find a brand that is organic and from grass-fed cows. This one checks both boxes.
- Cod liver oil– This is a very high quality and tested brand.
- Magnesium spray– Magnesium is best absorbed through the skin, so a spray is very beneficial. It is also critical for avoiding morning sickness in the first trimester.
Recap
To recap, here is the list of foods to avoid and limit when TTC.
- Sugar
- Seed oils
- Starches
- Soy
- Natural sweeteners
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
I hope this info helps you on your fertility journey. It can feel so overwhelming at times. I have spent years researching this information and now I can’t wait to share it all with you. Comment below where you are on your fertility journey and if you plan to cut out sugar and seed oils! I wish you all the healthiest happiest pregnancies.
If you would like to read Part 1 of the Fertility Diet Series click below. And stay tuned for Part 3.