Hormonal Imbalance

Small changes = Hormonal Balance = Greater fertility

We all know that if you are having problems conceiving you should eat healthily, take daily gentle exercise, limit alcohol and caffeine and have regular sex particularly during ovulation. But did you know that some of the foods that you maybe eating can have a detrimental effect on your fertility?  Hormones can be very complicated and can become imbalanced quickly.  It’s often difficult to recognise if you have a hormone imbalance but it doesn’t always have to be hard to fix.

Do you crave sugar a lot?

Do you have lulls in energy throughout the day?

Do your joints and muscles ache more often than not?

Are your cycle’s irregular?

Do you fail to ovulate during some cycles?

Have you been diagnosed with PCOS or endometriosis?

Are you overweight?

Do you often have disturbed sleep?

Do your moods vary often throughout the day?

All of the above maybe symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, when trying to conceive most of us are very good at taking supplements and having sex when we should but how many of us really take a long hard look at what we are putting in our mouths on a daily basis?

Diet Facts

High blood sugar and insulin levels can decrease egg quality

High blood sugar can make your ovaries produce testosterone (male hormone)

High blood sugar is linked to miscarriage

Low levels of vitamin D are linked to poor egg quality and miscarriage.

Repeated high blood sugar levels can impact ovulation.

Even if you do not have one of the common conditions linked to high insulin levels like PCOS or diabetes all the research suggest that even mild elevations on a regular basis over time of blood sugar levels can decrease egg quality and fertility.

How do we fix it?

Select carbohydrates that are digested slowly like brown rice, bran cereal, wholemeal pasta, lentils and chickpeas as these will not cause your sugar levels to rise to level that your body cannot cope.

Try to avoid white rice, bread, white potatoes and pasta as these food cause a massive rise in blood sugar, your body responds by releasing to much insulin, causing sugar levels to drop, this then triggers cravings for another hit of sugar.

Avoid all trans fats found in commercial baked and fried foods like crisps, biscuits and cakes. Eating these foods will cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to rise starting the whole cycle all over again.  In the long term eating these types of foods may damage your fertility.

Eat lots of berries and vegetables

Eat lots of good quality, organic where possible fish, meat and eggs.  Protein is the building block of every cell in our body.

Get your vitamin D levels checked and spend at least 15 minutes a day outside.

Drink water at least 8 glasses a day.

If you would like to find out more of how diet can impact your fertility and how small changes can drastically improve it, please get in touch.