When it comes to what you should be eating when you want to get pregnant there is a lot of conflicting information out there. Some say you have to go Keto, others say Keto is terrible for you. Some say you need to be vegan while others think that going paleo is best. I’m here to give you a definitive answer to the question of what your should be eating for the best fertility and the answer is…
Yes, I know that’s frustrating. I hear you and I’ve been there. It’s true though, there is not one size fits all diet. We are all individuals with different ancestries, genetic expressions, and environments. The good news is that you can disregard what all the other crazy zealot people are saying out there on the internet. The bad news (it’s not really bad but it is tough) is that you need to learn to listen to your body, and intuition about what foods work best for you. When thinking about which foods are good for you or not, I would start by thinking about your ancestry. Does most of your family come from Europe or the Middle East? These things can affect what your body is adapted to eat. For example, most people from more northern countries like Europe do better with lower carb and higher fat diets while people from more tropical climates do better with carb heavy diets full of fresh uncooked fruits and veggies. If your ancestry comes from somewhere that is predominantly vegetarian then you will likely do better on that diet but if you are Inuit for example where the native diet consisted of mostly fish and animal meat and fats you will likely fare better on a more keto like diet.
There are some tests out there that can help you begin to narrow down which foods work for you and which don’t. Food sensitivity testing can give you a general idea of what to avoid although its not perfect it’s definitely worth looking into. Also, doing some blood work, genetic testing, and gut testing can give you a clue as to what’s best for you. However, the most reliable way to find out which foods are doing you more harm than good is to do an elimination diet. An elimination diet is where you eliminate certain foods for 30 days or more and reintroduce them to see how your body reacts. Some great elimination diets that can help you get started are whole 30, GAPS, and AIP. However, it is important to remember that these are only supposed to be temporary and should not be followed strictly for more than a few months without beginning reintroductions. This is where it can be helpful to work with a practitioner. It can be scary to reintroduce foods that might make you feel yucky but with the support of someone trained in nutrition you can more easily navigate reintroductions and any affects from foods that don’t agree with your system.
While there isn’t any one diet that works for every one there are some things that are universal. Like eating quality meats, healthy fats, and plenty of veggies is important for general health and fertility (Get my guide to building a healthy fertility plate here). Also it’s well established that consuming excess sugar, alcohol, and processed foods are detrimental to your fertility. I’m not saying the occasional cookie, potato chip or glass of wine is bad but eating these things on a daily basis can have a negative cumulative affect. So, be mindful of what you are eating and really tune in to how you feel after eating it you may notice that drinking more than one alcoholic drink leaves you feeling gross the next day so it’s more easy to stick to just one in the future or you may notice you feel fine if you stick to organic low sulfite wine or a cocktail with high quality ingredients. Do what feels best for you and move on and if you consume too much of something and you notice that you don’t feel good afterwards remember that one meal/snack/etc. doesn’t define you and won’t ruin your chances that cycle to get pregnant and now you know that when you eat 3 cookies a day for an entire week you get irritable and don’t sleep well. When you pay attention to these things it becomes easier to spot what makes you feel unwell so you can more easily make choices that will make you feel better.
While it’s a relatively well-known fact that excess sugar, alcohol, and processed foods are not good for fertility caffeine is often up for debate. When it comes to caffeine, I have good news for some and bad news for others. For many women drinking 200mg of caffeine a day is completely safe and will not harm your fertility but there are some who are slow caffeine processors and it is not good for their fertility if they consume caffeine. Unfortunately, this is genetic so you have two options to discover if caffeine is safe for you: 1- you can do some genetic testing or 2- you can cut out caffeine for a week and reintroduce it. Number two is easier and cheaper so if you try it pay special attention to how you feel when you reintroduce caffeine. If when you reintroduce caffeine you feel jittery, wired, irritable, jumpy, or have anxiety that means that caffeine is a no go for you. However, I have good news if you love coffee you can still drink decaf although it’s best to drink organic decaf to avoid all the chemicals used to decaffeinate traditional coffee. Also, typically tea has lower caffeine quantities so those with caffeine processing issues can usually still drink tea.
Hopefully, this post has helped debunked the fertility diet myth although it may not have made things easier for you. The important piece in nutrition is to learn how to tune into what makes you feel good not just while you’re eating it but also afterwards and that may change over time and that’s ok. And as one of my favorite nutrition authors has famously said “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” (Michael Pollan). If this has left you feeling stressed or looking for support I’m here to help sign up for a free consultation and see how I can support you in finding what foods and supplements can make you feel your best and become your most fertile self.