Foods That Could Decrease Fertility

Recently I discovered a blog called Nourished Kitchen- if you are trying to eat local, fresh, organic foods this is the best resource I have found!  They have lots of great recipes and articles, but one that caught my attention is regarding what foods to avoid when trying to get pregnant.  These are all foods that aren't ideal at any time, but have been shown to have a specific impact on fertility.  While any one of these foods probably won't be the single determinant in whether or not you are able to get pregnant, they should be considered in your overall plan for a healthier lifestyle.

1)  Gluten- if your digestion is sensitive to gluten (a protein found in wheat, spelt, barley, and rye) this may lead to malabsorbtion of other nutrients essential for reproductive health.  The incidence of gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease is higher in women diagnosed with unexplained infertility than that of the general population.

2)  Low-Fat or Nonfat Dairy Products- in a study of 18,000 women, it was found that skim and low-fat dairy products may actually increase the risk of anovulatory infertility, while full-fat dairy products actually decrease the risk of infertility.*  This seems to run counter to what we've always heard- low fat is always better, right?   Butterfat actually contains nutrients not present in low fat dairy, such as fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.  If eaten in moderation, foods such as cream, butter, and full fat milk may be better for your health.

3)  Soy- soy contains xenoestrogens- plant hormones that interfere with your body's normal estrogen balance.  Soy isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein have been shown to interfere with the production of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), the hormone which is produced by a developing embryo.**  It has a vital role in ensuring the health of the fetus early in development.  Avoid foods which list soy, soy lecithin, soy protein, soy flour, and texturized vegetable protein (TVP) as ingredients.  Obviously one should avoid soy milk and soy-based meat substitutes such as tofu.

4)  Refined Sugar- this is a definite food to avoid, especially for women with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome- a condition marked by irregular, anovulatory cycles).  Consuming refined sugar creates a temporary spike in blood glucose levels, which then leads to an increase in insulin levels.  Over time, elevated levels of insulin lead to insulin resistance.  I have seen clinically that many women diagnosed with insulin resistant PCOS are able to manage their condition through diet, without neccessarily having to take Metformin (a drug to lower insulin levels).  Even for women without PCOS, following a low-glycemic diet that limits consumption of refined sugars may improve fertility and pregnancy outcomes*.  This includes avoiding not just candy and ice cream, but simple carbohydrates such as white bread, juices, and soda.

5) Coffee and Sodas-  I tell patients that if they must consume caffeine, do so in moderation- try to limit it to one cup per day.  Specifically you should know that caffeine can decrease blood flow to the uterus and may increase the risk of miscarriage.  It increases anxiety levels, which can lead to increased stress hormone production.  These stress hormones (cortisol and prolactin) can have quite an effect on your body's normal hormone levels, which can lead to things like delayed ovulation.  In addition, since caffeine is a diuretic it can lead to decreased production of fertile cervical fluid.

To re-iterate, I encourage everyone to adopt a diet rich in whole grains, green leafy vegetables, fruit, and with moderate amounts of meat and dairy (all organic where possible).  Avoid all processed foods (yes even those frozen organic enchiladas from Trader Joe's are processed) and eat foods that are fresh and in season- these are the foods with the most bang for your buck nutrition-wise. 


*Source: Chavarro et al. A prospective study of dairy foods intake and anovulatory infertility. Human Reproduction. 2007. May.
**Source:  Jeschke et al. Effects of phytoestrogens genistein daidzein on production of human chorionc gonadotropin in term trophoblast cells in vitro. Gynecological Endocrinology. 2005. September.

We simply weren’t built to just go, go, go. We were built to go, go, go and then rest, rest, rest.

Insomnia.  Nearly everyone has at one time or another experienced it, and some of us experience it on a regular basis.  How can you treat it naturallly?  Dr. Frank Lipman recently did a guest posting for Gwyneth Paltrow's blog, GOOP, in which he gave some wonderful information on the causes of insomnia and advice on how to treat it naturally.

What I want to emphasize the most is that Traditional Chinese Medicine can be of great help in accelerating the rate at which the underlying cause of your insomnia is resolved, but it is up to YOU to make lifestyle changes to keep the symptoms at bay long-term.  A person who works 55 hour weeks while drinking coffee every morning and leading a sedentary lifestyle simply can not realistically expect to have restful, restorative sleep (of course there are exceptions, to which I say, lucky you!).  This person must decide how important restful sleep is to them.  If they decide it's a top priority, they will make the necessary changes, and reap the rewards.  Of course there are those who lead a perfectly healthy life and still experience insomnia- and digging a little deeper is required to discover the solution.

Here I have summarized Dr. Lipman's recommendations for sleep:

The most common underlying causes of chronic sleep issues are:

• Chronic stress or an over-stimulated nervous system
• Hormonal imbalances (adrenal, thyroid and reproductive hormones in particular.)
• Poor diet (too much sugar, processed and refined foods and the common foods that cause sensitivities: gluten and dairy.)
• Stimulants or substances that can affect sleep (alcohol, caffeine, medications, recreational drugs, herbs, and even some vitamins.)
• Gastro-intestinal dysfunction
• Chronic pain
• Sleep Apnea

Tips to improve sleep:
DAYTIME:

• Use a dawn-simulator device to wake up instead of an alarm clock.  These slowly and gradually brighten the room to mimic waking naturally while sleeping outdoors.  Some even will wake you to the sounds of nature- much kinder than an alarm! There are many on the market- here are a few from Serenity Health to begin your search.
• Take meditation breaks during the day.  Even 10 minutes twice a day can help- sitting in your car, taking a walk around the block, or closing your office door to focus on your breath can greatly lower your stress level and help re-center your mind.  You'll probably become more productive at work too!
• Try to get 15-30 minutes of natural sunlight every day.
• Exercise, preferrably 4-6 hours before bedtime.
• Cut out caffeine.  I'm serious on this one, guys!  Especially any mid-day caffeine.  It can block sleep neurotransmitters for up to 7 hours.  Remember to also cut out black tea and chocolate.  One product which I have discovered that tastes similar to, but better than coffee (in my opinion) is called Teeccino.  It's completely herbal and is caffeine free, and you can gradually add increasing amounts in with your coffee to reduce the amount of caffeine without losing the taste.
• Try an elimination diet.  For some, eliminating certain foods makes a huge difference in sleep, for others not as much.  A way to test this is to eliminate one food at a time for 2 weeks and notice what happens.  Common culprits are sugar, dairy, wheat, corn syrup, and processed foods.
• Eat the majority of your food for the day before lunchtime.  This runs counter to our typical eating schedule, so can be a hard transition.  It makes sense because your digestive system's activity actually peaks around lunchtime, so most of your food should be eaten by then.  This way, when it comes time to sleep your body is focused on resting, not digesting.
• Look at the medications you are taking.  Lots of drugs can contribute to insomnia- check with your doctor to see what you can change.

EVENING:

• One hour before bedtime (which should not vary much from day to day), turn off all electronic devices- TV, computer, and cell phone.  Do some restorative yoga, have a cup of herbal tea, or take a warm bath instead.  Dim the lights and play some quiet, soothing music.  This is the "slow down" period.

NIGHT:

• Create a regular routine.  This is my personal secret to getting restful sleep.  I have about a 30 minute pre-sleep routine and without it, I wake feeling like I've been through a warzone!  Creating a routine also includes going to sleep and waking at the same time. 
• Keep the room as dark as possible.
• Keep the room cool- 60-65 degrees is best, even in the winter.
• Block out noise- you can wear earplugs, use a white noise device, or run a fan to drown out sounds from the street, as we often encounter in New York.  Just make sure the fan isn't pointing at your body- in Traditional Chinese Medicine this can cause you to wake in the morning with a stiff, painful neck or body.
• Don't rely on habit-forming substances to sleep- including alcohol or any sleeping pills.  This is a quick fix that for most people doesn't even work all the time because the body gets accustomed to these substances quickly.  If you already find yourself reliant on sleeping pills or anti-anxiety medications consult your doctor to create a plan to safely wean yourself off- never go cold turkey.

As I said before, acupuncture and herbal medicine can be wonderful for accelerating the results you will see from your lifestyle changes.  I've treated many cases of insomnia which have responded quite quickly to acupuncture, but I believe that the superior medicine does not make the patient become reliant on it!  My goal is to have you use acupuncture, bring the body back into balance while you learn some new things, and then no longer need acupuncture!  It might not be the greatest business model but it's a philosophy which I feel great about recommending to just about anyone.  If you'd like to schedule an appointment, please go to my website at http://www.susanwallmeyer-acupuncture.com/ where you can learn more and contact me.