1. Salmon

Salmon is a very good source to protein and it also has a lot of nutrients which are important for your fertility. Fat fish like salmon is a very good source of omega-3 and omega-3 has documented anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Salmon also contains much vitamin-D. Research shows that optimum levels of omega-3 and vitamin D is very important for fertility.

2. Avocado

Avocado is full of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, fiber and proteins. It is an excellent source of vitamin-E, which is very important for the quality of the endometrium in the uterus. Avocado is also a very good source to folic acid.

3. Eggs

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods that we can eat. It actually contains all the vitamins, except for vitamin C. They also contain a lot of minerals, healthy fat and proteins of very good quality. Eggs are also rich in kaolin and studies show that kaolin is an important effect on the fetal development. Think about the amazing fact that all the nutrients that are needed for one cell to become a chicken is all inside the egg!

4. Carrot

Carrot is a nutritious vegetable full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber which can boost your fertility. Carrot is rich in Beta-carotene, which is known for boosting the production of the hormone progesterone. Progesterone is important for the embryo to be able to implant in the uterus. Beta-carotene also improves the sperm quality, both the volume and the motility.

5. Chia seeds

Chia seeds are called “the Incas gold”, exactly because of these seeds wonderful characteristics and nutritional content. The seeds contain a lot of fibre, omega-3, complete fatty acids and some proteins. They are also very rich in vitamin-B, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium and iron, which are all very important nutrients for the fertility.

6. Beets

Beets are rich in nitrate and they are known to increase the blood circulation. Beets are often used by athletes, exactly because of this. We do recommend all women who try to get pregnant to eat fresh beets in salads, to bake them in the oven and to drink a lot as a raw beet juice. This will increase the blood circulation of the uterus. Beets are also a very good source of the antioxidant resveratrol, which is known to boost fertility.

7. Walnuts

Walnuts are among the most nutritious foods which exist in nature. They are full of good nutrients that are good for our hormones. They are a fantastic good source of omega-3, unsaturated fats and proteins. These nuts also contain a lot of vitamin-E and antioxidants, which protect the sperm and egg cells against damages. Walnuts have shown in studies to increase the sperm quality. One handful of these nuts are recommended daily.

8. Quinoa

This seed is very rich in nutrients. It has all the proteins, it is free of gluten and it has a lot of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and fiber. Quinoa is a super substitute for other carbohydrate-rich foods like potatoes, rice and bread. Quinoa has a much higher protein content and is good to eat together with beans, lentils and peas. It has been shown that the intake of vegetable protein-sources are very beneficial when trying to get pregnant!

9. Spinach and Kale

Spinach and kale are both very rich in many nutrients. They are full of vitamin-C, Calcium, Beta-carotene and iron. These highly green leafy vegetables are also rich in important antioxidants, which slow down the aging process in the cells, also egg and sperm cells! Spinach and kale are actually proven to prevent and repair cell damage!

10. Pomegranate

Pomegranate is rich in many different and important nutrients, such as Vitamin-C, Vitamin-K, Folic-acid and a lot of other vitamins and minerals. This fruit has been shown to have anti-aging effect and it is healthy for the heart and for the general blood circulation of the body. Pomegranate also has a anti-inflammatory effect in the body. In the East, this fruit is known as a symbol for fertility. It is wise to drink the juice of this fruit, as it can be a bit difficult to eat and chew enough of it.

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ENDOMETRIOSIS is very common. The known incidence is 1 in 10 women. However, the prevalence is thought to be much higher.

Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) is found outside the uterus where it shouldn`t be. The endometriosis tissue can appear to be red and inflamed but can also form modules and cysts. It is mostly found in the pelvic region on structures such as the pelvic lining (peritoneum), ovaries, bowel, bladder and uterine ligaments.

What causes endometriosis?

The cause of endometriosis is not fully understood at present though there are several strong theories. Studies show that there are immunological and environmental factors, but it is also strongly genetically related.

One thing which is of very important, is that if you are predisposed to develop endometriosis, the more years of menstruation you have without being pregnant, the heavier the endometriosis will be. This is one of the reasons we see this medical state more often nowadays than before.

Surgery to remove the endometriosis and restore the anatomy back to normal improves the chances of becoming pregnant by about 40%, and the effect from the surgery will last from about 6-12 months.

A better diet.

A change in diet will tend to slow down the development of endometriosis. The most important key is to simply reduce inflammatory foods and adding more plants to your diet.

What are inflammatory foods?

• Processed and packaged foods
• Sugar
• Gluten, white bread and wheat
• Dairy products (except butter, full-fat cream and full-fat cheese which is ok)
• Red meat (many sources claim this to be inflammatory, but this is only when meat is containing hormones. Make sure you buy meat of good quality)
• Deep fried foods
• Margarine and other harmful oils. (only cold pressed oils, coconut oil and real butter should be used as fat sources)

Freshness.

Buy the freshest food you can find and eat it while it is fresh. Avoid processed food which is full of additives. Cook with fresh foods, but also eat some raw vegetables and fruits every day. To minimize exposure to pesticides, eat organically grown produce whenever possible.

Variety.

Eat a wide variety of foods every day. Try “to be French” and make it fun to cook food and try out new dishes on weekends and expand your horizons!

Certain foods rich in key nutrients can help contribute direct effects to a diet for endometriosis.

Vegetables with B vitamins. A healthy liver with a plentiful supply of B vitamins can degrade estradiol to estriol. Estriol is the form in which estrogen can be bound to fiber and excreted. The diet needs to have sufficient fiber and B vitamins from green vegetables to help the body deal with the constant breakdown of circulating estrogens. Good vegetables are cabbage, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, radishes, horseradish and watercress.

Iron-rich foods. With endometriosis, you may experience heavy bleeding, so replacing lost iron is very important. Two types of iron are available in the foods we eat, heme iron from protein sources and non-heme iron from plant sources. Heme iron you can find in red meats, eggs, chicken and fish, and all studies show that the body absorbs iron from animal-sources much better than from plant-based iron sources, so vegetarians really have to make sure they don’t get too low in iron. Non-heme iron is available in green, leafy vegetables, beetroot, dried apricot and plain dark chocolate.

Omega 3. Sources of omega fatty acids from oily fish or a supplement of cod liver oil have shown to lower the tendency of all inflammations of the body, hence it’s very necessary to include in your diet when having endometriosis.

Fiber. I suggest getting at least 30 grams of fiber from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and some whole grains to keep your intestinal tract healthy and promote the excretion of excess estrogens.

The question about gluten?

Gluten might play a role in endometriosis. Eating a wheat-free diet seems to help many women with endometriosis symptoms. Whether this is a result of gluten or another component of what is uncertain, but it is sure worth trying to exclude gluten for six weeks to see if it relieves pain when menstruating and in general to see if it gives you a better digestion.

Chinese medicine’s aspect of nutrition for endometriosis.

In Chinese medicine, the primary pattern or mechanism that causes endometriosis is Blood Stasis. This can occur from eating too much raw and cold foods, excess intake of milk and other dairy products. It is a very good advice to many times daily drink hot water with freshly cut bites of ginger, some lemon and cinnamon. It is also wise to regularly use many different herbs in the diet because these tend to increase the general circulation of the body.

When the pain is there, it is very useful to use a hot water bottle on the lower abdomen and also on the lower back. It will spontaneously increase the blood circulation and relieve the pain.

Always make sure your feet are kept warm. This is because there is a close connection between the qi-channels, nerves and blood vessels from the feet up to the uterus and bladder.

To increase the circulation, exercise like yoga, spinning, swimming and running will often have a good effect.

How acupuncture can help.

In general, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. It has been shown that the treatment may specifically be of benefit to people with endometriosis by:

• providing pain relief
• reducing inflammation
• regulating prostaglandins
• combining acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine for endometriosis has been shown to increase the pregnancy rate in women undergoing IVF, and in my own experience, this is also the case for women with endometriosis undergoing egg donation.

This was my pieces of advice for today, I hope you can use some of them!
In my next blog, I will show you some very interesting patient stories…
Vibeke

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The experience of TASTE is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life. Chinese medicine addresses that when a person gets over — or underweight, the person has stopped enjoying the food. If we enjoy food, we will not tend to have a weight problem.

Some techniques

I will now suggest a few techniques that will give you eating awareness. This is how you can maximize your satiety level when eating:

• Whenever you eat sit down
• Don’t do anything else
• Eat when the stomach is empty. It takes approximately four hours from you eat till your stomach is empty, but his can off course vary a little from person to person.
• Don’t take a new bite before the previous bite has come to the stomach
• Eat  2/3 of what you feel you need. Studies show that people eating fewer calories than the average of the population tend to have better health and live longer. It will take you 10-15 minutes from you have stopped eating, till your brain will know if the stomach is full.
• Use sesame oil on the tongue to enhance the taste buds

The six tastes

Many people experience strong cravings for a certain type of food.

Traditionally food has six flavors to it. If the taste buds are not experiencing these six different tastes during the day, the imbalance will occur. This will give even stronger cravings. We do have all these certain taste buds for a reason.

THE SIX TASTES ARE THE FOLLOWING:

• Sweet taste: bread, rice, cream, milk honey (not concentrated sugar)
• Sour: lemon, yogurt, cheese
• Salt: seafood, salted things
• Bitter: green leafy vegetables, spinach, broccoli, endives, coffee
• Pungent: all kinds of spices, horseradish, mustard, black pepper, jalapeno
• Astringents: beans, lentils, peas (ex. Mexican food)

Cravings

If your body is exposed to all these tastes for one meal daily, spontaneously the cravings will disappear.
In our modern society, we tend to eat too much sweet, sour and salt, ex french fries and ketchup with diet coke (diet coke gives ten times more sweet taste than normal coke). We constantly expose ourselves to these three tastes, which give imbalance and more cravings.

My own experience of going on a beautiful cruise was exactly this! It was served all kinds of food on different buffers for twenty-four hours. Many people suffering from severe overweight, were eating mostly these three tastes all day and could not stop. On the other hand, it can be very joyful and easy to eat healthy on a cruise ship or on a typical all-inclusive resort. If one certainly knows how to pick all the good meat, chicken and fish altogether with lots of vegetables, good dressings and some fruits. Then it will be very healthy and satisfying. When you are in such nice places, don`t fill up your stomach with bread and pasta!

The hidden secret

Talking about this, I have to mention “the hidden secret” about the French people; They traditionally eat a very small sweet breakfast, a high protein and high-fat lunch and dinner with lots of vegetables. The vegetables come in both raw and cooked forms. No processed foods. The white bread is always served on the side of the table, but especially the women have learned from their mothers and grandmothers to just look at it. They don`t eat it! The French people eat slowly and they enjoy!

Most traditionally diets, even if they originally come from Southern Europe, Northern Europe, Mexico, India, China or Japan, they all tend to have a right combination of the foods. They do not contend the processed foods, especially concentrated carbohydrates which gives a lot of hidden calories. This ensures that there are many different ways of eating and combining food that is healthy and keeping your weight normal.

However, there are quite a good number of studies showing different foods that are good for fertility, and these I will introduce in my next blog!

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Nutrition plays a big role when it comes to having a healthy body and reproductive system. The building blocks of hormones are found in the foods we eat. Antioxidants, which help to protect the egg and sperm from free radicals, are found in the foods that we eat. Just as nutrients in food can be helpful for fertility, there are some foods and chemicals that can be harmful to your health and fertility.

Throughout this blog, I will try to give you fertility diet suggestion, based on scientific research, nutritional data, Chinese medicine`s perspective of nutrition and patients personal experience, when changing their diet.

In my clinic Klinikk Fjeld, we recommend a diet of the very low content of processed carbohydrates as the main strategy to get a healthy and fertility boosting diet. We see that a diet which primary is based on vegetables, all kinds of fish and seafood, meat, fowl, and eggs. In addition, fat fruits like avocado and olives, nuts and seeds and cold pressed and unrefined oils, like coconut oil and olive oil. When it comes to the dairy products, we recommend natural butter, cheese, cream and full-fat sour cream.

Why do we recommend this way of eating?

Many experiences that they get a light feeling in their body, sleep better, get a normal digestion, fresher skin, a more stable mood, and more energy.

• A low intake of carbohydrates will result in a lower need for insulin. A high level of insulin is connected to the resistance of insulin, overweight and the developing of diabetes type 2. If you eat a low carb diet, this will not occur. Very many women who do many hormonal treatments will tend to get an addiction to sugar and increase weight. When following this diet, the addiction to sugar will dramatically down and the body`s weight will tend to normalize.
• For users of insulin (Diabetes type 1 and 2) will a diet of few processed carbohydrates make it easier to reach a more stable level of blood sugar and you will need less insulin. This is a very important factor when pregnant, as pregnant women with a high age, tend to develop diabetes (type 1) during their pregnancy. With this way of eating, you will have much more control of the weight increased during the pregnancy and the blood sugar level.
• Normal and stable levels of sugar and insulin in the blood and a good balance between omega-3 and omega-6 prevents inflammations in the body. A low carbohydrate intake will, therefore, slow down many of the inflammatory diseases in the body, such as endometriosis and adenomyosis. I will in one of the following blogs, discuss these diseases in more detail. 

PCOS

About 10% of all women in the Western world have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The diagnose requires that at least to out of three criterions are fulfilled:

• Irregular or seldom menstruation. Symptoms of too much testosterone, which will give increased hair growth on parts of the body where men naturally have hair growth, acne and too high levels of free testosterone or too low level of SHBG in the blood. The ovaries tend to have many cysts, which can be seen on an ultrasound.
• Women with PCOS often have a difficulty in getting pregnant, they have a higher risk of miscarriages and a tendency to develop diabetes (type 2) during pregnancy. I have during my 16 years of experience, had a lot of women with this statement and it`s a grateful task because changing their diet is very efficient. After two or three months with a new diet, they will most often get back their regular period and the other symptoms will disappear.
• For women who undergo egg donation, this way of eating will lower the tendency of miscarriage. This is because it will normalize a women’s weight, stabilize the blood sugar, lower the inflammation processes in the body and give a lot of good nutrients to the body end the growing fetus.

Good sources of carbohydrates  

Most of the sources of carbohydrates should come from vegetables and beans, lentils. However once daily you can eat a small amount of rice or bread when eaten together with protein. Pasta should be something you almost always avoid or eat very small amount when eating it. Remember drinking vine or any alcohol to your food is adding a lot of carbohydrates to your meal.

Hidden carbohydrates

Most low-fat dairy products have very high content of carbohydrates. Most processed food like crackers, cakes pasta and bread have very high content of carbohydrates. Rice and potatoes in natural form are the next best sources of carbohydrates. These two sources are very good for children as they burn a lot more calories than adults, and therefore need more healthy carbohydrates.

No sugar products

Diet coke and such items are not giving any calories, however, they tend to lower a person’s blood sugar which will result in more appetite. If you are having a tendency to low blood sugar you should be careful with such diet products. Also, children under the age of three are advised not to have any intake of such products.

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