Food, Feelings, & Fertility
Dear Cysters, Mysters, and Friends,
It is officially that time of year. The time of year when parents and grandparents are celebrated, usually over a meal. While you love them and look forward to celebrating them, going through infertility can cause you to feel a wide range of emotions. You might feel happy for your friends who are experiencing their first year of being parents, excited to see the babies in your family, or grateful for the people in your life who support your journey.
However, you also might feel sad that it’s another year of not announcing a pregnancy through a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift. I’m pretty sure I have a Pinterest Board of pregnancy announcement ideas for every holiday at this point. You might feel jealous that other people are being celebrated for something you don’t have yet.
You might not really know what to feel, and that’s okay. All feelings are valid, and it is okay to have negative feelings too. These feelings are just as valid as the positive ones.
For me, I am going to spend this season focusing on how I can continue to prepare my body for a baby in the future. One of the biggest parts of that is my diet. Some people struggle with their diet during the winter holidays, but I struggle so much in the summer. Seriously, I think I could eat at least a pint of ice cream every day. In the summer, I am terrible at the “Let’s get a sweet treat” thing in the evenings. Not only the sweets, but it’s the season of pasta salads, burgers, and hot dogs. Trying to be gluten free this summer is not something I am looking forward to, but the hardest thing for me to avoid is alcohol.
Alcohol is not on the list of things to be consuming while trying to get pregnant. It just feels irresistible to me in the summer. It is especially difficult when we go to Devin’s family cottage, where drinking (sometimes all day) is the norm. When it’s hot out and I get back from the beach, all I want is a cold beer. Whenever someone suggests frozen margaritas, I pretty much always give in. I also have a slight obsession with wineries and cideries. They are cute and the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
So as I sit here, about to pack our camper for our first trip of the season, I have to ask myself:
“What the hell am I going to eat this weekend?”
Here’s my current dietary restrictions:
No dairy (migraine trigger)
As gluten free as possible
Seriously limiting my sugar intake
Only eating fish as a meat source - this one is new for me after 13 years of not eating meat. It is going okay so far, but it’s not my favorite thing to eat and I limit it to around once or twice a week.
No alcohol
So, what’s a girl to eat? I have been doing my research, and after reading many articles and books that tell you what not to eat, I decided to share some of the most fertility friendly foods instead. While I primarily talk about how these impact women, all the foods below can help with male fertility as well. Not going through infertility? These foods can also be extremely beneficial for inflammation caused by PCOS and endometriosis!
Eggs:
Choline - important for egg quality and embryo development
Fish: Salmon is top recommended
Omega-3 - lower inflammation, hormone support, improves egg quality
*If you don’t eat meat, get an Omega-3 supplement made with algae, not flaxseed. I did this and then found out they don’t work the same because you want the DHA found in marine sources.
Berries: Blueberries and strawberries are top recommended
Antioxidants - protects reproductive cell health
*Frozen berries work too!
Avocado:
Helps balance hormones and fight insulin resistance.
Leafy Greens: Kale, Spinach, Arugula are top recommended
Folate - boosts conception and potentially reduces risk of miscarriage
Sweet Potatoes:
Beta Carotene - supports reproductive health and hormones
Beans and other plant-based proteins:
Studies have shown that women who primarily ate plant-based proteins had less ovulatory disorders.
Nuts & Seeds:
Can help with hormone regulation.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Reduces inflammation and helps with insulin resistance
This is where most of my research comes from right now. I have more books to get through, but this one has helped me so much!
You can get it on Amazon HERE. I got mine off of Thriftbooks!
That being said, when looking at a brunch menu this weekend, you might wonder your best choice is. I put together a list of typical brunch menu items below along with some tips and tricks for ordering them. It may not seem like a lot, but sometimes finding something to focus on instead of the sad parts of the day can help, even if it is something as simple as what to eat for breakfast.
My brunch order from last weekend at Rosie’s in Tecumseh, MI.
Avocado Toast on Sourdough with eggs
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Cinnamon Latte with Almond Milk
The Best of Brunch:
Avocado Toast
Order on gluten free or sourdough bread. Both options can help with insulin resistance, a common symptom of PCOS.
Add an egg on top.
Salmon Benedict or Lox
Order on gluten free or sourdough bread.
Add greens if it’s an option.
Breakfast Bowls
There are lots of veggie loaded breakfast bowls out there. I usually look for ones that have a sweet potato or quinoa base. Those are both a pretty neutral, fertility friendly base to go with any flavor profile.
Oatmeal
Add berries for an extra boost!
You can add any kind of nut butter for protein, or get eggs/other protein source on the side.
Turkey Sausage
Order instead of bacon or pork sausage.
Tends to be lower in saturated fats that can negatively impact health.
Your normal breakfast (hear me out)
Sometimes, we just need comfort food. If Mother’s Day tends to be triggering for you and you want a big fat pile of pancakes, I say go for it. However, you can still make a healthier swap by getting fruit on the side instead of something fried like hashbrowns or bacon.
Drinks
Decaf coffee - While the caffeine while TTC can be controversial, it is generally recommended to keep caffeine to a low amount.
Unsweetened iced tea
Sparkling water and juice (I usually go with cranberry)
Cranberry and Orange Juice (Can be sugary, but a good morning mocktail)
Sprite and juice (if you like a slightly sweeter beverage)
Any amount of change can be overwhelming, so I want to remind you that one meal is not going to ruin your chances of fertility.
I have to tell myself this whenever I end up making a food choice out of stress or convenience. We can’t all be perfect, and we shouldn’t have to be, especially if we aren’t in the best emotional state. I want you to know that it’s okay to eat a normal brunch with a mimosa if that’s what puts you in the right state of mind to enjoy the day. It’s also okay to start small, even if it’s something as simple as switching from white bread to sourdough. Changing something as important as your diet doesn’t happen overnight.
So on this Mother’s Day, not only do I hope you eat what feels right for you, I hope you do what feels right for you. Make time to take care of yourself this weekend, no matter what that looks like. Just like I have the past few holidays, I will have my phone on me during the day. If you need support or just need to talk, send me an email at stompoutpcos@gmail.com. I might not answer right away, but I will never leave you on read!
Have a great weekend everybody, and to all the moms, grandmas, aunts, etc. that are part of our group, THANK YOU! Women supporting women is a strong and powerful thing. Together, we can continue to bring awareness to women’s health issues while making sure nobody feels alone in this.
With love and support,
Madison Spears
