kateandlisaFriendly Fats and Fibers
Did you see on the Fertile Food Pyramid above that health fats and Level 1 of the Pyramid? Good fats are important for your fertility and pregnancy system for so many reasons:
- Hormones are created from fats. It’s hard to have sufficient sex hormone levels when dietary fat intake is too low and/or when body fat percentage is too low. If your estradiol is low, please look carefully at your dietary fat intake and your body fat percentage.
- The scientific data are clear that there is a Fertile Zone for body mass index (20-24 +/-1) and waste-to-hip ratio (<.7). In fact, this one thing can improve fertility, pregnancy and offspring outcomes by 26-60%!
- Scientific data show that being below the Fertile Zone is even more likely to impact fertility and pregnancy health than being above the Fertile Zone.
- Healthy fats also have indirect effects on fertility, pregnancy and babies through a number of pathways, including protecting the brain, supporting neurocognitive development and function, lubricating the intestines, and balancing blood sugar and insulin. Most people think of protein as the blood sugar and insulin balancing macro. However, healthy fats and fiber actually have a lower glucose and insulin impact than both carbohydrates and proteins.
A simple way to balance blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance is to eat foods in this order:
- Healthy fats and fibers first
- Protein
- Complex carbohydrates
- Simple carbohydrates
Rice, fruit and of course most desserts are included in this category because they are broken down quickly and converted to sugar in the body.
Here are a couple of ways to introduce fat and fiber first to kick off your meals:
- 1 tsp of coconut oil or butter
- 1 tsp of chia seeds mixed in 8oz water about 30 minutes before food
- This is also really great for digestion and hydration because chia seeds can hold up 27x their weight in water
- Salad of greens, cruciferous vegetables and cultured/fermented foods, with dressing made of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar lemon and sea salt
- Can also add tahini and/or avocado to your dressing
Note: There are genetic differences in the way bodies respond to fats-even healthy fats. If you don’t know anything about your genetics, keep saturated fats to under 10% of your daily intake to be on the safe side. High healthy fat intake with moderate protein intake and low carbohydrate intake can be very beneficial for a number of mental and physical health functions (including fertility and conception). People with ApoE4 gene should not consume a high fat diet. The risks may outweigh the benefits, especially if high fat intake is extended over time.
For more help and guidance for fertility and hormone concerns, let’s connect. We can set up a plan of action so you can start making improvements in how you are feeling and optimizing your hormones and fertility.
