Fertility Boosting Foods!
Fertility Boosting Foods! At Tao to Wellness we’ve mastered the science behind baby making through acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and nutritional support. Foods have properties just like herbal medicine. When a patient eats certain foods at certain times of their cycle, there is an impact… sometimes positive and sometimes negative. Since we want to give patients the best case scenario when they are under our care, we compiled a list of what foods support the two main phases of the cycle. Below you’ll find foods broken down into Follicular, which is from the end of the period until ovulation, this is a building phase for the lining and the nourishing phase of Yin. And Luteal, which is from ovulation until the period happens. The temperature warms, there can be a possibility of implantation and this is a time of Yang. An * is a food that is extremely strong and highly recommended for this time of the cycle. FOLLICULAR phase of your cycle: Fruits Apples, Apricots, Banana, Blueberry, Fig, Grape, Mango, Pear, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Watercress Vegetables Asparagus, Beets, Dandelion, Kelp, Leafy greens*- including kale, spinach (best with a splash of citrus), Lemon, Microalgae, Millet, Mulberry, Nettle*, Parsley, Pea, Seaweed, Spinach, String Bean, Sweet potato Grains Barley, Millet, Sweet rice Meats: Beef*, Bone Marrow- Bone Broth*, Cheese, Duck, Liver, Oxtail*, Pork, Sardines Other: Black sesame*, Honey, Royal Jelly* LUTEAL phase of your cycle: Fruits Citrus Vegetables Cabbage, Kale, Onion, Leek, Chive, Parsnip, Parsley, Mustard Greens, Winter Squash Grains Lentils, Quinoa Meats Anchovy, Lamb, Trout, Salmon (check with Seafoodwatch.org for sources) Nuts Chestnut, Pecan, Pistachio Spices Aniseed, Basil, Caraway, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin, Dill Seed, Fennel Seed, Garlic, Ginger*, Nutmeg, Rosemary, Sage, Savory, Star Anise, Thyme To enjoy ANYTIME throughout your cycle! Avocado, Pineapple, Beans (Aduki, Black, Kidney), Cashews, Cherry, Dates, Eggs* and Walnuts Keep in mind Organic when possible Fruits and veggies that are in season In Health, Christina Martin, L.Ac. Tao to Wellness Acupuncture Berkeley, California 510.883.0383
Four foods for FERTILITY!
Four foods for FERTILITY! Four foods that are not to be overlooked that will support and assist your journey to parenthood! Raspberries Not only do raspberries register as the lowest fruit on the glycemic index, they are also extremely beneficial for boosting fertility in men and women! They contain high levels of Vitamin C (key in sperm health) and Magnesium (key in production of testosterone). Raspberries also protect sperm from oxidative stress. For women, antioxidants can decrease the risk of miscarriage and is great source of folate which is important in embryo development. Pineapple core Is this myth true? We don’t know. Will it hurt? We don’t think so… the active enzyme in pineapple is bromelain, which is more concentrated in the core of the pineapple. Bromelain is said to decrease inflammation in the body. So to us, it does make sense. On some level that’s what acupuncture is doing anyway! The prescription is one whole pineapple cut into 5 portions consumed the day after timed intercourse, IUI or IVF transfer for the next 5 days. Avocado An avocado a day… doesn’t keep the doctor away, hopefully it ends up with a doctor’s appointment. The scientists believe that monounsaturated fats, which are well known both to the heart, can increase fertility by decreasing inflammation in the body. Again, isn’t that what acupuncture is doing? Other sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, sunflower oil, nuts and seeds. Stick to the avocado though, we think it’s more bang for your buck. Poultry Chinese medicine categorizes herbs and nutrition by taste, temperature, property, meridians it enters and indication. Poultry has an interesting relationship with the uterus in that it tonifies this organ, thereby creating an upward energy. This is instrumental in implantation and your first trimester, since a downward motion of Qi in the uterus could indicate miscarriage. Chinese practitioners worldwide recommend eating poultry (turkey, chicken and duck) daily after ovulation and timed intercourse. Aside from nutritional guidelines, acupuncture for fertility is what most of our patients come to us for. Check out our Fertility page and Video for more information. Or email me with any questions you may have! In Health, Christina Martin christina@berkeley-acupuncture.com Tao to Wellness