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Struggling to conceive? You are not alone. One in eight couples in the US have difficulty getting or staying pregnant, many without explanation and who are otherwise healthy. If you’re having a rough time, Cryos International can support you on your journey towards parenthood – providing guides, news, articles, and personal stories about everything from fertility and pregnancy to fertility treatments and how to buy donor sperm and eggs.
Before giving up hope or turning to Reproductive Medicine, (or other expensive, invasive treatments) there are several things you should try first to help you get pregnant. Although there is no magic formula that guarantees conception, there is a lot you can do to boost your chances.
According to Dr. Robert Kiltz, many people underestimate the serious impact that diet, lifestyle, and stress have on fertility.
“We already know that what we eat plays a huge role in helping our bodies function properly, and the reproductive system is no different…”
…says Dr. Kiltz, a board-certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist with more than three decades of experience helping families grow. As the founder of CNY Fertility, (one of the largest and most dynamic fertility centers in the country), Dr. Kiltz has witnessed the positive power of nutrition to bring new life into the world.
So what should you eat to boost your chances?
Dr. Kiltz recommends a diet high in fats, moderate in proteins, and low in carbohydrates – and he is not alone in this belief. A growing body of new research supports a low-carb lifestyle for fertility. Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that women who consumed approximately 60% of their calories from carbohydrates (vs. 40%) had a 91% higher risk of ovulatory infertility.
We already know that low-carb diets (if done correctly) are an extremely effective strategy for weight loss, but what does carbohydrate consumption have to do with fertility? According to Kiltz, carbohydrates play a primary role in determining blood sugar and insulin levels. If blood sugar and/or insulin levels are too high, reproductive hormone levels can be thrown off which can ultimately have an effect on ovulation and therefore, fertility.
How often you eat also plays a role. Dr. Kiltz practices and recommends “intermittent fasting,” eating just one meal a day at night and allowing the body the time it needs to rest and digest. Most people eat 3-6 times per day which keeps glucose levels high and increases inflammation.
According to Dr. Kiltz, mental health is also an extremely important factor in fertility, which is problematic in the wake of a pandemic, vaccine anxiety, economic decline, social disruption, and political turbulence.
In his book, The Fertile Feast, Dr. Kiltz explores the fascinating connection between food and fertility and emphasizes the importance of diet and how it influences the overall wellbeing of mind, body, and spirit and ultimately your ability to conceive.
“Fertility is much more than just diet and exercise. It’s also about your frame of mind…”
…says Kiltz who, after initially making a name for himself in fertility medicine, became a leader in the holistic health movement for his insights on mindfulness, mental health, and nutrition.
He encourages his patients who are having difficulty with conception to connect with others in deep, joyous, and meaningful ways.
(Credit for this post goes to Dr. Robert Kiltz, Fertility Doctor & Author of The Fertile Feast)
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