The AFA Blog

Passover and PCOS - a Guide to Healthy Eating

by Corey Whelan

Tonight, Jewish families and their friends will be gathering around Passover seder tables, to tell the story of Moses and the exodus of the Jewish slaves from Egypt, centuries ago.  Like most holidays, this one will feature an abundant feast as well as the camaraderie of loved ones.  For many women who have  polycystic ovarian syndrome however, the feast on the holiday table may feel like a carbohydrate laden land mine waiting to go off.  As someone who has successfully combated PCOS through diet and exercise, I wanted to share some info on PCOS as well as a few of my own eating strategies with you.

First off, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, affects around 10% of women of reproductive age and is quite prevalent among Jewish women, particularly those of Ashkenazi descent.  An endocrine disorder, PCOS is categorized by insulin resistance and results in irregular menstrual cycles, hirsutism and struggles  with weight, as well as infertility.   There is thought to be a genetic component to PCOS and insulin resistance, which is why it is more prevalent in certain populations than in others. 

A hormone, one of insulin's jobs is metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.  For women who are insulin resistant, the body's normal metabolic response is reduced, causing weight gain, which is triggered by the intake of foods that are high in simple carbohydrates.  Some research currently links the insulin resistance - carbohydrate connection to decreased fertility as well.

So what's a girl to do when faced with the potato kugel, matzoh ball soup, and sweet wine that are mainstays at the Passover table?  Here's what I do.  

• While eating  matzoh is pretty much required this time of year, remember that just one sheet of unleavened bread has the equivalent in carbs and calories as one slice of the leavened stuff, and limit your portions.  For other foods, consider making substitutions.  It's easier than you might think.
• Instead of the usual potato kugel, break tradition by making a delicious new variety using  spinach or zucchini and mushrooms as the main ingredients.
• Instead of sweet wine, pour a drier variety, and drink in moderation.
• Hold the matzoh balls!  Your mom's chicken soup will be just as tasty without this usual plop in, and you won't feel laden down and sleepy by the end of the seder.
• As with every meal you eat all year round, fill up on healthy veggies, lean protein and some fruit instead of going for the starchier foods.
• Impress everyone by reaching for the fresh fruit when its time for dessert instead of the candied ones.

Another wonderful new holiday tradition to consider is a late night walk as a family after the meal to help burn off calories and build muscle. 

Take advantage of the fact that many people are now trying to limit their carbohydrate intake in order to break the insulin resistance cycle, and lots of cookbooks and websites are cleverly catering to this population of health conscious folks.  There are tons of free recipes available for you to download, here are a few you can try:

• http://cookeatshare.com/popular/low-carb-kosher-for-passover-recipes
• http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/
• http://kosherfood.about.com/od/pesach/Passover.htm

For those concerned with gluten or who have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, you can buy gluten free matzo here:

http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-source-for-gluten-free-oat-matzo.html

Next year in Jerusalem!

 

Sugar And Fertility: What The Heck Do They Have In Common?

by Kavita Jhaveri-Patel

 

Calling all you soda, candy, doughnut, cookie loving people.  I have a couple of questions for you.

When you are feeling hungry and/or tired and in need of an energy boost at 3 or 4 pm, what do you do? Do you reach for a candy bar, soda, or sugary snack for that sudden boost of energy? That will definitely provide the instant boost of energy that you are looking for, but it will shortly be followed by a feeling of hunger, tiredness, and/or depression.  This is what we call the sugar roller coaster ride.  I am sure many of you have felt this; I know I have.  

For me, the roller coaster ride on many occasions has left me feeling dizzy, headachey, and nauseous, but also left me feeling somewhat exhilarated.  Although the ride is quite fun at times, especially while you slowly creep up the big hill in anticipation of the BIG drop, the sudden plunge downwards leaves my stomach on the floor, and can make me feel yucky. The adrenaline rush felt for the 2 minutes usually leaves me feeling sick for about 2 hours. The sugar roller coaster that you are currently on is definitely something that is going to leave you feeling sick and yucky.  This ride can be the cause for many health issues such as weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes and infertility.

The Nurse’s Health Study, referenced in The Fertility Diet, by Jorge Chavarro, MD and Walter Willet, MD have proven that sugar, especially certain kinds of sugars, have a large impact on reproductive health.  Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a condition that can be brought on by insulin resistance, which is caused by the consumption of too much sugar. Insulin resistance equals hormonal imbalances. The body has to work overtime when you make the decision to have a soda for breakfast, white bread sandwich for lunch, candy bar for a snack, or white rice for dinner. 

So you ask, what should I eat for my health, happiness, and reproductive health? The answer is complex - literally: complex carbohydrates/sugars (not simple ones) are the way to go.  My definition of complex carbs is fiber-filled food paired with a starch or sugar that exists naturally in nature. The less refined the carb, the better it is for you, and that goes for most foods.  For example, whole wheat and brown rice have the fiber needed for your body to digest the starch slowly so your blood sugar levels stay even. Even blood sugar levels should be your goal when making food choices everyday.  I know, after suffering from breakdowns in my own body, that complex carbs have helped me to not only resolve my dizzy spells, irregular periods, and moodiness, but I have more energy then ever!

Your body identifies simple carbs/sugars, such as white flour and white rice as sugars. There is no fiber, because it is taken out during the refinement process.  When there is no fiber medium, to help slowly digest the sugar the body goes into emergency mode and digests the sugars very quickly. The sugar provides an immediate boost in energy that your body thinks you require, because you just ate a fiberless starch.  Here is the 411 on how the sugar is processed by your body. 

The body quickly breaks down the sugar into glucose and suddenly injects it into the blood stream.  Your blood sugar levels spike the pancreas releases large amounts of insulin. Each cell in your body is able to absorb the glucose, because of the insulin. Once the cells absorb the glucose, blood sugar levels suddenly drop.

Hence the roller coaster feeling described earlier. So think about this - if you fill your day with eating simple carbs, your cells over time will require more and more insulin in order to absorb the same amount of glucose, thus causing insulin resistance. 

In summary, here are my top 5 picks for complex carbs (whole grains) and natural sugars to eat in order to enhance your reproductive health, along with regulating your weight, heart health, and just feeling great overall!

Top 5 Whole Grains	Top 5 Natural Sugars
Brown Rice	Maple Syrup
Buckwheat (Soba Noodles)	Honey
Whole Wheat Pasta	Brown Rice Syrup
Stoneground Whole Wheat	Molasses
Quinoa	Stevia (the green kind)

 Footnotes:

The Fertility Diet, by Jorge Chavarro, MD and Walter Willet, MD

Kavita Jhaveri-Patel is a certified holistic health counselor.

 

A world on fire.

  by Corey Whelan

It feels like the whole world is on fire right now.  Civil unrest and natural disasters have been nudging the stressometer up notch by notch in our collective unconsciousness for awhile now, I think.  I remember reading newspaper articles years ago about the Cold War and how constant anxiety about the bomb was increasing the daily stress that Americans (and I'm sure Russians too) lived with, like a sort of  low level whirring sound in the brain that you forget is there, but that never really recedes.  

Headlines this weekend about that fool, that monster, that idiot in Florida and the violence that has ensued since he burned the Koran pumped up the jam just enough to flip me out completely.  It just feels like open season now, not just on Americans world wide, but on the whole species Human Being.  As it has always been, I guess.

I thought about all this while I was running this morning.  Three miles in and I started to think about stocking up on bottled water.  Five miles in and I started to think about the talk I need to have with my children about all this and how I don't want to.  Seven miles in and I remembered the reason why I started running in the first place.

Many of you who haven't known me for forever find it hard to believe that once upon a time I weighed around 50 pounds more than I do now.  Pregnancy with multiples, and a marriage that was shredding itself to bits turned into a lust for bagels, maple syrup and low fat dulce la leche frozen yogurt that I deluded myself into thinking was ok for me to eat on a daily basis.  And then 9/11 happened.

My babies were small then.  I remember thinking, if I have to run out of a burning building with one kid under each arm, would I be able to do it?

And the answer was no.  I was too overweight and out of shape to run and get my babies and myself to safety if I ever needed to.

So I went for a walk.  A very long walk.  And a few days later I went for a run.  A very short run.  And I threw out the bagels and all the high carb crap I had let my PCOS insulin resistant body get addicted to and I slowly became my old, healthy-weight self again.  Strong, thin, and robust.  My own personal best for my own physical self.

People, look.  I don't know what's coming next, none of us do.  But I do know that no matter what comes, and also no matter what doesn't come, the species human being, all of us, deserve the right to be our own personal best.  For me it's being a runner who weighs 115 lbs.  For you it may mean being a walker or a tennis player who weighs 135 lbs.  But whatever your own personal health best is, I urge you to acheive it.  It is better for your fertility.  It will be better for your pregnancy and your baby, God willing.  It will be better for you no matter what life brings.  Really.  

Think about maybe joining in and doing what The AFA staff will be doing for NIAW.  Think about doing a Fertility Bootcamp, if that feels like a fit for you.  Think about doing something.  And then just do it.  

I don't know what's coming next.     

An Alternative Solution - Herbs and PCOS - How to use them to improve your fertility.

By Stacey Roberts, BSPT, Q Herbalist, Natural Fertility

 Rachel came to me after trying to have a baby for 4 years.  She was at her wits end.  She tried IVF but had hyperstimulated and was unsure of whether to try again.

 She had not had a menstrual cycle in 3.5 years no matter what medication she was on.  Rachel used a variety of medications to try to get her ovulating but nothing helped.

 After six months on an herb formula, Rachel began to spot.  She called me, very excited.  I was actually getting a little despondent myself after six months and nothing happening.  I asked her to send in her charts so we could see what was going on and lo and behold, she wasn’t going to have a period.  She was pregnant!  Rachel has now had 2 beautiful little girls while utilizing the herbs.

 What happened?  How did Rachel conceive when she was told it couldn’t happen?  Afterall, she wasn’t even having a period.

When a woman is dealing with Polycystic Ovaries it is important to remember that this syndrome is a symptom of an imbalance in the system.  Polycystic ovaries commonly occur when a woman is experiencing insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.  So the very first step in addressing this syndrome naturally is through the diet. 

Step 1:  Optimize your Eating Plan

• Remove white flour products and other high glycemic foods. 
• Choose carbohydrates that are low glycemic
• With each meal make sure you have a protein and or a good fat to slow dose the glucose response in the blood.  This helps to take stress off the system.
• ELIMINATE sugar.  Sugar and sweeteners are major enemies of women with Polycystic Ovaries so get them out your the diet. 
• Eliminate empty calories from soft drinks and alcohol that also disrupt your sugar levels.

 Step 2:  Optimize a Supplementation Program

• Use a broadspectrum of antioxidants and minerals to help improve cellular health and address the underlying issue with glucose and insulin.

• Besides Vitamins A, B, C, D3, E and folic acid (a type of vitamin B) it is also important for women to have appropriate amounts of selenium, zinc, chromium, and iodine in their diet and supplementation program to improve their situation. 

• Herbs such as Gymnena (not to be taken with drugs that are used for resistance eg. Metformin and others) and Cinnamon have been shown to help support optimal glucose metabolism.

• With Rachel it was also helpful to take herbs that support her thyroid such as Withania and Bacopa. 

• Other herbs to support ovulation are Peony and Agnus Castus (Chaste Tree).

• When dealing with herbs always consult a qualifed herbalist to assess your situation otherwise you may be taking too much or too little of the necessary herbs.  And the supplementation program including herbs must only supplement the diet.  With PCOS, diet is number 1!

Step 3: Minimize Toxins

• Exposure to voluntary toxins from smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and chemically laden skin care products, improper use of plastics (i.e. heating food in plastic containers, etc) and even air fresheners and cleaning products can impair your fertility according to various studies.

• Always use “green” products when you can and avoid products whose ingredient list is full of scientific names you cannot pronounce.

• Herbs such as St. Mary’s Thistle (Milk Thistle), Schisandra, and even Bladderwrack are herbs that can be used to help the body properly remove toxins from the system

 Step 4:  Appropriate Exercise Program

• A balanced exercise program including cardiovascular fitness and resistance training can help make the body more insulin sensitive and along with an optimal diet can reverse insulin resistance in some individuals.  Polycystic Ovaries have been reversed when hormone balance returns to normal.

• Seek out a qualified personal trainer or physical therapist to help you set up the best program for you.

 Step 5:  Support the Mind Body Connection

• Several studies show that addressing stress and the mind body connection has helped women with ovulation disorders such as Polycystic Ovaries.  In a study performed at Emory University, 80% of patients who previously were not ovulating spontaneous ovulated after hypnosis sessions. 

 Rachel knows the importance of addressing all of these steps at one time versus trying one thing for a while and moving on to the next without appropriate guidance.  But now after addressing her situation by following the five steps above perhaps Rachel can help her little girls avoid the difficulties that she experienced trying to conceive as well as the other negative consequences that women with Polycystic Ovaries can face, i.e. high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid issues, and autoimmune diseases.

 It is important to note that all treatments should be done under the auspices of a trained professional.

Stacey Roberts, PT, MH, Phd-C is a leading herbalist and internationally recognized expert on complementary medicines. She is the owner of Sharkey's Healing Centre and resides in Melbourne, Australia.  She is a guest contributor to The American Fertility Association's online library, directory, and blog.

 

 

Endometriosis and food

by Corey Whelan

More than five million women in America have been diagnosed with  endometriosis, a leading cause of infertility.

Endometriosis occurs when the endometrial tissue that lines the inside of the uterus finds its way outside and into other organs of the body, such as the abdomen and fallopian tubes.  When this happens, the misplaced tissue develops into lesions which respond to the woman's menstrual cycle.  Each month, the tissue builds up and then sheds.  Inside the uterus this natural shedding becomes part of the menstrual flow.  But outside of the uterus the tissue has nowhere to go and backs up, causing internal bleeding, inflammation, adhesions, pain, and eventually for many, infertility.

There are a number of medical research studies that indicate no curative effect for endometriosis through diet, although in at least one study conducted in Italy, fish oil was shown to alleviate symptoms and in another study conducted in Mexico, a diet high in antioxidants was found to be helpful..

Nutritionists, however, are convinced that diet can play a pivotal role in controlling endometriosis and the often debilitating symptoms that accompany it. 

Nutritional expert  Karen Spencer-Dees, Ph.D. states that "Nutrition is the science of food.  Being educated on proper diet and modifying your eating habits can make all the difference between  successfully having a family, or not.  Sometimes, even the simplest of changes yield the biggest results."  She should know.  Dr. Spencer-Dees is herself a longtime sufferer of endometriosis who through dietary changes, including food combining, dramatically improved her symptoms as well as her overall health.  

For those with endometriosis, there are not only specific foods that you should eat, but also specific foods that you should avoid.  Detrimental foods include those that  increase prostaglandins E2 (GE2) and prostalandin F2a (PGF2a).  These two types of prostaglandins stimulate estrogen, which is the main hormone found to increase the symptoms of endometriosis in those who suffer from it. 

Simply put, the Endometriosis Bad Foods List is as follows:

• Sugar
• Wheat
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Dairy
• Red Meat
• Saturated Fat and all transfats
• Refined Carbohydrates
• Additives and preservatives

What's left?  The Endometriosis Good Foods List includes (but is not limited to):

• Fruits
• Vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables
• Whole Grain Foods
• Flaxseed and other whole seeds
• Beans such as Navy Beans, which are high in choline or choline supplements
• Chicken in moderation
• Fish
•  Fish Oil and other good unsaturated fats high in Omegas 3 and 6 

Also key when you have endometriosis is doing lots of exercise, and drinking 6-8 glasses of fresh water daily.

So does this food list leave you at a loss as to what to nibble on when the munchies hit?   Straight from the kitchen of Dr. Karen Spencer-Dees, try this truly delicious Zucchini Dip.  Healthy does not have to mean boring!

Zucchini Dip

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini

2 tbsp. parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. crushed basil

Shred 1 1/2 cups of the zucchini.  Place in strainer and discard all moisture.  Combine remaining ingredients and add zucchini.  Cover and chill overnight.  Serve with raw veggies, and enjoy!

 

 

The Protecting Pregnant Women and Children from Hexavalent Chromium Act

The allied non profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), has spearheaded research which found that  pollution from cancer-causing chromium-6 in drinking water in 31 of 35 cities. As a direct result of this research, Senators Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., have introduced Senate Bill 79, the Protecting Pregnant Women and Children from Hexavalent Chromium Act of 2011.

The AFA wanted to make sure that this initiative is on everyone's radar.  For anyone who is interested in protecting both pregnant and trying to conceive women, action on behalf of this Senate Bill is a must.

The Protecting Pregnant Women and Children from Hexavalent Chromium Act of 2011 will require the Environmental Protection Agency to set a safclick e legal limit on chromium-6 in drinking water within a year. We need to build support for the bill by convincing as many other senators as possible to sign on as co-sponsors.

Your senators listen to you -- their constituent. You can help by sending an email today. It will only take a minute or two of your time.

Click here today to email your senators and urge them to co-sponsor the Protecting Pregnant Women and Children from Hexavalent Chromium Act of 2011.

Now is the time to take action -- momentum is on our side!

As with most calls to action, you will have the opportunity to support the work of the EWG once your letter is sent. This type of effort will take all of us working together.  Thank you in advance for adding your voice to ours.

Antioxidants and Reproductive Health

By Harry Fisch, MD

Everybody knows that we need oxygen to live. In the body, oxygen is vital for many of the chemical reactions that keep us alive and healthy. But these reactions also produce "free radicals" – highly unstable molecules that can damage cells. Free radicals are produced when the body breaks down foods for use or storage. They are also produced when the body is exposed to tobacco smoke, radiation and environmental contaminants.
 
The body protects itself from free radicals by producing antioxidants – molecules that neutralize or destroy free radicals. We also get antioxidants from food. Antioxidants are abundant in vegetables and fruits and are also found in grain cereals, teas, legumes and nuts. Examples of antioxidants include anthocyanins, beta-carotene, flavonoids, lipoic acid, lutein, lycopene, selenium, and vitamins C and E.
 
In lab experiments, antioxidant molecules clearly block the damage that can be caused by free radicals. It is not as clear whether consuming antioxidants – in food or supplement form – actually benefits health. Many studies have now been conducted and the evidence is mixed. Interestingly, however, it may be that one area in which antioxidants play a key role is in supporting sexual health and fertility.  
 
A recent article in the respected Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that among couples undergoing fertility treatments, men taking antioxidants were over fourfold more likely than men not taking supplements to get their partner pregnant and see a successful live birth.
 
"When trying to conceive as part of an assisted reproductive program, it may be advisable to encourage the male partner to take an oral antioxidant supplement to improve his partner's chance of conceiving," the authors concluded.
 
Further studies are needed to confirm these results, but the findings are certainly encouraging. They also make sense from a physiological perspective. Semen contains vitamins E and C and other antioxidants to scavenge free radicals, which can break down sperm membranes and damage sperm DNA. It may be that oxidative stress damage to sperm contributes significantly to male subfertility. Antioxidants are a key ingredient in a supplement I’ve developed called the Sexual Health Formula.

The clinical trials that were reviewed in the Cochrane paper used a wide range of antioxidant supplements, predominantly vitamin E, vitamin C, carotenoids, ubiquinol, folate and zinc. No one antioxidant seemed to be better than another.   
 
As with any type of supplement, you shouldn’t use antioxidants as a replacement for a healthful diet and lifestyle. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain a wealth of important nutrients in addition to antioxidants, and your overall sexual health is supported by many things such as getting enough exercise, sleep, and avoiding obviously unhealthy habits such as smoking.

It’s also a good idea to let your doctor know if you decide to take an antioxidant supplement and to avoid mega-doses, which might be harmful. The bottom line, though, is that antioxidants are very beneficial and they may be particularly helpful in maintaining sexual health and fertility.

 

Bacon Cheeseburgers and Other Health Foods

By Harry Fisch, MD

Okay, I’m not totally serious. I’m not recommending bacon cheeseburgers on a daily basis.  I’m using this icon of fatty food to make a point: foods high in fat are not the enemy.  

The past decade has seen a remarkable sea change in the medical and scientific consensus about the alleged dangers of fat in our diet.  In part, this is from a re-evaluation of old research, such as that done in the '60s in Africa. Vanderbilt University scientist George Mann, MD, found that Masai tribesman in Kenya and Tanzania who lived primarily on red meat and whole milk were also very lean, had extremely low cholesterol levels, and were virtually free of heart disease.

In addition, a newly critical light has been shed on some research that seemed to support the hypothesis that eating lots of saturated fat raises your risk for cancer and heart disease. In 1953, physiologist Ancel Keys published an influential paper titled "Atherosclerosis, a Problem in Newer Public Health." He compared fat intake and the rate of heart disease in 6 countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Italy and Japan. He found a correlation: nations with high levels of fat intake also had high levels of heart disease.  

Turns out, however, that Keys pulled a fast one. First of all, he “cherry-picked” his data. Statistics about fat intake and heart disease were actually available for 22 countries.  If you analyze all 22, the apparent link between fat consumption and heart disease disappeared. For example, the death rate from heart disease in Finland was 24 times that of Mexico, even though fat-consumption rates in the two nations were similar.

The other problem with Keys’ study is one that frequently bedevils researchers: correlation is not causation. In other words, maybe fat had little to do with the high rates of heart disease in the US, which had the highest level of fat intake of all.  Maybe it was the fact that US citizens didn’t exercise very much, or smoked a lot, or ate a lot of something else that was bad for the heart.

That “something else” is now generally agreed to be refined carbohydrates such as white sugar, white flour and high-fructose corn syrup.   This has led to a number of smart approach low carb diets such as that espoused by the late Robert Atkins, MD.  Recent research suggests that if you want to lose weight, you’re better off on a low-carb diet than a low-fat diet. When people on low-carb diets have been compared head-to-head with those on low-fat diets, the low-carb dieters typically scored significantly better on markers of heart disease, including both LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

 The key idea in all of this is that your body makes fat from carbohydrates. It works like this: when you eat carbs (particularly starches and sugar), your blood sugar level rises. This triggers the release of insulin, which, in turn, signals the liver to start converting excess blood sugar to triglycerides, or fat.

So what’s the bottom line?  If you’re trying to lose weight, then I think a low-carb approach makes sense, combined, of course, with exercise.  If you’re already at a good weight and are otherwise healthy, then stay away from processed foods and unnecessary carbs, but relax and eat what you want with moderation. I like the advice of writer Michael Pollen:  "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly vegetables." His point is to eat normal food, the kind your grandmother was likely to cook — not stuff that’s full of added sugars and other ingredients.

I also think Julia Child had the right idea. She suggested that we all have an imaginary shelf labeled “Indulgences” which contained things like “the best butter, jumbo-sized eggs, heavy cream, marbled steaks, sausages, and gooey chocolate cakes.”  These are not “everyday” foods, she once wrote, but for special occasions, and “when that occasion comes, we can enjoy every mouthful.” Amen. And bon appétit!

Photo: Bricck

Five (honest, just five) simple steps to decreased weight and increased fertility

by Kavita Jhaveri-Patel

There is a significant correlation between infertility and obesity.

A study led by Dr. Van der Steeg, a medical researcher at the Academic Medical Center in The Netherlands, shows that even women who regularly ovulate experience sub-fertility when their BMI (body mass index) is in the overweight or obese category.

It has also been proven that yo-yo dieting or extreme dieting resulting in not enough eating can also affect your reproductive potential.

Losing weight can be a fine balance and the only way to break the yo-yo dieting cycle and achieve this balance is to understand what your body is really craving.

You are probably thinking how the heck do I do that?

I totally get it. Sometimes it feels impossible to lose weight, I have been there myself, but the biggest mistake that most women make in trying to achieve their weight loss goals is thinking they have to follow a regulated diet plan or restrict themselves as a way to shed those unwanted lbs.

Don’t worry I am going to give you the REAL SOLUTION here. If you follow these 5 steps, you will most definitely be on the path to losing weight in a healthy way, and increasing your chances to get pregnant in the process.

Add in more dark leafy greens: greens are packed full of vitamins and minerals, especially the vitamin folic acid, which is essential for reproductive health. Having 2 – 3 servings daily is ideal and will significantly boost your energy levels. How many servings are you having daily? The other fantastic thing about greens is the fiber. The fiber helps the body feel full and satisfied, resulting in naturally cutting out the junk foods without willpower, and a shrinking waistline.

Eat 3 meals a day: In order to burn fat, you want to snack less, and have 3 fulfilling meals a day. When we continuously eat throughout the day we only burn the last thing we ate, therefore our bodies never get a chance to burn the fat. Burning the fat is essential not only to lose weight but because it keeps our blood sugar levels even hence keeping our hormones in check as well. One trick in being able to not snack throughout the day is to have a large satisfying lunch.

Incorporate whole grains: Cutting out the simple carbohydrates such as white rice and white flour are imperative to your weight loss goals, however cutting carbs out completely is a bad idea. You want to incorporate the good grains, the whole ones, like brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat.

The right kind of sleep: Sleep is so crucial to our body feeling rejuvenated and energetic, not to mention it sets the stage for what we crave during the day. If you haven’t had sleep you will go for caffeine or sugar, but if you are getting a full night’s rest in your cravings will totally change.

Have fun with exercise: The body requires movement. It needs it to keep the blood flowing to all parts of the body, hence improving circulation. Having ideal circulation especially for reproductive health is so important. So, have fun with exercise, you don’t have to go to the gym if you don’t like it. Take a dance class, yoga, pilates, or jump rope.

Follow the above steps to increase the chance of successfully conceiving.

Kavita Jhaveri-Patel is a board-certified Holistic Health Coach, and a board certified member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). She is a graduate of the advanced training program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She studied with nutrition and health experts (Dr. Andrew Weil and Deepak Chopra) spanning traditional approaches from the east to cutting edge methodologies from the west.  Kavita has also been trained in Neuro linguistic programming. She combines the knowledge of traditional philosophies with modern concepts to provide her clients with result based actionable approach to having body confidence, leading to natural sustainable weight loss.

Paul Revere's Ride, or How a Yankees Fan Learned to Love Boston

by Corey Whelan

My kids were less than thrilled to find out I was overseeing The AFA's Everything Fertility event in Boston.  Dyed in the wool New York Yankee fans, they didn't love the idea of their mom trespassing into foreign territory.  But given the fact that close to 45 people rsvp'ed for this event, off I went.

Boston is an amazing city, and Massachusetts is a beautiful state.  I got the opportunity to walk the Freedom Trail, peek into Paul Revere's house, and eat amazing seafood in Gloucester, the seaside town where The Perfect Storm was filmed.  But mostly, I got to sit and break bread (Boston Apple Brown Betty of course) with eager potential moms and dads, who came out to attend Everything Fertility.

Our speakers did a terrific job, and I was proud of them.  Hats off to Susan Crockin, Esq.; Merle Berger, M.D., and Susan Gordon Pinnell R.N.   I was thankful to Fertility SOURCE Companies for sponsoring the event.

I was impressed with the caliber, and fortitude, of the attendees. Looking at their faces, I remembered what it was like to be in the thick of it, trying to get pregnant, not knowing what to do next, keeping a brave face on, simply looking for answers, or even a magic fertility bullet.

I don't know if we gave the folks that joined us that night a magic bullet, but I do know we gave them knowledge; simple, clean, honest next steps.  I know we gave them answers to questions, previously unanswered. Said one attendee, "Thanks for running the seminar last night. We got alot more out of it than we thought we would. We're starting our first cycle this month and if it's not successful we're going to call you folks. We're tired of the silent treatment and "do it yourself" attitude of the big hospitals. Your approach seems so much more civilized and stress-free."

I think we gave them hope.  I know they gave me memory.  I never cease to be humbled in the face of this new generation of hopeful parents.  I never cease to be humbled, and grateful, that I have been called to serve them.         

____________

Yes, of COURSE that's a photo of George Clooney.  If you had the chance to put a photo of George Clooney into your blog, you would do it too. 

Photo of George Allmoviephoto.com

Boston Red Sox logo fanhouse.com