Page 2 | No. 76 | www.lvs.com.au
The Healthy Seed PLANNING CONCEPTION By John Tobin ND. There is something very satisfying about planting a seed and watching it grow, but what does it take to ensure the seed will ultimately mature and bear fruit? The first step is to ensure the seed is healthy. Healthy seeds come from healthy plants that generally have a higher resistance to disease. The next step is to ensure the soil is fertile and rich in nutrients, yielding and able to absorb water easily. The conditions have to be just right in order for the seed to germinate and burst into life. The plant then needs all the right elements to continue to mature and eventually bear fruit, - fresh air, adequate water, minerals, various nutrients and the right amount of sunlight. If just one step is incomplete the seed will not grow and the plant will not bear fruit. Similar principles apply when preparing for pregnancy. A seed is impregnated in the womb, cells begin to divide, a foetus develops and approximately 9 months later the fruit of labour is born! But what are the factors that are likely to impact the outcomes of a healthy pregnancy? One factor to consider is our dietary habits. A diet high in sugar and processed or refined carbohydrates has been strongly linked with infertility in both women and men. High carbohydrate diets disrupt the finely tuned balance of hormones required for reproduction (not to mention the increased risk of obesity). One large prospective study found that women with the highest refined carbohydrate
fat dairy may increase the risk of anovulatory infertility whereas intake of high fat dairy may decrease the risk.2 Good fats include saturated fats (from meats, eggs and full fat dairy), essential fatty acids (such as the omega 3 and 6 oils) and medium chain triglycerides (found in coconut oil). Harmful fats, also known as trans fats are contained in hydrogenated vegetable oils (such as margarine or vegetable shortening). Organic foods are also an extremely important consideration. Pesticides known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (or EDCs) have the ability to disrupt hormonal balance by mimicking hormones which in turn, can have
One large prospective study found that women with the highest refined “ carbohydrate intake had a 78% greater risk of ovulatory infertility than women with the lowest intake. � 1
intake had a 78% greater risk of ovulatory infertility than women with the lowest intake.1 Another dietary consideration is our fat intake. Contrary to mainstream marketing, a low fat diet can actually be detrimental to the developing foetus. Fats are essential for optimal development, and together with protein, form the structural framework of our body. A recent study comparing low fat dairy to full fat concluded that high intake of low
detrimental effects on fertility. Furthermore, many of these chemicals have the ability to cross the placenta barrier. It is now estimated that by the time many babies enter the world they may have as many as 300 industrial chemicals in their bodies.3 Another area to focus on is our lifestyle habits. Are you the type of person that works hard through the week, skipping meals, working late and needing a coffee to keep things