#fertilityfriendly

Most of the smoothie recipes in my book, Homemade Smoothies for Mother and Baby, contain a source of healthy fats. This is because fats are essential for making hormones, which explains why women (and men) who are on low-fat diets and are too lean, or who have very low cholesterol levels, are more likely to be infertile due to inadequate hormone production, especially progesterone in women and testosterone in men. Fats are also essential for pregnancy due to the very high hormone levels present (namely progesterone), are important while breastfeeding for breastmilk quality and they support milk production. Fats are also super necessary for young kids for calories and healthy nervous system development. Overall the best sources of fats suitable for smoothies for maternal and child health are saturated (eggs, dairy, coconut), monounsaturated (avocado, macadamias, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, walnuts), and omega 3 (flax, chia, walnuts, hemp seeds, eggs). As an added bonus, fats in smoothies make them extra delicious! #motherandbabysmoothies #makingbabies #fatsinsmoothies #fertilitysmoothies #fertilityfriendly #healthyfats

A healthy liver is essential for hormone balance and detoxification. Both hormone imbalance and dealing with a toxic load (e.g. pesticide exposure from non-organic foods, synthetic chemical-based cosmetics and cleaning products, alcohol, caffeine, the pill) can contribute to infertility or pregnancy complications. This goes for men as well as women, with the most important lifestyle factors during the preconception period being abstinence from alcohol, and consuming a diet rich in antioxidants. Foods that help keep the liver in tip-top shape include antioxidant nutrients, such as glucosinolates from cruciferous vegetables, antioxidant colour pigments in fruit and veg, plus vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A and E, choline and selenium. Liver and smoothie friendly ingredients include - green leafy veg (especially spinach, parsley and crucifers like kale and bok choy), carrots, beets, lemon, limes, avocado, ginger, turmeric, chia, flax, avocados, peaches, cinnamon, cardamom, watermelon, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and sunflower seeds. Recipe - Spicy Brazilian (from the “Making Babies’’ chapter) 1 cup pineapple, fresh or small frozen pieces 4 Brazil nuts 1 tablespoon hemps seeds 1 cup almond milk Pinch of cardamom (up to ¼ teaspoon) ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 1 egg yolk (optional) #motherandbabysmoothies #makingbabies #loveyourliver #fertilitysmoothies #fertilityfriendly

More than 300 biological functions in the human body require zinc, and zinc is necessary for the synthesis of all proteins in the body including genetic material. Hence, it is one of the most important fertility nutrients for men and women, as it directly influences the quality of eggs and sperm. Zinc is involved in energy metabolism, and hence the reason sperm contain a high level of zinc is to give them the energy they need to reach the egg and create and release enzymes to help the sperm head to penetrate the egg’s outer shell. Zinc also aids sperm motility by preventing them from clumping together, which slows them down. For women, zinc is important for the immune system, balancing blood sugar, detoxification, and hormone balance because zinc is needed to make progesterone. Hormone imbalance can affect how regular a menstrual cycle is, and how an ovary develops and releases its eggs. Smoothie- and fertility-friendly sources of zinc include cacao, chia, coconut, cashews, Swiss chard, parsley, eggs, macadamias, maple syrup, oats, pecans, peanuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, tahini, figs, spinach, ginger root, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Recipe - Chocolate Pudding (from the “Making Babies’’ chapter) 2 tablespoons raw rolled oats plus ½ cup water or milk, or ½ cup of porridge (cooled) 1 banana, fresh or frozen and sliced ¼ avocado 1 tablespoon of raw cacao plus tiny pinch of salt 3 medjool dates, pitted 1 cup non-dairy milk 1 raw egg (optional) Handful of spinach (optional) #motherandbabysmoothies #makingbabies #zinc #zincforwomen #zincformen #fertilitysmoothies #fertilityfriendly

Folic acid is probably the most famous recommended pre-natal nutrient. The term folic acid is frequently used interchangeably with folate, but it is the synthetic form, which is in most supplements, whereas folate (or vitamin B9) is the natural form in plants (and liver). Folate is needed to make healthy new cells, and given there is a lot of cell division going on when a fetus is developing in the first 3 months of gestation, it is essential! The average diet will provide around 200mcg of folate, and given around 50% of pregnancies are unplanned, it is wise for all women of childbearing age to either supplement, or ensure the diet provides at least 400mcg. Folate is also needed for male fertility for sperm quality and in similar levels to women. Better quality sperm means a better chance of hitting the target and lessens the chance of abnormal sperm fertilizing an egg and potentially causing birth defects. For many, including me, the presence of the gene MTHFR means that folic acid is difficult to metabolise in the body. A simple blood test will determine if this is present and an activated/methylated form of folic acid will require supplementation via a practitioner. A daily green smoothie goes a long way to providing essential folate for parents to be, with around 100mcg in just a 50g serving of spinach alone. Smoothie- and fertility-friendly sources of folate include leafy greens, especially spinach, kale, parsley and romaine (cos) lettuce, avocado, peanuts, beets, oranges, papaya, mangoes, banana, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and cantaloupe. Recipe - Citrus and Melon Mover (from the “Making Babies’’ chapter) This recipe provides around 200mcg of folate if using 50g of spinach 1 packed cup of orange segments 1 packed cup of cantaloupe pieces 1–2 handfuls of spinach (or other leafy green as listed above) #motherandbabysmoothies #makingbabies #folate #folicacid #MTHFR #methylation #fertilitysmoothies #fertilityfriendly