There are certain foods that can improve your ovarian function. This can help if your trying to conceive and have a low ovarian reserve (low egg count). This is indicated by a follicle count (pelvic ultrasound), your AMH and FSH levels. Not just your AMH. Usually only done if you’ve been trying for over 6-12 months.
Below are some juice recipes to incorporate into your fertility treatment. All dietary recommendations should be individualised via your health care practitioner to take into consideration your constitution, hormones, metabolic type etc.
Note: juices should not be too pungent/ spicy/ bitter, etc so adjust ingredient dosages so the juices have a mild flavour.
Rotate the juice recipes, no more than 3 of a particular juice per week.
Juice Recipes:
- Apple, carrot, kiwi, Nashi pear, purslane
- Tomato, celery, carrot, pepper, parsley, garlic clove, lemon juice
- Spinach, celery, apple, fennel
- Orange, carrot, cucumber, celery, purslane
Smoothie options:
- 1 scoop of whey protein or rice protein (choc flavour), 1 large raw egg (only fresh, free range), coconut oil (2 tsp), 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 banana, 1g bu zhong yi qi tang 5:1 powder (from your Chinese herbalist), water.
- 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 avocado, 1 TSP coconut oil, 1/2 cup raspberries, 1g purslane (ma chi xian 5:1).
Enjoy:)
Optimal Nutrition for Fertility
We frequently recommend various vegetables and juices for fertility and we often incorporate carrots. There are many reasons for this, but in this study they showed that a vitamin A deficiency can prevent your eggs from maturing properly.
Now if you plan on eating tons of carrots, keep in mind that carrots don’t directly supply much vitamin A. Your body has to be able to convert the b-carotene to vitamin A. If you directly take a vitamin A supplement, it’s easy to get to toxic levels which can damage your reproduction and more. So, we recommend dietary sources of Vitamin A. Along with improving absorption and metabolism and this is one of the places where acupuncture can be extremely useful.
Source: Biol Reprod. 2009 Jul 8.
Want to know more about the Chinese herbs mentioned in these recipes or other natural ways to boost your fertility? Contact us at Freedom Chinese Medicine on reception@freedomchinesemedicine or 03) 9486 5966.
Written by Dr. Elaine Hickman (click for more info)
