Fertility Diet, part 3, I love Paleo
I Love Paleo
The easiest and best diet for fertility is Paleo. Paleo has exploded in popularity and has many variations. I’m a fan of Chris Kresser and Mark Sisson. They make this very accessible. I highly recommend their books and websites to get started with this lifestyle.
Paleo isn’t about only eating what a caveman ate. It’s about eating how our ancestors have ate over thousands of years. A lot of the foods we eat have only been around for less than one hundred years such as canola oil, modern wheat, pea protein, most forms of soy, etc. I usually tell patients to try and eat how their ancestors would have eaten 500 years ago. If your ancestors ate dairy then, it will probably be ok for you. Even though most people’s ancestors ate wheat, the wheat we have available in the US is a frankenfood. Please read Grain Brain & Wheat Belly since that is far too much info for a blog. Cut out wheat and gluten for now and reintroduce back heirloom wheat after baby.
People ask me if rice, quinoa or potatoes are OK? They might be. It really depends on you. I would start by eating a minimal variety of foods and trying the strictest version of the diet first. Then in a month I would start adding in more non-processed foods slowly and see how your body feels. Modern processed foods, such as the Impossible Burger, are never ok.
I would say one of the most important aspects of Paleo is eating in season. It’s not natural to eat salad all year round. One of the best things I’ve ever done is join a local CSA (community supported agriculture). It forces you to learn how to eat in season and how to cook things you probably have never heard of. Some people struggle in winter, but that’s what preserved food (either through canning or drying) was used for. Also, fermented foods have historically been a major part of people’s diets and are great in winter.
I’m very weary of farmers markets, especially in NYC. While their offerings look great, it’s obvious a lot of it is coming from outside of NY. I’ve seen so much produce being sold in February that can’t possibly been grown in NY or a greenhouse in NY. You really need to do your homework with that. Also, don’t blindly trust supermarkets like Whole Foods. Corn syrup is a very modern invention and it can be found all throughout that store.
There’s plenty of articles about how fertility is plummeting. One of the major reasons for this is diet. By going back to a nutrient dense and healthy way of eating, your body will get healthy without much effort.