Trouble getting pregnant may be related to diet

A new book called "The Fertility Diet" has some interesting insight into the potential link between what a woman eats and her ease with getting pregnant. I would normally think something with this title could be folklore, however, the diet is based on research from the Harvard School of Public Health and the book is written by the study authors. They're on the Dec 10th cover of Newsweek along with an article summarizing the data. The researchers looked at over 18,000 women that are part of the ongoing Nurse's Health Study, which is a huge, long-term research project assessing the effects of diet on a number of diseases. They found that women who readily got pregnant ate a diet with lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, and plant proteins and ate less trans fats and animal protein. The women who had fertility and ovulation issues were eating nearly the opposite. Interestingly, they also found that consuming whole milk foods - ice cream, cheeses, full fat yogurt -was beneficial for fertility. The book also mentions exercise and maintaining a healthy weight as key lifestyle factors in promoting fertility.

Bottomline: The book gets the green light for overall soundness and balance. The Fertility Diet promotes a healthy diet rich in the foods you should eat the most - whole grains, fruits, vegetables - and those you should eat the least - fatty meats, baked goods, and processed snack foods. While having full fat dairy is more controversial since it is high in saturated fat, dairy overall is rich in calcium and other nutrients your body needs. Just stick to 1-2 appropriate portions per day if the dairy is full fat: 1/2 cup ice cream, 1 oz cheese, 1 cup yogurt. If you've been trying to get pregnant and are having trouble, paying attention to your diet and making healthier choices is certainly a step in the right direction.