Superfoods for Fertility (and the easiest way to get them in your diet)

The food that we put into our bodies can be one of the most important decisions that we make. I am always talking about how important it is for people who are on their health and fitness journey- but eating right isn't JUST for losing weight. Fueling our bodies properly can be for weight loss - for energy - to help with or to prevent disease - or even to prepare for pregnancy! Whether you are just starting to think about a family or have been trying for years, eating a healthy, clean diet in preparation for pregnancy and to boost fertility is one of the most powerful health choices that you can make while you are planning for children.

As a newly married woman, I've been starting to think about our family and future children more than ever. While skimming baby community forums and websites, i've seen many women taking all kinds of neccessary steps, and your diet is definitely on the top of that list. Nutrition is so important in improving fertility and supporting healthy pregnancies. Eating foods that are natural and supply the body with essential nutrients is not only good for our health in general, but also helps to improve fertility and make conception easier.

Now, I am going to give you an overview of some of the most amazing superfoods for your fertility and their benefits... AND the BEST part of this list? I am going to give you the EASIEST way to get all of these superfoods into your diet every single day: SHAKEOLOGY!

Shakeology is THE BEST. I've always been a little crazy about trying to get superfoods into my diet. They have an abundance of minerals, vitamins, anitoxidants, and other beneficial ingredients.. many which are great for your fertility.. as well as a never-ending list of other benefits. So when I first found Shakeology (hellooo 70 superfoods! Of COURSE I was going to try it!) and started drinking it, I was only hoping to lose weight and better my health a little bit. It wasn't long before I realized that this little shake that I was drinking for lunch was the most amazing thing that I could put into my body... the benefits are just incredible. With it's all-natural ingredients and superfoods.. NO artifical ANYTHING.. It's truly a health shake!

Okay, so read on about how this shake, and it's ingredients, can HELP YOU!

Maca

Maca comes from Peru and not only helps to balance the hormones, it increases egg health, increase sperm count and sperm health while also being a tonic for the endocrine system. Maca also helps to increase progesterone if the body is low in this hormone, which is extremely important to enhance fertility and prevent miscarraige. A few other bonuses of Maca are increased libido, and increased seminal volume, sperm count, and sperm motility in men.

Chlorella and Spirulina

These tiny aquatic plants that has been used by humans since pre-historic times. They are packed with nutrients (protein, vitamin A, iron, phytonutrients, etc). They nourish the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems, regulate metabolism and repair tissues. The most important quality is its ability to detox the body and help to keep it alkaline (cervical mucus which transports sperm is alkaline, so it’s important to eat alkaline foods).

Flax

Flax seeds contain B vitamins, maganese and magnesium. It is high in Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids which your body needs to balance hormones. It also contains phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) knowns as lignans, which block harmful xenoestrogens (synthetic chemicals in the environment which have estrogenic properties) in the body.

Sacha Inchi

Sacha Inchi offers a perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as protein, vitamin A and alpha-tocopherol vitamin E (the most beneficial form of vitamin E), while being 100% irritation free. Sacha Inchi has been found to improve your overall circulation and blood pressure, lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides, and raise HDL (“good” cholesterol). The omega-3′s found in the seeds strengthen your entire cardiovascular system.

Omega-3 acids have been shown to help fertility by helping to regulate hormones in the body, increase cervical mucus, promote ovulation and overall improve the quality of the uterus by increasing the blood flow to the reproductive organs.

Protein Powder

Protein is essential for a healthy diet, and many women do not get enough protein in their diet daily. Protein powders can be a great option for you since it it's so easy to make and consume... but it can be hard to find a protein powder that's acceptable for a healthy fertility diet. All protein sources should be all-natural, or raised without hormones and antibiotics, and the protein source should never be soy.

Shakeology includes clean protein from all-natural (NO artificial) ingredients, including whey, sacha inchi, flax, chia, quinoa, amarantha, and pea proteins.

(**Vegan Shakeology formulas do not contain whey)

Greens powder

A healthy fertility diet that is rich in whole foods and dark green vegetables builds a strong foundation for fertility and reproductive health. Some of the most beneficial greens powders are spirulina, wheat grass, barley, spinach, kamut and oat grasses- all ingredients in Shakeology.

Camu-Camu

Camu berry has additionally been proven to encourage fertility. The camu berry helps to safeguard you from harmful toxins that you are exposed to through foods and the enviornment, and subsequently raise the likelihood of conception both in women and men. The camu berry also has an anti-inflammatory effect. People are becoming more conscious of how inflammation is actually a systemic issue, which means it affects the whole body (and all sorts of organs within it). Vitamin C is a wonderful anti-inflammatory supplement, and when you receive high-density, full-spectrum vitamin C from camu berries, you get one of the finest anti-inflammatory medications through the natural world.

Goji

These little berries improve fertility and help to treat sexual dysfunction. They are particularly useful for those suffering from endometriosis and PCOS or anyone trying to balance hormones. They are believed to increase sexual fluids and enhance fertility.

Chia

For centuries, the Chia plant was a highly valued crop by the Mayans, Aztecs and Southwest Native Americans as a staple food because of its energy and sustenance properties. Chia seeds are said to have 2x the protein of any other seed or grain, 5 times the calcium of milk.. plus boron which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium into your bones, 2 times the amount of potassium as bananas, 3 times the reported antioxidant strength of blueberries, 3 times more iron than spinach and copious amounts of the essential fatty acid, omega-3.

Moringa

This tree has been traditionally used in many countries for ailments like anemia, anxiety, asthma, blood impurities, bronchitis, chest congestion, cough, diarrhea, eye & ear infections, fever, headaches, abnormal blood pressure, pain in joints,pimples, psoriasis, respiratory disorders, sore throat, anndd.... semen deficiency.

Moringa is high in nutrients, many of which we are lacking. Moringa has seven times the vitamin C found in oranges, four times the calcium in milk, four times the vitamin A in carrots (beta-carotene, not retinol) three times the iron in spinach, three times the vitamin E of almonds, three times the potassium in bananas, and two times the protein in milk. Also? It has over 40 antioxidants. And we all hear from both conventional and alternative doctors how important antioxidants are for reducing our risk of cancer, slowing aging, proper egg and sperm health. Research from various labs have shown that natural herbal medicines can be applied to cure both male and female infertility, one of which is Moringa.

Reishi

Reishi is most commonly used to strengthen the immune system. This mushroom down-regulates excessive immune response (common in autoimmune disease), but enhances monocyte, macrophage, and T lymphocyte activity. It is also anti-inflammatory, anti-candida and has been shown to support the body during states of stress. Reishi is also protective of the liver.

Reishi is well known adapotogen, shown to improve adrenal cortical function, which is why it has the ability to support the body during states of stress. Reproductive health issues and infertility may increase a person’s stress level. For those who are finding it hard to manage their stress levels, reishi may help. Also, Reishi's ability to support and protect liver health may be useful for those who have been through several cycles of medicated IUI, IVF or long-term birth-control use, which may have an impact on the liver. And reishi’s ability to reduce pelvic inflammation makes it a good candidate for managing the discomfort of endometriosis and uterine fibroids.

Cordyceps

One study published by The American Journal of Chinese Medicine showed that Cordyceps in rats enhanced sperm production and sperm motility in 5 weeks of supplementation. In addition, serum testosterone levels were increased. Another study published in Biology of Reproduction showed that Cordyceps enhanced 17-estradiol (female sex hormone) production (E2) in human females. E2 production directly influences the quality of maturing oocytes (a female gametocyte or germ cell involved in reproduction).

This discovery plays an important role in not only natural conception, but for those seeking medical reproductive assistance. The researchers hope was to help the development of treatments to improve success rates for IVF.

Maitake

A particular interesting fact about maitake is that when the dried mushroom is placed in direct sunlight outdoors, the amount of vitamin D2 increases. One study showed the vitamin D2 content to increase from 460 IU (indoors) to 21,000 IU. While this is not how Shakeology is made, this ingredient still has high levels of Vitamin D, which plays a significant role in the health of the human body. Vitamin D is required for regulation of ovulation. Studies have shown that women with PCOS and uterine fibroids commonly are deficient in vitamin D.

Maitake may be supportive for those with immune related infertility issues, uterine fibroids (benign tumors of the uterus), or menstrual cycle irregularities due to nutritional deficiencies.

Bromealin & Papain

These unique enzymes help support reproductive health and fertility. Here are some of the issues enzymes such as Bromealin and Papain may help with:

Endometriosis- May help to reduce the scar tissue and breakdown the excess tissues left from endometriosis. Also aids women who have endometriosis by reducing the inflammation caused from the scar tissue irritating the surrounding organs and may help with the pain that sometimes comes from having endometriosis.

Recurrent Miscarriage- In a five year study women who had experienced a recurrent miscarriage due to immunological response (more than 30% of miscarriages) were put on a enzyme supplement before and during there pregnancies. 79% of the women carried out their pregnancies to term and gave birth to healthy babies. This is an amazing discovery. The only options available before this study were anti-immunological agents similar to the type used in transplant patients, but most doctors will not use them due to there toxicity during pregnancy.

Uterine Fibroids and Cysts- Enzymes have been shown in research to reduce the engorgement (swelling and pain) of fibrocystic conditions. They also eat away at the cysts reducing their size or eliminating them over time. With uterine fibroids it is important to also make sure you are reducing your estrogen exposure and actively getting rid of excess estrogens.

Acai

The Acai Berry boosts energy levels, improves digestive function, improves mental clarity/focus, promotes sound sleep, provides vital vitamins, contains several important minerals, and is an extremely powerful free radical fighter. Acai also has very high levels of fibers, cleanses and detoxifies the body of infectious toxins, strengthens the immune system, enhances sexual desire and performance, fights cancerous cells, slows down the aging process, promotes healthier and younger-looking skin, alleviates diabetes, normalizes and regulates cholesterol levels, helps maintain healthy heart function, minimizes inflammation & improves circulation. If all of those benefit aren't enough, The Acai berry also helps in improving the hormonal balance of the woman and improves the chances of fertility..Plus helps in absorbing minerals and vitamins and helps secure the egg safely.

A fertility clinic in Colorado is investigating the effect of the acai berry on infertility. The tests have shown promising results in mice, where treatment improved egg quality in older female mice.

While this does not include the full ingredients list of Shakeology, you can see that there are quite a few ingredients that are key in your fertility, and overall health. Let's face it- EVERYONE, whether trying to conceive or not- should have a focus on eating a healthy, natural and clean diet for their health. There are so many benefits to the ingredients listed above, as well as the other superfoods in Shakeology that are not listed here.

The best part is that adding Shakeology to your diet is so easy. Let's face it... how many people are honestly going to go out and buy all-natural Spirulina, Acai, Camu-Camu, Chia, Flax, Whey, Quinoa, Goji, Reishi, Morigna, Sachi Inchi, ect. and make a shake every day or add that to their meals? Probabably not very many of us. With Shakeology, All you have to do is to add a scoop to your water or milk (I personally use coconut milk for my Shakeology), and you're done! You have all of your superfoods, a glass of dense nutrition, that easily.

But it's also not just about food. Too little or too much weight can make your cycle irregular, causing you to ovulate only now and then, or not at all. Your ovaries and your fat cells regulate estrogen, which affects ovulation. If you're too thin, you may not be producing enough estrogen, and if you're overweight or obese, you may be producing too much. If you are ready to commit to your diet AND fitness before your pregnancy, ask me about my upcoming fitness challenge group!!

>>Learn more about Shakeology HERE<<

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