Nutrition and Fertility
Nutrition plays an essential role on the health of the reproductive system. Many studies have clearly demonstrated the positive effects of a healthy and balanced diet on improving fertility, in both male and female.
To increase the chances of conception is essential to ensure your diet is low in chemical additives and that delivers all the nutrients needed for proper functioning of the body, to balance your hormones, and to maintain and produce healthy sperm and ova.
The diet should be varied and well balanced. The guidelines for a balanced diet suggest to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (such those coming from nuts and avocadoes) and whole grains and to limit the consumption of refined carbohydrates and red meat.
Achieving and maintaining the ideal body weight is also central to increase the possibility of conception is in both men and women as being overweight that or underweight can have a negative effect on fertility.
The excess fat tissue in women can lead to dysfunction of the menstrual cycle and the production of hormones responsible for ovulation. The overweight and obese men have low sperm production and hormone related problems that cause infertility.
In many cases simply a gradual weight loss, accompanied by a healthy diet which delivers the entire essential nutrient, is enough to get good results and significantly increase the possibility of conception. In some cases, infertility can be caused by reproductive system diseases, coeliac disease and more.
Fortunately some diseases that often cause infertility, such as the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis can be managed successfully through a specific and personalized dietary intervention.
Patients with PCOS should try to consume a diet low glycemic index and high in fiber as this helps to modulate the amount of sugar and then insulin released into the blood after a meal. You should also prefer organic foods because they contain less pesticides and hormones which cause hormonal imbalances.
In some cases changing to a healthy, low GI diet is not enough to improve the symptoms. Thankfully, the nutrition research in PCOS is going ahead and there are now few new protocols that can be used.
For example, a new science based nutritional intervention called the ketogenic diet has been shown to be very effective on improving insulin resistance, hormone balance and weight in PCOS patients.
What does a Nutrition for Fertility Consultation involve?
Our Registered nutritionist Dr. Ilenia Paciarotti will assess your lifestyle, eating habits, medical history and any concerns you may have about your health and fertility. With this information she will design evidence based dietary plan specifically design to improve your fertility, and you will know exactly what to do next.
Because of the level of complexity and the risk of nutrition deficiencies, the diet for PCOS and for endometriosis should be initiated under supervision of a trained Registered Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian. Ilenia is a highly trained registered nutritionist with a Degree in Human Nutrition, a PhD in clinical nutrition and may years of experience in clinical research and private practice.
Cost:
First Consultation
Consultation time: 90 minutes / Cost: £85.00
Follow ups
Consultation time: 45 minutes (approx.) / Cost: £50.00
Consultation time: 30 minutes (approx.) / Cost: £35.00
To make a booking:
For more information or to book a consultation please contact Ilenia at KnotStressed.
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Please be aware that in the UK, the nutrition profession is not statutory regulated and many 'Nutritional Therapist' or 'Nutritionists' do not hold the adequate qualifications to prescribe diets or give any nutritional advice. Look for those professionals that are registered with the AfN, which governs the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN). This is very important as it to distinguish nutrition practitioners who meet rigorously applied training, competence and professional practice criteria. Its purpose is to protect the public and assure the credibility of nutrition as a responsible profession.