Top 3 Nutrients for Improving Fertility with Endometriosis
Written in collaboration with student dietitian Rachael Gilholm @rachael_fit_nutrition_
There is hope for all endo-mothers to be! Research shows that changing your diet can in fact, reduce your symptoms of endometriosis and also optimise fertility. This is especially important for those who are undergoing assisted reproduction treatments such as IVF and want to improve their egg quality and implantation success.
Get started with these anti-inflammatory diet tips to improve your fertility!
Eat an array of antioxidant-rich foods in every meal.
Endometriosis can cause an increased number of free radicals in the body, leading to oxidative stress and inflammation in the fluid surrounding your eggs. This inflammation can damage the fragile DNA inside your egg, preventing sperm fertilisation that even assisted reproductive technologies (such as IVF) cannot resolve.
Antioxidants are powerful nutrients that combat oxidative stress, reducing the number of free radicals and inflammation in the body and therefore, protecting your precious eggs. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, olive oil, whole grains and oily fish are where antioxidants are most abundant. Aim for a variety of colour and diversity in your diet, as this will ensure you are getting a range of different anti-oxidants to provide you with all the health promoting benefits on offer.
2. Get your 25 g of fibre per day.
Women with endometriosis are often oestrogen dominant which describes when oestrogen levels in the body are above normal. Oestrogen dominance can cause growth of endometrial tissue, inflammation in the body, heightened pain in the pelvic area and infertility. New research indicates that oestrogen dominance may be caused by an imbalance within the gut microbiome and increasing our fibre intake can help us “poo out” the excess oestrogen. However, it is important to note that not all fibres are the same. Focus on low glycaemic index fibres which provide slow release carbohydrates. This includes legumes, mixed grain breads, rolled oats and some fruits such as apples and oranges. Eat less of the high glycaemic index fibres such as white bread and highly processed cereals as they can, in fact, promote more endometrial tissue growth. Low GI fibres also help with managing blood sugar and insulin which has further positive impact on female hormone balance and fertility.
3. Reduce your saturated fat intake by 50%.
Trans and saturated fats found in animal products and refined oils have been shown to promote inflammation and increase oestrogen dominance, ultimately affecting fertility. Particularly, palmitic acid found mostly in red meats, which has been shown to worsen endometriosis.
Reducing saturated fat by 50% has the potential to decrease excess oestrogen levels by 20%!
On the other hand, omega 3 fats from foods such as oily fish and other seafood, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds have anti-inflammatory effects in the body and have shown to reduce the symptoms of endometriosis. Making this simple switch is a powerful way to improve your fertility.
Whether you’ve been on the natural fertility journey for some time, undergoing IVF or still a little while away from starting a family, looking after your hormone health is incredibly powerful and important. As an endometriosis and fertility dietitian, I am uniquely positioned to help you optimise your health and give you the best chance of conceiving a healthy baby now and in the future. Apply for a complimentary online strategy call to learn about how I can help you.