Nourish Your Fertility – number 18 from Creation Fertility Guidance Cards (#fertilityinspiration) .
From a dietary perspective I believe the Western diet has lost it’s connection with nature and the seasons. If you have any form of hormonal imbalance or when on a baby creating programme I recommend Fertility Superfoods to nourish your fertility. Green vegetables such as broccoli contain a group of natural compounds called glucosinolates and sulforaphanes. Without wanting to blind you with science these natural compounds support detoxification and hormone balance because they stimulate the super important phase 2 liver detoxification system. Sulforaphanes help the liver to release the harmful compounds such as synthetic hormones and are especially important when you want to nourish your fertility whether that is when you are trying to conceive, cleanse after failed assisted conception or suffer with any estrogens disorders including sub-fertility, PCOS, fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis , menopause or acne.
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Amazingly, studies have shown that just 1 cup (or 200 µmol of sulforaphane) of raw broccoli sprouts contains enough sulforaphane to penetrate breast tissue and stop cancer growth (Cornblatt et al 2007) which indicates its super hormone balancing power!
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Nourish Your Fertility Recipes
Powerhouse Juice – 1 head of purple sprouting broccoli with its large leaves (you could use Kale), a handful spinach leaves, 1 very large sprig of fresh mint and half a honeydew melon. Totally energising, detoxing, full of iron and antioxidants and a great way to nourish your fertility. You can also add a dessertspoon of ground flaxseeds to support hormone balance and make the juice thick like a smoothie
Top Tip! Whilst I am a great believer in juicing not everyone has time to grow and juice sprouts. Tonic Attack are a wonderful convenient alternative with their raw broccoli sprout juice or wheatgrass juice sachets. These can be drunk on their own or mixed with the smoothie on a daily basis. The beauty of them is that they have a very high level of sulforaphane in them, approximately the same amount as 2kg of broccoli, or a large bowl of sprouts, but all raw and untreated and ready to drink. You don’t even need to keep them in the fridge, meaning they can travel with you easily if necessary.
The Green One: Very large handful baby spinach leaves, half a head of broccoli plus it’s, 2 kiwis (skinned) and half a lime. Wonderful but very green!
L
iver Cleansing Juice – 1 raw beetroot, stalks and leaves (scrubbed well) with 2 pink lady apples and quarter of a lime. Totally yummy and a wonderful colour!
Eat a variety of these daily to nourish your fertility
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| Brassicas – The Brassica vegetable family (Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale) nourish your fertility because they are nutrient powerhouses, rich in hormone balancing magnesium fibre and folate together with sulforaphane which can improve oestrogen metabolism. |
| Germinating sprouts – broccoli, spirulina, wheat grass, mung, quinoa, alfalfa, chickpeas, radish, sunflower, buckwheat, pumpkin are all packed with nutrients and help to nourish your fertility. (You can also add dried spirulina, chorella, wheatgrass juice or blue algae to smoothies etc) |
| Flaxseed are also known as linseeds : include 2 tablespoons per day. Flax seed contain phytochemicals called lignans. These nourish your fertility and support hormonal health because they help to improve oestrogen metabolism and are a form of fibre. |
Wild Garlic Pesto: Makes 300g. This will go well with black bean or lentil Really Healthy Pasta or some grilled fish.
80 g wild garlic leaves 50 g parmesan (or similar hard) cheese 50 g pine nuts 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 100 ml olive oil + more for topping up the jar. Wash the wild garlic leaves and dry them carefully. Grate the cheese Grind the pine nuts in the nutri bullet/food processor. Add cheese, salt and pepper and about 1/2 of the wild garlic leaves. Blend again. Repeat with the remaining leaves. Add the olive oil and blend. Put in jar and top up with oil so that the pesto is covered and close lid. Source: http://foodfun.blog.co.uk/2007/04/07/making_wild_garlic_pesto~2050357/
One Tray Fish Bake Dish – Marinade your fish fillet (salmon, sea bass or, sea trout) with lime, black pepper, olive oil and freshly grated ginger. Choose your vegetables and cut up (I chose to mix sweet potato wedges, cherry tomatoes and chunky carrot pieces) in olive oil, fresh mint and a handful of fresh dill. Place on the base of a baking tray. Put fish on the top. Cover in foil and let it cook in the oven. I tend to put it on a lower heat 180* C for longer 45/60mins, but you could go for a higher temp and cook for shorter period of time because the foil keeps the heat evenly distributed with the food.
Start Sprouting To Nourish Your Fertility
Freshly sprouted pulses, grains and seeds are highly nutritious. Pound for pound they are more nutritious than any other food. Eat them as a snack, appetiser, add to soups, stir-fries or anything else. If you are really not ready to grow your own then sprouting seeds can be purchased from most supermarkets, health foods shops and organic delivery companies.
How To Sprout. Buy a salad sprouter or use a glass jar– brand names include Gaia and Biosnacky. If using a jar you will need a glass jar, a rubber band, water and a muslin cloth or kitchen paper for a lid.
Rule of thumb is 1.5 tablespoons of seeds per batch.
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- I place my seeds into a small bowl and cover them with water then I soak them for at least 3 hours (or overnight). You will notice they swell considerably.
- Drain and rinse with fresh water. Transfer to your seed sprouter/germinator or jar. Rinse again before placing the lid on.
- Leave in a dry but warm place – I keep mine in the kitchen or on the window sill because I like green sprouts but if you prefer white ones then place them somewhere dark – like an airing cupboard – each approach gives a different taste and texture
- Remember – rinse and drain the seeds at least twice a day – until sprouts are ready to eat. This is essential to avoid fermentation and mouldy seedlings.
4. When ready to eat, rinse and use straight from the jar or sprouter – they will be ready in about 3 days. You can store them when sprouted in an unsealed bag in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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Disclaimer: This blog, its information and articles are meant for general information only and should not be construed as any form of medical or other guidance or recommendation. The suggestions do not take into account whether you a pregnant, trying to conceive, taking any form of medication or suffer with food sensitivities or allergies or any health issue. Naturopathic consultations and assessment are recommended on an individual basis.
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References: Fahey and Talalay. Antioxidant functions of sulforaphane: a potent inducer of phase II detoxifi cation enzymes. Food Chem Toxicol 1999;37:973-97, Sulforaphane Glucosinolate Monograph. Altern Med Rev 2012;15(4): 352-360, Li et al. Sulforaphane, a dietary component of broccoli/broccoli sprouts, inhibits breast cancer stem cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2010 May 1;16(9):2580-90.
