Imagine a diet that measures its success by how much weight you gain. Baby weight, that is.
Recent research shows that what you eat can have a big impact on your fertility. The key is using food to naturally regulate the hormone insulin, says Jeremy Groll, M.D., an ob/gyn and reproductive endocrinologist at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and author of Fertility Foods (Fireside, 2006).
Insulin is like an air-traffic controller and redcap all in one—when you eat something, it’s converted into glucose, which the body uses for energy. Insulin registers its arrival and tells your liver to stop making its own glucose. Then it allows the cells to take in the glucose they need. If there’s any left over, it links them together and escorts them to the muscle and liver cells for storage. If there’s a lot left, it’s stashed in fat cells.
But when these signals get crossed, the body ignores insulin’s directions. This is called insulin-resistance and it’s often a big culprit in infertility—especially for women who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or who are overweight. Dr. Groll made the connection between insulin and fertility while working with women who had been diagnosed with PCOS. The diet (and exercise) program was developed specifically to help these women conceive.
“Increased insulin resistance throws off the ovulation,” says Dr. Groll. “It can cause subtle changes in the cycle or cause you to stop ovulating entirely.” And even if your cycle’s on track, insulin resistance can hamper egg quality and impair implantation, increasing your chance for miscarriage. Too much insulin causes the pituitary gland to overproduce luteinizing hormones that control the ovulation cycle, and it spurs on testosterone production, which hinders ovulation. “Then everything begins to snowball,” says Dr. Groll. “The more insulin, the more fat, the more fat, the harder it is to break down and the harder it is to get pregnant.”
{loadposition frboost} But Dr. Groll says his fertility food plan can help far more women than just those with PCOS who are trying to conceive. For one thing, while 5 to 10 percent of women of reproductive age have PCOS, as much as half of them may have insulin resistance, often without knowing it. For these women, the eating plan can up the chances of conception. And for everyone else? “There’s a large segment of the population that can benefit from improving their metabolism, not only to maximize their reproductive hormonal efficiency, but to improve their lifetime risks of heart disease and diabetes,” explains Dr. Groll. In other words, you have nothing to lose.
But the good news is you can not only get your body back on track, but you can also optimize the way it functions by watching what you eat. The linchpin of Dr. Groll’s diet is balancing the amount of protein, carbs, and fat you consume in a consistent ratio every time you eat. If you’ve been following a low-carb diet, or are at least conscious of limiting the carbohydrates in your diet, you’re probably already on the right path. Other popular diets—like South Beach and Atkins—do focus on proteins and carbs, but this plan is based on research and a menu specifically designed for reproductive-aged women. And it’s healthy and well-balanced enough to follow before, during, and after your pregnancy.
In Dr. Groll’s plan, every meal should be made up of a serving of protein; a side vegetable, fruit, or salad; and a glass of water. Snacks should contain a third as many grams as your main meal. First, start with protein, which the body needs for normal function and repair. “Most people only get 30 to 40 grams a day, while they should be getting more like 80 to 90 grams,” says Dr. Groll. Aim for lean proteins like salmon, turkey, low-fat yogurts, and tofu. If you’re having trouble meeting your gram goal, try adding protein powder supplements to yogurt or smoothies.
Then pair your protein intake with an equal amount (80 to 90 grams per day) of complex carbohydrates. Carbs trigger insulin, so you want to be sure to eat complex ones like whole-grain breads, oatmeal, broccoli, beans, leafy greens, and mushrooms—they are higher in fiber so they break down slower, letting your body maintain energy without over-surging. Plus, they fill you up longer, so you won’t be rooting around in the fridge too soon.
Choosing carbs that are lower on the glycemic index (meaning they convert to sugar more slowly) helps keep your insulin levels from spiking. Fruits like apples and grapes, that have more fiber, are pulpy, and have skin, are better choices than bananas and mangoes, which are higher on the glycemic scale. (Check out www.glycemicindex.com for a helpful food chart.)
Your body needs healthy fats, too, so for each meal be sure to add half as many grams of fat as you have protein or carbs. Some examples of good fats are almonds, avocados, olive oil, and peanut butter. And don’t forget that beverages count. Your best bet is to stick with water. Alcohol and caffeinated drinks may worsen insulin resistance.
Overall, each of your meals should have an equal number of protein and carbs, and half as much fat, resulting in a caloric ratio of 1/3 protein, 1/3 carb, 1/3 fat (because fats have twice as many calories as the others). “This is not a starvation diet. You should feel full and satisfied,” says Dr. Groll. Plus it’s a diet that you can actually stick with since the foods you eat are probably in your refrigerator now.
While many women will lose weight following the food plan, “the goal of this regimen is not specifically to lose weight,” says Dr. Groll. The ultimate measure of success is to improve the way your body uses insulin. While you’re resetting your metabolism, you’ll also be transforming your shape by toning and building muscle: don’t forget there’s an exercise component to this plan, too.
Because your muscles rely on insulin to provide them with glucose, they are most affected by insulin resistance. And exercise not only tones your muscles, but helps them respond to insulin more effectively. Which in turn helps you boost your fertility. Dr. Groll recommends doing aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, gardening, etc.) for 30 minutes, five to six times a week, aiming to keep your heart rate at 50 to 60 percent over your baseline. In addition, he advocates doing a strength workout (push-ups, biceps curls, rowing, etc.) two to three times per week.
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