5 Diet Tips To Make The Holidays
Fertile For Aspiring Moms
The holiday season brings families together. It’s also a popular time to start a family.
U.S. birth rates show conception rates peak in December. Nine of the 10 most common birthdays range from Sept. 9-20, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Social Security Administration. Given that pregnancies average about 38 weeks, many women are conceiving around Christmas.
But holiday festivities can also wreak havoc on diet, and healthy nutrition is an important factor for optimal fertility, says Hethir Rodriguez, founder and president of Natural Fertility Info.com (www.natural-fertility-info.com) and a certified herbalist specializing in women’s health.
“Eating a fertility diet in preparation for pregnancy and to boost fertility is one of the most powerful health changes you can make,” Rodriguez says. “Numerous studies have shown that specific changes to the diet can improve fertility, prevent recurrent miscarriage, and support a healthy pregnancy.
“A natural fertility diet supports your body in its reproductive efforts, including foods that are dense in nutrients needed for hormonal health, fetal development, egg health, sperm health and much more.”
Rodriguez gives five diet tips that can help improve fertility:
Eat Organic. Rodriguez recommends consuming organic produce when available. “Conventional produce could contain harmful herbicides and pesticides, which have been shown to negatively affect both male and female fertility,” Rodriguez says. “Studies have shown that organic vegetables and fruits may have more nutritional value as well.”
Cold-water fish. Fatty acids aid in the production of hormones, reduce inflammation and help regulate the menstrual cycle. Fish supplies omega 3, an essential fatty acid. Rodriguez says stay away from deep-water fish, such as tuna and swordfish, due to their potential concentrations of mercury. “Focus on cold-water fish such as wild Alaskan salmon, cod and halibut,” she says.
Grass-fed organic meat. This is a great source of essential fatty acids and protein while being low in saturated fat. Rodriguez says women should eschew conventionally raised cattle that contain high levels of added hormones and antibiotics.
Superfoods. Rodriguez suggests Royal jelly, which comes in capsules or in a base of honey and is rich in numerous vitamins, calcium, iron and has all the essential amino acids; and maca root, a Peru-produced superfood that helps increase egg and sperm health. Superfoods are easy to add to your diet as they are taken in small amounts and can be added to nearly any recipe.
Eat your greens. Dark leafy vegetables are packed with minerals, antioxidants and vitamins; all essential to healthy fertility. Examples of dark leafy green vegetables that are readily available over the holidays are spinach, swiss chard, kale, arugula, and collard greens. Green veggies are rich in fiber, which Rodriguez says helps regulate blood-sugar levels and remove excess estrogens from the body, which may in turn help to reduce fertility issues.These vegetables are easier to incorporate in to the diet than you may think. They can be eaten in salads, juices, sauteed, or added to fruit smoothies and warm winter soups.
“You want your diet before conception and throughout pregnancy to build up nutrient stores and provide all the healthy building blocks for a healthy child,” Rodriguez says. “A fertility diet gives you and your future child the best start in life.”
About Hethir Rodriguez
Hethir Rodriguez is the founder and president of Natural Fertility Info.com (www.natural-fertility-info.com), a website focusing on many aspects of natural fertility, infertility, and reproductive health. She’s the author of the e-Book Fertility Smoothies: Elixirs for Optimal Fertility, and has been a certified herbalist for nearly 20 years, specializing in women’s health and natural fertility. Rodriguez holds a B.S. degree in nutrition sciences, and is also a certified birth doula. Since she founded Natural Fertility Info.com in 2007, Rodriguez’s research, articles and guides have been read by over 40 million people.
=============================================
Dear Dave,
My fiancé and I are getting married in three weeks, but he lost his job as an experienced HVAC technician at a hospital a few days ago. Do you think we should still go on a honeymoon, or wait until things are more stable? I’m on Baby Step 3 of your plan, and I make $56,000 a year. I also have $7,000 in an emergency fund. He was making $64,000 a year, and he’s on Baby Step 2 with about $10,000 in car debt remaining. We have $3,000 already set aside for the trip, plus another $2,000 we were planning to put toward fixing up his place.
Corina
Dear Corina,
First, congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I hope you two will have long and happy lives together.
Usually, I’m not a big fan of spending when someone loses a job. But I think your situation is a little different than most. You’re both serious about dumping debt and getting control of your finances. Plus, you’re working together, and you’ve already got a nice chunk of cash parked in the bank. That tells me you’re both wise enough to know the importance of saving.
Your guy can find another job in a couple of weeks, considering his field and experience. Companies everywhere are hiring people right now, and the economy is booming! If he gets out there and really busts it looking for another position leading up to the wedding, I think you two will be fine. He might even be able to work it out to start right after the honeymoon.
You two have some financial padding, his job is an easy one to replace, and his income will be restored soon if he’ll just get out there and make it happen. Go on the honeymoon, and have a wonderful time. God bless you both!
—Dave
(Dental insurance for the kids?)
Word count: 190
Dear Dave,
Should I keep buying dental insurance for my kids, or is it just a gimmick?
Brenda,
Dear Brenda,
Dental insurance is one of those things where it’s easy to see that the payout is greater than the return. We’ve had dental insurance proposed to us at my company several times as an employee benefit, but when you add up what you pay for it you’ll find you rarely spend that much on dentistry. In many cases, I advise self-insuring for dental care.
Now, there is a dental discount company I highly recommend called 1Dental.com. This kind of thing is worth it. As a member, you get discounted rates on dental work when you visit an in-network provider. I’ve gotten to know the folks behind this organization, too, and they’re great people.
Hope this helps, Brenda!
* Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 14 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey
