So, you're thinking about freezing your eggs?
Well, I'm glad that you found me!
Before you progress any further, have you thought about your diet?
Stop and think for a minute... the point behind freezing your eggs is so that you can have
access to young, healthy eggs when you need them.
What's the point of freezing unhealthy eggs?
None!
So, today I'm going to share my top 4 dietary tips before freezing your eggs.
Stay tuned!
Your diet has a big impact on the health of your eggs, or oocytes as they are known in
the medical world.
So, ensure that you follow these top tips...
Number 1: Ensure that your diet is rich in good fats, and conversely, low in bad fats.
Good fats include foods like extra virgin olive oil, fish, nuts and avocado, and I'm
sure that you know what your bad fats are... chocolate, ice cream, potato chips, biscuits...
all of those foods that we know that we should be avoiding but don't.
Research suggests that good fats not only improve our general health, but also improve
the health of our eggs.
Bad fats increase oxidative stress which can influence egg maturation.
Secondly: Optimize your weight.
Research indicates that when we are overweight, not only does that mean we carry extra fat
around organs like our heart and liver, but it also increases fat in the fluid surrounding
our eggs, which in turn, impacts our eggs' health.
Furthermore, the DNA, or genetic code, of women who are overweight, has found to be
more "disorganised".
These two factors mean that when we carry additional weight, our eggs aren't as healthy,
and we're less likely to conceive when we want to.
Vice versa, for women who are underweight.
Now I know that achieving a healthy weight isn't easy, but most women that I see can
optimize their weight when they put their mind to it, but they struggle to stay within
a healthy weight range... usually due to a combination of our culture and hormones that
cause you to go back to your original weight again.
But, if you're planning to freeze your eggs, now is the time to optimize your weight to
the best of your ability, even if it is for the short term... but just do it in a healthy
way.
Number 3.
Focus on foods which have a low GI.
GI stands for 'glycemic index' and describes the rate at which carbohydrate foods break
down.
A low GI diet has been found to optimize egg health, so swap foods which break down quickly
with those which contain more fibre and/or protein and break down more slowly.
Examples include swapping apple juice with a whole apple, which still has the skin on
for extra fibre; swapping white bread for a higher fibre, wholegrain bread or adding
chick peas to a risotto to boost the amount of protein in the meal.
Finally, tip number four, is to ensure you're taking the right supplements.
You may have heard that it's important to take nutritional supplements during before
conceiving and during pregnancy.
In particular, it's recommended that you take at least 400 micrograms of folic acid and
150 micrograms of iodine, even if you eat a healthy diet.
Well, if you're planning to freeze your eggs, I'd recommend that you get on to these recommendations as well.
Now, the supplements that you'll require, and the amounts will differ from woman to
woman, so I'd highly recommend that you have a consultation with a dietitian to discuss
the best supplements for you.
For example, women who carry extra weight, have diabetes, smoke, have Coeliac disease
or have a family history of Neural tube defects require increased amounts of folic acid, and
women with some thyroid conditions need to avoid additional iodine.
So, double check what's right for you.
Okey dokey!
I hope you've found that helpful.
Now, to help you put it all together, I've put together a free fertility meal plan
for you.
Just click the link below to download it.
And, while you're down there, I'd love to hear your feedback and questions.
Ideally, I'd love to see you following all of these recommendations for at least three
months before your egg collection.
You can also find me on social media if you'd like some additional dietary tips.
I know it's a big step, so I hope it all goes well for you!
Chat soon!