This Fertility Friday is a special one! Today, I am proud to share my interview with Katie O’Conner, founder of Shine, a non-profit organization that helps women struggling with infertility.
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Nourish. I’ve spent 100% of my time in my nutrition career talking ad nauseam about nutrition, but probably only 25% of that time using the word nourish. Isn’t that ironic? How could this important word get so little fan-fare in my every day “spiel” – the one that I use to encourage people to live better lives through consuming more nutritious foods!? Blasphemy! Why does this word mean so much to me now, more than ever? Because my co-conspirator, Elizabeth Shaw and I, are about ready to revel our Fertility Foods Cookbook that’s all about NOURISHING yourself!
Back before I had my daughter, during my early struggles with infertility, I found myself searching for ways to nourish and “center” myself.
Are you done having kids?
I get that question quite often. Sometimes it’s an innocent question, other times it feels more judgmental, delivered with a tone that feels accusatory – how could I possibly only have ONE child? And the question comes from anyone and everyone. From the mom at the playground to the grocery check-out person. And it hurts. Secondary infertility hurts.
Are you in need of some amazing thirst-quenching drink ideas?
It’s hot and you’re thirsty. You’ve had glass after glass of water, but you’re looking for something with just a little more pizazz.
It can be a struggle to drink enough water every day and many of us fall short of our water requirement. Instead of thinking “outside of the box” when it comes to water, we continue to grab our glass, stick it under the facet and hurriedly chug it down. Just trying to “get it in.”
Fertility Friday + Lacinato Kale Salad with Peaches and Maple Vinaigrette Recipe
It’s Friday! Yahoo! Besides being the start of the weekend, Friday also means it’s time to focus on fertility. This week’s post is all about kale and peaches. Really? Yes, really.
Kale & Peaches & Fertility
Kale has an important nutrient that many mommas-to-be may be missing in their diets. Bonus, peaches work synergistically to help get the most out of that nutrient. How? Well, let’s look a little closer at each food for a moment:
Kale — Are you bored with this dark, leafy green yet? I sure hope not because even though it may not be the trendy, hip culinary sweetheart that it was a year ago, it still packs a serious nutritional punch. In the case of fertility, eating kale makes sense. Why? Well, because it’s a source of iron which is a nutrient that can be lacking in women’s diets, especially women of child-bearing age. And iron is important because it helps transport oxygen in your blood. If you don’t get enough, it can leave you feeling tired and weak. A big enough deficiency can even lead to anemia. And a possible link to infertility is another reason you need to protect yourself from iron deficiency.
Peaches — Yum, who doesn’t love a good peach! Besides being sweet and juicy and delicious, peaches also contain vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can protect us from the damage done to our cells by free radicals. This is awesome because free radical damage can do serious harm to our health and has been linked to diseases such as cancer.
KALE + PEACHES — Now why the two together? Because while that kale has iron, it’s a plant-based (or non-heme) source of iron versus an animal-based (heme) source of iron, which isn’t as readily absorbed by your body. Bummer! But have no fear because that’s where those peaches come into play. More specifically, the Vitamin C in those peaches. By including a Vitamin C food source with your non-heme iron food source, you’ll increase the absorption of that non-heme iron. How awesome is that?
AND FERTILITY? — As I mentioned above, women of child-bearing age, may be missing out on iron. It can happen pretty easily because your needs increase during this time as well as during pregnancy. And research from the Nurse’s Health Study revealed a possible link between iron deficiency and infertility. Talk to your doctor if you expect a deficiency. In the meantime, eat a variety of heme and non-heme iron foods. And don’t forget that Vitamin C!
Now, get my Lacinato Kale Salad with Peaches and Maple Vinaigrette Recipe!
Fertility Friday + Recipe for Maple Cinnamon Almonds
Do you remember back in the ’80’s and ’90’s when all fat was considered “bad?”
Looking back on that time, it was almost comical the degree to which we feared fat. Companies worked so hard removing it from their products and people went crazy buying fat-free everything. I remember noshing on a box of fat-free cookies thinking, “wow, no fat, but they sure taste good, I’m so glad they’re good for me!”
Fat is Back?
Oh dear! Luckily research has improved and we are no longer shunning fat. In fact, now we know that fat is vital to our existence. Fats provide energy, help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and can keep our hearts healthy. We just have to be smart about the type of fats we’re choosing and how much of them we’re eating.
But I Can’t Eat as Much as I Want?
While all fats fit, it’s important to keep moderation in mind. Saturated and trans fats are the types of fats we should limit. Research is always on-going on this, and recently saturated fast have been in the news about not being as “bad” as we once thought. My advice? Stick with moderation. Go for the whole milk, but keep your serving to one cup. Enjoy that birthday cake, but choose the small slice instead of the massive monster piece. See where I’m going with this? Don’t over-indulge. It’s never wise to eat too much of one thing, right?
Instead, focus on getting more healthy fats into your diet. We call those unsaturated (specifically monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats. These unsaturated fats can also help support fertility by helping control blood sugar and tamper inflammation. Where do you find them? Great question!
Where to Find The Fantastic Fat:
Sources of polyunsaturated fats: fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines; flax seed and flax seed oil, walnuts and edamame
Sources of monounsaturated fats: nuts (like in these Maple Cinnamon Almonds!) and seeds, avocado, canola and olive oil
Putting it Together
It’s easy! Eat fat, but make smart choices. Stick with moderation and balance your intake with other foods. Eating this way just makes sense! Feeling inspired? Get into your kitchen and make these yummy Maple Cinnamon Almonds so that you can enjoy some of those nutritious healthy fats!
Maple Cinnamon Almonds
Description
Super easy snack made with almonds, maple syrup and ground cinnamon.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 1/2 cups almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300’F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Place the salt, maple syrup, water and cinnamon in a medium pot and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir to combine. Pour in almonds and stir until almonds are well coated. Spread out on prepared sheet pan and bake 20 minutes, rotating the pan half way through cooking time.
- Remove and allow to cool before enjoying.
Nutrition
- Calories: 2118
- Sugar: 32
- Sodium: 1192
- Fat: 180
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 157
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 90
- Protein: 73
- Cholesterol: 0
Smart Snack Tips + Recipe for Sweet and Spicy Peanuts
Snacks! Yay! Snacks!
Right? Who doesn’t love a great snack!? How about if I told you that dietitians love and believe in snacks too? And that Liz and I also believe that snacks are an important part of staying well-nourished for fertility? It’s true, but here’s the deal, the type of snack you choose matters.
We’re not encouraging chips, donuts, or cookies. No, we want you to eat nourishing snack foods and keep them small. Remember, this isn’t a meal! Shoot for foods that make you feel good after eating them and keep the portion to a reasonable amount.
Need more information? Sure you do! Don’t worry, Liz has you covered! She’s explains tips on smart snacking and shares an amazing recipe for Sweet and Spicy Peanuts. So head on over there now by clicking here to learn more.
Happy Snacking Friends!
Fertility Feature: Infertility Awareness in the News!
We are so happy to announce that we’re not the only ones talking about infertility this week. So many great people are sharing their stories through the news and media and we wanted to take today to highlight a few with you.
Before you head on over to Liz’s site for her amazing round-up of the latest “buzz” and news surrounding infertility, I thought I would share some of my reflections.
Reflections on Infertility
I – Isolating. Even though you often feel isolated in this journey, please know you are NEVER alone! Liz and I are here to prove that! And Resolve is an amazing resource that can help you find support in your area.
F – Futile. It may seem that your attempts at conceiving are futile. That all of the work you’re putting in isn’t paying off. But, we encourage you to have hope and to focus on the things you can control and the things that make you happy. Hard to do, we know, but definitely worth the effort.
E – Emotional. You knew this one already. One day you’re the happiest you’ve ever been and the next, you’re crying in your pillow. Infertility is an emotional journey! Gain support from friends, family and US! 🙂
R – Rest. Yes, you heard me. Rest yourself. Nurture yourself. So many times we’re so busy caring for others, that we forget about ourselves. It’s ok to take a break, to take a deep breath and relax.
T – Time. It may often feel like time is working against you. But I encourage you to think differently. Realize that time is something you don’t have control over. So live in the moment, live in the now.
I – Intimate. Maybe not the word you’re thinking of, but it’s true. This is an intimate journey – so very personal. Honor that and the emotions that come with it.
L – Love. This is a journey that needs to have a foundation that starts with love. Take this time to nuture your relationship with your significant other. Build a strong base to bring that baby home to!
E – Enlightening. I have learned more about myself and others than I ever thought I would through my journey with infertility. Enlightening doesn’t seem like a strong enough word for that gift. I’ve been blessed with a journey full of “aha” moments that have made me a better mother, wife, daughter, sister and person, in general.
Click here to head over to Shaw Simple Swaps for her amazing fertility feature today!
Fertility Feature: Meet Elana Natker of A Sprinkle Of Sage + grab her recipes for Oatmeal My Way and Spring Rolls!
This is a big world full of awesome people, and I always feel so blessed when I meet anyone in that “awesome” category. Elana is one of those awesome people. She’s a rock star dietitian and a true advocate for our profession. She’s excellent at communicating nutrition information in a practical and relatable way, and we love that. She’s also honest and human! So, Liz and I were super honored when she said she would be happy to share her infertility story (and a few recipes!) with us for our special Fertility Feature Series.
And Elana is the Real Deal! Read about all that she does here:
Elana is a nationally recognized food and nutrition expert and spokesperson with nearly two decades of experience working in communications. Prior to becoming a registered dietitian, Elana worked in public relations, eventually parlaying both skills into a career as a nutrition communications consultant. While she works with a variety of clients and issues, the cause most dear to her heart is maternal and child nutrition, from preconception to the preschools years.
And she’s been there!
Elana is a wife and mom to two fabulous kids (and one fur-baby – her dog, Buster.) She struggled with infertility with her first child and can relate firsthand to the emotional side of trying to conceive (fueled by some seriously strong hormones). She is also a resource for postpartum depression, as PPD is four times more likely for those who have received infertility hormone treatment vs. those who conceived spontaneously.
Thank you Elana. What a wonderful profession that you get to combine your love for nutrition to help others achieve the family they too, have dreamed of! We are so incredibly honored to have you join us!
Recipes!
Just to prove how awesome and generous she is, Elana’s also got two amazing, fertility-friendly recipes for you. Visit her over at A Sprinkle of Sage and grab the recipe for her Oatmeal My Way and Spring Rolls!
Want more? Don’t forget to head over to Liz’s site, Shaw Simple Swaps, for more features of dietitians we love.