Processed or Genetically Modified Foods Affect Fertility?
Almost one in every seven American couples will struggle with infertility, and in at least twenty percent of those cases there will be no obvious medical reason for the inability to conceive. It is believed that women who eat healthy diets, therefore have healthy, stable insulin levels are much more likely to ovulate regularly while those who eat in a less healthy manner, leading to insulin resistance or diabetes, are much more prone to have ovulation cycles which are less than regular. Trans fats, which have been in the news frequently lately as a negative diet factor, are thought to disrupt hormones as well, and it is recommended that a woman who is trying to conceive do her best to eat as little food with unhealthy trans fats in them as possible-less than two grams, or better yet, none at all.
Some Foods Which Negatively Affect Your Fertility
Any food which contains a substance known as xenoestrogens-which many highly processed foods contain-can negatively affect fertility as they have the unique, and unwanted ability to reproduce specific pregnancy hormones. While we all love our cup of coffee in the mornings, some nutritionists believe that even that one cup of coffee can seriously slash your chances of getting pregnant-as much as fifty percent, possibly. Although soy has been shown to be a healthy addition to the diet in many cases, soy foods should be avoided by both men and women who are trying to conceive a baby. Soy has been shown to lower sperm counts in men, and create estrogen levels which are too high in a woman, preventing her from getting pregnant.
Genetically Modified Foods
Foods which have had their genetic makeup altered using gene-splicing techniques are actually quite common in our everyday foods. The FDA has seen no compelling reason to require companies to label products which have been made from genetically modified corn, soy or rice, yet studies are showing that these altered foods may be detrimental to human health. GMO foods have been genetically altered from their natural state to grow bigger, quicker, and be herbicide and insect resistant. A handful of long-term studies have been done related to GMO corn, and all showed that mice who were fed GMO corn over a 20-week periods suffered from highly impaired fertility. Even the offspring of the mice were shown to have had similarly low fertility rates. Since over 93% of soybeans are GMO, you have yet another reason to avoid all soy foods. Avoiding GMO corn will likely be a bit more difficult, as the high fructose corn syrup found in practically everything on the grocery shelves is made from GMO corn, it is in canola oil, and some milk come from cows who have been injected with the genetically engineered hormone rBGH/rBST--and are routinely fed GMO corns and grains. Become an avid label reader if you want to up your chances of conception by avoiding genetically modified foods. Buy organic when possible, and haunt your local farmer's market.
Avoid Pesticides, Hormones and Herbicides Whenever Possible
It has been definitively proven that the pesticides and herbicides routinely sprayed on our "healthy" fruits and vegetables has a negative impact on overall fertility. These toxic chemicals affect the fertility of both men and women, by leading to a lower sperm count in men, and causing disruptive hormonal levels in women. In an attempt to avoid these chemicals, once again, buy organic, or from your local farmer's market. If you also want to avoid the chemicals such as pesticides which are stored in the animal's fat, traveling directly to your milk and meat, then you should also look for organic dairy and meat.
A Few Last Words
Finally, eat as little sugar as possible, substituting honey when you absolutely must eat something sweet, and stop drinking water from thin plastic water bottles which leach the chemical xenohormones into your water, and disrupt your own hormones. Processed sugars such as high fructose corn syrup, white sugar and corn sugar consumption create a spike in blood sugar, causing your body to release too much insulin. If you are consuming these sugars day in and day out, your body will cease to respond to insulin, in turn leading to infertility. So, if you are trying to get pregnant, steer clear of sugar, processed foods, soy, genetically modified foods, as well as those sprayed with toxic chemicals. Difficult to do, but the results are well-worth the effort you put into changing your diet.
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