Welcome to my new site! This site will provide research-based information on how nutrition, lifestyle, and environment affect fertility and pregnancy. I’m a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a Masters degree in Nutrition. I have worked for the past 4+ years in the area of infertility and pregnancy. I have had the privilege of working with some truly wonderful and inspiring women and men on their journey to becoming parents.
I feel really passionate about the positive impact that nutrition (and other lifestyle and environmental factors) plays on fertility and pregnancy. There is an ever increasing amount of research are how dietary patterns (protein/carbohydrate/fat composition), specific vitamins and minerals, specific food components (different types of fats, carbs), food toxins (pesticides, PCBs), food packaging components (BPA), and personal care products may impact hormones and subsequent fertility and health of a pregnancy. I will address polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, weight, age-related infertility, unexplained infertility, and egg quality issues among others. I’ll also post recipes and provide tips to reduce environmental exposures. All of these steps can not only help maximize your fertility and increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy, but keep you healthier throughout your life.
I feel I need to address the fact that unfortunately there are some problems that nutrition can’t fix. Nutrition can’t unblock fallopian tubes nor is there any miracle food or supplement that will suddenly make you get pregnant or correct a genetic issue. I am very wary, as you should be, of “miracle” cures. I find the impact of nutrition to be in many ways bordering on magical, but the information I’m presenting here will be based on science. When the body is nourished and supported properly, it has an amazing capacity to heal itself, resist disease, and function properly. The impact of nutrition isn’t instantaneous…it can be slow, achingly slow for some, I realize. On the other hand, changing your diet to get your body as healthy and in the best condition possible to support a healthy pregnancy can only help you. Whether or not you should take a break from medical fertility treatments to focus on diet and lifestyle changes is very much a personal decision and one to be made in conjunction with your family and medical team.
Here you will find information on diet, exercise, supplements, environment and the impact of each one on hormone balance, fertility, and pregnancy. All information provided is based upon my training, experience, and research. I really want this blog to be helpful for women and men seeking reliable information (since I know how much questionable information is out there), and I welcome your feedback, questions, and experiences. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope this site will be helpful for you!
Posted by Margaret Wertheim
