In a recent interview for US Weekly magazine, Kristen Bell spoke about her 30 day no-sugar challenge.
Her and husband Dax Shepard both gave up the “toxic stuff,” as Kristen boldly claimed, and said her second pregnancy was much easier. At the end of their 30 day no sugar challenge, both her and her hubby indulged in brownies and cakes and claimed to not feeling so good!
[Photo Credit: The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn]
Instead of brownies, cakes and other sweet indulgences, Kristen prefers to have fresh fruits, such as apples or grapes.
So…trying to get pregnant and thinking about giving up sugar?
Is sugar the main culprit for infertility?
What else can you do for an easy-breezy pregnancy and increase your chances of conceiving?
Let me tell you!
I’ve had the honour of working with many women and couples who were having issues conceiving, whole others wanted to clean up their diet to prepare their body for baby.
Here are my pregnancy tips for you…
1. Ditch The Sugar – yes! Kristen got it right by giving up sugar and reaching for nutrient dense fresh fruits. There’s nothing wrong with a little indulgence every now and again, but pay attention to how much sugar you are actually consuming. From your tea, to coffee, to bagels, bread, treats, desserts, and special concocted lattes from Starbucks; sugar is lurking in just about everything! Sugar can destroy the good bacteria in your gut causing bloating, gas and numerous digestive upsets, while spiking your insulin which can cause some serious hormonal chaos. Imbalanced hormones + blood sugar instability + poor gut health is not an ideal ‘environment’ for baby.
2. Get Moving – exercise is so important for not just your health, but for preparing your body for a 9-month pregnancy. Squats, walking, swimming, yoga, all movements that are great for getting the blood flowing, creating an optimal hormone response, and more importantly, helping to prepare your pelvic floor for giving birth. Deep squats (weighted or not) and hip openers are especially great for this.
3. Eat Whole Foods – What does this mean exactly? Sticking to as close to nature as much as possible. Choose organic, grass fed and hormone and antibiotic free meats. Reduce your intake of pesticides, herbicides and other added preservatives and chemicals is vital for your health and the health of your baby. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, grass fed meats and dairy, cold water and wild caught fish, include a variety of nuts and seeds, and opt for filling and hearty squashes, such as sweet potato, spaghetti squash and pumpkin over heavy gluten-rich grains and carbohydrates. Eating as close to nature as possible will ensure you are providing your body with nutrient dense vitamins and minerals.
4. Eat More Fat – your hormones need fat to function and your hormones need to be in optimal ratios in order to conceive. Fat is where it’s at. Choose grass fed butter, coconut oil or ghee and olive oil. Ditch the vegetable oils such as canola, soy, sunflower or safflower. These are highly unstable oils and are genetically modified.
5. Take Your Supplements – In this VIDEO, I share the top 4 supplements all women should take if they are trying to conceive or plan on having a baby in the future. From nourishing your brain, supporting optimal gut health and optimizing hormones, these supplements are vital for your health and the health of your baby. Watch HERE NOW.
and lastly…
Know that it takes 2 to conceive. I find a lot of women blame themselves for having difficulties around getting pregnant and the truth is, a man plays just as vital a role as a woman. Men (and partners) should get on board with eating a clean, whole foods diet, exercising, and doing what is necessary to optimize their health and wellness (and hormones!).
Looking to build the right Fertility diet for you and your partner? Let’s connect!
Email me at – samanthagladish@gmail.com and we can arrange some time to chat 🙂
