Credit: LizMarie_AK via Flickr Creative Commons.

1. Meal planning is good for your health

If you have to start planning your meal when you are already hungry, you are more likely to make bad choices like ordering a (fatty) pizza or having a highly processed microwave meal from the supermarket. People who plan their meals in advance are more likely to choose healthy foods that meet all their nutritional requirements. It can be great for people who are on a weight loss diet too.

2. It’s tasty

If you are taking your time to plan the meals you will eat, say, for the rest of the week, you will probably sit down with a recipe book or look for tasty meals on the internet. When we are in a hurry, the quality of the meal will suffer, and that includes how tasty your food is. What’s more, those who are stressed about “what’s for dinner” probably can’t enjoy their meal properly anyway.

3. Meal planning saves money

Meal planning saves money, because people who meal plan don’t buy more than they need. This is particularly important when it comes to fresh produce, but even items that supposedly keep, like pasta and the like, are often thrown away after sitting in the cupboard for a long time. Meal planning saves money because it eliminates the need to buy fast foods or go to a restaurant at the last minute, too.

4. Meal planning can save time

OK, it will not save time if you opt to make complicated multiple course dinners from scratch, but it can save time. That time you spend planning out your meals is redeemed later, when you don’t have to stand in the grocery store queue at the last minute or drive to get a meal somewhere else.

5. Meal planning reduces stress

That’s right — knowing that you will have nice, nutritious meals throughout the week and knowing exactly what you spent on them reduces stress. It makes you feel organized, something that may well produce a ripple effect and carry over into other areas of your life.

If you have never heard of Kegel exercises, we’ll refer you to our previous post – What are Kegel exercises? – to find out how to perform pelvic floor exercises. If you know what Kegels are but are not yet sure whether you should be doing them, read right on!

Kegel exercises were, quite apparently, named after the person who first took formal note of their effectiveness. They are also called pelvic floor exercises, because they target the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor muscles are there to hold your pelvic organs in place, something that goes for both men and women. Both genders benefit from doing Kegel exercises, but they are especially noteworthy during pregnancy and right after, because pregnancy and birth cause the pelvic floor muscles to sag and lose strength.

Kegels will help prevent or cure urinary incontinence, prevent pelvic organ prolapse after pregnancy (trust me, this is something you don’t want first-hand experience with!), and may increase sexual pleasure for both partners. Pelvic floor exercises may be the only work out you can do without anyone knowing about it. You can make use of your daily commute by doing Kegels, or you could perform pelvic floor exercises while you are in a boring meeting at work.

Kegels ensure that this area of muscles gets a work out – and the pelvic floor muscles are certainly none less important than your abdominals, biceps, or any other group of muscles that you target regularly during your work out routine. Ask anyone who has ever had a problem with weak pelvic floor muscles, and you will be convinced. Or don’t, actually. Just do the Kegels!

Folate, the naturally occurring version of folic acid, may be better than the artificial alternative, but only if you eat plenty of food sources of folate. If you are not getting enough, you are better off supplementing as this B vitamin is essential for many aspects of your baby’s development. Even if you do take a folic acid supplement, it is still useful to know what foods are rich in folate. Here is a list for you:

• Peas
• Peanuts
• Spinach
• Beans
• Sunflower seeds
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Oranges
• Turnips
• Egg yolk
• Baker’s yeast
• Kidney
• Liver

In addition to these foods, some cereals and grains have been fortified with folic acid, which may bring you closer to the recommended daily amount as well. There are differences in bioavailability between supplemented folic acid and various types of folate contained directly in food. For this reason, a system called the dietary folate equivalent, or DFE, system was invented. This may be useful to you if you are hoping to gain most of your folate from foods while you are expecting a baby.

Let’s take a look: The dietary folate equivalent is defined as 1 μg of dietary folate, or 0.6 μg of folic acid supplement, with a reduction to 0.5 μg of folic acid in cases where supplements are ingested when the stomach is empty. If you’re not mathematically minded, and just want to enjoy your food, you may like the idea of a folic acid supplement or a multivitamin containing folic acid.

1) Fresh fruits and veg. These are good for you in many more ways then we could possibly describe here. Many vegetables contain folate, the natural version of folic acid which is recommended by all doctors for women trying to conceive. Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants come as a nice bonus. Fresh fruit and vegetables should probably form the backbone of any healthy diet.

2) Protein from plants. Not all protein was created equally – research has shown that protein that comes from plant sources boosts fertility, while meat protein does not. Vegetables like beans (which are a great source of iron too), lentils, chickpeas and green peas are great foods when you are trying to get pregnant.

3) Dairy products. Did you know that women who consume full-fat dairy products like (obviously full-fat) cheese, milk, butter and ice cream are less likely to encounter problems with their ovulation? This is really an excellent excuse to get that Ben & Jerry’s out! Of course, I don’t need to mention that dairy products are full of calcium too, and that is also good for your fertility.

4) Foods containing Omega 3 fatty acids. A lack of Omega 3 fatty acids is linked to an increase in infertility for both sexes. This stuff is so potent that it can even, according to studies published this year, prevent fertility problems as serious as endometriosis. Where can you find it? In Fish like salmon and sardines, in many nuts, and in avocados.

Already pregnant? Check out the best foods for the first trimester!

A diet that is high in fruits and vegetables ensures a good quantity of antioxidants in your system. Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale contain folate, which decreases the chance of birth defects, and the wide range of vitamins and goodness in fruits and vegetables keeps both you and your fetus healthy!

Omega 3 fatty acids, which you can get from nuts, oily fish, and avocado among other things, promote general health and increase your fertility. If you are struggling with fertility conditions such as endometriosis, Omega 3 fatty acids are exceptionally beneficial to you.

The complex carbohydrates you find in brown rice, brown bread, whole-grain pastas, and other foods, help your body regulate insulin levels and are great for fertility because of this. They are also less processed than their “white” counterparts, and have higher nutritional values.

The last food group that I will mention that does wonders for your fertility is full-dairy. This includes full-fat milk, yoghurt, butter and ice cream, as well as sour cream and whipped cream. If you like eating cheese, this is another excellent dairy food, but just make sure that it is pasteurized. Cheeses like roquefort and brie are sometimes raw, and they can contain bacteria that can harm your fetus. Therefore, it is best to stay away from those while you are trying to conceive.

Perhaps most important of all is to make sure your diet is balanced, and varied. Eating too much of any one food group, and not enough of another is never healthy. While you are trying to conceive, and during pregnancy, making sure that your diet contains foods from all major foods groups, is more essential than ever before.

Complex carbohydrates. If you have ever been on a diet, you will have heard about them before. Complex carbohydrates are things like brown, whole-grain bread, brown rice, and oatmeal. These things are great for insulin regulation, and thereby great for fertility too.

Fresh fruits and vegetables contain lots of antioxidants and keep you healthy. They give you a burst of energy and what’s more, many green leafy vegetables are full of folate, the natural version of folic acid. As you know, folic acid is one of the best supplements you can take to ensure a healthy fetus. Folate is even better, because your body absorbs it more easily.

Omega 3 fatty acids. Who said fat is bad for you? You just have to make sure you are getting the right kind of fat! Oily fish like salmon, flaxseed, many nuts and seeds (walnuts and sesame seeds are the best), and avocados are great sources of Omega 3 from foods.

Another food group that is excellent if you are trying to get pregnant is full-fat dairy. Cheese, full-fat milk, yoghurt, and ice cream all fall into that category. If you don’t like drinking milk or yoghurt plain, there are so many yummy smoothie recipes out there that you wouldn’t believe it. A blender will serve you well in this department.

What is your favorite fertility food, and why?

The physicians writing in Obstetrics and Gynecology report that an eight-year study of 18,000 women found that more women get pregnant when they:

• Choose healthy monosaturated fats (such as olive oil) over trans-fats (such as the fats used to make potato chips and doughnuts).
• Eat high-fat dairy products rather than low-fat dairy products, for example, hard cheese, whole milk, and whole-milk yogurt and ice cream instead of cottage cheese, skim milk, and reduced-fat yogurt and ice cream.
• Eat fresh vegetables instead of canned foods.
• Get their protein from plant foods rather than red meat.

The study also reported that women who take multivitamins are more likely to get pregnant than women who do not, and that women who get their iron from sources of than red meat (actually, the blood in red meat) and liver conceive less often than women who get their iron from fruit sources and by cooking in iron pots and pans.

The OB-GYN’s writing this study did not conclude that unlimited servings of high-fat, whole-milk dairy products enhanced chances of conception. About two servings of “real” dairy a day is optimal.

Also, the authors did not counsel women to get all of their protein from soy. Numerous studies have found that an optimal intake of soy is only around 1 oz (30 g) day. Eating too much soy may interfere with some of the hormones involved in conception.

Other beans are also great sources of protein, as are leafy greens. Ounce for ounce and gram for gram, spinach, for example, is actually a more concentrated source of protein than steak. Women who get more of their protein from plant sources also get more folic acid, which is important both to conception and to the normal development of the child in utero.

While more iron from plant food sources was associated with higher rates of pregnancy, the authors of the study did not counsel taking an iron supplement. About 1 per cent of women have a gene that causes excessive accumulation of iron. For these women to take iron supplements can cause catastrophic disease, if the disease is not treated, about age 55. The best sources of iron for women seeking to become pregnant are prunes, raisins, and whole grains, eaten in moderation every day.

It is important to eat organic food.  Because some people are more sensitive than the others, the impact of pesticides and food additives can have devastating effects on some people. If you choose organic vegetables and fruits only, you will definitely avoid intoxication with pesticides and you shall maximize the intake of nutrients.

However, if you cannot afford to buy organic fruits and veggies, sink them in a bowl of water with dilutes tablespoon of vinegar. It won’t make them as good as organic, but vinegar will help wash off toxic heavy minerals.

Include at least 5 handfuls of vegetables and fruits into your daily menu, and most importantly pay attention to colors: dark green, red, orange and purple are best antioxidants and they do protect your genetic material in sperm and eggs.

Dairy and grain products are also recommendable in organic version. They are a bit more expensive option, but they are also the healthier option. If organic meat is too expensive for you, try to stick with cheaper proteins such as beans and organic soy.

If you have issues with estrogens, you should be careful when eating plant based hormone balancers such as soy. Plant based hormone balancers do help prevent imbalances between oestrogen and progesterone, which are often the cause for fertility problems and often even a cause of early miscarriage. It is recommendable to include in your nutrition a daily portion of plant based hormone balancers such as tempeh or miso (fermented soy), beans, lentils, flax seed etc.

Essential fats boost fertility too. Therefore do not forget fish, hemp and flax seed oils and omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats support male and female fertility and hormonal balance and also help the baby’s brain, nervous system and eyes to develop once pregnant.

Moreover, do avoid fertility hinders such as caffeine and alcohol, they do affect both female and male fertility.

I’ve never taken pole dancing classes myself – perhaps I am too shy, but I think I could get over the initial shyness and giggling that I am sure would be present. I think the main reason is that I never got the opportunity to participate to pole dancing classes.

Anyway, I made a little research and the ladies that were blessed with pole dancing, they all claim that it is one of the best core strengthening exercises they have participated in.

Take a few seconds, and think about pole dancing: what are the main body parts that are involved in this exercise? You are right: I am talking about the hips, pelvic floor, abs, thighs, claves and the back. Hips, pelvic floor, abs, thighs – they sort of come natural to you, don’t they? But what’s up with the calves and back?  Well, darling, you are wearing high heels and you are not only practicing walking in high heels, you are also practicing better posture and you are working out on your calves… and the best part is – you not aware of that. And the back – since the strengthening of the body core (pelvic floor, abdominals) promotes overall trunk stability, this also improves your balance and of course the health of your back.

But, what has pole dancing got to do with fertility and ability of trying to conceive? A lot.

First of all, it will bring the spice (back) to your love life. I am (almost) sure your partner will love it. Actually, there are a very few men that would think/feel a woman is not sexually attractive when she is pole dancing.

Second, if you have problems with self esteem, it will definitely lift it up. It will bring that feminine side of your up to the surface. And why exactly should you hide it?

And the third and the most important – pole dancing is great for pelvic floor. Pole dancing involves the moves that activate the muscles of the core, particularly the hip rotators, abdominals, and inner thigh muscles. These are all the muscles that contribute to pelvic floor health by enhancing pelvic floor muscle activation.
Some say it is like doing Kegel exercises without actually doing them traditionally!

Another team of US scientists have concluded that infertile men have an increased risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer that grows and spreads quickly. This findings are closely related to findings in the study described below.

Study was conducted on mice and it proved that prostate cancer growth was reduced by 30% because mice were fed walnuts every day for two months (the amount was equivalent of two handfuls of walnuts) and the American scientists believe that the results are directly relevant to humans.

Of course, there is susceptibility present, but researchers believe prostate cancer is linked to environmental factors such as diet.

Balance is important. Nuts are very important part of a healthy diet because they are a rich source of nutrients.  They are packed with healthy omega 3-fatty acids (that are by the way also fertility boosters), and contain all important fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, which are critical for growth, physical and mental development,. They are also crucial for healthy hair and skin, blood pressure control, immunological responses and prevent blood clotting.

Nuts are also packed with inflammation-fighting form of vitamin E, and B2 (riboflavin, an antioxidant), and are rich in protein, folate, fiber, and essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and selenium.

Diet that includes nuts represents plenty benefits, including combating bad cholesterol and preventing heart disease by reducing levels of endothelin (chemical that increases inflammation in blood vessels). Studies have revealed that people who consume nuts regularly are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease.

Since nuts generally have a very low glycemic index, nutritionists frequently recommend nuts be included in diets prescribed for patients with insulin resistance problems such as diabetes mellitus type.

One study found that people who eat nuts live two to three years longer than those who do not, perhaps this may be because people who eat nuts generally tend to eat less junk food.

However, it is important not over-consume nuts because they have a high content of saturated fat, which could contribute to other problems such as obesity.