Did you know that women are born with all the eggs that they will ever have? And, when a woman is pregnant with a female child, she will be carrying the eggs that will one day become her grandchildren - how crazy is that? So, it's important we take good care of our eggs!
Working on egg (and sperm) quality preconception is essential to support a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. I always advise my clients, where possible, to spend a minimum of 3 months working on their pre conception health. This is because during this time the growth and development of an egg takes place and chromosomal processing occurs, so preparing for a healthy conception is fundamental.
Factors that can affect egg quality include:
- Smoking
- Aging
- Being over or underweight
- Inflammation
- Diet & lifestyle
- Hormonal imbalance
- Environmental factors such as air pollution and other toxins
Supporting egg quality
The good news is that there's lots that can be done to support egg quality from a diet and lifestyle perspective.
Here are a few examples of important nutrients to add to your diet to support your egg quality:
A rainbow of vegetables and fruit to benefit from their antioxidant properties and to help offset harmful free radicals.
Omega 3 fats - found in oily fish, walnuts and chia seeds. These are importing for supporting progesterone production, increasing uterine blood flow and lowering inflammation.
Eggs - a fantastic source of choline, important for supporting the nervous system & brain development in a baby.
Good quality protein from lean meat, fish and vegetable sources.
Supplementation can also be very helpful for supporting a healthy fertility diet, although these should be tailored to the individual.
Download my free 7 day meal planner Fabulous Foods for Fertility for help with getting these nutrients and many more into your diet.Download your copy here.
Julia Young Nutrition T: 0771 589 0894 info@juliayoungnutrition.com www.juliayoungnutrition.com
Disclaimer: Nutritional Therapy is not a replacement for medical advice, practitioners always refer any client with ‘red flag’ signs or symptoms to their medical professional. The information provided here is general and is not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any diseases or conditions.