Information Overload!

I am one of those types of people who like to read a lot of different books (or blogs) that focus on the same subject. My husband is the opposite of me in this regard. I regurgitate fact after (what I believe to be) interesting fact and he gets all the "important" information without having to skim pages or posts. We work well together. :-)

The book that comes with the Natural Fertility Prescription program is 400+ pages. It's not so menacing on the computer, but it's not quite as easy for me to ingest the information either. I'm old-fashioned. Give me paper so I can highlight and write notes. In paper form this book is monstrous! But, I'm inhaling it nonetheless.

Everything is so interesting. Here are some pretty interesting facts I've gleaned thus far (I'm only half way through):

~ A study done by Rutgers University in the USA found that organically grown food contain between 48% - 390% more nutrients crucial for fertility than non-organically grown food: Over 50% more zinc; 390% more selenium; 120% more potassium; 90% more phosphorus; 170% more manganese; 140% more magnesium; 60% more iron; 80% more iodine; 48% more copper; 80% more chromium; 70% more boron; and nearly 50% fewer toxic heavy metals such as mercury, lead and aluminum!

~Soy consumption has been linked to prolonged menstrual cycles in women, therefore narrowing the windows of opportunity to conceive. It also negatively affects sperm quality due to soy's estrogenic compounds. Also, soy has been genetically modified (a GMO food). The only soy product deemed "permissible" by the author is Tempeh.

~ Ah...dairy. Want to know why we're so addicted to cheese, milk and yogurts? Milk contains natural morphine, codeine and other opiates. The feel-good chemicals are in the milk so that the calf gets addicted to the milk and bonds with the mother in order to survive. No wonder grilled cheese sandwiches are a comfort food!

~ We consume milk from cows that are lactating in the second half of their pregnancy which is when the estrogen levels are at it's highest.

~ Milk is declared the best way to get calcium by most people, but there are way better sources. They are: seaweed, collard greens, beets, dandelion, turnip greens, parsley, watercress, broccoli, spinach, sesame seeds, tahini, brazil nuts, tofu, ripe olives, cooked soya beans, salmon and sardines.

~ Meat, meat, meat...I have a love hate relationship with you. Animal products bring so many issues to the fertility issue. We'll be cutting back a lot. I can't cut it out of our diet entirely because I'm married to a southern boy -- he likes his meat. Plus, there are times when I find myself craving a good hamburger or a juicy steak. These just blew my mind:
     ~ One serving of red meat, turkey or chicken a day increase the risk of ovulatory infertility by one third!
     ~ Further studies have found that by replacing 25g of animal protein with 25g of plant protein, the risk of ovulatory infertility decreased by 50%. Fifty percent!!
We're switching to grass-fed, organic and free-range.

The entire chapter dealing with supplements was enlightening. We're looking into seeing a Natropathic Doctor who can help us figure out what supplements we'll need. I've been faithful about taking my prenatal vitamin, but it's not enough. Not even close. I'm pretty sure I've got a zinc deficiency simply because I've got a few of the symptoms listed. Below are some interesting facts about how different elements affect our bodies:
     ~ Chromium is essential for healthy blood sugar levels. (As a hypoglycemic, this would have been nice to know when I was diagnosed 6 years ago!)
     ~ CoQ10 has been known to increase sperm mobility. A must-have for guys.
     ~ EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids) can protect against SIDS and post-natal depression. They've also been known to help treat endometriosis, heavy periods, cramping and mild depression.
     ~ Magnesium helps promote sleep and muscle relaxation, maintains normal blood pressure, blood sugar and insulin levels.
     ~ Zinc plays a major role in both men and women's fertility. Deficiencies in men have been linked to low testosterone, low sperm count, poor sperm shape, chromosomal abnormalities, and poor mobility. In women, zinc is required for ovulation and healthy egg production. Stretch marks during pregnancy is a good sign of a zinc deficiency, as well as hair loss and white spots or bands on fingernails.

So, is that enough information to overload your brain yet? I feel like a walking encyclopedia on all that is fertility. It helps that I'm carrying around a book plenty big to be called an encyclopedia!

We are getting ready to start our detox in 2 weeks. Until then, we've got plenty to read. I've got to clean out our pantry and freezer of foods that are being eliminated from our diet. And, we've got to go shopping and start cooking so we can be prepared when it's crunch time!