BREAKFAST – your fertility friend
I’m always asking my clients if, when and what they eat for breakfast – why? because its the most important meal of the day and yet so many women skip breakfast either because they don’t have time or because they feel nauseous first thing in the morning. This could be causing a negative effect on their hormone balance – jeopardising their chances of falling pregnant.
Not eating breakfast puts additional pressure on the body just simply because you’ve fasted all night (hence the name break fast) and so without eating anything first thing or eating the wrong foods for breakfast you are potentially setting yourself up for insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, adrenal fatigue and low energy levels.
If you eat a good hearty protein rich, sugar free breakfast it will improve your energy for the rest of the day and significantly improve your hormone balance and fertility.
New research published in clinical science shows that consuming about half of your daily calories in the morning for breakfast could increase your fertility.
By studying women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) researchers from two israeli universities were able to find out how meal timing and meal size can manipulate hormone levels.
Sixty women with PCOS—all otherwise healthy and physically fit—were divided into two groups. The daily calorie intake for both groups was set at 1,800. Half of the women consumed their largest meal of the day—approximately 980 calories—during breakfast, while the other half ate it during dinner. Compared to those who ate in the evening, the morning ladies enjoyed a 50 percent drop in testosterone levels after 12 weeks. Levels of one reproductive hormone jumped 105 percent among the big breakfast eaters, and nearly half of those women started ovulating by the end of the study period—compared to just 20 percent of the big-dinner group.
When you eat a big breakfast your diet will more closely align with your natural sleep-wake rhythms also known as your circadian clock which helps regulate hormone production. As a result your body is less likely to over produce the wrong hormones helping you to fall pregnant more easily.
Your breakfast should contain a range of the following:
- Good fats
- whole grains
- protein ie: organic meat, fish, eggs, yogurt etc….
- nuts
- seeds
- fresh fruit and vegetables
You should avoid the following foods:
- foods high in refined sugars (ie: many commercial breakfast cereals)
- refined carbohydrates ie: white bread, croissants, bagels etc..
- caffeine
All of which can cause a sudden spike in insulin levels resulting in you quickly feeling tired lethargic and irritated.
My breakfast top tips:
- eat more than a third of your calorie intake for the day at breakfast time
- eat breakfast within 30mins of waking up
- ALWAYS include plenty of protein in your breakfast to sustain your energy for the rest of the day.
Why not share your great breakfast recipe ideas below?