Getting Pregnant Naturally (28 page)
Read Getting Pregnant Naturally Online
Authors: Winifred Conkling
Where you put those extra pounds also matters. Fat around the middle (the “apple” body shape) is worse for your health than fat around the hips and thighs (the “pear” body shape). A recent study of five-hundred healthy female patients in the Netherlands found that “apples” were only half as likely to get pregnant as “pears.” In addition, a waist-to-hip ratio of more than 0.8 for women or more than 1.0 for men is associated with increased risk of heart disease. To calculate your shape, measure your waist at its narrowest point and your hips at their widest, then divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement.
You already know that smoking is hazardous to your health. You already know it can cause lung cancer, cardiovascular
disease, and a number of other serious health problems. But you may not be aware that it can also make it more difficult for you to get pregnant.
T
HE
F
ERTILITY
D
IET
To lose weight—but not too fast—consume about fifteen hundred calories a day, with an emphasis on low-fat foods that enhance fertility. (Review the foods listed in
Chapter 3
, “Nutrition and Nutrition Supplements,” for a detailed list of foods that promote fertility.) The following food suggestions (prepared using low-fat cooking techniques) may also help:
BREAKFAST
Orange juice- Banana OR grapefruit OR orange
- Whole-grain cereal with soy milk OR one-egg omelet containing red pepper and low-fat cheese
LUNCH
- Skim milk
- Turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread with a single slice of low-fat cheese OR avocado salad
- Green leafy salad
- Yogurt
DINNER
- Fish (twice a week), chicken (twice a week), tofu (twice a week), red meat or organ meat (once a week)—three ounce serving
- Green vegetable
- Brown rice OR new potatoes OR legumes (three times a week), yellow vegetable (four times a week)
- Citrus fruit
SNACKS
- Citrus fruits
- Nuts: hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, soy nuts