Podcast EP 28
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[00:00:00] If you've been trying to eat healthier for fertility and have been doing any research, you'll notice that everybody says the Mediterranean diet is the best diet for fertility, but sis, is that really true? So today we are breaking down all things Mediterranean diet, why it works, what it's missing, why it may be the perfect diet for you, or why it might be the one that holds you back.
Because the truth of the matter is not all diets fit, all bodies when trying to conceive, some of them can hold you back. So if you are ready to learn more, sis, keep listening. Let's dive in. Hi, I'm Sophie Byfield and when I decided I was ready to be a mama, I thought it would be so easy. Get off birth control.
Baby dance, like no one's watching. And poof, I was pregnant. But like many of you, that wasn't my [00:01:00] story. After months of negative tests, endless treatments, and more supplements than you can count, I realized that getting pregnant isn't about fixing one piece of your fertility puzzle. It's about bringing your whole body.
Back into balance so it feels safe enough to conceive. And this is where we focus on what really matters. Healing your whole body so that you can see those two pink lines. Welcome to The Heel to Conceive podcast, all oh, the Mediterranean Diet. When I first started trying to conceive, I did a lot of research on the best way to eat, to create the healthiest body and environment possible, and 90% of my research brought up the Mediterranean diet.
You see, the Mediterranean diet is one of the best fertility friendly diets for the majority of the [00:02:00] population, but not for everyone. The Mediterranean diet is filled with antioxidants, healthy fats, healthy grains. It takes away a lot of the processed foods and brings in a nice, well-rounded balance of foods for you to eat to create the healthiest body.
But here's what they don't tell you. Just because it is great for some people does not mean it's gonna be great for you. You see, the Mediterranean diet was not great for my body. It made me feel sluggish. It made me bloated, and it did not give me enough protein for my body. Sometimes we do all of this research jumping on the Google, jumping on the takey talkie to find the best diet supplement to bring our baby home.
But what we don't know is that person's history, that person's body type, that person's [00:03:00] medical challenges, issues, story and history, and all of that has an impact on why something would've worked for them and may not work for you. When you fold the Mediterranean diet, you are eating olive oils, lean protein, healthy grain.
But if you are somebody with PCOS or insulin sensitivity, that higher amount of grain can really have an impact on your blood sugar levels. Maybe you need more protein, more healthy fats to create the healthiest body for you. So let's break down the Mediterranean diet, the good, the bad, and how to make it work for you.
So why is the Mediterranean diet recommended? Why is it the most recommended diet for someone trying to conceive? There's a lot of solid research out there that shows that the Mediterranean style diet has a significant impact on outcomes, especially when you're [00:04:00] going through IVF. There's a study in the peer reviewed scientific journal, human reproduction, that states women who follow a Mediterranean style diet have higher chances of conception.
And IVF outcomes, higher chances of conception, cysts, higher chances. That is the name of this game. And if this scientific journal is saying, Hey, you eat this certain way and you have a higher chance, then I'm gonna take it. And I know many of you have and will. Here's why the Mediterranean style diet works so well.
Number one. It is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight oxidative stress, which can damage egg quality. Number two, it is high in omega threes. A Mediterranean style diet is rich in fish, [00:05:00] olive oil, and nuts. These foods are known to reduce inflammation in the body and support progesterone production.
And number three, it stabilizes your blood sugar. A Mediterranean style diet focuses on whole foods, cis whole foods, and this process helps to stabilize your blood sugar, improve your ovulation, and regulate your cycle. This all sounds amazing, right? But here's what no one talks about. There are certain limitations when it comes to the Mediterranean diet and your body.
For some women, they may need to make some adjustments like increasing their protein and healthy fat and decreasing the amount of grains they're eating. The Mediterranean diet is not a one size all fits approach or one size all fits approach. It's not that. So here are some signs that the Mediterranean diet may not be working for you.
Irregular [00:06:00] cycles or no ovulation. If your cycle is still unpredictable, you may need more protein and fewer carbs. Energy crashes and blood sugar spikes, feeling shaky or tired after meals, you might need to adjust your carb to protein ratio. Persistent bloating and digestive issues. If you're bloated all the time, grains, legumes, and fats in the diet may not be sitting well with you and your stomach.
Difficulty losing or maintaining a healthy weight. If you're eating a Mediterranean style diet by gaining weight or feeling sluggish, you may need to lower the carbs and increase the protein. Low progesterone symptoms, it's like a short luteal phase spotting before your periods. If you're spotting before your period or struggling with low progesterone, then your body needs more high quality protein and fat.
So how do you modify a Mediterranean style diet to suit [00:07:00] your fertility needs? Well, if you need ovulation support, you wanna increase the protein, you can still eat the lean protein, you're just going to eat more of it. If you have PCOS or insulin resistance, you want to lower the grains or look for low glycemic index options.
In the beginning, I blindly followed a Mediterranean based diet and did not listen to what my body needed. Well, when you know better, you do better, and I'm here to teach you that. Listening to your body, understanding your cycle, and then adjusting the Mediterranean diet to suit your body needs is the name of the game.
It is the game changer on your journey. Here's what I want you to take away from this. The Mediterranean diet is amazing all on its own. It is the best fertility friendly diet, but it may not be the best diet for you. Watch this video on fertility [00:08:00] nutrition, where I break down the three types of fertility friendly diets and see which one may work a little bit better.
If you decide to follow a Mediterranean style diet, you still have the opportunity to make adjustments to make it more fertility friendly for you. So if you're someone with PCOS, you can lower the carbs and increase the lean protein. Sorry. If you're someone who has spotting in their cycle, you may wanna do the same.
It's all about understanding your cycle story and what your body is telling you about your reproductive health and adjusting accordingly. The key to fertility nutrition isn't following the trends. It's about understanding your body and allowing it to build your personalized fertility plan. Your body tells you everything you need to know in order to conceive.
The question becomes, are you listening? [00:09:00] This is exactly what you learn to do inside the Heel to Conceive tribe. You learn to listen to your body and make adjustments to its trends and its reactions to create a personalized fertility program for you. Everything out there will work for somebody, and everything out there may not work for you.
So it's about adjusting, listening, tweaking, so you can build your healthiest body possible and bring your baby home. If you're interested in learning more, the link is down below. But for right now, listen to your body, listen to what it's telling you, and listen to its trends. Because I'm telling you, sis, once we start listening and we adjust accordingly, we can see those two pink lines.
So let me know below. Have you ever tried a Mediterranean diet? Did it work for you? Are you gonna implement some of the adjustments [00:10:00] that I suggested in this video? Custom designing your journey to your reproductive health is the fastest and most effective way to see those two pink lines. So start listening sis, because your body is giving you clues.
And remember you got this. I see how hard you are working to bring your baby home. I want you to know you got this, and if you don't got it. I got you. Baby Death for all.
