Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (38 page)

Deficiency in calcium and vitamin D
can affect a man’s fertility. Sources of calcium include yogurt, kefir, green vegetables, canned fish with bones, almonds, sesame seeds, tahini, carob, dulse, wakame, figs, hazelnuts, and alfalfa. Sources of vitamin D include eggs, fish, and fortified foods—dietary vitamin D is not particularly well absorbed. The most important source of vitamin D is sunlight, as the body can make vitamin D by the action of sunlight on the skin.

Amino acids
, the building blocks for protein, have been proven to be important supplements for men addressing infertility problems and low sperm count. Good food sources include poultry, eggs, lentils, quinoa, amaranth, and adzuki beans.

Herbal help

Saw palmetto is one of the best herbs for male reproductive health. It acts like a tonic for men and has been used for centuries to help symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Several studies in Europe show that saw palmetto is an effective alternative for many men, especially those in the early stages of enlarged prostate. In Germany, it’s sold over the counter as a treatment for enlarged prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia).

Things to avoid

Alcohol

I know you might think that alcohol gets you in the mood, but I’m here to tell you that it’s going to hinder your performance in bed, not help it. And it’s certainly not going to help one bit with baby making. Research clearly indicates that drinking alcohol causes a decrease in sperm count, an increase in abnormal sperm, and a lower proportion of mobile sperm. This is because alcohol reduces the level of sperm-making hormones. Men who drink four units of alcohol a day run a risk of lowered sperm count, and as little as one pint of beer (two units) a day could produce abnormal sperm. If you’re prone to binge drinking, know this: experts reckon you can wipe out your sperm count for up to three months after a single bout of heavy drinking. And any sperm that manage to mature while alcohol is still in your system may be less effective and healthy. It’s like the sperm are effectively drunk too!

Need any more convincing that alcohol is one of the greatest threats to a man’s potency? Well, too much alcohol can alter the way testosterone is produced and then released. Plus, a man who drinks alcohol may accumulate small amounts of female hormones, which can lower sperm potency and production. The good news is that all these effects can be reversed in around three to four months by avoiding alcohol and adopting a healthy diet. You might think I’m bossy, but you’ll thank me.

Smoking

A man’s fertility is adversely affected if he smokes because the chemicals taken in from cigarettes, such as nicotine and carbon monoxide, degrade sperm count.

Drugs

Recreational drugs will compromise a man’s fertility:

Marijuana can lower sperm-producing hormones and reduce libido.

Cocaine causes lower sperm counts, poorly moving sperm, and a high rate of abnormal sperm.

Heroin can cause a decrease in testosterone levels.

Some medicines have a direct impact on male fertility and sperm count. These include sulphasalazine (used to treat irritable bowel), nitrofurantoin, tetracyclines, cimetideine, ketoconzole, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine, oxidase inhibitors, propranol, and other medications for conditions such as gout or high blood pressure. Overuse of antibiotics may also pose a problem.

WOMEN

The optimum years for pregnancy are your 20s and early 30s. Believe me, I know this is easier said than done—you have a job to hold down, a mortgage to pay, a willing partner to find. Women certainly get pregnant naturally in their late 30s and 40s, but my advice to you, if at all possible, is to start much earlier to give yourself the best chance of conceiving.

Age aside, proper nutrition is very important for a healthy pregnancy and baby. I can help you get your body baby-ready.

Foods to choose for fertility and pregnancy

Choose fresh fruits and vegetables before and during pregnancy—women should aim for eight servings daily—grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, spelt, amaranth, and quinoa, high-quality protein from organic turkey or chicken, nuts, tofu, and fish, and a supply of good fats, especially hemp oil, raw shelled hemp seeds, flax, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds, primrose oil, and fish oils. Essential fats, found in nuts, avocados, seeds, and oily fish, have a profound effect on every system of the body, including the reproductive system, and are crucial for healthy hormone functioning. Last but by no means least, drink plenty of water. Water plays a key role in the health of your reproductive organs.

“You are what you eat” is particularly relevant in the case of reproductive health and fertility. There is no doubt that proper nutrition is crucial at every stage from the development to the maturation of the reproductive organs and for healthy hormone function and the creation of new life.

A spectrum of trace minerals is essential, for example, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Vitamins C, A, E, and the Bs are also important, as are friendly bacteria.

Folic Acid:
found in green beans, spinach, brussels sprouts, brown rice, peas, asparagus, chickpeas, and bananas.

Iron:
found in eggs, fish, nettle tea, dark green vegetables, seaweed, and prunes.

Calcium:
found in quinoa, seaweed, plain yogurt, fish, nuts, canned fish with bones, broccoli, and kale.