The Right Fat Can Improve Your IVF Success
If you are health conscious you try to avoid all types of fats. After all, fat is bad, right? It damages your waistline, heart, and overall health. But you should not fear fat. Not all fats are created equal nor are they necessarily evil. In fact, when it comes toin vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment success, fat may be your best friend.
Take a look at this recent study published inEuropean Society of Human Reproduction and Embryologythat involved 147 women who underwent an IVF procedure. The ones with the highest intake of healthy mono- and poly-unsaturated fatsfound in salmon, olive oil, nuts, avocado, and seeds such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and sesame seedshad 11.6 mature eggs to be retrieved. In comparison, the women with the highest intake of saturated fats, like those found in butter and processed meats, had 9.3 mature eggs. (Having more mature eggs can mean more embryos to choose for fresh transfer, particularly among women who have poor ovarian stimulation response.) The difference was enough to significantly change the success rate of the IVF treatment outcome.
Likewise, the women who had the highest intake of the healthy fats had a 3.45 times greater odds of a live birth than the ones who had a higher intake of saturated fats. The studys authors also noted that the metabolic response of fats varies according to the type. In fact, theres evidence that high saturated fat intake increases inflammatory compounds and impair insulin responsetwo issues related to many chronic diseases.
Fertility Boosting Breakfast
An easy way to make sure that you nourish your body with pro fertility healthy fats is to have a breakfast smoothie. But dont buy into the bottled beverages at your grocery store. They are high in sugar and calories and low in protein and good fats. Instead, make your own. Here is a great fertility-boosting smoothie with the right balance of nutrients and calories.
Creamy Green Berry Smoothie |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | Each | Avocado, small (or use cup of fresh coconut flesh) | 90.0 |
| 1 | large handful | Spinach, raw | 14.0 |
| 3/4 | Cup | Blueberries, frozen | 62.5 |
| 1 | cup, sliced | Strawberries, frozen | 53.0 |
| 1 | Tablespoon | Seeds, flaxseed, ground | 64.0 |
| 1 1/2 | Cups | Almond milk, unsweetened | 75.0 |
| TOTALS | 358.5 | ||