Is Eating Too Much Sugar Keeping You From Getting Pregnant?

*I am not a doctor and am making no claims. I am sharing my experience and giving you something to think about.

Can I tell you a little secret? I used to be really, really skinny. I would kill for the body I once had. And, I didn’t have to do anything to stay that way. I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted (including frequent midnight pancakes, tatertots, and cappuccinos during college!) and laughed at the thought of working out. Seriously, I had it lucky for the first few decades of my life. I had no idea that years later I would have to follow a fertility diet to get pregnant.

At around age 23, my body decided it wanted to develop polycystic ovarian syndrome. One of the great benefits of this syndrome {besides making it hard to get pregnant} is that your body treats sugar somewhat like a diabetic. So sugar = gained weight.

Small problem though. My doctor at the time was, shall we say, not very thorough. I asked her to run tests on my thyroid- nothing wrong with it. And that’s all she did. Did I mention I gained about 50 pounds in 6 months? That is not normal, people! My lifestyle had not changed much at all- but remember, my lifestyle ch of 2006. Lost 20 pounds- pregnant again in April! Starting to see a pattern here? Got back on South Beach at the of November 2009- we had been trying to conceive since February of that year. Within three months, pregnant again. Apparently insulin levels affect fertility- who knew?

If you’re struggling with getting pregnant, cutting out sugar is an easy (okay, not so easy) but completely natural way to try. A whole-foods based fertility diet may be looking into. And even if it you have to proceed with infertility treatments, you’ll be healthier anyway. (Even though the South Beach worked for me, I would suggest doing Whole30.South Beach is low-carb but you are also still allowed chemicals such as diet sodas and preservatives. Suggested reading: It Starts With Food. )