{"id":810,"date":"2022-09-06T22:50:35","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T22:50:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/blog\/?p=810"},"modified":"2023-07-19T14:11:26","modified_gmt":"2023-07-19T14:11:26","slug":"the-perfect-fertility-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/the-perfect-fertility-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"The Perfect Fertility Diet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About the diet:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Perfect Fertility Diet is based on foundations from the Mediterranean, Paleo, and Anti-Inflammatory Diets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food quality matters!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that we\u2019re trying to make a baby here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literally, your baby will be made only of things that you put into your mouth. Make smart choices! You can DO it!.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food quality differs extraordinarily depending on what and where you buy! Whenever you can, wherever you can, go with organic, grass fed, and local (or some combo of those!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a budget?<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Start making the switch with your eggs & meats. I know this is most expensive, but it\u2019s also most impactful! You can find organic eggs anywhere now, but pasture-raised is even better. Eggs from your neighbor, whose chickens eat bugs, are the best! The yellower the yolk, the more nutrient dense they are! With meats, eat better meat and less of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Then swap up your veggies & fruits. For the Dirty Dozen fruits & veggies, ALWAYS buy organic. For the Clean Fifteen, don\u2019t worry about it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The Dirty Dozen (+1) (produce with the highest pesticide loads) are (in order highest to lowest) Strawberries, Spinach, Nectarines, Apples, Peaches, Pears, Cherries, Grapes, Celery, Tomatoes, Sweet Bell Peppers, Potatoes, Hot Peppers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 The Clean Fifteen (lowest pesticides) are Sweet corn, Avocado, Pineapple, Cabbage, Onions, Frozen peas, Papaya, Asparagus, Mango, Eggplant, Honeydew melon, Kiwi, Cantaloupe, Cauliflower, and Grapefruit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to Eat & Avoid<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Fruits to eat:<\/strong> Citrus, pineapple, apples, apricots, avocado, banana, berries, cherries, grapes, kiwi, mango, melons, nectarines, papaya, pear, peach, plums, and all others! Eat Organic fresh, unsweetened dried, or frozen fruit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fruits to avoid:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweetened or \u201cfrom concentrate\u201d fruit juices<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vegetables to eat: <\/strong>Arugula, asparagus, artichokes, bean sprouts,bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumber, cabbage, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce & other greens, kale, collard, green beans, jicama, mushrooms, okra, peas, radishes, squash, sweet potatoes, taro, tomato, turnip, yams, zucchini, did I forget any? \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breads & Starches to eat:<\/strong> Rice (white, brown, sushi, or wild), potatoes,sweet potatoes, oats  (gluten free), quinoa, millet, tapioca, cassava, buckwheat, amaranth<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breads & Starches to avoid:<\/strong> Gluten-containing grains (wheat, barley, spelt, kamut, rye)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legumes to eat: <\/strong> Peas, all beans, lentils <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nuts & Seeds to eat: <\/strong>All nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, others)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meat, Fish, & Protein to eat: <\/strong>Salmon, halibut, sole, cod, snapper, chicken,eggs turkey, lamb, wild game, grass fed beef, plant-based protein, collagen protein (gelatin, collagen)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meat, Fish, & Protein to avoid: <\/strong>Tuna, swordfish, conventional beef & pork, cold cut meats, bacon (I\u2019m sorry!!), whey protein<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dairy to eat:<\/strong> Milk substitutes like almond milk, coconut milk, or rice milk & creamers (Must be carrageenan free!), grass fed butter or ghee<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dairy to avoid: <\/strong>Milk, cheese, cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream (use dairy as condiment only)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fats to eat:<\/strong> Unrefined oils like olive oil, flaxseed, coconut, sesame, walnut, avocado or pumpkin seed oil, grass fed butter, animal lard (from grass-fed, organic!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fats to avoid: <\/strong>Margarine, vegetable oils (canola, peanut, etc), shortening,hydrogenated oils,mayonnaise (unless homemade with allowed ingredients)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beverages<\/strong> to drink: <\/strong>Filtered\/distilled\/mineral water, seltzer, decaffeinated tea, green tea, herbal tea, pure fruit juices, kombucha, coffee\/black tea (1c daily)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beverages to avoid: <\/strong>Soda, soft drinks, alcohol, sweetened fruit juice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweeteners to eat:<\/strong> Stevia, blackstrap molasses, maple syrup, raw local honey, LoHan fruit, monk fruit, coconut sugar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sweeteners to avoid:<\/strong> White or refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners (all)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spices & Condiments to eat: <\/strong>Vinegars (rice, apple cider, balsamic), wasabi, mustard, horseradish, pesto (no cheese), soy sauce or coconut aminos and all spices<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spices & Condiments to avoid: <\/strong>Ketchup, relish, BBQ sauce, jelly\/jams containing sugar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recipes & Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Smoothie Recipes<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Smoothies are a great way to deliver LOADS of nutrients into your diet. Smoothies can be a fantastic way to load your body with nutrients, have a super healthy meal, and get it blended and out the door quickly with the smoothie in hand, especially in the morning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Basics<\/strong>:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The basic building blocks of a smoothie are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Protein powder (or other protein source, like whole hemp seeds or collagen)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 1-2 cups of liquid<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Flavorful fruits (frozen are great and inexpensive)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Ice (if fruit is fresh)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 A fat (this will even out the consistency of the smoothie, give it a nice texture and<\/p>\n\n\n\n

mouthfeel, and add healthy fats to your diet)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some basic ingredients to have on hand:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fruits: Bananas, Melon, Apples, Pears, Frozen Berries, Cherries, Dried pitted dates, Pineapple, any others!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veggies: Kale, Spinach, Mixed greens, Cucumber, Sweet potato, Steamed carrots<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fats avocado, Coconut oil, Coconut manna, almond butter, walnut butter, cashew butter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liquids Water, fresh juices, coconut water, almond milk, hemp milk, coconut milk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some Smoothie Favorites<\/strong>:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

**These smoothies all taste best mixed up fresh! If you are going to make this at home and save it for a mid-morning snack a few hours later, I suggest you mix it without the powders. Mix the powders into the smoothie just before consuming, using a blender bottle with a little mixing ball in it.**<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take Me Away!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Tbsp coconut cream<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\/2 cup pineapple<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\/2 frozen banana<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chai Love<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz almond milk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 tbsp cashew butter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 tbsp sweet potato<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2-3 pitted dates<\/p>\n\n\n\n

cinnamon, nutmeg,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

cardamon, and pumpkin pie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

spice to taste<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crazy Monkey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz almond milk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Tbsp cashew butter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Tbsp cocoa powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\/2 frozen banana<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Green Monster<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 cup greens (kale, spinach)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\/2 avocado<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 frozen banana<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cocoa for Days<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 heaping Tbsp cocoa powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 frozen banana<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Tbsp cacao nibs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matcha Chippie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 tsp matcha powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 frozen banana<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 pitted dates<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 tsp cacao nibs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sunny Start<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz water<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\/2 cup pineapple<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1\/2 sweet potato\/yam<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 pitted dates<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 tbsp hemp seeds or Flax oil<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berries to Boot!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1-2 scoops protein powder<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 oz almond milk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 cup frozen berries<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Tbsp coconut cream<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample Menus:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Depending on your comfort level in the kitchen, you might feel ready to set off & create some awesome meals following the food guidelines we\u2019ve covered. But I get that you might also be a bit intimidated or feeling like you \u201ccan\u2019t eat ANYTHING\u201d! (Trust me, you\u2019ll be ok- you can eat a LOT!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to make sure this PF Diet works for you, I want to give you all of the resources you could need to be successful. Read on to get some meal ideas that you can mix and match to build your own meal plan. If you need help with more specific meal plans, please don\u2019t hesitate to reach out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breakfast Ideas:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might want to have your morning smoothie as your breakfast meal- the smoothie recipes are designed to offer enough calories to launch you into your productive & busy day. If that\u2019s not enough for you, or you want to save your smoothie for a mid-morning snack (another great idea!), here are some additional breakfasts you can enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Gluten Free (GF) Oatmeal topped with grass fed butter, mashed banana, chopped walnuts, and cinnamon. Add maple syrup to taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Cold rice crispy cereal (with no additives!) with almond milk or coconut milk, topped with blueberries and diced organic strawberries<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Coconut Rice pudding: In a saucepan, add 1 cup cooked brown, wild, or white rice or quinoa to 1 cup canned coconut milk and cook until warmed through. Add a drizzle of maple syrup and top with diced organic peaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 1-2 cups fruit salad<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Veggie & egg saut\u00e9: Chop any veggies on the list (this can be done in advance!) and toss in a pan with a pad of grass fed butter. Cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add 2-3 eggs and scramble together. Add a sprinkle of cheese if desired, or top with salsa & avocado for a kick!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Think outside of the breakfast box: leftovers make for a great breakfast! A bit of diced chicken or leftover salmon plus some steamed veggies can start your day off right too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lunch Ideas:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I find lunch is easiest with one of 3 options- a big salad topped with protein, soup (made ahead of time) or a grain and veggie bowl (steamed or saut\u00e9ed veggies of your choice with a protein & grain side). These are all so easy, and allow you to use up what\u2019s in your fridge!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few favorites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Baby kale greens with fennel, orange slices, and diced roasted butternut squash. Top with cooked shrimp & a dressing of 1\/4 cup of olive or flax oil shaken with juice of one lemon and 2 tsp dijon mustard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Saute shredded cabbage, sliced onions, and sliced carrots in 1 tbsp olive oil or grass-fed butter. Cook on medium for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Serve alongside quinoa topped with leftover grass fed sirloin sprinkled with sea salt and pepper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Split pea soup: Cook 1\/2 lb of green split peas in 4 quarts of water with 1 diced onion, 3 diced carrots, 3 diced celery stalks, and fresh garlic, salt and pepper to taste. To increase the heartiness, you can also add diced cassava or taro root, diced into small (1\/2 in) pieces. Simmer for 40 minutes. Add the remaining 1\/2 lb of green split peas and cook another 40 minutes. Variation: For an even yummier version, add 1\/2 lb diced lamb plus 1 pound of lamb bones to the cooking soup. When finished cooking, remove bones and serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinner Ideas:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinner is a pretty easy equation: 1-2 veggies, a starch\/grain, plus a protein. You can probably cook meals that will please your whole family while prepping for a healthy pregnancy, versus having to cook separate meals for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Thai curry: Cook brown rice according to package directions. In a saut\u00e9 pan with 1 tbsp coconut oil, saut\u00e9 1 sliced onion, diced eggplant, sliced carrots, and baby bok choy or another green of choice. Feel free to add a protein (chicken or shrimp are great!) Saute about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl or blender, mix 1 can of coconut milk, 2-3 Tbsp Thai curry paste, and 2 Tbsp maple syrup. Pour curry sauce over the veggies & protein. Saute for 2-3 minutes more. Serve over rice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Salmon sheet pan supper: Set your oven temp to 375 deg F. With a fork, poke holes in sweet potatoes. Lay on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the pan and on the same pan, lay asparagus spears (trimmed and tossed in oil, salt, and pepper) and salmon. Top salmon fillets with salt, pepper, and herbs (dill, herbs de Provence, or just lemon and garlic work nicely). Roast salmon & asparagus (with sweet potatoes) for 15-20 minutes, until flesh pulls apart easily with a fork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Grilled grass fed sirloin with parsnip spears: Peel and cut parsnips into \u201cfry\u201d shape. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay on a sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Turn and roast until done. On the grill, grill a grass fed sirloin steak, about 5 minutes per side. Do not overcook or develop a char! Serve with a large mixed green salad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snack Ideas:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For snacks, I recommend that you have on hand lots of prepped fresh and easy options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some favorites of mine are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Nuts- walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, whatever you love<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Fresh fruit- have on hand some \u201ctreat\u201d fruits like watermelon, pomegranates, cherries, mango or berries. Also, any easy fruit- mandarins, pears, apples, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Fresh veggies with avo dip: Slice fresh veggies for dipping and have those ready to go: celery, carrots, cucumbers, jicama, green beans, snap peas and radishes are some favorites at my house. Puree or mash avocado and add to it salt, pepper, and lemon or lime to taste. Use this as a dip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Smoothies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Apple slices with almond butter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Rice cake topped with nut butter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resources:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to bloggers and the HUGE influx in interest in healthy living, there are SO many great resources out there where you can find ingredients, ideas, and recipes. Here are a few of my favorites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.PerfectFertility.com<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, she was my mentor!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.elenaspantry.com<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of my faaaaavorite blogs for recipes. Elana is a genius when it comes to paleo cooking and has some really delicious foods that you wouldn\u2019t imagine could be allergen free! If you\u2019re feeling daring and want to try baking with new foods, or just need some dinner ideas, I\u2019d bookmark her page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.wholefoodsmarket.com\/recipes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their advanced search allows you to search and sort recipes that meet your needs (ieGluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo (the three I\u2019d recommend you choose)) There arethousands of nice ideas here, and the site is very easy to navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.pccmarkets.com\/healthy-eating\/recipes\/<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can I say, it\u2019s the Seattlite in me… I love my PCC! The PCC is a local food co-op, and their recipe section of their website has lots of fantastic recipes that I go to again and again. You can filter \u201cby diet\u201d (dairy free, gluten free) for easy searching. Be sure not to miss the Emerald City Salad, which has been a favorite in my family for, oh, a decade now! It\u2019s an awesome winter salad, it\u2019s hearty enough for an entire meal, and it keeps for days in the fridge (it actually gets better after a day or two!). Check, check,and check!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to sourcing food, I always recommend you start local. Here are a few resources to find local food near you, and if you can\u2019t, to access these online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.localharvest.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.eatwild.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.sustainabletable.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All three of these websites list local food growers and suppliers, connect you with farmer\u2019s markets and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.uswellnessmeats.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.farmergirlmeats.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.vitalchoice.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are great resources for grass fed and farm-raised meats, and the last one (Vital Choice) is my faaaaavorite place to get seafood. (so, if you fall pregnant in my care, and you want to do something nice as a thank you… salmon! Just sayin\u2019! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Closing..<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I hope you\u2019ve found this guide helpful! Please do keep in touch- I love to hear from you on Facebook, Instagram, or by email at dralexandracopend@gmail.com especially if you\u2019re sharing cute baby pics- SUCCESS! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the love to you in your journey! To learn about my fertility offerings, click here to schedule an initial visit<\/a><\/strong>. And to learn more about natural fertility treatment, read here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Cope<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Content from Dr. Jacklyn Chasse & Dr. Cope<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Perfect Fertility Diet is based on foundations from the Mediterranean, Paleo, and Anti-Inflammatory Diets. Food quality matters! Remember that we\u2019re trying to make a baby here!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,10,14,16],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=810"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2298,"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/810\/revisions\/2298"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.drcopehealth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}