One wholegrain sandwich with a side of infertility and other health problems please...

Against my better judgement, I have recently been eating more than my usual share of bread.  Every Sunday at the new church I attend, the "bread van" arrives delivering large bags and large containers of bread and bread products. Church members will routinely take as much bread as they need or want, and have enough bread to last them a week or longer. A few weeks ago, I suddenly noticed a change of my overall well-being. I was feeling fatigued, sluggish, I had a "brain fog" and would have to resist the urge to fall asleep not long after consuming my  innocent looking tomato sandwich.  I didn't immediately make the connection between my change of diet and my sudden drop in energy levels or the sporadic joint and muscle pain. 

When I finally made made the connection, it was almost like an epiphany for me. Why?? You may ask. I realised that many of the women with fertility issues, such as PCOS (PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome) and endometriosis who I had assisted over the years at El'ohim Clinic- FertilityCare,  had indicated that they had gluten intolerance issues or felt bloated and unwell after eating anything consisting of wheat-gluten. These women varied in age, race, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, but there was a relatively high prevalence of women suffering from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), Celiac Disease and other gastrointestinal disorders. There are high reports of women who crave large amounts of bread and other wheat products, such as pasta and cakes mostly around the time that they have PMS (PreMenstrual Syndrome) and this is when the side effects of their wheat-gluten consumption manifest more aggressively. 

Excited by my new discovery, I decided to do some research to confirm this theory. To my surprise there was a plethora of information available on the connection betweem wheat-gluten, infertility and other health problems. This topic is becoming more prominent as people, especially the health-medical professionals bring this valuable information to light for their clients and the general community to increase awareness of this health issue. 

The reason why wheat-gluten is an adversary to women's fertility and overall health is due to gluten, impairing the body's ability to absorb important nutrients needed to maintain normal hormonal regulation. Eating bread for instance, can temporarily increase the blood sugar levels and affects the regulation of insulin that is needed for your body to function. This is why, people becoming sluggish and fatigued after eating foods such as bread, pastries and pasta. There have also been studies that showed the correlation between gluten intolerance and miscarriage. This finding in particular can often be very surprising  to people, who hear about this study.

So far I have spoken about the side effects of eating wheat-gluten on women and their fertility. However, studies have also found that men who eat wheat and have a gluten intolerance, can inadvertently impair their sperm production. Healthy sperm production is needed to increase conception and to decrease the chances of having defective male fertility. 

Cutting out wheat from the Western diet in particular can seem very difficult. To illustrate, when I was conducting a Lifestyle Assessment recently, a client couple listed what they typically ate on a regular basis. They would have several slices of toast or oats in the morning, a muffin for morning tea, a sandwich for lunch and at dinner time, they would eat pasta.  It was no wonder that they were often feeling unwell and fatigued. Once they gradually eliminated wheat-gluten out of their diet and incorporated particular Fertility Foods that I recommended, their fertility and their overall health improved dramatically. Within just over a month, they were able to conceive their first baby they had been so anxiously waiting for. The first step was to remove all the toxins from their bodies and replenish it with wholesome, fresh, Fertility Foods. 
I hope you take inspiration and encouragement from this couple's success and take the right steps towards been pro-active about your fertility and health goals.

I wish you good health of body, mind and spirit.