Recently data from the famous Nurse's Health Study has revealed that women who ate more low fat dairy foods per day were twice as likely to have trouble conceiving due to problems with ovulation. And women who ate at least one fatty dairy food per day were 27% less likely to have ovulation problems which effect fertility.
This lead the press to jump to the conclusion that ice cream can help to improve your fertility. Well, this is a big jump, and though I am a fan of the occasional ice cream myself, its very important to realise a few things before loading your diet up with high fat dairy on a regular basis to improve your fertility.
I suggest that you consider:
1) Dairy is really irrelevant in this situation. The real pertinent information is high fat versus low fat. Low fat foods, because they are low fat and also because they tend to have more sugar added to them for taste, tend to be high glycemic. Eating high glycemic foods on a regular basis can effect your glucose levels, insulin levels and subsequently your reproductive hormone levels as well. So it is likely the increased consumption of high glycemic foods is effecting ovulation. This is typical in the person who has the diagnosis, Polycystic ovaries. Both lean and overweight women with polycystic ovaries tend to have difficulties with ovulation and also tend to have insulin resistance which is usually the result of eating foods that are high glycemic over a long period of time.
So have 1-3 servings of foods that have good fats in them like avocados, nuts, seeds, fish (though be aware of mercury levels here) and good natural yogurts that are normally higher in fat will keep the glycemic load down and lessen the chance of developing insulin resistance or excess insulin in your system, which again can effect your reproductive health.
2) Statistics say that only 1/3 or women with fertility issues have problems relating to ovulation. The finding in this review related to ovulation issues.
3)This is not about increasing dairy. Most dairy has little health benefits due to the way that it is processed. Many nutrients are taken out and only some are added back in to make the foods more "healthy". Milk is not the best source of calcium either because calcium needs other nutrients not all found in milk to help it get absorbed. Green leafy vegetables are your best source of calcium. And supplements taken to help with Calcium should include magnesium, Vitamin D and boron to help ensure absorption of Calcium into the body. Also remember that calcium CITRATE is the most absorbable form of calcium and this should be most of the calcium in any calcium supplement (along with the other nutrients mentioned) for optimal absorption, if the stomach and gut health is good.
4) Remember to stay away from "diet food" that tout low fat because most will have added sugar and low fat tends to mean high glycemic unless you are talking about meats which are more lean with less fat. All protein is low glycemic.
