Fertility Foods: 100+ Recipes to Nourish Your Body While Trying to Conceive

by Elizabeth Shaw, Sara Haas, Sonali Ruder (Foreword by)

Overview

A complete fertility diet program for women seeking a healthy pregnancy—with expert advice, nutritional guidance, and over 100 recipes from certified RDNs

Struggling with infertility can be one of the most frustrating experiences for women looking to conceive. Rather than juggle multiple prescription medications all while scheduling an endless series of doctors’ visits, Fertility Foods helps you to seek better results—just by changing your diet.

As you prepare to enter one of the most significant times in your life, you owe it to yourself and your future children to make sure that your body has absolutely everything it needs, at the proper times and in the proper quantities. Fertility Foods includes:

• Over 100 nutritious, satisfying dishes to boost your fertility
• Dietary breakdowns to help you understand what will help your body conceive, and why
• Tips on managing stress and other lifestyle factors
• Heartfelt support and guidance from women who have struggled with infertility
• A how-to guide on putting together a healthy kitchen

Fertility Foods is more than just a diet plan or cookbook. It’s a companion—a constant support system that will provide you with the information you need to ensure you receive proper nutrition before conception.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781578267040
Publisher:	Hatherleigh Press
Publication date:	10/31/2017
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	45 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

ELIZABETH SHAW, MS, RDN, CLT is a nutrition expert, adjunct professor of nutrition and owner of a nutrition communications consulting business. She is a nationally recognized speaker and freelance writer for Fit Pregnancy, Shape, Oxygen and Fitness Magazine. Her passion for spreading the message about the powerful role food and nutrition play in one’s life has led her to be featured on Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, NBC Los Angeles News, The CW San Diego News, Fox 5 News, What to Expect, The Huffington Post, Food Network, US News & World Report, Dr. Oz The Good Life, Bustle, The Daily Meal and PopSugar. You'll find her at ShawSimpleSwaps.com (@shawsimpleswaps) and BumpstoBaby.com (@bumpstobaby), sharing her love for food and travel, along with a friendly smile to support you on your journey to baby.

CHEF SARA HAAS, RDN, LDN is a food and nutrition expert with formal training in the culinary arts. She works as a freelance writer, recipe developer, media authority, public speaker and consultant dietitian/chef. Sara is a former culinary and nutrition instructor and served as a National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Media Spokesperson. Sara has been featured in Eating Well Magazine, Shape Magazine, Parents Magazine, USA Today, The Wall Street ​Journal, The Huffington Post, Epicurious, BabyCenter, O Magazine and Today’s Dietitian Magazine. Sara also shares her love of food and nutrition on her website, SaraHaasRDN.com, and on Instagram (@cookinRD) where she posts recipes, as well as nutrition and cooking tips.

Read an Excerpt

I met these two remarkable women like many people meet nowadays—on the internet. As fellow health food bloggers, we’re part of a large network of people who share a common passion for food and the amazing power that it has to affect our health.
 
Having treated many pregnant patients in the emergency room over the years, one commonality I’ve noticed is that women often view pregnancy as the ideal time to make positive changes in their lives. Whether it is quitting smoking, being more physically active, or eating healthier, women have a natural instinct to do what’s best for their babies.
 
When I was researching my book Natural Pregnancy Cookbook, I was humbled by the power we have as women to affect not only our own health, but also the health of our developing babies. What I learned from reading Fertility Foods is that you can start even earlier. You can prime your body even before conception using the power of food.  By no means are the authors guaranteeing pregnancy by reading this book. Rather, they are helping to empower you and teaching you how to fuel your body with the right nutrients so that you are stronger, healthier, and ready when (using their own words) the “bigger plan” comes along. 
 
In this groundbreaking book, the authors set out to explore the relationship between food and fertility. The information and recommendations presented in this book are honest, comprehensive, and backed by science. They break down which important nutrients you need to nourish your body to make sure it’s in the optimal condition to fuel your fertility.
 
And who better to write this book than these two women, with their impressive list of credentials? With their expertise in both the nutrition and culinary worlds, Liz and Sara have both accomplished so much professionally, whether it be through teaching students, consulting, serving as nutrition experts at the national level, or being public personas on the radio and TV. What strikes me the most is their common passion for sharing their knowledge with others. And now they’re doing that once again by writing this book and sharing their personal journeys.
 
The overall sense you get when reading this book is one of friendship and camaraderie, reassuring readers that they’ve been there, too. They offer helpful advice not only as nutrition experts, but also as women who've gone through fertility struggles themselves.
 
In addition to the wealth of nutritional information provided, this book also provides valuable tips about basic culinary techniques and food safety, as well as how to stock a healthy kitchen. And finally, it offers a wonderful and diverse collection of nutritious recipes to suit any taste. From breakfast to dinner to sweet treats, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re trying the Carrot Cake Pancakes, Umami Burgers or Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond “BonBons,” they’ll show you how to create healthy, nourishing meals and have fun doing it. The recipes are easy and approachable and they all include a “fertility focus” detailing why the dish is important to fuel your fertility and give you the energy you need to feel your best. 
 
Infertility can be an unpredictable, bumpy ride with lots of twists and turns. The authors want to take the stress out of an already stressful situation and put the reins in your capable hands. They want to empower you to make smart nutrition choices so that you can nourish yourself properly and prime your body with wholesome, delicious food. So sit back, relax, and take some time to curl up with this book. It will feel like you're catching up with two old friends. And I bet you'll be amazed at how much you learned, too.
 
—Excerpt from the Foreword by Dr. Sonali Ruder, Board-certified Emergency Medicine physician, creator of the popular food blog The Foodie Physician and author of Natural Pregnancy Cookbook and Natural Baby Food

Table of Contents

Foreword Dr. Sonali Ruder xi

Authors' Note xiii

Meet Elizabeth Shaw xv

Meet Sara Haas xix

Part 1 The Recipe for Nutrition and Fertility

Chapter 1 The Foundation of Food and Fertility 3

Chapter 2 The Main Ingredients 7

Chapter 3 The Secondary Ingredients-Other Fertility Factors 43

Part 2 Fertility Food Recipes

Breakfast 55

Appetizers, Sandwiches and Snacks 97

Salads, Dressings, and Soups 145

Entrees 181

Side Dishes: Roasted Vegetables and Whole Grains 221

Sweet Treats 245

Appendix A Dietary Reference Intake 267

Appendix B Building a Healthy Kitchen: The Staples 269

Appendix C Cooking Techniques and Terms 273

Appendix D Food Safety Recommendations 275

Resources 279

References 281

About the Authors 285

Recipe index 289

Editorial Reviews

"In my years in practice as a Reproductive Endocrinologist, one consistent question asked by both women and men is 'What can I (we) do to improve chances to conceive?' Although a thorough medical evaluation is essential, many patients seek opportunities where they themselves can affect positive change. Engaging in a healthy diet and lifestyle is something patients can have control over to improve fertility. Knowing what changes to make, however, is difficult, and that is where Fertility Foods comes in! Mrs. Shaw and Mrs. Haas, both registered dietitian nutritionists, present scientifically-supported information in which readers can feel confident, and they present it in a friendly and readable manner. They take the mystery out of what to eat, how to eat and most importantly, why to eat a nutrient-dense diet to optimize fertility. And as a budding foodie myself, I can attest that the recipes are delicious!"
—Wendy B. Shelly, MD, FACOG, Fertility Specialists Medical Group

"I wholeheartedly believe in practicing medicine with Mind, Body and Soul in mind, and I love how that Fertility Foods incorporates nutrition into making your mind, body and soul whole. This book can be for anyone looking to feel great inside and out. Easy to read and learn new concepts. Get ready to take on a yummy, nutritional, wholesome way of life."
—Angelica Neison, MD, Sharp Rees-Stealy Mira Mesa

"...an impressive compendium of more than 100 recipes for dishes that are unfailingly palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and conducive to enhancing and fortifying fertility. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout, [...] a unique and unreservedly recommended addition to family and community library cookbook collections."
—Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher