Happy Friday!

The end of another week, means it's time for another email on optimizing your hormonal health!

I recently complete an amazing 2 day intensive conference on research updates in prenatal & pregnancy care. The biggest takeaway?

Almost ALL the benefit seen with nutrition, supplement and exercise interventions needs to be in place before 20 weeks of pregnancy. And even better? It needs to be in place BEFORE you conceive.

So let's start with diet. And no, I'm not talking 'dieting' - I'm talking about the pattern of the food we ingest. And there is one diet that CONSISTENTLY is at the forefront of research with the most consistent clinical outcomes. And that my friends, is the Mediterranean diet.

So, what exactly IS the Mediterranean diet?

To put it simply, the Med diet focuses whole foods, lots of vegetables & fruit, whole grains, good fats (think nuts & olive oil), lean proteins and minimal processed foods & sugars. BUT it also puts emphasis on the Mediterranean lifestyle; daily movement, time outside, eating in community, growing food and making meals from scratch.

Sounds pretty ideal, right? Wait until you hear what it can do...

1. Reduces your risk of heart disease & cardiovascular events (like heart attacks)
2. Reduces risk of stroke (especially in women)
3. Prevents cognitive decline & dementia
4. Aids with weight loss and weight maintenance
5. Helps with blood sugar regulation and prevents or helps manage type 2 diabetes
6. Reduces risk and severity of depression

Okay but we haven't even got to the good stuff (read hormonal health stuff)...

1. Recent research shows the QUALITY of your diet is more important than loosing weight in pateints with PCOS. And guess what kind of diet they deemed high quality? The Med Diet!
2. High compliance to the Meditteranean diet when trying to conceive increases rates of conception by 40% and it improves semen parameters!
3. In pregnancy (especially early pregnancy!) eating a Med Diet results in significant reduction in gestational diabetes, small for gestational age babies, urinary tract infections, high blood pressure and other high risk pregnancy complications

If there's one dietary pattern I recommend MOST in practice it's the Med diet. And the more research that comes out, the more convinced I become that our Mediterreanean friends have got it right.

Much Love,

​Dr. Liza xo ​

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