Soup's Up

Posted on July 23, 2012 Heidi Brockmyre, L.Ac.

Have I mentioned how important top notch digestive functioning is for your fertility? Well I’m gonna say it again. It’s essential. The quality of your eggs and uterine lining depend on not only what you digest but also how well you digest. What good is an antioxidant if it goes right through you?

So here’s another important Chinese medicine tidbit: incorporate lots of soups and stews into your diet. Westerners believe that salads are the definition of a healthy diet. Easterners disagree. Ever notice how gassy you feel after eating a big salad?

In excess, salads weaken the digestive system. Your digestive enzymes are like a fire warming up a pot, the pot being your stomach. Too many salads weaken the fire and inhibit the proper breakdown of nutrients.

So even in the summer, avoid eating too many salads. When you do, pair it with hot herbal tea, a cup of soup, or a warm whole grain. Your reproductive organs (and maybe the other people in the room) will thank you for it!

Fir example, one of my patients felt frustrated when her doctor cancelled her two consecutive natural IVF cycles due to growing cysts instead of healthy follicles. She also noted feeling fatigued and congested for weeks. I reviewed her diet with her learning that she ate mostly salads. I offered the same advice as above. She didn’t cut salads out completely but did regularly incorporate stews and soups. Within 2-3 weeks, her symptoms improved, the cyst resolved, and healthy follicles started to grow.