Avocado & Fig {Fertility} Salsa

I was oddly addicted to this during fig season last summer. It was practically an everyday indulgence for me and my loves. And by indulgence, I mean body nourishing and incredibly delicious. Yes, those two things can co-exist. That’s the beauty of real food.

And then this happened…

Turns out, my body was telling me something.

According to the brilliant minds over at Harvard, there is such a thing known as “The Fertility Diet“. In a nutshell, a diet rich in certain foods can improve ovulation and fertility, while setting the stage to a healthy pregnancy.  Read the book here.

Besides the basics (stop eating crap), the main concept centers on a full fat, organic diet filled with real, whole foods that proves to be extremely effective. But don’t take my word for it – take theirs.

Why is this?

While diet and exercise are indeed the pillars of a healthy lifestyle, when it comes to fertility, diet seems to one up its counterpart due to its ability to regulate hormones (or not – in the case of eating too much of the aforementioned crap). Without balanced hormones, the entire system gets off kilter – from ovulation to weight management and everything in between.

There are a wide variety of foods that can help to improve fertility in both the ladies and the gents, because according to my junior high health teacher, it takes two to tango.

Note: For the sake of this (off the hook) recipe, I’m profiling just two of nature’s best fertility foods. For a complete list, read this, this, this, and this. 

The Avocado

According to the Aztecs, the avocado was considered one of the ultimate fertility fruits. Those Aztecs knew their stuff. With it’s high vitamin E content, it’s been noted that avocados can help to treat infertility in men by increasing sperm mobility and keeping those little dudes from “clumping” when making their journey toward the mothership (the egg).

Avocados are also a great source of good fats. I remember someone telling me that I shouldn’t be feeding my (then) 8 month old daughter, Mila, avocado because it was so high in fat. Can you imagine? I quickly gave her the business and carried about my day.

As many diet dictocrats are starting to concede, healthy fats are not only critical to our overall health, but also to help balance and nourish our hormones and regulate our (menstrual and ovulation) cycle. Back in the day, when I thought I was being healthy by eating low and no-fat everything, I was a train wreck, with a cycle to match. The result: it took me 4 years to naturally conceive my first daughter. Yeah, that’s right — 4 years.

It’s said that one avocado a week can improve the balance of hormones, help you shed baby weight and prevent cervical cancer. For the record, I eat waaaaaay more than that. Even more interesting, the avocado’s fertility cycle mimics that of a woman’s – taking exactly nine months for an avocado to blossom into a ripened fruit – the time it takes to nourish a healthy babe in the womb.

The Fig

Time to give the fellas some love. It’s no coincidence that figs hang in twos when they grow – just like…you guessed it…the male cojones. Figs have been said to increase the mobility and count of sperm – helping to improve fertility.

In other news, figs are a great source of non-dairy calcium, boasting 240 mg per cup – the same amount found in a cup of milk, high in fiber, and loaded with free radical-scavenging antioxidants, which can help to prevent the development of cancer, heart disease, and visible signs of aging.

And…they’re freaking delicious.

Sure, the conception of my #2 could have been pure coincidence (full disclosure, we had been trying for about a year), but my gut tells me it was a compilation of many variables that played a role – particularly my fertility-friendly diet.

Do you want to balance your hormones, regulate your cycle, and (perhaps) get your body baby-ready?

In my fully-supported program, Lose Weight, Feel Great – 8 Weeks to a New You, you will learn just how to do this, easily, deliciously, and without gimmicks, crazy diets, deprivation, or calorie counting so you can give your body the love it deserves and (if you so desire) lose those last 10-20 pounds and keep them off, while getting your hormones completely under control. Pretty sweet, huh?

You’ll also reap these benefits:

• Become the master of your metabolism and never again succumb to the old wives tale that “weight gain is inevitable as we age”.
• Melt belly fat for good.
• Understand the causes of weight gain and what prevents you from losing weight.
• Enjoy traveling and going out with your friends and loved ones without stressing over “what am I going to eat?”
• Never. Diet. Again.

You want in?

Check it out here and put an end to the hormone imbalance NOW!

Join us

Have you done anything {diet or otherwise} to improve your fertility? Did it work? Please leave a comment below. I’d LOVE to hear!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: ¾ cup

• Calories: 180

• Total Fat:  13 g

• Saturated Fat:  1 g

• Cholesterol:  31 mg

• Sodium: 20 mg

• Total Carbohydrate: 16 g

• Dietary Fiber: 7 g

• Sugars:  6 g

• Protein: 3 g

You might also like this Fermented Salsa Verde recipe from Yogi Mami.

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