Customer Reviews

Fertility Foods: Optimize Ovulation and Conception Through Food Choices

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The gist of this book is that insulin resistance--a condition that can be pre-diabetic, and a condition that can be MODERATED BY PROPER DIET--impedes fertility. The book describes that problem and proposes a solution.

I am not a fan of all the low-carb diets that have been popular these past few years. Luckily, this doctor doesn't seem to be an extremist. His suggestions are to balance carbohydrates and protein, both throughout the day and AT EVERY MEAL, thus avoiding insulin surges. He also prescribes eating something at the end of the day (bedtime) in order to avoid a "starvation" period of more than 8-9 hours.

According to his charts, if I were to try to use his system to lessen my insulin resistance (and, based upon his research, become more fertile), I would be expected to eat about 92 grams of protein and 92 grams of carbohydrates per day. He also gives a goal for fat grams. While I don't recall what mine was, I noted that it was comparable to what a standard weight loss diet would suggest.

To compare with a "normal" diet range for my height/weight (from a diet/fitness site I subscribe to):
PROTEIN -- 92 g (Groll) -- 30 to 136 g (my diet)
CARBS -- 92 g (Groll) -- 135 - 252 g (my diet)

I am not a nutrition expert to evaluate this professionally, but it doesn't seem too extreme to my reading of the numbers. I also recall that, during my pregnancy (in 2003), my doctor and our Bradley method childbirth instructor advised me to eat at least 80 g of protein per day. I believe that a higher protein level is frequently advised for pregnancy, so it could be relevant to fertility as well.

Groll also discusses the importance of exercise both for general health and as another way to decrease insulin surges that can lead to insulin resistance. All in all, his program appeared reasonable and healthy to me.

For someone struggling with infertility, I expect that following a plan like this might be a simple, cost-effective step to take before submitting to other more expensive and invasive fertility treatments. Naturally, anyone with specific health issues should consult their physician before starting this or any other diet and exercise plan!

The main disappointment with this book was the lack of actual meal plans and recipes. Nearly 2/3rds of the book is given over to advice about exercise, emotional health, etc-- good stuff, but also stuff that's covered better in several other well known books. There are really only a few pages given over to how to actually eat. This plan is also based on Atkins principles, and though it is much more flexible and reasonable, it would be quite difficult to follow for vegetarians and veggie friendly options are not provided by the authors. This book is mainly of interest to women with PCOS who need more general lifestyle information. Women with endo and other issues, or people who are looking for more concrete nutritional info, meal plans, etc should look to the Healing Gourmet book on fertility. It has a similar approach (to insulin resistance) but provides concrete suggestions for meal planning.

It is a very good book which, in very simple terms, explains how this nutrition plan works. I have PCOS and this book makes me hopeful that I may be able to control my condition without serious medication. I certainly would recommend this nutrition plan before trying Metformin. I was surprised how quickly the plan worked: I saw improvements in my symptoms within weeks after starting the plan. In fact, I have so much more energy and feel so much better that I would want to stick to this way of eating indefinitely. I only wish there would be more and better receipes in this book.

I am a patient of Dr Grolls and purchased the book for more details on the eating/insulin resistance reduction plan he proposed. The plan is not extreme, but it really does help reduce insulin resistance. If you have PCOS or other insulin resistance this is definitely worth looking into as a lifestyle change.

I bought this book three years ago after reading a review of it in Chatelaine magazine. Normally, I think these kinds of books are bunk, but after 3 years of trying to conceive, I was desperate to try anything that I thought might have even the slightest chance of working. I followed the diet to the letter, and I mean to the letter--I did everything I was supposed to do. The book suggested that many women who try the diet begin ovulating within two months; almost eight weeks to the day I started the diet, I was pregnant. I had a beautiful, healthy baby boy who will turn two next month.
I can't say enough about this diet--it's definitely worth trying.

Basically, an atkins diet - but without real guidelines. There are TONS of other books out there worth your money. This one just has a pretty cover - otherwise, totally worthless. I would recommend Sally Fallon's book "Nourishing Traditions" or "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" (which sounds like a diet book, but it's not - it's a great book to help clear up a number of nutrition lies). Dr. Haas has a few good books on overall nutrition. Go with those instead of wasting your money on this - something with no clear direction, and something that just scratches the very surface instead of giving real good info.
If you know absolutely nothing about nutrition, this might be a good fit. Even then, I would look at the others I suggested and start there instead.

I was expecting a book about which foods boost fertility and which foods inhibit fertility. What I found in this book was a diet and exercise program for optimizing fertility. This disappointed me because I did not want a program, just knowledge about food related to fertility.
I will say it does have some good information, even if you are not following their plan. I'm not sure how the plan works, since I have not tried it.

This was a very informative book about infertility. I haven't had success yet, but I feel healthier with the new diet.

The main idea of this book is that a high-protien, low-carb diet will increase your odds at having a child. What the author doesn't mention is that maintaining a high-protien, low-carb diet for an extended period of time can actually harm, not help, you. Rememeber, Atkins died of heart disease. The author of this book insists that by losing weight while on such a diet will increase your fertility. ANY weight loss will increase your fertility. The premise of the book, eat right and exercise, is a good one. The way he says to go about it is bad advice. 90% of all dieters fail. Why? Because diets don't work. Lifestyle changes in diet and exercise is the only sure fire way to lose weight and increase your odds of having a child.