In an ideal world, practicing natural family planning techniques to prevent conception or achieve conception should be a relatively simple and happy process. In the real world, women suffer from a whole host of cycle irregularities that can make this process quite difficult.
Would you believe that the foods and nutrients you put in your mouth might make all the difference?
Marilyn M. Shannon's book, Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition, offers nutritional solutions to all sorts of natural family planning problems. Shannon believes that improved nutrition can 1) make the practice of NFP easier by eliminating or easing cycle irregularities and 2) increase fertility.
The first part of the book is a wonderful general nutrition guide. (Shannon is a homeschooling mom of 8 who never suffered from morning sickness, gave birth several times at home, grows most of her own food, and still finds time to write, research, and teach. A superwoman with energy like this must be doing something right!) Shannon's "12 Rules for Improved Nutrition" include eating more complex carbohydrates and less saturated fats, eating a greater variety of foods, sharply limiting caffeine and sugar, eating more raw or gently cooked foods, and substituting more nutritious ingredients for less nutritious ingredients. If you're already discouraged by this short list, feel encouraged by her "80-20 rule" which suggests that we make our diet 80% ideal and don't belabor the imperfect 20%.
Shannon also gives advice on acquiring nutritious foods and avoiding the processed "junk" offered by many of the center aisles of supermarkets. On a personal note, I must share here that my family belongs to a local organic farm and we receive a "share" of the vegetables produced each week. For about 20 weeks out of the year, we delight in freshly picked, healthy veggies and we find planning meals around them quite easy.
Shannon stresses that a healthy diet always comes first, but in an imperfect world, supplementation (taking vitamin pills, for example) is a great second line of defense. She gives several compelling reasons for supplementing. First, each person is unique and might have higher than average needs for a certain vitamin or mineral. Second, groups of individuals have high needs, such as pregnant and nursing women, smokers, drinkers, the elderly, oral contraceptive users, vigorous exercisers, and those with acute or chronic illness. Supplementation can also help overcome specific health problems and the reality that, even with an excellent diet, our foods often come to us in a compromised condition (from poor soil, bad harvesting practices, long storage, etc.). Finally, Shannon believes that supplements can help us achieve optimal health. She warns that the "RDA's" of many multivitamins provide the minimal nutrient needs of healthy individuals. We won't get rickets or scurvy on an RDA one-a-day, but we may need more. Shannon outlines an optimal and balanced vitamin and mineral plan, too complicated to review here. Read the book! J
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