I met these two remarkable women like many people meet nowadays—on the internet. As fellow health food bloggers, we’re part of a large network of people who share a common passion for food and the amazing power that it has to affect our health.
Having treated many pregnant patients in the emergency room over the years, one commonality I’ve noticed is that women often view pregnancy as the ideal time to make positive changes in their lives. Whether it is quitting smoking, being more physically active, or eating healthier, women have a natural instinct to do what’s best for their babies.
When I was researching my book
Natural Pregnancy Cookbook, I was humbled by the power we have as women to affect not only our own health, but also the health of our developing babies. What I learned from reading
Fertility Foods is that you can start even earlier. You can prime your body even before conception using the power of food. By no means are the authors guaranteeing pregnancy by reading this book. Rather, they are helping to empower you and teaching you how to fuel your body with the right nutrients so that you are stronger, healthier, and ready when (using their own words) the “bigger plan” comes along.
In this groundbreaking book, the authors set out to explore the relationship between food and fertility. The information and recommendations presented in this book are honest, comprehensive, and backed by science. They break down which important nutrients you need to nourish your body to make sure it’s in the optimal condition to fuel your fertility.
And who better to write this book than these two women, with their impressive list of credentials? With their expertise in both the nutrition and culinary worlds, Liz and Sara have both accomplished so much professionally, whether it be through teaching students, consulting, serving as nutrition experts at the national level, or being public personas on the radio and TV. What strikes me the most is their common passion for sharing their knowledge with others. And now they’re doing that once again by writing this book and sharing their personal journeys.
The overall sense you get when reading this book is one of friendship and camaraderie, reassuring readers that they’ve been there, too. They offer helpful advice not only as nutrition experts, but also as women who've gone through fertility struggles themselves.
In addition to the wealth of nutritional information provided, this book also provides valuable tips about basic culinary techniques and food safety, as well as how to stock a healthy kitchen. And finally, it offers a wonderful and diverse collection of nutritious recipes to suit any taste. From breakfast to dinner to sweet treats, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re trying the
Carrot Cake Pancakes,
Umami Burgers or
Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond “BonBons,” they’ll show you how to create healthy, nourishing meals and have fun doing it. The recipes are easy and approachable and they all include a “fertility focus” detailing why the dish is important to fuel your fertility and give you the energy you need to feel your best.
Infertility can be an unpredictable, bumpy ride with lots of twists and turns. The authors want to take the stress out of an already stressful situation and put the reins in your capable hands. They want to empower you to make smart nutrition choices so that you can nourish yourself properly and prime your body with wholesome, delicious food. So sit back, relax, and take some time to curl up with this book. It will feel like you're catching up with two old friends. And I bet you'll be amazed at how much you learned, too.
—Excerpt from the Foreword by Dr. Sonali Ruder, Board-certified Emergency Medicine physician, creator of the popular food blog
The Foodie Physician and author of
Natural Pregnancy Cookbook and
Natural Baby Food
Copyright © 2017 by Elizabeth Shaw and Sara Haas; Foreword by Dr. Sonali Ruder. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
