Not every ‘fish oil’ is created equal. And, what even is a fish oil? Are all omega-3 supplements fish oils? Why do I still pop these glistening soft gels when prepping for pregnancy? Let’s find out.
Inositol and egg quality – the very latest to know
What’s the connection here? How does inositol improve egg quality, what should we know about type and dosage, and who can benefit the most? Read on as we break it down.
Is there a goji-fertility connection? Here’s the 101
These little red gems, long celebrated in Traditional Chinese Medicine, are in the spotlight for their potential to support our fertility. Discover how they may improve egg quality, sperm health, and more – plus get easy tips for incorporating them into your diet.
Navigating the veganism fertility puzzle – these are the micronutrients to chase
In this round-up – with expert fertility nutritionist Kirsten Oddy as our go-to for detailed support – we’ll explore the relationship between a vegan diet and fertility, examining both the potential benefits and drawbacks.
Can matcha cause infertility? No – and here’s what else the science says
A rumor that matcha can cause infertility has been circulating on TikTok. So, we’re picking through the collective chatter, gathering some expert insight from the latest studies, and looking at the truth behind the claim.
The key nutrients that might be missing from your fertility supplement (according to a senior nutritionist)
Many of the high-street dietary supplements out there that are ‘designed’ to support your fertility are actually missing many of the key nutrients your body needs – who knew? Here’s what to look for instead.
Fertility food diaries – the go-to dishes I’ve been loving
In part one of fertility food diaries, Eloise incorporated Foodhak meals into her weekly eats. Read on for part two, as we dive a little deeper into the key nutrition behind Eloise’s favourite fertility-friendly dinner dishes. This plan will have you set for a whole week!
Gut Health and Fertility – Is the Route to Conception through the Gut?
Gut Health is a part of wellbeing that is often discussed and promoted in the media that surrounds us in everyday life. But what exactly is it? And what about gut health and fertility, and our trying to conceive game plan? To tell us more about how to look after our gut and the best [...]
Pomegranate & fertility – can it really give us a boost?
Pomegranate fertility benefits - for men and women The link between pomegranate and fertility goes way back - we’re talking centuries. In many cultures, pomegranates have long symbolised fertility and abundance, thanks to their jewel-like seeds, bursting from a coral-pink, spherical shell. Traditionally gifted to newlyweds as a blessing of fruitfulness, the pomegranate’s reputation as a [...]
Why avocados are (still) a fertility superfood
Most of us know that this creamy green fruit is packed with health benefits, but is it actually a ‘fertility food’? If you’re part of our TTC squad, or you’re expecting a baby, here’s what science, and the awesome supplement creators Deavocado – creators of the world’s number one fermented avocado formula – can tell us about the power of avocados for fertility.
3 Valentine’s Gift Ideas for Loved Ones Trying to Conceive
Valentine's Day is the perfect (if commercialised) opportunity to show the people in your life how much you love them. (This includes yourself - take it from a happily single woman.) We're making the decision-making easier with our Valentine's gift ideas. Whether you just want an excuse to treat yourself or show a significant other, [...]
Can intermittent fasting improve male fertility?
Intermittent fasting may have even more benefits than we thought…
The fertility-friendly foods we can really get on board with, this holiday season
The holiday season is a time of indulgence, celebration, and togetherness. But if you’re trying to conceive (TTC), it can also feel like a minefield of questions and temptations: “Can I have alcohol?” “Which foods should I avoid?” "What do we mean by fertility friendly foods, vs. simply 'healthy' choices?", and so on. For me, [...]
Foods that help fertility – find them in this hormone-balancing buddha bowl
Michelle from myMindBodyBaby shares a delicious winter recipe - food that helps fertility. Michelle has been a nutritionist for over a decade and focuses on trying to conceive, after her own fertility struggle. Enjoy this delicious, fertility friendly recipe as we head into winter. Over to Michelle mymindbodybaby.com/ | @myMindBodyBaby Hormone Balancing Buddha Bowl [...]
Turmeric, fertility and superfood properties (plus the best recipes to bookmark)
Dive in to the turmeric fertility link, and find out why this sunshine yellow spice packs such a punch when TTC. Plus, grab top turmeric recipes, and our fave supplement, right now. It’s all here!
Are men and women’s prenatals the same? No – and here’s why
Men and women have different fertility goals Are men and women's prenatals the same? The goal is the same, right? Well, not exactly. The shared goal is, of course, a healthy baby. But to get there, we need to adjust our mindset, focusing on specific goals for our own fertility - from egg and sperm [...]
Can nutrition improve egg quality?
No one specific food will improve egg health. Unfortunately, this isn’t a magic bullet situation. But science continues to show that targeted supplementation, plus diet and lifestyle changes, can help improve egg - and ovarian - health. And a big part of ovarian health shows up in our ovarian reserve - or the number and [...]
On a vegan fertility diet? Here’s how to optimise for protein
Protein and fertility go hand in hand. If you’re eating vegan, filling your diet with a variety of protein-rich plant foods will be key in your TTC plan. Expert fertility nutritionist Charlotte Grand, the genius behind The Fertility Kitchen, gives us the vegan fertility diet lowdown, from increased protein needs in pregnancy to the best [...]
Are You in the Know About How Blood Sugar Affects Your Fertility?
Have you ever wondered how blood sugar affects fertility? Are you thinking "Can high blood sugar affect fertility?" or "Can low blood sugar affect fertility?" You guessed it, blood sugar can affect your fertility and, fortunately, you have the capability to balance your blood sugar. Through lifestyle and dietary changes, you can control your hormones and [...]
Follow These 4 Tips to Improve IVF Success
At The Ribbon Box, we know the importance of a healthy body to improve IVF success. Regular moderate exercise, a fertility friendly diet and ensuring you take fertility-boosting nutrients all contribute to fertility treatment outcomes. Today, Charlotte at The Fertility Kitchen shares her top tips for boosting IVF results by following a fertility friendly meal [...]
4 Valentine’s Gift Ideas for Loved Ones Trying to Conceive
Valentine's Day is the perfect (commercialised) opportunity to show the people in your life how much you love them. (This includes yourself - take it from a happily single woman.) Whether you just want an excuse to treat yourself or show a significant other, a new boy- or girlfriend or a friend who's TTC just [...]
5 Ways to Optimise IVF Success
At The Ribbon Box, we have a wealth of Wellbeing Tips to help with IVF success. Today, Charlotte at The Fertility Kitchen shares her top tips for optimising IVF results through nutrition and more. Read on to claim an exclusive discount to help you use nutrition to influence IVF treatment. Words by Charlotte Grand IVF [...]
Mouthwatering Rainbow Pad Thai Recipe
Are you looking for a colourful, flavourful and hearty meal to improve your health and subsequently your fertility? Look no further, as today on The Ribbon Box we turn to Charlotte Grand, a fertility nutritionist and founder of The Fertility Kitchen who has prepared a fertility-friendly recipe just for us. Read on for a deliciously [...]
Fall & autumn recipes for a fertility boost
Think warming, think one-pot Autumn recipes are our fave. From porridge (oatmeal for our US friends) on the stove to yummy, simple bowl food - autumn and fall cooking really works with the fertility nutrition and lifestyle principles we swear by: warming easy on the gut nutrient-dense less stress hormone-balancing For a helping hand, nutritionist [...]
How Can Holistic Therapies Benefit Fertility and IVF?
If you are an avid reader of our The Ribbon Box's articles, you will by now have heard of holistic therapy treatments for infertility. There can be so many holistic therapies to choose from, that we have reached out to Clinica Tambre, a fertility clinic based in Spain, to explain about some of the most popular [...]
Things I Changed for a BFP (Big Fat Positive)
Words by Eloise Edington, The Ribbon Box founder & CEO When I was trying to conceive, I went into our first round of IVF like a bulldozer. This is our personal story and perspective on the big fat positive (BFP), which readers often ask me to share. The Diagnosis We got my husband’s diagnosis of Azoospermia [...]
10 Foods to Eat that Help Increase Fertility
As holistic approaches to fertility treatment are becoming more popular due to their effectiveness, we want to find out what the best foods are to help increase fertility for those who are trying to conceive. To learn more about the links between fertility and nutrition, The Ribbon Box have reached out to Laurel Fertility Care, [...]
The Secret Ingredient In Turmeric That Could Be Improving Your Fertility
There are hundreds of superfoods with unique benefits for fertility, but none has been glorified quite like turmeric. Turmeric has been popularised in Western culture and this isn’t just a fleeting trend. Numerous studies and trials have been conducted on turmeric due to its key ingredient that just keeps on giving. At The Ribbon Box, [...]
Eating Out Tips for Anyone TTC
As the world is opening up and we are beginning to tentatively venture out to restaurants again (for the first time in many months), it may seem tempting to abandon healthy eating resolutions and let go a bit. For those of us trying to conceive or going through fertility treatments like IUI and IVF, and [...]
3 Powerful Nutrients you Need to Optimise your Fertility
Nutrition, along with lifestyle tweaks and exercise, can have a great impact on your reproductive health whilst trying to conceive. That being said, it is hard to know where to begin, especially if all your life you have stuck to one diet. Sometimes, it is best to start small (by trying things like fertility vitamins) [...]
What to eat (& avoid) during the 2WW – plus, decrease IVF bloating
The two week-wait (2WW) is an exciting and anxious time, that can unintentionally be a distraction from all the lifestyle advice that you are told to follow for better IVF success rates. To try and make things a little simpler, and beat any IVF bloating, The Ribbon Box have asked registered nutritional therapist Jen Walpole, [...]
Can Intermittent Fasting Improve Male Fertility?
When trying to conceive, couples can be bombarded with health concerns, some of which can be remedied through lifestyle changes, such as nutrition and exercise. There’s often a pressure to try dieting in order to avoid weight gain, which can increase risks to fertility and slow sperm motility. Today on The Ribbon Box, we'll dig deeper [...]
What to Eat to Boost Fertility
There are many dos and don’ts when it comes to nutrition during pregnancy, but what about when you’re trying to conceive? What are the best fertility boosting foods? Sometimes, it isn’t as simple as paying attention to a woman’s menstrual cycle, since bodily functions and overall health also play a part in fertility. As with [...]
Foods to Improve Egg Quality & Health
Today on The Ribbon Box, we turn to expert fertility nutritionist, Milena from Root and Leaf Nutrition, to find out if there is a way to improve egg quality and health through the foods we put in our body. This is a question we get asked repeatedly and here are the facts. Words by Milena [...]
Does Veganism Affect Conception?
In recent years, veganism has become a popular lifestyle choice for many people, but what does this mean for those trying to conceive? What's the deal with veganism and fertility, is it ok? Fertility nutritionist, Jen Walpole, gives us an insight into some of the key nutrients that might be missing on a plant-based diet [...]
How to Improve IVF Success – Fertility Nutritionist Dishes
Michelle has been a nutritionist for the last fourteen years – specializing in female fertility. During her fertility struggles, taking control of factors like food and supplementation, helped Michelle to manage psychological burdens. Read on as she shares some easy-to-follow concepts, as well as research that you can use to help feel supported throughout your [...]
The Six Recommended Fertility Supplements (Prenatals) When TTC
Nutrition plays a vital role when you’re TTC (trying to conceive), from pre-conception to pregnancy, and even afterwards. In addition to becoming more mindful about your diet and lifestyle, your fertility specialist or nutritionist will most likely recommend introducing fertility supplements to your regime. However, when you begin strolling the shopping aisle (lined with supplements), [...]
What’s a Fertility Friendly Diet? By Nutritionist Jen Walpole
We know that nutrition plays an important role in supporting fertility and IVF success, but what exactly should a ‘Fertility Diet’ look like? We reached out to Fertility Nutritionist Jen Walpole to advise us on what we should be eating when #TTC. Words by Jen www.jenwalpole.com | @jenwalpolenutrition The Mediterranean Diet This is the most [...]
The importance of fertility nutrients (and the best supplements for egg & sperm health)
Today on The Ribbon Box’s blog we hear from Proceive about the relevance and importance of nutrients and fertility supplements when trying to conceive and for optimal egg and sperm health. They also provide us with an amazing nutrients checklist. Developed by nutritional fertility specialists to support the body, Proceive provides functional, comprehensive and evidence-based [...]
Nurturing Yourself for Fertility and Beyond
On The Ribbon Box’s blog today, we hear from Fertility Specialist Dietitian, Komal Deepak Kumar MSc, RD. She runs a freelance clinic at UK Fertility Nutrition. Komal aims to help streamline preconception and fertility care and facilitate timely evidence based food plans for patients with infertility. In this article, she will be answering common questions [...]
IVF diet tips – A dietician’s guide to weight loss for optimal treatment BMI
We recently ran a poll which showed that nearly 70% of readers waiting for IVF treatment have not been eating well (IVF diet going out the window) or exercising as much as they used to. The lovely Eugenie (a fertility dietitian) has been helping me with a personalised weight-loss programme and I’m pleased to say [...]
Folate vs. Folic Acid When Trying to Conceive
Jen Walpole is a registered Nutritional Therapist who splits her time between her Hertfordshire clinics and online clients. She suffered with hormonal imbalances throughout her 20’s and was later diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 28. This lead her to nutritional therapy, and it was her self-learning about the importance of nutrition and a […]
Zita West’s Top Nutrition Tips for a Healthy Conception
Zita West fertility supplements, nutrition tips & more When you’re going through fertility treatment, you want to give it your best shot (excuse the pun). We know first-hand how much time, effort, energy and money can be spent ‘getting it right’. So, we’re delighted to hear from world-renowned Zita West (former midwife, fertility acupuncturist and [...]
The 5 most nutrient-dense foods for preconception, according to a nutritional therapist
As we all know by now, food is super important for fertility, when trying to conceive. But what are the best foods for preconception? We have once again turned to expert fertility nutritionist, Milena Mastroianni from Root and Leaf Nutrition, to hear about the top nutrient-dense foods that help fertility. Over to Milena, for her [...]
Can caffeine affect fertility? Probably not – but there are a few things you should know
There’s a lot of conflicting information about caffeine and fertility out there, especially on IVF forums and social media. There are also plenty of myths about what to eat and drink (and what to avoid) when you’re trying to conceive (TTC), and separating the wheat from the chaff can often feel like a headache when [...]
Getting started with Chinese medicine for fertility – 5 top TTC tips
Trying to conceive and looking for an alternative perspective? Snag these Chinese Medicine fertility tips for beginners, from a licensed acupuncturist & fertility specialist.
Losing Weight Before Pregnancy – Fighting PCOS
Sometimes when we’re embarking on our journey of trying to conceive, fertility specialists can advise us to lose weight in order to start our fertility treatment. It’s not unusual for people to need or want to lose weight before pregnancy. This is not always the case, but if it’s what your fertility specialist […]
Personalized fertility nutrition – a look behind the evidence-based lifestyle program designed to improve your outcomes
Find out more about how personalized nutrition-based plans can improve every part of your fertility journey, and help support conception, with the brilliant registered nutritionist behind the myMindBodyBaby program.
PCOS nutrition for natural conception support
PCOS affects approximately 1 in 5 women in the UK and is the most common cause of infertility in women – but when it comes to getting pregnant with PCOS, taking a natural approach can be successful in helping you conceive. So with this in mind, we asked nutritionist Kirsten Oddy her thoughts.
A fertility dietitian sets the record straight: 5 myths you need to unlearn
Fertility dietitian and nutritionist Stefanie Valakas is here to cut through the noise. She’s on a mission to debunk some of the most common myths she comes across while supporting couples trying to conceive.
