By virtue of its determination to help patients fulfil their dream of parenthood, Clinica Tambre continues to expand the list of complementary therapies to fertility treatments.
It has been a while since we had the pleasure of having Sue Bedford at the centre, a nutritional professional, who revealed to us a new world regarding food and the influence it has on people’s well-being. Sue Bedford, MSc (Nut Th), BSc (Hons), PGCE, mBANT, CNHC is a Nutritional Therapist, with a special interest in Fertility, General Health, Well-Being, Weight Loss and Child Nutrition. She gained her MSc in Nutritional Therapy from the University of Worcester in 2012 (her thesis explored nutrition and fertility in depth).
Due to her background in science and the fact she was undergoing fertility treatment herself, she decided to get to know more about the science of food and the impact of nutrition on fertility. In Sue’s case, she found out about her micronutrient levels and discovered that her selenium levels needed adjusting which led to a successful pregnancy with the help of her medical team. Having subsequently gaining her MSc, she is fully committed to giving personalized nutritional advice to each of her clients and to consider factors such as stress, sleep and hormones. In addition, she carries out regular follow-ups to prevent patients from giving up and supports anyone struggling with their new habits.
Also, she’s always behind the latest developments in her field, such as her knowledge of nutrigenetics, an emergent area of nutrition. Nutrigenetics measures many genetic markers such as sensitivity to carbohydrates, detoxification ability, omega 3 level, sensitivity to alcohol or salt, lactose and gluten intolerance, etc. These types of tests allow for a comprehensive diagnosis that will be of great help to the patient in reaching their goal.
Although is not very widespread, nutrition affects fertility more than we think. According to Sue, it is estimated that one in six couples in the UK may have difficulty in conceiving where weight, stress, sleep, a poor diet and lifestyle, drinking, smoking and a lack of exercise play a contributory role.
The problem resides in the fact that bad habits are so common, that they are becoming mainstream. Sue highlights that the most frequent mistakes people make are the following:
-Eating too much
-Eating too often
-Not eating enough fruit or vegetables
-Eating the wrong type of carbohydrates
-Eating many saturated fats
-Not exercising
“If you are planning on becoming pregnant, either naturally or through fertility treatment, pre conception is an important time. It is important to plan ahead, a good way to start is by eating a balanced healthy diet at least 3 months before conception (6 months ideally, but longer may be required depending on the individual and circumstances). This is because it takes 3 months for egg and sperm to develop and mature in the ovaries and testes and both are vulnerable to nutritional toxins and deficiencies at this stage. A nutritionally balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can also help sustain a healthy pregnancy and is crucial to providing the best environment for a developing baby,” she explains for our blog.
From now on, Sue will collaborate with Tambre to help our clients maximise their chances of reaching pregnancy. Over the next few months she will be giving us tips and advice on our blog. To find out more about this professional, and how she can help you with your treatment from the UK, contact us.