I am loving all this media coverage about sugar – positive, negative or undecided, it seems we’ve all gone a bit nuts about it in some shape or form. Whilst some sit in camp A (you’re crazy – everything is good for you in moderation), others in camp B (I’ve found the answer! Quit Sugar!) and then there are the C’s (I get why, but just can’t do it!), I’ve learnt something.

1. There is absolutely NO harm in leaving the white stuff at the door. ONLY good things can come of it. And if you try and tell me otherwise – go away, try it and then come back and then tell me what you think. Basically, I am asking you to ‘don’t knock it until you try it’. 

2. Coconut water is the new.. water! It is seriously good stuff. It knocks over any electrolyte drink known to man, it’s filled with anti-microbial properties and it should be on your shopping list this week. AND if you have managed to quit sugar, it tastes so deliciously sweet – it’s a real treat! They aren’t all built the same for flavour I find. My fave is the ‘beyond‘ brand now available at The Pagoda Tree. How is this for special? Coconut water contains lauric acid fatty acid, found in breast milk and as such has been used an alternative where emergency has called for. It’s antibiotic and anti-microbial properties calm digestive disturbances in infants – meaning the mother can ingest it to pass on to the child via her breast milk. It’s like wonder liquid! But wait, there’s more. It’s effective in dissolving kidney stones as well as treating urinary tract infections. Is there anything it isn’t good for? Probably not. Of course it goes great guns on your health and fertility.

3. Fertility is a state of mind. Think fertile, act fertile and chances are you will be much more fertile! Before you but but but at me, consider this. In the clinic I see second time mums come in and fall pregnant much more easily than her first time round because they are THAT much more relaxed (work and lifestyle stress often get in the way). I also see very stressed out second time mothers probably because being a mum is a full time job in itself, and a hard one at that. It makes sense that a decent chunk of this falling pregnant caper is about the state of mind. The fact that it seems like every second person is having trouble conceiving doesn’t do this thought process any favours either. Of course there are physical factors than can get in the way that don’t help – and that’s where I step in and get it all ticking again.

When you’re unwell, where do you turn?
4. NOBODY knows your health better than you do. Sure you can call on the experts for advice, but taking your health into your own hands is fast becoming the best form of proactive care. Gone are the days that we are going to health professionals to be told how we feel. Pooling together your own team of professionals, reading and educating yourself is the most valuable tool you can aquire. Im not talking Dr Google here, but good reads. At the moment I’m re-reading David Gillipes – Sweet Poison & Nora Gedgaudas’ – Primal Body, Primal Mind. Never second guess what your body is telling you – it’s literally yells out to us every day. Learning to listen is the key here.

It takes so much more effort to be down and out.
5. Being happy is the key to being healthy! So, are you hanging onto any baggage? We all are in some way and learning to rid ourselves of this is really important in being as healthy as possible. How about this? According to Brandon Bay’s (founder of ‘The Journey’) the grieving process takes 3 days. 3 DAYS! It’s paramount to good health that we keep both our physical wellbeing in check equal to our emotional health. Being happy (no matter what health state we have) is also so much easier!

And finally, you know I love some good sun lovin’ – not just because it makes you feel unreal but because we need it! The vitamin D we get from the sun is super essential to healthy body function and fertility. Sometimes it’s difficult to get the sunshine in.
6. Put the D back into your Day with some vitamin D! In short terms, Vitamin D assists with ovulation. You can read about it here. If you’re a PCOS girl, get it in. Fish and eggs are great ways to boost levels via your diet, but it can’t harm you to supplement if you can’t get into the sunshine either.