There are certain foods associated with Christmas, and nuts including walnuts, brazil nuts, hazelnuts and pecans are one of them. Where are the ideas from? This goes back to pre-Christian time, the shortest day of the year which is often 21st and 22nd of December. It was celebrated by encouraging light to return. Feast is used to celebrate. In Christian time, Christmas became such an important feast and every luxury item was saved up for it. Nuts were harvested in autumn and were available to store for the big festival. Eating nuts at Christmas became such an important part of the celebration.
Do you know that nuts promote your fertility?
Nuts are important part of fertility nutrition; this is because they contain ample protein, minerals and essential fatty acids. Eating nuts provides vegetable proteins you need and this promotes your ovulation. There is high level of selenium, a natural antioxidant in Brazil nuts and this plays a key role in the early stages of conception. Nuts with the highest content of protein are peanuts 6.7g, almonds 6g and walnuts 4g per oz. Best nuts for omega3 are walnuts 2.2g per1/4cup.
Nuts improved sperm vitality, motility, and morphology. In a study, 75g walnuts per day were added to the diet in male aged 21-35 yr old. The group consuming walnuts experienced improvement in sperm vitality, motility, and morphology, but no change was seen in the group continuing their usual diet but avoiding tree nuts.
Don’t forget acupuncture. Acupuncture increases ovarian blood flow in women and testis blood flow in men and brings all nutrients your follicle needs to the ovary and sperm needs to the testis. Without good local blood flow, the nutrients you eat will not reach your ovary or testis.
References
http://www.history.uk.com/christmas/traditional-christmas-food/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2009/May/Follow-Fertility-Diet
Robbins WA et al Biol Reprod (2012) 87:101
