Almonds (and nuts in general) are prime sources of essential fatty acids which help maintain a healthy balance of sex hormones in men and women. Almonds are also a good source of zinc. Zinc deficiency in women can lead to infertility and an increased risk of miscarriage. Zinc is crucial for guys too as it is also essential for the production of healthy sperm. In short, zinc is crucial for conception as severe deficiencies can impair fertility.

Strawberries: All fruit and vegetables – particularly kiwi fruit, peppers, strawberries and citrus fruits – contain abundant quantities of vitamin C. In women vitamin C can help trigger ovulation and in men it plays a key role in boosting the immune system, and thus aids a healthy conception. This vitamin may also help to prevent the condition known as ‘agglutination’, in which the sperm become stuck together and are unable to reach the egg.

Green vegetables: Green vegetables contain good levels of vitamin B6 and folic acid. Vitamin B6 is essential for the production of sex hormones and folic acid helps to prevent spina bifida in the baby. Folic acid and zinc together have been shown to increase sperm counts by 74%. You’ll also find folic acid in nuts and legumes but to be on the safe side take a good antenatal vitamin and mineral too (like Fertility Plus).

Sweet potato: A comforting source of manganese. Research has shown that manganese is important for good reproductive function in both men and women — in other words, it’s a baby-making essential.

Oily fish or hemp or flax seeds: Most of us don’t eat enough essential fats, so when you are trying to maximise your fertility it’s a good idea to add them to your diet. Research has shown the benefits of supplementing with essential fatty acids during pregnancy to avoid low birth weight and also the advantages to the growing baby in terms of brain development. EFAs help regulate hormone levels, ensure proper membrane fluidity and improve sperm quality and blood flow. Anything that helps blood get to sexual organs is helpful and, because semen is rich in prostaglandins (hormone-like fatty acids found in healthy oils), EFAs are especially beneficial to men. If you don’t eat fish, flax or hemp seeds are a superb source of essential fatty acids.

Green tea is thought to be an excellent fertility enhancer because it contains a high level of antioxidants which aid in healthy immune systems. Research has shown that women who regularly drink green tea increase their chance of conception.

Water is critical because 75% of your body is made up of water. Your body uses water constantly to do its normal functions. Drinking water will help flush out wastes, keep your body running smoothly and provide proper fluids for conception to occur. So be sure you drink ample water if you wish to get pregnant! Get in the good habit of drinking at least eight glasses of mineral water a day.

Basil has a warming effect on the body and promotes circulation to the reproductive organs. In some parts of Italy, basil is a love-token. Alfalfa is also considered a general reproductive tonic for both men and women.

Chasteberry: This herb (also known as agnus castus) works to increase fertility by stimulating the pituitary gland. This is the gland responsible for producing sex hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Chasteberry should help fertility by balancing the sex hormones.

Dong Quai is a Chinese fertility herb, long-used to solve menstrual difficulties. It also helps to balance oestrogen levels in the body and improve chances of implantation.

Siberian ginseng: By supporting healthy womb function, Siberian ginseng may be useful in female fertility. Men may experience an increased sperm count. Animal studies indicate that the herb can even boost testosterone levels and thus help reverse certain cases of male impotence.

(Note: It is important to speak to a qualified practitioner before taking herbs while you are trying to get pregnant.)

Lentils: A good low fat source of healthy protein. Protein is essential for your fertility because it keeps your blood sugar levels stable and gives your body the even supply of amino acids it needs to build and repair cells and manufacture fertility hormones. Other good sources of protein include quinoa, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds and soya products.

Christmas is a time of Good Cheer, plenty of socialising, high alcohol intake, lots of cake, mince pies, chocolate, sugar and not much exercise. It is no wonder that after Christmas we feel bloated, fat, run down and generally very sluggish.

The New Year brings a new start with many new resolutions to lose weight and to get fit. But how can you make sure it really works this time?

Your body is very clever and given the right tools it can detox efficiently on its own. Your gut stops bacteria and lots of other toxins from entering your body and if anything nasty does get through your liver will combine it with its own special chemicals to make a water soluble compound that your kidneys can flush away in your urine or through your skin as sweat.

But putting yourself on a strict fast or juice-only diet for a whole day to flush things out will cause your blood sugars to sink really low which means you crave stodgy foods and feel extra tired and sluggish. Plus you’ll be missing out on essential energy boosting nutrients like B vitamins and proteins. It’s much better to eat cleansing natural foods and just cut out the bad stuff.

The key is to load up on foods that support your body’s natural detox system. You need to be eating foods packed with antioxidant nutrients and sulphur to boost your liver function and to eliminate foods and drinks that tax it, such as alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods and sugar. There really is no need to follow a strict detox if you don’t want to – these simple solutions are dead easy (and the results will speak for themselves!).

• Hydrate your body: The first and most important rule is to drink more water. Start each day with a cup of hot water and a squeeze of lemon. It cleanses and helps rehydrate your liver. Then make sure you drink at least two litres of water throughout the day. If you think you might forget, try having a glass of water on the hour, every hour. A herbal tea counts towards your water intake but regular tea and coffee don’t as they are dehydrating.
• Eat fresh: Choose fresh, natural, cleansing foods and avoid nutrient scarce ready meals, sugary and fatty foods and refined products like white bread which can all bombard your liver with chemicals, additives and lots of dehydrating salt. Have green vegetables with every meal and avoid snacking from anything that hasn’t been plucked off a tree or raised from the soil. If you can go organic it will really help as organic produce usually contains more of the most valuable nutrients. It’s also grown and reared without pesticides, antibiotics and other chemicals so your liver won’t get bogged down. (See also the detox superfoods article).
• Swap your fats: Your no effort detox plan is about giving your body what it needs but only if it tastes great. This means stocking up on hormone balancing essential fats (the ones that keep your skin and joints healthy and protect your heart) and cutting down on liver clogging saturated fats. So use olive or sunflower oil instead of butter, or mashed avocado on rye or wholemeal bread – instead of margarine on white. Use oils like flax or hemp for salads instead of dressings.
• Cook light: You don’t have to eat raw food all the time as you may find it hard to digest and it can cause bloating. So just steam, stir fry or grill instead. The shorter time you cook your vegetables the more vital detoxing nutrients they retain.
• Go herbal: Fennel, nettle and ginger tea are all great cleansers and unlike tea and coffee don’t contain chemicals that make extra work for your liver. If you don’t want to quit your daily cuppa at least cut down your intake of caffeine by a few cups a day or try green tea which is lower in caffeine or redbush tea. And take a break from alcohol too as it’s one of the most poisonous chemicals you can put into your body. Avoid it completely for a few days to give your body a chance to recover and then no more than one or two drinks a day.
• Sweat it out: Like the liver and lungs, your skin excretes great amounts of metabolic wastes and pollutants making it one of the body’s best waste disposal organs. Encouraging perspiration with regular aerobic exercise is therefore an excellent way of removing nasty toxins and pollutants.
• Do it with herbs: Many herbs can help you detox but one that is known to have particular detoxifying properties is milk thistle. Also known as wild artichoke it has been used for centuries to protect the liver against damaging disease and toxins. And more recent research shows that it contains flavoligans that protect the liver from damage due to toxic substances such as pesticides and herbicides.

Q: What supplements do you recommend for an over-active thyroid?

– Andrea, London

A: The thyroid gland produces hormones which regulate metabolism. When the thyroid becomes overactive, metabolism is speeded up and calories are burned off quickly causing weight loss, restlessness, insomnia and the eyes can have a bulging appearance.

It is important to get a medical diagnosis if you have these symptoms and also to look at your diet and to add in certain supplements. With your diet, avoid any stimulants such as coffee, tea and sugar as these can make your body produce more adrenaline. It is thought that stress can be implicated in an overactive thyroid problem. The B vitamins are known are the ‘stress’ vitamins and so are important for an overactive thyroid.

Take a good all round multivitamin and mineral and add in a B complex together with extra vitamin E, as a deficiency in this vitamin can cause the thyroid gland to secrete too much hormone.