The Connection Between Healthy Diet And Fertility

If you have been having trouble getting pregnant, paying attention to your diet is important. Healthy eating sets the stage for a healthy pregnancy, and forms the foundation of a healthy eating strategy for motherhood and beyond. That's a winning combination no matter how you look at it.

Avoid trans fats. Trans fats are commonly found in hydrogenated vegetable oils and are usually present in some margarine, fried foods, processed products and baked goods. One should increase the use unsaturated vegetable oils. One should also work at improving the body's sensitivity to insulin and cool inflammation, two trends that are good for fertility. Add in more vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and cold water fish such as salmon and sardines. Cut back on saturated fat. Choose slow carbs, not no carbs. Choosing slowly digested carbohydrates that are rich in fibre, like whole grains, vegetables, whole fruits, and beans, instead of rapidly digested carbs can improve fertility by controlling blood sugar and insulin levels. This is especially useful for people suffering from PCOS.
Foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains are packed full of beneficial antioxidants like vitamins C and E, folate, beta carotene and lutein. Taking an antioxidant supplement or eating antioxidant-rich foods can improve fertility rates, especially among men with infertility.

If you drink milk, choose whole milk while trying to get pregnant, or have a small dish of ice cream or full-fat yogurt every day.

Take a multi-vitamin. Getting extra folic acid (400 micrograms a day) before you get pregnant could actually help you start eating for two.

Extra iron from plants, including whole-grain cereals, spinach, beans, pumpkin, tomatoes, and beets, appear to promote fertility.

Drink to your health. The best beverage for keeping your body hydrated is water. Coffee, tea, and alcohol are okay in moderation. But skip sugared sodas—they appear to promote ovulatory infertility.
Weighing too much or too little can interrupt normal menstrual cycles, throw off ovulation or stop it altogether. The best range for fertility is a body-mass index (BMI) of 20 to 24. Working to move your BMI in that direction by gaining or losing some weight is almost as good. If you don't get much physical activity and are above the fertility zone for weight, daily exercise can help improve fertility. But don't overdo it: too much exercise, especially if you are quite lean, can interfere with ovulation.

Good nutrition is vital for a healthy body and reproductive system. In fact, studies have shown that eating a nutritious diet and making positive lifestyle changes can help boost fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy. What's more, how you choose to live and eat today will influence sperm and egg quality 90 days from now.
If you're trying to get pregnant, it's important that you begin making healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices today.