Experts Provide Guidelines for Women Trying to Conceive
Did you know that 1 in every 8 couples struggles with getting pregnant or carrying a baby to term? Sobering statistics. While most everything else may seem out of their control on the ride to pregnancy, there are some tips for improving your fertility. For example: How you prepare or what you put in your body.
While the research is still evolving, there are promising findings from current data that point in the direction of small, manageable dietary and lifestyle changes to help promote fertility for both men and women.
Switch to a plant-forward way of eating.
A fertility-fueling diet is very similar to the concept of eating a majority of your diet from
plant-based protein, fruits and vegetables, with animal proteins used as a complement (if so desired). Research shows that higher intakes of produce in premenopausal women helps reduce oxidation in the body through the role of the antioxidants in those foods.
Incorporate dairy into your diet, but pay attention to the type.
Dairy is not the devil! And there’s research to prove it when it comes to your fertility. For women, research supports one to two servings of whole milk dairy in your daily diet to assist with a diet conducive to conception. Since whole milk dairy is higher in calories, fat, and saturated fat than its low-fat counterpart, be cognizant of portion sizes.
Pay attention to your ovulation schedule.
Ovulation is the release of an egg from one of a woman\’s ovaries. After the egg is released, it travels down the fallopian tube, where fertilization by a sperm cell may occur.
Ovulation typically lasts one day and occurs in the middle of a woman\’s menstrual cycle, about two weeks before she expects to get her period. If you are able to
track when you are ovulating you this will help your pregnancy efforts exponentially.
Focus on whole grains.
It’s no secret—whole grains are a great addition to a healthy diet, as well as a fertility fueling diet. Research supports that for both women and men alike, incorporating more whole grains into your diet may result in higher rates of conception for women and greater sperm quality for men.
Stress less, move more.
Learn to let go of things that cause you stress. Find an outlet that helps to energize you and brings you hope on those days that you feel completely overwhelmed on your fertility journey. Dance, draw, paint, run, pray, whatever works for you. Though fitness certainly won’t hurt you, we do recommend speaking with your dietitian or physician before incorporating a workout routine into your fertility plan.
