It may sound like a tale, but fertility can be influenced and improved by choosing certain foods. What is on your menu is important even before the conception, not just when you discover you are carrying the child.
Too little or too much of anything is not healthy. The same thing is with your weight, it is not good to be underweight or overweight, because both can cause infertility. Very thin women or obese women may have problems with production of estrogen, either producing too little or too much of this hormone and thus experiencing ovulation difficulties and infertility.
Body mass index or BMI should be in the range of 19 to 24 in order to have healthy weight. Some women engaged in athletic activities may have somewhat higher BMI and still be healthy and fertile. If this is not the case and your body mass index is higher or lower than recommended and you have problems with fertility, consult your doctor.
Foods to Improve Fertility
Women who do not have weight problems may still have fertility problems due to improper eating habits. Since the diet can affect ability to conceive, women are advised to avoid food rich in trans fats, carbohydrates and animal proteins. These foods are discovered to negatively influence ovulation and may be contributing factors in infertility in about 20% of all cases.
Replace animal proteins (meat) with some vegetable proteins and use nuts and cooked dried beans instead of chicken, pork or beef meat cuts. This can increase your chances to become pregnant for some 50%. Beans and lean meats will ensure that your body has enough proteins, iron and zinc. Doctors also advise taking more fruits, vegetables and whole grains if you want to increase your chances to conceive.
Adding some high fat dairy products may also be beneficial. Just take one of your low dairy daily servings and replace it with a glass of whole milk or some other high fat dairy product. What Else Can You Do?
Drink plenty of fluids, especially clear water and cut down on or completely eliminate your caffeine.
DHA/Omega 3 fatty acids, found in salmon, canned light tuna and eggs are known to decrease the risk of premature birth and enhance development of nervous system and the brain in babies. However, always avoid eating raw fish, sushi or fish with high mercury content, such as shark, king mackerel, tilefish or swordfish.
Choline is also important to protect the unborn child from birth defect. This substance can be found in egg yolks, beef liver and cauliflower.
Some doctors recommend taking multivitamin supplements with 400mcg of folic acid. Avoid supplements containing ephedra, ginseng, licorice, sassafras or St. John’s wort during fertility treatments or pregnancy.
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