Since 1982, every year from September 1 through September 7, the nation celebrates National Nutrition Week (NNW), a significant yearly nutrition event. Throughout this week, the government runs campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of a good diet and adequate nutrition for maintaining an active lifestyle.
Nutrition plays a huge role when it comes to fertility in humans. To support healthy egg and sperm production, it is necessary to consume a balanced diet that consists of a mix of foods from all food groups that are high in iron (lean meats, beans), and folate (leafy greens, legumes). Consuming adequate folic acid by eating fruits, cereals, and greens as well as olive oil, almonds, and avocados that are good sources of healthy fats are also important, which makes National Nutrition Week a very important event for couples or individuals who are looking forward to conceiving in the near future.
The “Fertility Diet” Technique
Women with ovulatory infertility who adhered to this eating pattern had a 66% lower chance of ovulatory infertility and a 27% lower risk of infertility from other reasons than women who did not rigorously follow the diet, according to the “Fertility Diet” study.
The “fertility diet” users chose the following options:
- Monounsaturated fat (found in foods like avocados and olive oil) rather than trans fat
- Vegetable protein was preferred over animal protein
- More foods rich in whole grains and high-fiber, low-glycemic carbohydrates
- Less meat foods and more vegetarian sources of iron
- Multivitamins
- Choosing high-fat dairy over low-fat dairy
In cases where a couple suffers from the issue of infertility and decides to avail fertility treatments such as IVF for themselves, it becomes necessary to improve the health of eggs and sperm to achieve a healthy pregnancy. Physical fitness and diet might have a significant impact on your IVF success. A strong fertility diet establishes the foundation for a healthy pregnancy and a higher success rate. Enjoying your food to the fullest allows you to reap more benefits and accelerates the process.
Diet before and during availing fertility treatment
For IVF to be successful, there are some nutrients that are necessary. Your body will respond to the treatment more quickly if you intake the following things:
| Food with Folic Acid | Together with a few vitamins, folic acid supports the healthy growth of the fetus’s developing brain. |
| Meals rich in Iron | Ovulation and the wellbeing of the eggs are linked to your body’s iron intake. A premature delivery can result from anemia or iron deficit. |
| Healthy Fats | Your body will use these fats as energy storage, which will increase the likelihood that the IVF process will be successful. |
| Protein-rich Meals | The formation of eggs in the ovaries is influenced by the appropriate protein levels in your body. It aids in the body’s overall development and gives the body rapid energy. |
| Leafy Green Vegetables | Because they are high in antioxidants, folic acid, and iron, green vegetables are a good food option for pregnancy as they help to increase fertility in the body. |
| Complex Carbohydrates | Your blood sugar levels can be controlled by eating complex carbohydrates. It is beneficial to your child’s health and aids in keeping a healthy weight. |
What to eat?
Maintain a healthy eating pattern to receive the nutrients you require during pregnancy. Pick a variety of nutritious items from each food group that you like, such as:
- Vegetables: Peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and beets
- Whole fruits: Apples, berries, oranges, mangoes, and bananas
- Whole grains: Brown rice, millet, oatmeal, and whole-wheat bread
- Dairy products with low or no fat: Low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free dairy, and fortified soy drinks (soy milk) or soy yogurt
- Proteins: Lean meats and poultry, eggs, shellfish, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and tofu
- Oils: Vegetable and olive oils, as well as the oils found in foods like almonds, avocados, and shellfish
Food and drinks to avoid
These foods might contain bacteria that are harmful to your infant. Abstain from:
- Uncooked or undercooked fish or shellfish, such as raw oysters or sushi
- Poultry, eggs, or meat that is rare or raw
- Unpasteurized juice, milk, or cheese.
- Hot dogs, smoked seafood, luncheon meats, and deli meats should not be consumed unless they are roasted to a scorching 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepared salads with meat or seafood, such as ham, chicken, or tuna
- Raw sprouts such as alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts
- Caffeinated beverages
- Alcohol
Takeaway
Good nutrition is essential for a healthy body and reproductive system, as well as for assisting you in becoming pregnant. Eating a good diet and adopting a healthy lifestyle can help increase fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy. If you’re trying to conceive, it’s critical that you minimize stress and start making healthy eating and lifestyle choices right away.
Quick tips to boost your fertility
- Taking an antioxidant supplement or eating antioxidant-rich foods can boost conception rates, particularly in infertile males.
- According to research, eating more calories at breakfast and fewer calories at dinner can boost fertility.
- Avoid foods high in trans fats to increase fertility. Instead, consume meals high in healthy fats, such as extra virgin olive oil.
- A diet high in refined carbohydrates may boost insulin levels, increasing the risk of infertility and making pregnancy more difficult.
- Women’s fertility may improve if they consume more protein from vegetable sources rather than animal ones.
- Replace low-fat dairy products with high-fat counterparts to improve fertility and increase your chances of getting pregnant.
- If you aren’t getting all of the nutrients you need from your diet, taking a multivitamin may help.
- An inactive lifestyle has been linked to infertility, and exercise can help with fertility. Excessive exercise, on the other hand, can have the opposite impact.
- High levels of stress and anxiety can diminish your chances of conception. Stress management can improve your chances of becoming pregnant.
- Being underweight or overweight can lower your chances of getting pregnant.