Getting Pregnant

According to the long-term research, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, there are some of the fertility-enhancing diet strategies to assist a woman’s effort to conceive. Their recommendations are based on the association between what the female nurses ate and whether they became pregnant.
Below are some of the recommendations:
1. Protein Eat more protein from plants and lesser from animals helps to prevent infertility due to ovulation problems. The study found that women who consumed the most animal protein were 39% more possibly to suffer from ovulatory problem, as compared to women who ate the least animal protein. The women who ate the most plant protein had the lowest risk for ovulatory infertility. Good plant protein sources are beans, tofu, peas and soybeans. 2. Carbohydrates Based on the findings, the study recommend that the quality of carbohydrate intake, rather than the amount of intake, has more effect on a woman’s fertility. Consuming too much easily digested carbs (or referred to as fast carbs), such as white bread, potatoes and sugared sodas, increased the threat of ovulatory infertility. On the other hand, slowly digested carbs that are fiber-rich, such as whole grains, vegetables and whole fruits, could improve ovulation and thus increase chances of getting conceived. 3. Fats Keep away from trans fat in your food, as they could raise the chance of ovulatory infertility. In the Nurses’ Health Study, the biggest drop in fertility among women was seen when trans fats had been eaten instead of monounsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats, on the other hand, are beneficial for fertility. It is recommended to eat as least as possible of trans fat – less than 2 grams per day. If possible, eliminate them from your diet plan completely. Trans fats are present in foods like doughnuts, margarine, and other processed foods. 4. Vitamins and minerals supplements When talk about the diet to conceive, preconception nutritional vitamins are essential. Note that prenatal vitamins for pregnancy and preconception vitamins are slightly different. Take multivitamins that include folic acid. A high consumption of iron is also vital, but the iron have to come from fruits, veggies, beans or dietary supplements, not red meat. 5. Milk products An interesting observation from the Nurses’ Health Study is that a daily serving of a full-fat dairy food, for example whole milk, ice cream, or cheddar cheese, seemed to help improve a woman’s chances of getting pregnant. You may include whole milk to your cereal rather than using skim milk, or exchange a low-fat yogurt with a full-fat one. The most amount of ice-cream you can eat is two half-cup portions per week.

You can learn more about diet and lifestyle tips to help you conceive faster in the Personal Path to Pregnancy guide.