Infertility remains one of the common concerns worldwide. A lot of factors are to be blamed including lifestyle, diet, hormonal imbalance, stress, etc. One cannot control the cause but it is very much possible to reverse the damage. Fertility diet is highly popular in western countries as it is believed to improve the chances of conceiving. But is this diet really helpful? Dr. Satabdi Dey, Fertility Consultant, Nova IVF Fertility Siliguri spoke about the effectiveness of a fertility diet and what is needed to include in your diet to get pregnant. Get all the information in this article.
Infertility and Diet
Infertility is a major concern in today's world for both men and women. Infertility-affected people mostly reside in urban areas and this problem is more prevalent in developing countries like India. Statistically, 10-14% of the Indian population suffers from infertility as per the reports of the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction. Many lifestyle factors affect the reproduction process such as weight, stress, eating habits, environment, etc. While all the causes of infertility can’t be controlled, eating habits with proper diet and nutrition can. With healthy body weight and proper nutrition, it can increase the chances of fertility or the ability to conceive. Lifestyle and diet have become an important part of fertility procedures and in recent research, it was found that diet not only improves general wellness but specifically improved fertility and even improved the success rates of medically-assisted fertility treatments.
What is a Fertility Diet?
Several diets are used by various practitioners around the world for fertility. Simply put it is a diet that adds more nutrition and more balanced meals and snacks to someone’s lifestyle. It comprises nutrients that are high in healthy fats, colourful fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and lentils, lean protein, and whole grains. According to the Harvard Medical School study, it was found that a healthy diet improves semen quality for men, and for women, these nutrients had positive effects such as folic acid, vitamin B12, omega-3 fatty acids, healthy diets such as the Mediterranean diet. Weight is also an important factor while getting pregnant and with the help of these healthy diets which comprises of more vegetables and a variety of types, healthy monounsaturated fats instead of saturated and trans fats, making at least half your grains whole, and getting enough calcium-rich foods including dairy, will help you meet nutrient needs and promote a healthy weight.
Though it’s not certain that a fertility diet can completely improve your chances of getting pregnant but it helps in increasing your chances of fertility. There are few ways through which you can deliciously dine your way to a happy, healthy pregnancy by following a conception diet.
Also Read: These Are The Most Searched Diets Of 2020
Fruits and Veggies
To improve your egg quality through a fertility diet it is mandatory to have your plate loaded with fruit and veggies. In addition to other raw fruits and vegetables, watermelon and asparagus provide the body with a rich supply of glutathione, which is important for egg quality. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant that also helps in preventing viral and bacterial infections.
Fruits and veggies contain a lot of vitamins which is important for your body as well it is important to see that a balanced intake of the vitamins should be there. Have a bowl full of mixed fruits daily once to consume these vitamins & minerals and better the probability to conceive.
Fats
Fats are not always bad, there are good fats too and you must have them. It is beneficial to indulge in healthy, plant-based fats in moderation. Avocados, olive oil, nuts, and grape seed oil helps in reducing the inflammation in the body as a result promote regular ovulation and general fertility. Also, some good fats may even assist women who truly struggle with infertility and monounsaturated fats in the form of avocados help during the IVF cycle by increasing the success rate by three and a half times. Try to avoid all trans fats which are present in bakery products and eat more healthy unsaturated fats. You can refer to this article to know which foods have a high amount of healthy fats that you can have.
Complex Carbs
It is advised to eat more complex carbohydrates and limit highly processed ones. Carbs are better for the body such as those containing fibre, such as fruits, beans, vegetables, and whole grains, which digests slowly and have a more gradual effect on blood sugar and insulin hence improving ovulation. Some of the sources of refined grains that are fertility-friendly are vitamin B, vitamin E, and fibre. Add complex carbs to your plate and avoid foods with simple carbs to enhance your chances of conceiving. Besides, simple carbs also cause weight gain that you must not be wanting, right? So, it is better to have only complex carbs for both health and body.
Also Read: Male Infertility Is As Real As Female Infertility
Protein
Egg, chicken, pork, mutton are trimmed of fat and are great sources of protein, zinc, iron—all-important building blocks for a healthy pregnancy. While consuming this ensure that you don't pack on excess weight which will eventually disrupt estrogen levels and the chemical present in meat will delay conception. Plant protein such as beans, nuts, seeds, and tofu is a great option for increasing fertility. If you like eating soybeans, make sure it is not processed. Avoid having soy products sold in the market as they aren’t organic and pose several health risks especially for men.
Dairy
It is advised to consume one or two servings a day of whole milk or full-fat dairy foods, such as yoghurt. It is said that yoghurt acts as silver spoon infertility because it consists of probiotic microbes which may be instrumental in boosting your future kid's health. It also helped it boosting semen quality in their male counterparts. You can refer to a nutritionist or gynaecologist about the actual serving of dairy products so that you don’t end up putting on a lot of weight due to fat overconsumption. Instead, you should consume probiotic and prebiotic foods that are extremely beneficial for overall health including fertility.
Also Read: These Foods Give More Calcium Than Milk or Dairy
Whole foods
The famous Mediterranean diet which helps in improving fertility is famous for a reason because this diet contains whole grains and vegetables which are rich and has less processed meat, which may protect against ovulatory dysfunction.
All these nutrients combined in a mixed plate with the correct quantity can help in reducing infertility and the chances of getting pregnant. Anything which is consumed regularly in the same pattern creates monotony so it is advised to make a nutrient platter that contains nutrients of every form. In this way, a healthy diet will be maintained and will also help in solving the problem of infertility. Fertility diet does not assure completely to reduce infertility but yes with the correct lifestyle and proper diet it does increase the chances of getting pregnant.
Conclusion
Fertility diet is not a fad but it is a precise dietary plan to increase the chances of getting pregnant. Diet plays a very important role in fixing many issues and infertility is also one of them. A lot of women are facing trouble in getting pregnant due to stress, poor lifestyle, environment, etc. A lot of them opt for infertility treatment but it is better to alter your diet first and see if it brings any favourable results. According to Dr. Satabdi Dey, fertility diet is a safe approach to increase pregnancy chances.
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