Best And Worst Food To Enhance Fertility In Women
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Fertility is an extremely sensitive issue for both men and women. Each one of us wants to lead a life free of fertility issues. While planning a pregnancy, there is too much pressure on the couple. The situation is particularly stressful in the case of the female partner.
Stress during the planning phase can lead to anxiety and performance issues. The situation is even worse in the case of women who are already suffering from infertility issues such as ovulatory disorders, endometriosis, low quality of cervical mucus, and polycystic ovarian disorders (PCOD). Excessive stress can actually aggravate these conditions indirectly and make conception even more difficult for the couple.
Therefore, it is important to stay away from all forms of stress during the pre-conception phase. In addition to stress management, the management of food habits plays a great role in enhancing the fertility in both men and women. However, it is more important for women to maintain a proper diet when trying to conceive and even before that because they are more likely to sacrifice their dietary needs.
Women juggle between their different tasks throughout the day and for them, family always comes first. Between the hustle and bustle of life, they forget about their nutritional needs, no matter at what stage of life they are. Approximately, one in ten women experiences infertility. Maintaining a healthy diet is important at every point in a woman’s life but especially important when trying to conceive a baby.
Food habits play an extremely crucial and vital role in the fertility cycle of a female. Proper food management along with an exercising routine can be an ideal combination for females who are in the process or want to initiate family planning. There are certain foods that women should definitely include in their diet during the pre-conception stage. On the other hand, there are foods that women should avoid when planning for pregnancy. Let’s start with the best foods for female fertility.
Best Foods For Female Fertility
1. Fresh fruits and vegetables
It is important for everyone to eat two healthy servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day. But a woman planning to conceive must eat three serving of fresh vegetable and fruits such as kiwi, orange, and avocado. The focus should be primarily on the citrus fruits, which are a rich source of calcium, potassium, and folate (vitamin B6). Folate is particularly important for women planning pregnancy because it helps regulate ovulation and also prevents congenital defects in babies.
2. Beans and Figs
Beans are lean proteins and are full of iron. Therefore, they help increase fertility and libido in females. Low iron levels can result in anovulation, which indicates no formation of an egg during the fertility cycle. Figs increase fertility as they are a rich source of iron, which is good for the eggs. Additionally, it helps regulate ovulation.
3. Berries
Any kind of berries are really good food for fertility as they are full of antioxidants. Foods items that are rich in antioxidants help protect the eggs and other organs in the reproductive system. Strawberries are the best to increase women libido.
4. Salmon
Salmon is full of omega 3 fatty acids, which regulates the flow of blood to the reproductive organs. Omega 3 fatty acids also help increase the production of cervical mucus, regular hormone production in the body, and improve the quality of the uterus.
5. Oysters
Oysters are known to increase female libido. They are a rich source of zinc, which helps with the formation of good quality eggs. Apart from egg production, it also helps in the journey that leads to successful fertilization of the egg with the sperm. Eggs need a lot of zinc to be able to develop fully and completely and to be able to fertilize a sperm.
6. Green Leafy Vegetables
Include high-fiber green leafy vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek, pumpkin, celery, and cabbage in your daily diet. Such vegetables provide the body with important nutrients and minerals. These also help keep the body weight in check, and thus indirectly promote ovulation.
Worst Foods For Female Fertility
1. Soda
All forms of sodas are known to lower fertility in women. This includes both diet and fizz sodas. Even research suggests that drinking a soda can impact the chances of successful conception. A recent study published in the journal Epidemiology suggests that women who drink one soda a day lower their monthly probability of conception by as much as 25 percent.
The presence of excess sugars and certain harmful chemicals in sodas are not helpful for the fertility of a woman. Any food containing high levels of sugars can alter our hormones and impede ovulation.
2. Trans Fats
Fried packed foods such as chips and popcorns are loaded with trans fats, which are known to cause insulin resistance. It decreases the fertility as they damage blood vessels, which interrupts blood flow to the reproductive organs.
3. Diary Products
Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and others may contain androgens or male hormones. These foods and drinks may trigger your body to produce androgens, which can interfere with your menstrual cycle.
Therefore, it is important for women planning a pregnancy to restrict their dairy intake but not stop it altogether. If dairy is advised, then women must make sure that their dairy is organic and completely free of artificial hormones.
4. Excess Alcohol
Women who want to get pregnant should avoid alcohol entirely but if you’re going to drink, cap it at seven drinks per week. Alcohol can contribute to infertility as it depletes vitamin B from the body. Folate improves your chances of pregnancy and supports a healthy growth of the fetus.
