10 Foods to Improve Fertility in Women
by kalyani10
Fertility is often thought to be something beyond your control – you either have it or don’t. However in recent times, scientists have found that the relation between what you eat and whether you conceive goes well beyond old wives’ tales. In fact a study led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, found that women who followed a combination of healthy lifestyle factors - like balanced diet, physical exercise and stopping smoking - experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who engaged in none of these factors. Published in 2007 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, this report also found that the relationship between a healthier diet and lesser risk for infertility was similar for different subgroups of women regardless of age and whether or not they had been pregnant in the past. Here are some foods that you could include in your diet if you are trying to conceive.
- Green leafy vegetables
One of the most important dietary principles to follow if you want to get pregnant is to consume those foods which help you to maintain the right body weight. And eating foods rich in fiber is an effective way of doing that. Green leafy vegetables like spinach, cabbage, are full of dietary fiber which provides roughage and thus helps to keep your system clean. Also such foods take longer time to digest as compared to processed foods and thus give you a feeling of fullness – in the process, preventing you from getting cravings and reaching for a calorie-loaded snack. In these ways fiber rich foods help you maintain the right body weight. Obesity is one of leading lifestyle causes of infertility and following a diet which keeps your body weight in check will go a long way in helping your body to conceive.
- Whole grains
Yet another way of maintain the correct body weight is to consume more of whole grains instead of refined starch and sugars. This way you don’t need to give up carbohydrates entirely but can just make it healthier. Complex carbohydrates like whole grain breads, brown rice, stone-ground cornmeal and oatmeal don’t affect blood sugar and insulin as dramatically as refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice and bleached flour. And anything that’s good for insulin function is good for fertility.
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- Beans
Legumes like beans and peas are one of the best sources of vegetable protein. Beans of all types and lentils contain none of the fats associated with animal protein like beef and bacon. Thus while your body can get the required protein from beans, it will also be protected against unhealthy fat. This will help you to maintain the right weight which in turn will increase your chances of getting pregnant. Along with consuming more beans and fiber-rich foods you should also make it a point to avoid trans- fat. Trans-fat is typically found in stick margarine, fried foods and hydrogenated oil and is one of the leading causes of piling on weight in women.
- Yoghurt
Recent studies show that full-fat dairy may help increase fertility in women more as compared to so than low-fat/nonfat dairy. So try to consume one daily serving of full-fat dairy, for instance one cup whole milk, full-fat yogurt, or one to two ounces cheese. However at the same time full-fat dairy is loaded with calories and saturated fat, thus it is recommended you make only one of your daily servings full fat.
- Fruits
Fruits especially brightly colored ones like berries, oranges, mangoes are rich in antioxidants. The primary function of antioxidants is to protect the body from damage by free radicals that are responsible for the effects of aging. Thus consuming this group of fruits in the right quantities will retain the vitality of your body in general and your reproductive organs in particular. These fruits get their vivid color from the presence of a complex of biochemicals known as anthocyanins. The various types of anthocyanins like cyanidin, delphinidin, petunidin, malvinidin and peonidin are responsible for the making these fruits a potent tool in keeping the effects of aging at bay which is necessary if your body is to be young enough to conceive.
- Bell pepper
Vegetables like bell pepper and carrots are potent sources of vitamins like A and C, which are known to provide immunity to the body. If your body is persistently wracked by infections and illnesses, chances of your getting pregnant could be pretty less, not to mention that you will be having sex less frequently. So if you want to conceive, increase your intake of foods that are known to boost the immune system. A healthy body is one where all the organs are functioning well, including the reproductive system.
- The right fats
Ensure that your diet includes enough of healthy fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3 fatty acids. These fats reduce inflammation and increase insulin sensitivity. On the other hand, unhealthy fats like trans-fats and saturated fats end up piling on body weight as well as choking the arteries and blood vessels of the heart. Fish like sardines, mackerel and salmon are some of the best sources of healthy fats while vegetarians can go for foods like avocados, sesame and pumpkin seeds.
- Nuts
The secret to fertility-boosting power of nuts lies in the fact that nuts are complete foods in themselves and hence their consumption even in small quantities over a period of time goes a long way in maintaining the overall health of a human body. Nuts are one of the most important sources of protein as well as essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, all of which are crucial in the optimum functioning of various systems of the body. In fact linoleic and linolenic acids found in nuts are believed to be essential for the production of sex hormones. Other than their nutritional benefits, nuts have long considered to be an aphrodisiac since they heighten sexual desire by appealing to the senses. Almonds for example have a sweet smell and its blossoms are beautiful to look at. The rich creamy taste of cashew nuts again may appeal to lovers who have a sweet tooth and are excited by such flavors. Cola nuts are considered an aphrodisiac in Madagascar, probably because of their high caffeine content which is responsible for stimulating the brain and the senses.
- Iron-rich foods
Iron is central to fertility because it helps keep your reproductive health strong, especially if you have heavy periods. In addition, it is important to maintain a healthy level of iron intake during pregnancy so as to avoid the risk of anemia in pregnancy, as your baby will require some of your iron intake to develop; potent sources of dietary iron include chicken, turkey and beef liver as well as fish like oysters, mussels and sardines. Vegetarians on the other hand can consume asparagus, beans and lentils for ample amounts of dietary iron.
- Chasteberry
Chasteberry, also known as vitex or monk’s pepper, is the berry-like fruit of a tree whose botanical name is Vitex agnus castus. The tree is extensively found along the wet banks of rivers in southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Folk lore from these regions vouches for chasteberry’s ability to regulate the level of hormones in the female body, particularly those which affect the reproductive cycle. Because of its child-bearing function, a woman’s reproductive system goes through several changes over time. These changes may bring about uncomfortable and even painful symptoms among women which may create obstacles in conceiving. Use of chasteberry helps to alleviate many uncomfortable symptoms of the female reproductive cycle, especially pre-menstrual syndrome. Chasteberry is also considered an effective and natural way of balancing prolactin levels in the body. The imbalance of prolactin can lead to various complications among women – too much of it may induce amenorrhea or absence of periods and breast tenderness while too little of it can restrict milk production among lactating mothers. chasteberry may not only help restore the right balance of prolactin in women but also ease out menstrual irregularities which if left untreated can prevent women from getting pregnant. chasteberry can be taken in the form of herbal tea or as supplements.
There is no single food that can guarantee pregnancy and even if you follow the right diet, there are many other factors which are equally important in determining your chances of getting pregnant. However as long as you consume foods which promote the healthy functioning of all the body systems, you stand a fair chance of conceiving as well.
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