Foods to avoid during pregnancy if you’re already having trouble conceiving, you should consider cutting down on certain foods, or eliminating them from your diet altogether.
It’s a well-known fact that caffeine intake can reduce your fertility rate by up to 50%. While you might think this means cutting out that coffee each morning, it’s important to realize how many other foods and beverages contain hidden amounts of caffeine that could be affecting your ovulation rate and your hormonal balances.
Alcohol is also detrimental to your fertility rate. Eliminate it from your diet by as much as four months before conceiving. The same is true for smoking.Things like chocolate and soda also contain caffeine. There are also some pain relievers that contain amounts of caffeine, such as Anacin and Excedrin. It’s important to read labels if you’re unsure of anything just to rule out those hidden sources of caffeine.
Foods to Add to Your Diet When Trying to Conceive
It’s been well-documented that foods that are low in fat and high in fiber will help to increase your body’s overall health. Add simple things into your diet that include fruits, legumes, vegetables and nuts, as well as sensible choices for lean meat or chicken.
Finding foods that contain natural sources of Folic acidand Vitamin B will also help to boost your natural immune system and help you to create a viable environment for conception to take place. Folic acid also helps to prevent birth defects, like spina bifida, and can also help reduce the incidence of miscarriage.
Some good natural sources of folic acid and vitamin B are green leafy vegetables, avocado, asparagus, papaya, broccoli, eggs, oranges, nuts, beans and wheat breads.
Oysters are also high on the list of foods to add to improve fertility, as they have a high zinc factor. It’s well documented that males and females with zinc deficiencies may experience reduced fertility levels, so oysters can help.
Of course, just adding one or two types of foods to your diet might improve your chances of conceiving a little, but they won’t cure infertility. A well-balanced diet, coupled with moderate exercise will help improve your overall health and hormonal levels.
