Optimum fertility begins with the nutrients you consume. One of the best ways in which to give yourself the best possible chance of increasing your fertility, is to make sure that your health is at its most optimum level at the time of conception.
Gabriela Rosa, a Sydney-based clinical naturopath and fertility specialist says that it is important to make sure the right building blocks are present during the maturation of eggs and sperm in order to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your baby.
Rosa goes on to say that at just eight weeks gestation, your baby’s health blueprint has been set for the rest of their life. The best time then to optimise your health for the sake of not only you and your fertility level, but also for your child’s health and development.
The important thing is to take a look at your diet and make changes where changes are due. Highly processed food, alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks (including diet soft drinks), smoking, recreational drugs and an over consumption of sugar foods all need to be eliminated. This needs to be replaced with fresh, whole foods and lots of water, and can include herbal teas.
Rosa explains that tea, coffee, beer and wine can reduce fertility by as much as 50 per cent.
Studies have found that there are 10 simple steps to boosting fertility. Adopted from The Fertility Diet: McGraw-Hill:
- Avoid trans fats. These are commonly found in highly processed foods
- Use more of the unsaturated fats such as olive oil, nuts and avocado
- Increase your intake of vegetable protein such as legumes and nuts
- Consume whole grains and other sources of carbohydrate that have a lower glycaemic index than refined carbohydrates such a high sugar foods and white bread, rice and pasta
- Full fat milk and yoghurts are fine
- Take a folic acid supplement
- Increase your intake of iron
- Watch the type of beverage you consume. Avoid the alcohol, caffeine, soft drinks. Opt for water and herbal teas
- Aim for a healthy weight
- Start a daily exercise regime
