Diet for Infertility


A diet high in over processed, fatty and junk foods can increase the levels of toxins in your body and affect fertility levels. If you are trying to conceive, you should ideally follow a healthy balanced diet that can reduce and prevent infertility. Here are some suggestions:

  • Increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables to enhance reproductive and overall health.
  • Essential fatty acids as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can increase the chances of conception. Eat more nuts, seeds and avocados for this purpose.
  • Increase your fluid intake. While you don’t need to consume any specific amount of fluid in a day, do try and increase fluid intake, not just by consuming water, but also through the consumption of foods with a high fluid content like melons and cucumbers.
  • Eat foods such as spinach that are rich in folic acid to improve the chances of pregnancy.
  • If you suffer from fibroids or endometriosis, eat more cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli to help regulate estrogen levels.
  • Eating carrots, peas and sweet potatoes can treat irregular menstrual cycles.
  • Whole grains and whole grain products supply the body with the iron and vitamins necessary for enhancing fertility.
  • Foods to be avoided if you are trying to conceive include sea foods that are high in mercury, caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, junk food, and food wrapped in plastic or stored in plastic containers.

References
  1. W Weidner, G.M Colpi, T.B Hargreave, G.K Papp, J.M Pomerol, The EAU Working Group on Male Infertility, EAU Guidelines on Male Infertility, European Urology, Volume 42, Issue 4, October 2002, Pages 313-322, ISSN 0302-2838, 10.1016/S0302-283
  2. Petra De Sutter, Rational diagnosis and treatment in infertility, Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Volume 20, Issue 5, October 2006, Pages 647-664, ISSN 1521-6934, 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2006.04.005.
  3. Vicki Denson, Diagnosis and Management of Infertility, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, Volume 2, Issue 6, June 2006, Pages 380-386, ISSN 1555-4155, 10.1016/j.nurpra.2006.03.019.