One aspect of pregnancy and fertility that is often overlooked by many it the status of their nutrition level. There is a strong link between how well your body's systems are functioning, including the reproductive system, and a person's quality of nutrition.
Many doctors believe that the decline in fertility rates for developed nations is due to a decline in our nutrition status. So, to increase our chance of getting pregnant, it makes sense to consume a healthy diet. Exactly what a healthy diet consists of is of some debate, but what is agreed upon by nutritionalists is that a healthy diet is definitely composed of lots of fruits and vegetables.
The recommended daily allowance for fruits and vegetables is 7-13 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Now you may be thinking that's a lot of fruits and vegetables, there's no way I could consume that many! And you would probably be right. It is estimated that only 9% of adults in the U.S. consume at least 7 servings of fruits and vegetables.
That is why my wife and I turned to a natural vitamin supplement made of fruits and vegetables called Juice Plus. It has 17 fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in it and is recommended by many famous doctors including Dr. William Sears, the most prominent pediatrician in the U.S. He strongly recommends it saying it is one of the only nutritional supplements that is backed by strong science.
My wife and I have continued to take it even after getting pregnant because we just feel it makes up for our lack of a proper diet. We have a website through the company that makes Juice Plus where you can learn all about it and read up on some of the 15 studies that have been performed on Juice Plus and published in medical journals. You can view it by clicking here.
Now, just so you know my wife and I make a small commission for each sale we make of this supplement. If you are uncomfortable with that you can buy it from the company web site at www.juiceplus.com and the profits can go to the company solely. Either way, I highly recommend everyone look into it. Good nutrition is so important not only to increase chance of getting pregnant, but also for general health.
I also wanted to list some foods that are good for increasing your chance of getting pregnant and some foods to avoid. These are taken from another web site, www.howtomakeafamily.com.
If you're hoping to conceive, make sure you get good amounts of:
- vitamin E, sources: whole grains, broccoli, alfalfa, nuts, wheat germ, seeks, leafy greens, soy
- vitamin A, sources: cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, collards, kale, cauliflower,) alfalfa
- vitamin C (for men), sources: cruciferous vegetables, alfalfa, orange juice
- vitamin D (for men), sources: alfalfa, dairy products, salmon
- calcium (for men), sources: soy, broccoli, alfalfa, dairy products, salmon
- iron, sources: alfalfa, leafy greens
- zinc, sources: wheat germ, seeds, soy
- folic acid (for women), sources: leafy greens, whole grains, wheat germ, soy, citrus fruits
- essential fatty acids, sources: safflower & other vegetable oils
What to Avoid
Here's a quick list of things to avoid ingesting while trying to conceive (and later on during pregnancy):
Food-Related Items
- alcohol
- artificial sweeteners
- food coloring
- ginger, ginger ale, ginger beer
- quinine, key ingredient in tonic water
- caffeine (chocolate, sodas, coffee, tea, some pain and cold remedies)
- monosodium glutomate (MSG), BHA, and other food additives
- partially or uncooked foods
- contaminated food or water
- crash, fad, or high fat diets
Non-Food Items
- aspirin and other NSAIDS (e.g. ibuprofen)
- antihistamines and decongestants
- some oral antibiotics
From the Macrobiotic and alternative treatment literature, you'll find additional admonitions to avoid:
- meat, poultry, eggs
- sugar, including honey and maple syrup
- seedless fruit
- milk and dairy products
- rhubarb
- peas
- protein
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