The key to conceiving can sometimes be as simple as embracing a few healthy habits. If you’re having trouble getting pregnant, making a few changes to your diet and lifestyle might be all you need. Combined with the advice of a specialist, you can improve your fertility while building a wholesome daily routine. Even after you conceive, these habits will continue to benefit your health.
Our team of reproductive specialists at University Reproductive Associates has helped couples throughout New Jersey and the greater New York City metro area experiencing a range of fertility issues. We can help you find a solution.
Stress, overwork, bad sleep, poor eating habits — all of these can adversely affect your hormone levels, and also your fertility. In contrast, instilling healthy habits can help you feel more relaxed, balance your hormones, and help you conceive with fewer issues.
Here are some of the best ways to get your body in a healthy, fit state for conception and pregnancy:
Eat more antioxidants. Free radicals in the body can harm sperm and eggs. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains deliver antioxidants like beta carotene, vitamins C and E, folate, and lutein. Add foods rich in folic acid to your diet, too. Stop smoking and limit alcohol to an occasional glass of wine.
Make sure you’re only getting a moderate intake of trans fat and sweets, and cut down on carbs, especially if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Lowering your carb intake can help fight insulin resistance. Have a bigger breakfast and smaller dinner, and try meatless meals, substituting beans and fish for red meat when possible.
Get better sleep — and more of it. Insufficient sleep can adversely affect fertility, so create a bedtime routine that lets you wind down, and try to get at least 8 hours around the same time frame every night to balance your circadian rhythm.
Exercise, but don’t overdo it as you want a strong core but not overtaxed muscles when you do conceive and start carrying a child. Build time into your schedule for flexibility exercises like yoga or Pilates, and make sure you get some downtime, too. Meditation is a good way to get centered.
If these tips don’t work, it might be time to visit a doctor with your significant other and find out if there is an issue either of your reproductive health. There are plenty of other options for treating fertility if lifestyle changes fail, so don’t give up.
Are you having trouble conceiving? Get in touch with the team at URA by calling 201-288-6330, or visit the contact page for more information.
