Spring Must Be Near: Foods for Fertility

As a woman who loves spending time with children, one of the most difficult modern topics is infertility.  It truly saddens me to hear about couples who are kind and loving and really want children but cannot for some reason or another.  Common knowledge says there isn't much anyone can do about infertility, but diet studies say otherwise.  It is quite possible for couples to increase their chances of getting pregnant and staying pregnant based solely on changing their diets.

There are a few things one should definately not eat if trying to get pregnant.  These are all things that have an ill effect on hormone production and balance.  The worst of these foods is any kind of unfermented soy.  Soy can raise estrogen to a dangerous level.  It can also mimic progesterone, the hormone a woman produces when she releases a mature egg and when she is pregnant.  Basically, soy can trick your body into thinking it is already pregnant.  Eating a lot of foods grown with chemicals, foods and drinks with caffeine and refined sugar can also effect your hormone production and balances.  Making sure the produce you eat is organic is a very helpful step toward increasing your fertility.

There are specific nutrients you should eat to help with fertility.  These include vitamins D, C, E, B6 and B-12, folic acid, iron, selenium, zinc, CoQ10, and omega-3s.  All of these nutrients help for specific reasons.  Overall, they basically protect the health of eggs and sperm, provide good hormone balance, and increase the health of the entire reproductive system.  They can also decrease the risk of birth defects in a growing fetus.

If you are already eating a healthy diet, these nutrients won't be hard to come by.  Among the most important foods to eat while trying to get pregnant are eggs (organic farm fresh), nuts and seeds, dark leafy greens, fruits, cold water fish (salmon, tuna, halibut), lentils and beans (lentils have the highest amount of folic acid of any vegetation) and a variety of veggies in all the available colors. Remember, the produce needs to be organic to be useful.

If you or somone you know is having fertility issues, don't give up hope.  While a certain diet can't fix everything for everyone, it certainly never hurt anyone to try.  There is nothing to lose by eating a healthy balanced diet.