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Essential Nutrition While Trying to Conceive
July 25, 2012
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Many
experts advocate that the sooner a woman (and also a man) start to eat a
healthy and nutritious diet, the greater the likelihood that they will
soon be shopping for maternity dresses and stylish maternity clothes,
preparing a baby’s nursery and trawling the plethora of pregnancy and
childbirth information sites found on the net! Many people feel
empowered and far more alive when they take control of their diet and
increase their chances of enjoying a healthy pregnancy and welcoming a
healthy baby to the world.
Without
doubt, the best time to improve your diet and focus on nutrition and a
healthy lifestyle is when trying to conceive a baby. In fact, the first
step for couples unsuccessfully trying to conceive is often to improve
their diet, engage in a sensible amount of physical activity each week
and maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Think about maternity clothes, baby nurseries and prams, but really focus on what you should eat when trying to conceive…
In
many cases, successful conception is as much about the man as it is
about the woman. Given the shared responsibility and contribution, men
also need to consume a healthy diet that is rich in the vitamins and
minerals crucial for making healthy sperm.
Each day, both men and women should consume:
- Several
servings of fruit, vegetables, grains such as whole wheat bread and
foods rich in calcium, including: yoghurt, cheese and milk.
- Vitamins
C and E, zinc and folic acid, which are important for the production of
good quality sperm and regular, predictable ovulation.
And, what should you avoid when trying to conceive?
The
diet and approach to health of many people needs some careful review
and adjustment when they decide that they would like to become parents.
It will come as no surprise to know that the following should be avoided when trying to conceive:
- Alcohol
(while it is preferable to eliminate alcohol altogether, it is
recommended that you drink alcohol only occasionally if you wish to
drink at all)
- Recreational drugs
- Smoking
While
there are certainly health benefits for the adult avoiding these
things, there are even more important benefits for the foetus that may
be conceived. Abundant evidence shows that alcohol, drugs and smoking
can all harm the growing and developing foetus.
Some specifics…
Caffeine:
There is no definitive answer regarding the effects of caffeine on
fertility -- in fact, the research is mixed. However, you may want to
reduce the amount of caffeine you consume if it is significantly high.
Although some experts suggest that low to moderate caffeine consumption
(less than 300mg per day or approximately three cups of coffee) will not
cause an adverse effect on fertility, it may be recommended that you
eliminate caffeine completely in order to be safe and stand the best
possible chance of conceiving.
Fish with high mercury content:
Fish is typically a very healthy inclusion in a person’s diet, but
some fish are high in mercury and this can be dangerous to an unborn
baby. Fish that are high in mercury include shark, swordfish, king
mackerel and tilefish, and because mercury can accumulate and stay in
the body for longer than one year, these types of fish should be avoided
when trying to conceive.
Fish
that are lower in mercury, such as salmon and canned light tuna, are
considered an important part of a healthy diet for a pregnant woman or
woman trying to conceive and should be eaten once or twice a week.
Other tips for good nutrition while trying to conceive:
Take a quality vitamin/mineral supplement:
A prenatal vitamin helps to ensure your body is getting an adequate
amount (at least 400 micrograms daily) of folic acid (which is important
before and during pregnancy and known to reduce the chances of the baby
having neural tube defects such as spina bifida) and other nutrients to
help increase the likelihood of conception.
Maintain an ideal body weight:
Losing some weight or gaining it if you are underweight is important
when attempting to become pregnant. You should be as close as possible
to the recommended weight for a person with your physical
characteristics, as being over or underweight can make becoming pregnant
substantially more difficult.
Following
a sensible eating plan that includes nutritious, fibre-rich foods
represents good nutrition when trying to conceive. Being as healthy as
possible will increase your chances of conceiving, enjoying a healthy
pregnancy, glowing in your maternity clothes and delivering a healthy
baby.
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