9 Best Foods to Consume for Raising Fertility

One in every eight couples has infertility, mostly in quietness. This April is Infertility Awareness Month, and there is no better time to encourage you to be assertive about your 'fertility health.' This worldwide awareness campaign inspires people to talk more about fertility issues that affect both men and women.

When a woman below the age of 35 has been unable to conceive despite participating in regular unprotected heterosexual intercourse for 12 months without the aid of birth control, or when a woman 35 or older has not been able to conceive despite engaging in regular unprotected heterosexual intercourse for six months, this is referred to as infertility. One partner (male or female) may be unable to contribute to fertilization, or deeper issues may make it difficult for a woman to bring a pregnancy to term.

Infertility has been an issue for 8–12% of couples globally and is currently a severe clinical issue. Contrary to popular belief, about 45 and 50 per cent of infertility cases involve "male factors" and those entirely feminine. Poor sperm motility, abnormal sperm structure, or low sperm concentration are common causes and may be linked to other underlying medical issues in the man.

Infertility negatively impacts 9% of married women of childbearing age, according to a different survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients trying to get pregnant can help themselves by managing their eating habits and nutrition, although many underlying causes of infertility are not changeable. In fact, following a comprehensive diet and weight maintenance approach can significantly enhance one's chances of getting pregnant (i.e. achieving pregnancy).

What exactly is the Fertility Diet?

Eating a fertility diet is an important health change you can make to prepare for pregnancy and increase fertility. Multiple research studies have shown that a fertility diet can help reduce recurrent miscarriage, sustain a healthy pregnancy, and encourage fertility.

To start your journey to a healthy pregnancy, I recommend analysing your eating habits and eliminating foods commonly referred to as "junk food" or "processed food" from your diet. Before we go any further, I would like you to understand and appreciate that the essential elements of hormones are found in our food. Healthy fats, vitamins, water, and antioxidants are examples of these. Many foods, and even our water, can contain substances that impair our bodies' ability to produce and use hormones. These biological messengers interact with your organs, glands, and, most noticeably, your reproductive systems. 

Advantages of a Fertility Diet

• This diet improves general health and wellbeing and is generally healthy

• It promotes and strengthens a balanced reproductive system

• Avoid trans fats, which are strongly associated with heart disease

• It encourages vitality and stamina

• Promotes the body's hormonal balance

• It offers vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that improve the health of sperm and eggs

• Reducing insulin resistance and sperm, egg, and DNA damage from free radicals may reduce the likelihood of miscarriage.

Using a laboratory test known as AMH or anti-mullerian hormone, fertility physicians can determine a woman's ovarian reserve or egg count.

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Best Foods to increase fertility:

1. Eat Cold-Water Fish 

 These are high in Omega 3 fatty acids, which aid in hormone production, inflammation decrease, and menstrual cycle regulation. Cold-water fish that are strongly recommended include salmon, tuna, and sardines.

2. Grass-Fed and Organic Meat - High levels of hormones and antibiotics, which act as hormones and can contribute to oestrogen dominance problems in the human body, are present in conventionally produced livestock animals. Grass-fed meats, on the other hand, are an excellent source of natural fatty acids and protein.

3. Include high-fibre foods in your diet - 

One of the benefits of fibre is that it helps to regulate blood sugar levels, which helps to reduce fertility issues associated with conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It also helps to maintain a healthy hormonal balance. Fruits, vegetables, and beans are excellent fibre-rich foods to include in your diet. A high-fibre diet has many benefits, but it's important to remember that you should also drink enough water.

4. Consume Organic, whole-fat dairy, if you must - If you are unable or unwilling to exclude dairy from your diet, these are the most acceptable options for dairy sources. Avoid non-organic dairy since it frequently has additional hormones and antibiotics that behave as hormones and can cause the body to produce more oestrogen or have effects similar to oestrogen. If you prefer, fresh almond or hemp milk are suggested as superior dairy substitutes.

5. Avoid fruit juices with artificial flavours and processed sugar - Juices that have been sterilised, such as fruit juices in bottles, contain concentrated sugar that might cause a blood sugar rise and harm your immune system. Increased fruit consumption and the consumption of freshly squeezed or home-pressed juices are both excellent choices to keep in mind. If you must have a sweetener, think about using honey or maple syrup which are more natural options.

6. Drink Lots of water - Drinking enough water can help your body drain waste, maintain a healthy temperature, and increase the health of your eggs and sperm. It is advised to stay away from bottled water since some plastic containers may contain chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA), which can leak into the water and disrupt your hormonal balance because it mimics oestrogen.

7. Fruits - Blueberries, Raspberries & strawberries are all high in natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, which help both men and women conceive. Fruits and berries,i.e. rich in antioxidants, are also high in vitamin C and folic acid, two nutrients that support good foetal growth after conception. According to this study, women who ate a lot of fruit had a lower risk of infertility.

8. Avocados - This is high in potassium, folate and vitamin K, which help your body with various functions like vitamin absorption and blood pressure control. Additionally, they include monounsaturated fats, which are "good fats" rich in dietary fibre and folic acid, which are essential during the first trimester of pregnancy.

9. Asparagus 

Asparagus is a superfood with incredible benefits for those trying to conceive. According to studies, eating one cup of boiled asparagus will give you lots more than 60% of your daily recommended worth of folic acid, 100% of your daily vitamin K value, and more than 20% of vitamins A, B, and C. Men should include asparagus in their diets also since it has significant amounts of zinc and selenium.

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