Dietary necessities and way of life issues that may have an effect on your probabilities to conceive

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Good nutrition in both women and men plays an important role during pregnancy. Prenatal nutrition is an important phase in preparing for pregnancy. Good nutrition and BMI play an important role in the process of conception. Women need to focus on a healthy weight and nutrients like iron, folic acid, and a balanced intake of other macro and micronutrients to create a safe nine month prenatal period.

Men also need to focus on their weight, as being overweight creates hormonal imbalances that affect the quality of sperm. Hence, it is advisable to include a good amount of fruits and vegetables, antioxidants, vitamins, and mineral-rich foods in your daily diet.

Most women do not follow a balanced, healthy diet before pregnancy and this hinders conception. Balance can be achieved by following the healthy plate guideline:

Grain: Although there are several different types of grains, choose grains fortified with folic acid for added benefit during pregnancy. Fill 1/4 of the plate with cereal and grain.
Vegetables: Vegetables are divided into different groups, such as leafy green vegetables, orange, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables. Add 2-3 varieties to each meal.
Fruit: It is recommended to consume a variety of fruits, at least 2 servings per day. In addition to being a great source of vitamins and minerals, they’re also a great source of fiber.
Protein: This includes nuts, seeds and non-vegetarian sources such as meat, fish, poultry and proteins with high biological value (egg). Choose lean meats like fish, poultry, nuts, and seeds. Fill 1/4 of your meal platter with lean protein.
Dairy: Milk and dairy products fall under dairy products, they are good sources of calcium and vegetable protein for vegetarians. Low-fat or fat-free organic milk and dairy products are ideal when obesity is an issue.

In addition to a healthy plate, the following micronutrients can increase fertility:

men women
B-carotene carrots, squash, squash Folic acid, GLV, cauliflower, orange, lentils, broccoli
Zinc sesame, quinoa, pumpkin, asparagus, lentils Omega-3, walnut, chia seeds, flax seeds, carrots, salmon
Selenium salmon, spinach, sunflower seeds B-carotene, carrots, squash, squash, GLV
Vitamin E almonds, broccoli, avocado Zinc, eggs, nuts, meat, legumes
Vitamin C citrus fruits, peppers, tomatoes Vitamin B6, banana, spinach, garlic, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, paprika
L-arginine – pumpkin, peanut, chickpea, lentil L-carnitine, chicken, avocado, asparagus.

Along with this emphasis on taking:

* Folic acid: It is known to aid in the development of a baby’s neural tube, which forms into the spine and brain. A lack of vitamin has been linked to spina bifida, a condition in which the baby’s spine does not form properly.

* Sources: Dark green leafy vegetables, cauliflower, orange and lentils.

* Iron: The iron requirement increases by 50 to 60 percent during pregnancy. Iron helps our body make new blood during pregnancy to carry oxygen and nutrients to the baby. Iron deficiency leads to anemia, weakness, shortness of breath, premature birth, low birth weight.

* Poultry, Lamb, kidney beans, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, plums, raisins, beetroot.

Include nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. (Photo: Getty / Thinkstock)

* Calcium: Building healthy bones is part of preparing for pregnancy. If a woman’s diet is lacking calcium during pregnancy and pregnancy, the growing fetus will strip calcium from the mother’s bones, which can expose her to the risk of osteoporosis in later life.

* Milk and milkproducts, Seafood, dried peas, and beans; it is also found in green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and greens.

* Vitamin D: It has been linked to a wide variety of health benefits for women trying to get pregnant. It plays a significant role in fertility and affects both the ovaries and the endometrium. At the ovarian level, vitamin D has been shown to promote ovulation.

* Egg yolk, Milk, salmon, fortified cereals and orange juice.

Lifestyle and its effects on fertility

There are also lifestyle practices and disorders that can increase your risk of infertility.

The most common health problems are PCOS, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and sexually transmitted diseases. It is known that stress, smoking, alcohol, irregular sleep patterns along with poor diet affect fertility in both men and women.

These can affect hormones, leading to insulin resistance, thyroid problems, obesity, and high blood pressure.

(The author is a senior nutritionist at the Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Bengaluru (Malleshwaram))

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