Hey there, viewers!
Looking to extend your family?
Fertility issues can be a roadblock in your journey to parenthood.
If you’re facing them, know that you aren’t alone.
Experts estimate around 15% of couples suffer from it.
Fortunately, there are natural ways to increase your fertility.
Try them along with the treatment you’re already taking.
In today’s video, we’ll be talking about 11 natural ways to boost your fertility.
Can eating antioxidant rich foods help?
What about breakfast, trans fat, and carbs?
We’ll be talking about all of these AND more...
1.
Eat foods rich in antioxidants
Want to boost your fertility?
Eat antioxidant rich food.
You might be wondering what’s the connection between the two?
Turns out, A LOT!
You need antioxidants because they fight off free radicals in your body.
During your body’s metabolism process, free radicals are created which damage cells in
your body.
This also includes sperm cells in men and eggs in women.
Antioxidants like folate and zinc fight these free radicals and ensure your cells don’t
go through oxidative stress.
So to help your body remain fertile, you need to eat antioxidant-rich food.
One study among young men showed eating 75 grams of walnuts every day helped improve
the quality of their sperm.
Walnuts are rich in antioxidants, so this does say something about the power of these
nutrients.
In another study among young women, results showed eating a higher amount of folate increased
the rate of clinical pregnancy and live birth.
Do you eat antioxidant rich foods like walnuts and blueberries?
What’s your favorite way to get all the nutrients you need?
Smoothie?
Veggie salad?
Fruit smoothies?
Share your preferences with the Bestie community in the comments below.
2.
Avoid trans fats
Every list of things you shouldn’t be eating is topped by processed foods.
You know why?
Because they’re loaded with trans fat!
That is exactly the type of fat your body doesn’t need.
It’s just empty calories..
And worse, it can make you infertile.
While healthy fats are good for your fertility, trans fats have the opposite effect.
If you eat excess trans fats, they will have a negative effect on your insulin sensitivity.
This in turn increases your risk of infertility.
Research has shown a diet rich in trans fats affects the fertility levels of both men and
women.
These trans fats are usually in fried foods, processed foods, and vegetable oils.
Eat more natural whole foods instead of processed trans fats.
3.
Eat a bigger breakfast
One cause of infertility among women is if the hormonal effects caused by polycystic
ovary syndrome (PCOS).
If you have PCOS, eating a big breakfast every day helps reduce its impact on your fertility.
A study among women, with PCOS showed getting most of their daily calories from their breakfast
reduced their insulin level by 8%.
This brought down their testosterone level by half.
In the same study, which was conducted for 12 weeks straight, women who ate a bigger
breakfast ovulated more than those who didn’t.
This is a sign of improved fertility.
So if you’re planning to get pregnant, have a hearty breakfast.
It’s good for your mood AND your body!
4.
Cut down on carbs if you have PCOS
Carbs aren’t your enemy, but they aren’t your best friend either.
It all boils down to the type of carb you’re eating.
If you do have PCOS, you need to reduce carbs in your diet.
Especially simple carbs!
Research shows reducing the number of carbs you consume has a positive impact on PCOS-related
issues.
Low-carb diet helps reduce your weight, which is good for your fertility.
It also brings down your insulin levels.
A reduced level of insulin is key to improving your fertility.
Wondering how to reduce carbs from your diet?
What to eat and what to avoid?
You should eat more healthy fats and protein.
You’ll get them from eggs, meat, fish.
Nuts, seeds, and olive oil are also great options.
You can research veggies and fruits that are low on carbs.
Some non-gluten grains are good for you.
When it comes to what you shouldn’t eat, avoid seed oils and sugar like plague.
Highly processed foods are a big “no-no” as well.
5.
Eat fewer refined carbs
Not only do you have to reduce the carbs you consume, but you also need to keep an eye
on the kind of carbs you’re taking in.
Processed food such as pasta and bread come with refined carbs.
They get absorbed very quickly and raise your blood sugar and insulin levels.
Insulin has the same chemical composition as your ovarian hormones.
So if your insulin remains high, then your body thinks it doesn’t need to produce more
reproductive hormones.
Before we move ahead, here’s another video you might like.
Would you like to know how music can affect you during pregnancy?
We have an expert, Jenna Bollard discuss that with us.
Watch out the video here.
6.
Eat more fiber
Adding fiber to your diet helps remove excess hormones from your body.
It also ensures your blood sugar levels remain balanced.
You can get your fiber from fruits, vegetables and beans.
Research shows fiber from foods like avocado, sweet potatoes, and oats has a positive impact
on your estrogen and progesterone levels.
These hormones are important for your fertility.
It’s recommended that men eat 31 grams of fiber in a day while women have 25.
A study among women showed adding 10 grams of cereal fiber to their daily diet reduced
chances of infertility by 44%.
So what should you eat?
How about you start with pears, strawberries, and avocados?
They’re loaded with fiber.
Apples are great too!
You can make a fiber loaded fruit salad using bananas, raspberries, and blueberries.
Not a fruit fan?
Have veggies instead.
Carrots are good to start.
And of course, broccoli is loaded with fiber and nutrients.
In fact, it’s one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.
Beets aren’t too far behind either.
Artichokes and Brussel sprouts are other options you can try!
7.
Swap protein sources
If your main source of protein is from animal meat, swapping it for vegetable-based foods
could help reduce your chances of infertility.
Instead of meat, you can substitute it with beans and nuts to meet your protein needs.
Results of a study showed that plant proteins can reduce your chances of infertility.
Provided you get 5% of your daily calories from plants instead of animal sources.
Your chances of infertility will be reduced by half.
8.
Choose high-fat dairy
While low-fat dairy products may be all the rage currently, they’re not all healthy
for you.
If you eat them in large quantities, you risk increasing your chances of infertility.
Opting for high-fat dairy can bring down your chances of infertility.
A study was conducted to determine the impact of eating high-fat dairy in different frequencies.
Results showed women who had at least one serving of high-fat dairy reduced their risk
of infertility by 27%.
While you don’t have to completely ditch low-fat dairy products, you should switch
one of them to high fat and eat it every day.
So the next time you reach out for yogurt to make a delicious bowl full of smoothie,
choose full fat Greek yogurt.
Not the low fat ‘diet’ version!
9.
Add in a multivitamin
If you’re trying to get pregnant, take multivitamins that have folate in them.
Folate is beneficial for fertility.
Taking multivitamins also reduces the chances of facing infertility.
Vitamins have micronutrients, which are crucial for maintaining fertility levels.
Research shows women who take at least 3 multivitamins a week can reduce the risk of infertility
by around 20%.
10.
Get active
Exercise has several health benefits, which also includes raising your fertility rate.
This is especially true for people who are obese.
If you can increase your activity levels by even a small percentage, you will see a positive
impact on your fertility.
But this doesn’t mean you go crazy on your treadmill!
Excessive exercising, especially high intensity workouts, have a negative impact.
It can change the energy balance in your body, which affects your reproductive system.
So whatever exercise routine you plan to follow, it’s necessary you do it in moderation.
11.
Take time to relax
Stress is another factor impacting your reproductive system.
If you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s important you find ways to reduce your stress
levels.
The more you’re worked up, the less likely you are to conceive.
Research has shown that stress can bring down your fertility, as it negatively impacts your
hormonal levels.
Hormonal imbalance plays a key role in infertility.
You need to watch out for the earliest signs and symptoms so as to address the problem
in time.
The symptoms are different for men and women.
Here’s how you can spot the signs in time.
Watch 9 Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance in Women!
You can also try 11 Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance in Men!
Go ahead, click one.
Better yet, watch both, and learn more about your hormones.
Are you planning to extend your family?
Let us know in the comments below!