Five Important Lifestyle Habits for When You’re Trying to Conceive
Your lifestyle can have a huge influence on your body’s ability to conceive. Making a few adjustments to your daily habits is an investment in time and effort that can dramatically improve the odds when you are trying to conceive (TTC). Below are a few simple tips to help guide you.
1) Eat Right
To optimize your fertility, your diet should include nutritious foods, such as:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Whole-grain foods (e.g., quinoa and brown rice)
- Lean proteins (if you are a vegetarian or vegan, be sure to discuss this with your doctor or dietitian to make sure you’re consuming enough plant-based proteins)
- Healthy fats, like those found in fish and nuts
You should also avoid prepackaged and processed foods, as well as foods that are high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats. It’s OK to eat these foods once in a while, but it’s best to limit them as much as possible.
2) Reduce Stress
Stress is more than a feeling – it’s a set of physiological responses that manifest throughout our bodies and can wreak havoc on our health and fertility. Unfortunately, the TTC process can be very stressful, especially if you’ve been trying for a long time.
To deal with TTC-related stress, integrate some relaxing hobbies such as meditation or yoga into your self-care routine. If necessary, reach out to a mental health professional to help you manage and cope with your stress.
3) Engage in Regular Physical Activity
Exercise is an important component of any healthy lifestyle, especially when you’re TTC. It helps you maintain a healthy weight and can even reduce stress. However, when you’re in TTC mode, it’s important to take a moderate approach. The body sometimes interprets high-intensity exercise as stress, which, in response, can discourage ovulation. When trying to conceive, stick to lower-intensity activities such as walking, yoga, or dancing.
4) Limit or Avoid Vices
There are certain behaviors that you should avoid while trying to conceive, including:
- Smoking, which can prematurely age ovaries, diminish egg quality, damage the fallopian tubes and cervix, and increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy
- Consuming excessive alcohol and caffeine
- Taking drugs; some research suggests that even “light” drugs like marijuana may have a negative impact on fertility
5) Learn the Difference Between TTC Facts and Fiction
From eating oysters to elevating your legs and feet after intercourse, there are a number of fertility myths out there. Unfortunately, these unfounded TTC tips are as widespread as they are false and can encourage you to make questionable lifestyle choices. The best way to fight ignorance is with education – spend as much time as you can educating yourself about fertility and the TTC process.
Learn More
Trying to conceive can be hard, but with a few lifestyle tweaks you can really improve your odds of getting pregnant. To learn more about fertility and ways you can boost the TTC process, contact a fertility specialist at Chicago IVF today.