Eating really well before you try to conceive is probably one of the best things you can do for your fertility. Think about it this way… if you wanted to grow a plant you wouldn’t just chuck the seed into the ground and hope that it grows… you would prepare the soil, water it and make sure it had sun. If you want a healthy baby and a happy pregnancy, you have to do the groundwork and make sure your inner soil is…well… fertile!
It takes 90 days roughly to mature one egg, so giving yourself 3 months to prepare is SO important, and there’s loads you can do to optimise your body.
Here are my top 5 foods that I love including as part of a fertility diet:
Broccoli
Broccoli contains compounds that massively help with detoxification, making sure your hormones are within the optimal levels. They are also rich in folate and magnesium, which are seriously important for baby-making health! You can steam them as a side dish, throw them into a stir fry or even have them raw in your salad.
Berries
Packed with antioxidants, berries can help fight free radicals that can affect the quality of egg and sperm. They also contain vitamin C that helps the immune system and calms down the stress response, which is much needed in this day and age! You can chuck berries in your morning smoothie or porridge, or just have them as a snack during the day.
Salmon
Wild salmon contains omega 3, which naturally calms down inflammation in the body and has also been shown to reduce certain immune markers such as TNF-alpha, which can be involved in miscarriages. Once baby is growing, omega 3 also helps to nourish its brain and can reduce the risk of you getting post-natal depression. I personally love baked salmon covered in herbs and spices.
Egg Yolks
I don’t know why egg-whites always got the glory, as the yolks are the best bits! The fat and protein are so important for building our hormones, plus they contain choline that is needed to prevent possible birth defects, as well as buffering the effects of stress from you to baby. How do you like your eggs in the morning? Scrambled, fried, as an omelette? Whatever it is, get them into your life!
Cinnamon
This spice is one of my favourites; not only does it taste EPIC but it can also help regulate blood sugar levels, which is KEY for getting your fertility in check. When blood sugar is out of whack, it can affect hormones and physical stress levels so getting this sorted is my absolute first point of call when supporting fertility. It’s delicious sprinkled on oatmeal in the morning or even in a curry!
A few upgrades is all it takes to make the world of difference to your body, so experiment and see how you feel!