Most women who are having trouble with conception suddenly take a look at what they eat and decide to get educated about fertility nutrition. Suddenly, the foods you consume and the impact they have on your hormones, your ovulation, and your blood sugar becomes all-important.
Focusing on the proper nutrition for fertility is fine, and can certainly benefit you as you try to conceive. On the other hand, focusing just on improving your diet during the conception period is short-sighted. Pregnancy and nutrition is just as important, and after you give birth, you should continue with a healthy lifestyle so you can keep up with your kids.
Instead of focusing just on the next few months, or even the next nine months, you should begin focusing instead on the healthy lifestyle changes you can make now that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Following are the five steps that go beyond fertility nutrition:
1. Implement an Exercise Program
Exercise is important at any phase of your life. While you are trying to conceive, it can help stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels, evening out your ovulation. While you are pregnant, it can help keep you from gaining too much weight and help combat common pregnancy complaints like water retention and edema.
After having kids, getting enough exercise can help you stay in shape, combat disease, and reduce stress. So if you don't have an exercise program in place now, implement one without delay.
Find ways to get moving that are fun to you and will help you stay compliant. Work out with a buddy. Once you enjoy exercise and establish it as a habit, you will make it a part of your daily routine.
2. Eat Better Carbs
It's not really about low-carb vs. high carb. Instead, you should focus on good carb vs. bad carb. Eliminating simple (also known as high-glycemic) carbs from your diet can help stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels. This can help you avoid developing diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and having strokes.
As you try to get pregnant, avoiding bad carbs can help your ovulation stay on track. And once you are pregnant, keeping bad carbs out of your diet can help you to avoid developing gestational diabetes.
3. Eat Your Protein
Eating protein will help keep your blood sugar stable, which is essential to your good health whether you are trying to conceive, are already expecting, or have already had children. The more stable your blood sugar, the better your ovulation cycle will be.
You will also eliminate the peaks and lows that can cause you to binge eat out of sheer hunger. Aim for a serving of healthy, organic protein at every meal--including snacks. You will keep your blood sugar stable, keeping problems like hypoglycemia or diabetes at bay.
4. Eliminate Soy
If you are having trouble with conceiving, make sure your partner isn't eating a lot of soy. Soy has been linked to fertility issues in men. In addition, soy has also been linked to improper development of the sex organs in fetuses.
Although soy is marketed as a healthy alternative to meat, there is very little to recommend it at any phase of your life. The tofu sold in most stores is made from soybeans that are sprayed with pesticides, or contains potentially harmful additives.
So instead of eating soy, try using other sources of healthy protein, such as raw nuts, nut butters, and whole eggs. If you are not a vegetarian, then try lean, organic cuts of beef and chicken. They are much better for you than soy and provide the amino acids that are so important to your health as well as your baby's.
Focusing on the proper nutrition for fertility is fine, and can certainly benefit you as you try to conceive. On the other hand, focusing just on improving your diet during the conception period is short-sighted. Pregnancy and nutrition is just as important, and after you give birth, you should continue with a healthy lifestyle so you can keep up with your kids.
Instead of focusing just on the next few months, or even the next nine months, you should begin focusing instead on the healthy lifestyle changes you can make now that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Following are the five steps that go beyond fertility nutrition:
1. Implement an Exercise Program
Exercise is important at any phase of your life. While you are trying to conceive, it can help stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels, evening out your ovulation. While you are pregnant, it can help keep you from gaining too much weight and help combat common pregnancy complaints like water retention and edema.
After having kids, getting enough exercise can help you stay in shape, combat disease, and reduce stress. So if you don't have an exercise program in place now, implement one without delay.
Find ways to get moving that are fun to you and will help you stay compliant. Work out with a buddy. Once you enjoy exercise and establish it as a habit, you will make it a part of your daily routine.
2. Eat Better Carbs
It's not really about low-carb vs. high carb. Instead, you should focus on good carb vs. bad carb. Eliminating simple (also known as high-glycemic) carbs from your diet can help stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels. This can help you avoid developing diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and having strokes.
As you try to get pregnant, avoiding bad carbs can help your ovulation stay on track. And once you are pregnant, keeping bad carbs out of your diet can help you to avoid developing gestational diabetes.
3. Eat Your Protein
Eating protein will help keep your blood sugar stable, which is essential to your good health whether you are trying to conceive, are already expecting, or have already had children. The more stable your blood sugar, the better your ovulation cycle will be.
You will also eliminate the peaks and lows that can cause you to binge eat out of sheer hunger. Aim for a serving of healthy, organic protein at every meal--including snacks. You will keep your blood sugar stable, keeping problems like hypoglycemia or diabetes at bay.
4. Eliminate Soy
If you are having trouble with conceiving, make sure your partner isn't eating a lot of soy. Soy has been linked to fertility issues in men. In addition, soy has also been linked to improper development of the sex organs in fetuses.
Although soy is marketed as a healthy alternative to meat, there is very little to recommend it at any phase of your life. The tofu sold in most stores is made from soybeans that are sprayed with pesticides, or contains potentially harmful additives.
So instead of eating soy, try using other sources of healthy protein, such as raw nuts, nut butters, and whole eggs. If you are not a vegetarian, then try lean, organic cuts of beef and chicken. They are much better for you than soy and provide the amino acids that are so important to your health as well as your baby's.