General Nutrition Guidelines When Trying to Conceive
adapted from The Infertility Cure by Randine Lewis, printed with permission
The Following Guidelines Apply for both Men and Women
1. Eat alkaline rather than acidic foods: non-citrus fruits, vegetables, sprouts, cereal grasses (wheat grass, barley grass). These foods help provide the entire reproductive system with the right pH for conception and implantation. Also the bioflavonoids, found in many fruits and vegetables, help in the formation of healthy blood vessels, helping the uterus prepare for implantation and prevent miscarriage. Limit acidic foods such as meat, dairy products, and most grains.
2. Get plenty of essential fatty acids, preferably from unprocessed plant sources and deep sea fish. these are essential for cell growth and key in ovulation, specifically in the process of releasing the egg and allowing development of the corpus luteum. Good sources are fish, fish oil, non-hydrogenated cold-pressed flax seed oil, nuts, seeds, and dark-green and winter vegetables (think broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, kale, collards, cabbage, turnips, rutabaga, Brussels sprouts).
3. Eat organic foods and hormone-free meats whenever possible. Many of the pesticides, chemicals, and hormones in the food supply contain estrogen-like substances, which occupy estrogen receptor sites and have negative effects on our organ and endocrine systems.
4. Eat lightly steamed or cooked vegetables rather than raw. They are easier to digest and you will get more of their nutritional value.
5. Supplement your diet with a natural, high-potency multivitamin and mineral complex that includes iron (not necessary for men), B vitamins, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zinc, and selenium which enhance fertility. See below for other supplements to consider.*
6. Eliminate caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. Tea, especially green tea is not as problematic as coffee. It contains less caffeine and fewer volatile oils than coffee and opens rather than constricts blood vessels.
7. Avoid unnecessary medications and drugs, including over-the-counter preparations. NSAIDs like ibuprofen can block the syntheses of prostaglandins and therefore inhibit ovulation. If you are a woman with scanty cervical mucus, avoid decongestants, antihistamines, and excess supplemental Vitamin C.
8. Avoid junk food, excessive stress, too little sleep, too much exercise (this caveat does not mean to stop exercising, rather don’t overdo it), or anything that is taxing to the immune system (including sugar). In general, give your body every chance to be its strongest and healthiest so that it can nourish your child.
* Other Supplements to Consider
For Women
Royal Jelly – regenerative and tonifying; rich in vitamins, minerals, nucleic acids, and steroid hormones (hormones that send messages to the body’s cells)
Blue-Green Algae – contains chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and steroid building blocks. Chlorella is freshwater green algae; spirulina is saltwater blue-green algai. They nourish the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems; they tonify Qi, Blood, and Essence; and they regulate metabolism and repair tissue.
Wheat and Barley Grass – tonifying and curative; nourishes Qi, Blood, and Essence, enhances immunity, and restores hormonal functioning
Coenzyme Q10 – assists mitochondrial function, the powerhouse of each cell
For Men
Ginseng – increases the production of testosterone and helps with sperm production
L-arginine and L-carnitine – amino acids that are especially associated with enhancing sperm produciton
Coenzyme Q10 – assists mitochondrial function, the powerhouse of each cell
One non-dietary tip: Take your cell phone out of your pocket and keep it away from your pelvic area.