The TTC Diet

A few weeks ago we talked about how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But we all know that healthy isn’t just not smoking or drinking and exercising regularly. It’s also about having a well-balanced diet and catering your food to you. You’ve probably heard of the no carb diet, the Paleo diet, and maybe even tried fasting or a juice cleanse. Did you know, though, that there are specific foods that can help boost fertility? If you’re TTC, get your recipe books ready…here are the best fertility foods.

Beans
Beans are great for a TTC diet because they are plant-based and high in protein and iron. Research at the Harvard School of Public Health observed that women who ate plant-based protein, compared to animal-based protein (like chicken) “were substantially less likely to have trouble trying to conceive.”  Looking for another protein option? Try lentils or peanut butter!

Leafy Greens
This one kind of seems like a given, but eat your leafy greens! Spinach, broccoli, kale…you know the deal.  These leafy greens are high in vitamin B and are suspected to help with ovulation. Leafy greens also have anti-inflammatory properties, which help with implantation issues. Pro-tip: Use olive oil on your salad for another fertility superfood. Olive oil also helps lessen bodily inflammation.

Seeds
Seeds are jam-packed with iron. This is beneficial because not having enough iron in your system can impact ovulation and whether or not it occurs at all. So, if you’re sick of iron supplements, try a handful of pumpkin seeds this fall!

Fish
Don’t get ahead of yourself just yet! Not all fish is good when you’re TTC. This is because certain fish are high in mercury. The fish we recommend? Wild salmon. This is because salmon is relatively low in mercury levels and is high in omega-3 fatty acids.  This unsaturated fat is good for your body and can “help regulate reproductive hormones.” Pro-tip: Omega-3 fatty acids positively impact male fertility and sperm health, too. Enjoy a fancy salmon meal together!

Whole Grains
Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is key to the TTC diet. Unstable insulin levels throw off reproductive hormones and make it harder to conceive. This means sticking to whole wheat bread, brown rice, and whole grain pasta. Get creative and make it interesting! With the right recipe, you won’t even be able to taste the difference between white and brown rice.

Water
Regardless of whether or not you’re TTC, drinking lots of water is super important. Water is especially important, though, when you’re ovulating because of two key reasons: 1) It helps transport essential hormones and create follicles and 2) It helps improve the consistency of cervical mucus.

Need some cooking advice now that you’ve discovered the best TTC foods? Check out the iFertracker’s Pinterest page for TTC recipes, and other diet tips at: https://www.pinterest.com/ifertracker/pins/

References
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/nutrition/what-to-eat-when-trying-to-get-pregnant/
http://www.parenting.com/article/what-eat-conceive
http://natural-fertility-info.com/iron-fertility-anemia.html

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