Several Recent Studies Suggest Some Diets May Improve Your Chances of Conceiving a Baby

But, researchers are not sure if the diet itself improves fertility rates, or if weight loss may be cause of improved fertility.

Researchers have devised the following eleven nutritional and lifestyle recommendations to remember if conception is your goal.

1. Avoid trans fats, the artery-clogging fats found in many commercially prepared products and fast foods. 

2. Use more unsaturated vegetable oils, such as olive oil or canola oil. 

3. Eat more vegetable protein, like beans and nuts, and less animal protein. 

4. Choose whole grains and other sources of carbohydrates that have lower, slower effects on blood sugar and insulin rather than highly refined carbohydrates that quickly boost blood sugar and insulin. 

5. Drink a glass of whole milk or have a small dish of ice cream or full-fat yogurt every day; temporarily trade in skim milk and low- or no-fat dairy products like cottage cheese and frozen yogurt for their full-fat cousins. 

6. Take a multivitamin that contains folic acid and other B vitamins. 

7. Get plenty of iron from fruits, vegetables, beans and supplements, but not from red meat. 

8. Beverages matter: Water is great; coffee, tea and alcohol are OK in moderation; stay away from sugared sodas. 

9. Aim for a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing between 5% and 10% of your weight can jump-start ovulation. 

10. If you aren't physically active, start a daily exercise plan. If you already exercise, pick up the pace of your workouts. But don't overdo it, especially if you are lean. Too much exercise can work against conception. 

11. If you smoke: stop.*

If you would like more information about nutrition, diet and lifestyle choices that may affect your ability to conceive and deliver a healthy baby, please book an appointment with one of our Chinese medicine practitioners or our Naturopathic Doctor.

* The Fertility Diet: Groundbreaking Research Reveals Natural Ways to Boost Ovulation and Improve Your Chances of Getting Pregnant, Chavarro and Willett.