As one might say, you are what you eat. And when a woman is expecting, her to-be baby likewise becomes what she eats.
A reason is why you must focus on your diet when trying to get pregnant or are on an IVF treatment. IVF refers to in-vitro fertilization, a fertility treatment used by couples who have trouble getting pregnant.
When you have to choose an artificial treatment to carry a baby, you have to be extra mindful of many things, one of the significant ones being having right eating habits.
There’s no special IVF diet you require. Everything you need to do is adopt healthy foods over unhealthy ones. Having a natural and healthy diet is more important than ever when you try to conceive.
Since we’ve highlighted the importance of having a good IVF diet, Dr Manish Banker and his expert team help you with a list of some foods to eat and some to avoid.
Foods that Your IVF Diet Should Include:
Zinc-Rich Foods
A hormonal imbalance can lead to an inconsistent functioning of the ovaries or eggs. To avoid any sort of hormonal balance, you can consume food enriched with zinc. You need to meet the daily 15 mg consumption of zinc to let it aid you. You can always take zinc supplements if you want to. However, choosing natural foods rich in zinc over supplements is a better alternative. Potatoes, grains, nuts, meat and dairy are some foods that will raise your zinc intake.
Folic Acid Foods
The healthy development of a child’s brain and spinal cord can be supported by folic acid and a few parental vitamins. Birth abnormalities typically appear in the first 3–4 weeks of pregnancy if the body lacks key nutrients essential for a child’s growth. Thus, to ensure that your baby has normal brain and spinal cord development, intake a suitable amount of folate in your body.
Iron-Enriched Foods
One of the most essential foods that need to be a part of your IVF diet chart is the ones rich in iron. Women tend to lose iron every month during their periods, and many suffer from iron deficiency because of not taking a nutritious diet. When you are on IVF treatment, ensure that you eat spinach and pumpkin seeds to increase iron in your body, prevent poor egg health and avoid ovulation-related problems.
Healthy Fats
Some fats are good for your health, while some are extremely bad. Your IVF diet should include fat foods like dark chocolate, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed oils, olive oils, nuts, corn and more. Healthy fats are unsaturated ones, and they encourage the formation of healthy eggs in the body. Moreover, these fats will serve as energy reserves in your body, which you may require during the IVF process and following a healthy pregnancy.
Vegetables
Vegetables are an incredible source of several natural supplements that benefit our bodies to feel healthier and lighter. Such natural elements can aid in conceiving faster and increase the likelihood of a successful pregnancy. Moreover, for healthy living and cleansing the inside of your body, start eating green leafy vegetables and other vegetables high in vitamins and minerals.
Gluten-free Foods
Off lately, the term gluten-free has earned a lot of popularity amongst health-conscious individuals. This is because gluten causes health issues and harms the body. For that matter, women facing problems conceiving have been reported to consume gluten in higher amounts. Consuming gluten-free items helps our bodies detoxify, reduce cholesterol and fat, control blood sugar levels, and make us healthy.
Foods that Your IVF Diet Should NOT Include:
Do Not Eat Processed Foods
Even though we love eating processed foods, we know they’re unhealthy. Generally, people often indulge in the consumption of processed foods because they satisfy the cravings and taste buds and fill their tummies. However, you must know that processed foods can make you sick and should be avoided since they contain artificial flavours, chemicals, gluten and more in excess.
Say No to Alcohol, Drugs and Caffeine
Not just you should avoid consuming alcohol, drugs or caffeine when you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, but even for your overall well-being. Studies suggest that alcohol, drugs or caffeine can be detrimental to health and cause severe illnesses. And, for women, substance consumption and caffeine can slow down the process of getting pregnant and can lead to infertility in men and women both.
Avoid Raw Eggs
A lot of food products such as biscuit cream, salad dressing and mayonnaise get made using eggs in raw forms, along with other ingredients. But raw eggs include the salmonella virus that causes food poisoning. So, it’s best to stay away from eating raw eggs. Ensure that you cook the eggs well before gulping them down.
Following a good IVF diet will increase your odds of carrying out a pregnancy. While you eat well, do not forget to take good rest, exercise moderately and sustain good mental well-being. (Read: Healthy Habits to Increase Fertility.)
To read on fertility treatments, tips and tricks, causes of infertility and more by Banker IVF, visit our blog page – https://bankerivf.com/blog/