Pregnancy can take a considerable toll on a woman’s body, and thus, for a successful pregnancy term, it is important for the woman to be healthy and fit. Dr Anshika Lekhi, Consultant - Reproductive Medicine, Milann Fertility Hospital, Delhi says, “It is a commonly known fact that a healthy lifestyle and dietary habits can help your body prepare for the taxing of an upcoming pregnancy, but a lesser-known truth is that lifestyle and dietary changes can also boost fertility and the chance of natural conception.”\
Some changes suggested by Dr Anshika Lekhi that you can make to your daily routine to increase the possibility of conceiving are listed as follows.
Sleep
The amount and quality of sleep you get on a daily basis significantly impacts both your physical and mental health. Lack of proper sleep can cause fatigue, irritation, stress, and a host of bodily diseases. Further, it is also important to sleep and wake up at the same time every day as a sleep routine can help improve your quality of rest and enhance the benefits. Also, it is a good choice to avoid screens and gadgets for up to 1-2 hours before bed. This can aid a night of better sleep and also help you fall asleep sooner.
Diet
It goes without saying that a healthy and clean diet goes a long way when it comes to achieving and maintaining fitness. While prepping for pregnancy, cutting off junk foods and replacing them with a well-balanced diet is a good choice. Consumption of prenatal vitamins is also widely advocated by doctors as it allows your body to receive the nourishment it needs to conceive and carry a child. It is also strongly advised for women preparing for pregnancy to increase their intake of fiber and antioxidants. Antioxidants help rid your body of free radicals that damage sperm and egg health and assist a healthy pregnancy.
Talking about food, it is as important to know what not to eat as it is to know what to eat. One must absolutely avoid consuming alcohol while and before pregnancy. Alcohol leads to hampering the fertility levels in both men and women and should thus strictly not be consumed.
Further, nowadays, people have started consuming a variety of organic seeds and nuts to aid their health. However, one must note that these foods have their own naturally occurring hormone content that can lead to disturbing your body’s hormonal balance and hinder the fertility process.
Lifestyle
For any woman who wishes to conceive, smoking is a big no. Smoking or consumption of tobacco products is popularly known to severely damage the reproductive organs, sperms, and eggs in both men and women and thus must be avoided. Drinking is also not a good choice for people looking to conceive.
Another thing that should be curbed is the time spent with gadgets. The digital devices that we use often emit radiations that are harmful to our reproductive as well as overall health, and therefore, the time spent on them must be limited.
Lastly, it is a fact that excessive stress hampers fertility. Hence, stress levels must be regulated mindfully. While completely cutting out stress from one’s life is not a practical idea in today’s day and age, one can rely on practicing yoga and meditation to regulate it. Taking therapy and journaling are also viable options to keep stress in check.
COVID
The Covid pandemic has played its part in defining the DOs and DONTs of the world. If you are planning on conceiving, it is a wise thing to get the advised dosage of vaccination. Taking precautions and maintaining sanitation is also extremely important, at all times, especially if and when you are pregnant. Remember that the health and well-being of your child depends on how good care you take of yourself and take measures accordingly.
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Healthy Sexual Life
Trying to conceive without much success for prolonged times can be a bit depressing for couples, but one must remember that taking stress in this situation will only further complicate matters. Also, while it is good to read and learn about conception, you must understand that not everything online or in books is correct. Do not restrict trying only to the days that are highlighted as most fertile by an online application or such. Consistency is key in these situations. If you wish to seek medical intervention, you can always request a doctor to advise you on how to handle the situation better.
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Summing Up
We have all heard a lot about pregnancy being a tough and tedious process, but we seldom hear about the struggles that come with trying to conceive. Infertility is on the rise, and thus conception has been becoming harder and harder for most. However, in a lot of cases, simple lifestyle and dietary changes can help substantially in conceiving naturally. The scope of this article provides an overview of some habits that one can inculcate in their daily life to improve their chances of conception.
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