Pregnancy Diet: What To Eat While Trying To Conceive

It must be emphasized at the start that the pregnancy diet being referred to here is the best diet that can encourage successful conception in a woman. The topic of a healthy diet for an already pregnant woman is a different one although there are many similarities between the two.

With that being said, the quality and quantity of foods that you eat can and will affect your ability to get pregnant. Keep in mind that pregnancy is a complex process happening inside the body, which means that the healthier your body is, the better for it to create and nurture life.

HOSPITAL DIET

Work On It

Your must work on your pregnancy diet at least three months before you want to become pregnant. Most women will enjoy the results when the healthy diet is started a year before the planned pregnancy. You should then have no problem if and when you are on a healthy well-balanced diet in the first place.

However, you should also see to it that your male partner is also on a healthy diet. It cannot be overemphasized that it takes two individuals achieve fertilization, which means that the male's sperm must be up to the task as well.

When you are on a healthy diet coupled with an exercise program, you will achieve your ideal body weight. Your chances of becoming pregnant will also increase.

What Foods Are Included

So, what exactly are the foods that must be included and excluded in a healthy pregnancy diet? Let's break these foods down starting with the foods that should play a starring role in your menu:

• Fruits and vegetables, which can be fresh, cooked, tinned and dried, for at least 5 servings a day.

• Whole grain carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta, rice and bread as well as potatoes and sweet potatoes.

• Lean protein from chicken, beef, pork, fish and eggs as well as beans, lentils and legumes. The fish should of the fatty and oily types like mackerel, trout and sardines although these should be limited to just 2 times a week.

• Low-fat dairy foods like cheese, yogurt and milk, all of which will boost your calcium levels.

• Foods rich in iron like red meat, fortified breakfast cereals and green vegetables like spinach.

If you will look closely, you will observe that the pregnancy diet bears many similarities to a healthy diet composed of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, legumes and lentils. After all, your main goal is to make your body as healthy as possible and the first way to do that is through a well-balanced diet.

It will also help your cause if you take plenty of folic acid with 400 micrograms a day being recommended by health experts. Ask your doctor about it as each case will differ.

As to the foods that you should avoid, those that have high contents of sugar, salt and other possibly harmful substances should be eliminated from the diet. These include alcohol, soda and caffeine for liquids as well as fish containing mercury like swordfish, shark and marlin.

When you have successfully conceived with the help of the pregnancy diet, you can continue on the diet to nurture the new life within your womb although a few changes must be made specifically on the folic acid intake. Ask your doctor about it.

Pregnancy Diet: What To Eat While Trying To Conceive

HOSPITAL DIET