Attempting to conceive elevates the importance of consuming the correct foods. Ensuring that your body receives the necessary nutrients is crucial, as well as choosing foods that help to relieve inflammation and oxidative stress. Both these conditions can impact fertility in both genders, hence the need to carefully consider your diet. In the following article, we cover top anti-inflammatory foods that contribute to better fertility, along with other dietary considerations for those planning conception.
What does an anti-inflammatory diet for fertility look like?
There are a few key things to keep in mind when you’re trying to reduce inflammation through dietary choices to improve your reproductive health.
Whole, Unprocessed Foods
First, focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods. These are going to be the most nutrient-dense and will help your body function at its best. Foods like fruits, leafy green vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats are all great choices.
Essential Fatty Acids
Another important nutrient to focus on are omega-three fatty acids. These are anti-inflammatory and can be found in foods like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseed. Adding more of these into your diet can help reduce inflammation throughout your body.
Healthy Fats
In addition to omega-three fatty acids, healthy fats in general are anti-inflammatory. This means you want to focus on things like avocados, olive oil, and coconut oil. These will help your body function optimally and reduce inflammation at the same time.
Anti Inflammatory Foods For Fertility
Some of the best anti-inflammatory foods for fertility include:
- Omega-Rich Fish: Salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines.
- Olive Oil: This healthy fat is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. It’s also been shown to improve egg quality in women with PCOS.
- Berries: Blueberries, raspberries, and other berries are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
- Leafy Green Vegetables: Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens are anti-inflammatory and full of nutrients that are important for fertility.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds are all anti-inflammatory and full of omega-three fatty acids.
- Green Tea: This anti-inflammatory beverage is full of antioxidants and has been shown to improve egg quality in women with PCOS.
- Pineapple: This tropical fruit contains anti-inflammatory enzymes that can help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
- Apples: Apples are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
- Macadamia Nuts: These anti-inflammatory nuts are a great source of healthy fats.
- Coconut Oil: This healthy fat is anti-inflammatory and has been shown to improve egg quality in women with PCOS.
What Foods Trigger Inflammation?
There are a few different things that can trigger inflammation in the body:
- Processed Foods: Processed foods are full of sugar, unhealthy fats, and other inflammatory compounds. They should be avoided as much as possible when you’re trying to reduce inflammation.
- Sugar: Sugar is pro-inflammatory and can trigger inflammation throughout the body. It’s best to avoid it as much as possible, especially if you’re trying to conceive.
- Dairy: Dairy can be inflammatory for some people. If you notice that dairy makes you feel bloated or uncomfortable, try avoiding it or switching to a dairy-free alternative.
- Gluten: Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It can be inflammatory for some people, so it’s best to avoid it if you notice that it makes you feel bloated or uncomfortable.
- Red Meat: Red meat is high in saturated fat, which can be inflammatory. If you’re trying to reduce inflammation, it’s best to limit your intake of red meat or switch to a leaner protein like chicken or fish.
Can an Anti-Inflammatory Diet Help Infertility?
If you’re trying to conceive, eating anti-inflammatory foods is a great way to promote fertility. These foods can help reduce inflammation throughout your body, which can improve egg quality in women and sperm quality in men. In addition, a healthy diet full of nutrient-rich foods is important for both men and women who are trying to conceive.
Eating healthy foods is great not only for your fertility journey but it’s also important for your overall health. A diet full of whole, unprocessed foods is the best way to reduce inflammation and promote fertility. Adding in anti-inflammatory foods like omega-rich fish, olive oil, berries, leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds, green tea, pineapple, apples, and macadamia nuts can help reduce stress on your body.
What Diet Helps With Fertility?
There are a few diets that are promoted to reduce inflammation in the body:
- The Paleo Diet: The paleo diet is based on whole, unprocessed foods and has been shown to help reduce inflammation.
- The Mediterranean Diet: This diet is rich in healthy fats, omega-three fatty acids, and anti-inflammatory compounds. It’s been shown to improve fertility in both men and women.
- The Anti-inflammatory Diet: This diet is specifically designed to reduce inflammation in the body. It’s rich in anti-inflammatory foods like omega-three fatty acids, berries, and leafy green vegetables.
Can I Get Pregnant With Chronic Inflammation?
Chronic inflammation can affect fertility in both men and women. In men, it can lead to problems with sperm count, motility, and morphology. In women, chronic inflammation can damage the eggs and lead to early menopause.
Inflammation Can Impact Your Reproductive Health
If you have chronic inflammation, it’s important to talk to your doctor about how it may be affecting your fertility and what you can do to improve your chances of conception.
Making changes to your diet is a great way to improve your fertility and overall health.
Eating a healthy diet full of nutrient-rich foods is important for both men and women who are trying to conceive. If you’re looking to get pregnant, consider adding more anti-inflammatory foods to your diet and avoiding triggers like processed foods, sugar, dairy, gluten, and red meat.
Liz loves helping others learn about how they can improve their health through nutrition.
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