Hoping to fall pregnant sometime soon but it’s not happening?  If you’re currently trying to conceive, there’s a number of things you can be doing to help improve your chances of conceiving. Taking good care of yourself at this time is essential in order to ensure you’re doing everything possible to increase your fertility.

That includes getting enough sleep at night, doing regular exercise, cut out the alcohol, and ensuring you’re eating the best foods.

The food that you eat on a daily basis can have a huge influence on how quickly you fall pregnant.

So, let’s go over a few of the best foods to eat for optimising your body during this time.

BEANS

First up, start serving beans more often.  Swapping out the red meat you’re eating for beans a few nights a week can do wonders for not only for your fertility, but your health as well.

Those women who tend to have the lowest consumption of red meat tend to show the greatest level of fertility as they typically have fewer issues getting pregnant.

Beans are a rich source of protein, fiber, as well as complex carbohydrates, so are perfect for providing the energy you need. They’ll also provide some folate as well, which is a very important nutrient for optimal fetus development.

FULL FAT GREEK YOGHURT

While most of your life you’ve probably avoided higher fat dairy products, now it’s time to add them back in.  Whole milk products can help increase your level of fertility while also providing the added calories you’ll need to ensure optimal health.

Women who have been using a lower calorie diet plan to lose or maintain their body weight for years may have a harder chance of conceiving, so upping your calories slightly can help.

One serving of full-fat Greek yogurt per day is perfect and will also provide another source of protein along with some calcium for strong bones.

SPINACH

Make sure you aren’t passing up the salad next time you sit down for dinner.  Leafy greens, including spinach are great for improving your ovulation, which can then lead to higher levels of fertility.

These leafy greens are also loaded with antioxidants and a variety of important vitamins and minerals, so will strengthen your immune system, boost energy levels, and may ward off disease as well.

Aim for two to three servings of leafy greens per day.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

Finally, the last food you’ll want to ensure is making an appearance in your diet plan regularly is pumpkin seeds.  Not only is this food loaded with healthy fats, which will provide energy and help keep your sex hormones at optimal levels, but they also contain a good dose of iron, which is needed for conception.

Women who are suffering from iron-deficiency anemia will have a harder time getting pregnant, so if you are, make sure you take steps to increase your iron.

PINEAPPLE

Now is the time to load up on nutrients that encourage cell growth. Beta-carotene, found in pineapple and also commonly found in leafy greens and yellow and orange foods such as carrots, melon and sweet potatoes, helps keep your hormones in check and prevents early miscarriage. In fact, the corpus luteum, which helps produce the progesterone necessary to sustain a pregnancy, is loaded with this powerful nutrient.

Pineapple is often highly recommended during the early stages of pregnancy. In addition to beta-carotene, pineapple contains a substance called bromelain, which has been shown to mildly support implantation through its anti-inflammatory properties. “There’s not a lot of research out there for the benefits of eating pineapple during the time of conception, but if you want to hedge your bets, you may benefit,” says Wright. “After all, pineapple is a healthy food with no downside.” Experts discourage taking bromelain as a supplement though because the dose may be too high, and anything that dramatically moves blood during this time could be counter-productive so stick with fresh Pineapple and you can’t go wrong!

So there you have it — a few of the best foods to optimize your diet as you prepare your body to conceive. Add these into your diet now and you will be that much closer to bringing a new beautiful addition to your growing family.

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