4 Foods You Should Avoid When Trying To Conceive

Some women fall pregnant easily while others struggle. There can be many reasons for not falling pregnant easily. It might be a good idea to look at your diet and cut out some things that may be making it difficult for you to conceive.

Peas

While peas have various health benefits, it’s not optimal for fertility as they contain a natural contraceptive which is called m-xylohydroquinone which is can interfere with progesterone and estrogen.

Certain herbs

Some herbal supplements may lead to infertility in men and should be avoided for instance:

• Echinacea – for immunity
• St John’s Wort – for depression
• Gingko biloba – for enhancing circulation and memory.

Studies have shown that these herbs can interfere with the sperm’s capability to penetrate the egg as well as lowering sperm viability and damaging sperm DNA. Other herbs like blue Cohosh and raspberry leaf may cause uterine contractions and must be avoided throughout pregnancy.

Sugar
Many studies have revealed that too much sugar as well as white processed foods i.e. biscuits, white bread and other baked goods in your diet can deprive your body of valuable fertility-enhancing minerals and are linked to health problems such as diabetes and causing growth hormones to drop. Too much sugar is not good for fertility as it causes your body to age faster and quickens cell turnover.

Caffeine

It is well-known that caffeine intake must be limited during pregnancy, but did you know that caffeine must be drastically reduced in your diet or entirely when you’re trying to conceive? Recent studies in the USA revealed that caffeine interferes with muscle contractions which assist the eggs with traveling from the fallopian tubes to the womb. Drinking five or more cups of coffee per day can cut a woman’s chances of conceiving successfully with IVF by as much as fifty percent.

Caffeine affects fertility negatively by:

•Decreasing absorption of key minerals and vitamins
•Can have a dehydrating effect and cause cell damage
•Elevating stress hormones like cortisol for hours after being consumed
•Lowering production of essential steroid hormones i.e. DHEA which is produced by the adrenal glands