1. Good nutrition
For optimum fertility, your diet should consist mainly of the following foods, preferably organic where possible:
High-fibre foods: fruit, vegetables, wholegrains
Essential fats: nuts seeds and oily fish
Complex carbohydrates: beans and pulses
You should reduce your intake of the following:
Saturated Fats: these are known to stimulate over-production of a hormone that can compromise fertility. For detailed information on saturated fats refer to the article on Nutrition Basics: What Are fats?
Caffeine: studies have shown that excessive consumption of caffeine can reduce fertility.
Genetically Modified Foods: There are risks associated with altering the DNA of food. Soya is one of the best-known GM foods and is found in more than 60% of processed foods (like bread, biscuits, baby food) under various names. Manufacturers are not always obliged to label foods containing GM ingredients so we need to educate ourselves on how to avoid them.
Simple carbohydrates: These include all refined foods, especially sugar, which has no nutritional value whatsoever. But don't be tempted to replace sugar with artificial sweeteners; these are proven to be carcinogenic- see article Artificial sweetener aspartame Is Carcinogenic.
The food you eat has a big impact on your fertility and on your general health, so it makes sense to be well-informed about what your food really contains.
