Preconception Basics -
Where to Begin to Increase Your Fertility
Care must be taken during the preconception period to prepare your body for conception and pregnancy. Fertility is obviously essential when getting pregnant, so let's discuss some simple
ways to improve your fertility foundation.
There are 3 main areas of focus during preconception:
* Diet
* Activity
* Supplements
First let's discuss diet. What you eat or don't eat is crucial to your overall well-being and reproductive health. Getting pregnant is a complex process, one that requires many different body organs and glands to function properly to have proper hormonal balance and functioning. Most people don't get the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables and water per day. This is very basic, but it's crucial to pay attention to in order to help increase your fertility and your chances of getting pregnant more quickly.
Second is activity. If you're sedentary, get moving. It will help you feel better, lose weight if needed, and will improve your fertility and chance of getting pregnant. Walking, swimming, biking, or aerobics are great forms of exercise. Do something that you enjoy, and it will be easier to keep up.
Third is supplementation. If you're not taking a daily multivitamin and multimineral supplement, you are missing out on vital nutrients that your body needs. Even if you're eating 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily, there's no easy way to make sure that you're getting all the nutrients you need for optimal health. Plus, you need to be on a
pre-natal quality supplement prior to getting pregnant in order to ensure that you're getting the proper amount of folic acid for your baby in the early stages.
Preconception Care In a Nutshell:
1. Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
2. Drink 8 or more 8-ounce glasses of purified water per day.
3. Lose weight if your BMI is 25 or greater.
Here's a BMI chart to help you
or, if you prefer, here is a
BMI calculator
to help you to see if you're overweight or not.
4. Exercise at least 3 times a week for 20-30 minutes at a time.
5. Begin to take a good prenatal multivitamin/multimineral supplement daily, one that has at least 400 mcg of folic acid and that you can continue into pregnancy.
Return from Preconception to Pregnancy Planning.
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