Healthy + Nourishing Foods and Lifestyle Shifts that Can Support Your Fertility Journey

Everyone’s fertility journey is different.

So what your body requires to support pre-conception and pregnancy will be different from someone else’s body. This is bioindividuality – recognizing + honoring what your unique body needs. The fact our bodies were designed to create life is incredible. Yet, many women don’t realize how deficient they might be in a particular nutrient(s) until they start working on the pre-conception and pregnancy phases. This is why supporting your body before conceiving is so very important! Think about it – it’s difficult to support a little one growing inside you when your body is saying “hang on, we need to get you thriving first!”.

You know what I mean, jelly bean?

It’s also important to ensure your body is supported through nutrition because we live in a world that constantly makes it harder to get pregnant. When you think about the fact that we have more toxins and chemicals in the air, water, and soil, it’s no wonder women are having a harder time conceiving! On top of that, there’s the stress and demands of work and personal life, less nutrient-dense soil to grow food in, EMFs, and toxic household products and skincare surrounding us on a daily basis. Needless to say, our bodies need to be supported now more than ever.

Hold tight, mah ladies. Please don’t be discouraged or distraught. I share this information with you so you are aware that there is more going on outside of your body than you may realize, which is why our bodies need more care and attention than they used to. But, we can support + protect our bodies to conceive and carry a healthy child, regardless of the toxins and demands of this world. And it starts with two people – you + your partner. In this post, I am diving into what foods, lifestyle practices, and supportive nutrients are needed for pre-conception, so you can prepare yourself for a healthy + nourishing fertility journey!

Side note – whether or not you are ready to bring a little one into the world, caring for your body is essential to thrive and lead to fertility and a healthy pregnancy. One of the biggest indicators that your body is supported is your cycle. Your cycle is like your body’s report card.

So asking yourself questions like “is it regular? Am I ovulating each cycle? Do I experience pms symptoms?” will help you to decide where you need to dive deeper. Knowing your cycle will help you to care for your body well and eventually prepare for pregnancy. Learning about your cycle and about your infradian rhythm are incredible tools to determine if your body is ready to conceive. 

Foods for Fertility 

Foods that boost fertility are nutrient-dense foods – bottom line. This means quality protein, fats, and carbohydrates. The more nutrient-dense the food is, the more supportive it will be for your body. Sourcing from places like regenerative farms (bonus if they are local) will provide you with quality protein, like grass-fed beef and pasture-raised poultry. Buy organic produce when possible to avoid pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and other harmful chemicals. 

Note – the foods listed below are not the only foods you should try to eat, but should be included in your diet. And they are just as good for the male to consume! Your partner’s nutrition and lifestyle practices are just as important.

Hydration

Your body thrives off water, yet it is the most deficient nutrient in America. Water is needed for so many functions within the body so make sure you’re drinking clean water + adding in quality electrolytes for added mineral support.

Sweet potatoes

Rich in vitamin A which can support healthy egg development + sperm.

Beets

Rich in folate + manganese. Beets are supportive of liver/gallbladder function, which is needed for fertility.

Dark leafy greens

High in antioxidants + magnesium + folate. Fiber is needed to support a healthy gut and bowel movements, which leads to a healthier pregnancy.

Avocados

Rich in potassium and other nutritents. Helps regulate water balance and distribution, kidney function, adrenal function, and muscle and nerve function.

Organ meats

Organ meats are nutrient powerhouses! We should all be eating them, which is why I dedicated a whole post on organ meats to share how they are beneficial to your body + how you can get them into your diet. Don't shy away from organ meats – they are like nature's multi-vitamin + most definitely a fertility supportive food.

Protein

The building blocks for enzymes, antibodies, hemoglobin, and peptide hormones. Go for grass-fed beef (great source of iron), pasture-raised poultry + eggs (high source of choline), wild game, wild-caught seafood (healthy fats), soaked and/or sprouted organic legumes (fiber + iron support), nuts and seeds, grass-fed full-fat dairy (only if tolerated). 

Seaweed (and other sea vegetables)

Rich in iodine which is needed for fertility + thyroid health.

Oysters

Rich in zinc + protein. Zinc has shown to help support ovulation.

Spices like turmeric + cinnamon

Turmeric helps support inflammation +circulation to your organs (like your uterus and ovaries) and cinnamon helps support blood sugar levels. These spices can easily be added to recipes or beverages that you make!

Fruits like berries and citrus fruits

High in antioxidants and vitamins. May also help modulate inflammation + oxidative stress levels. Vitamin C can provide support for progesterone production and ovulatory function.

Foods to avoid –

Processed foods, soda, alcohol, conventional meat (not the same as grass-fed, pasture-raised, etc.), refined carbs/sugar, excess caffeine.

Lifestyle Practices

Get to know your period

Cycle syncing with your period is a supportive way to modulate your period, as well as any PMS symptoms you might be experiencing. You can cycle sync with food, movement, and your work.

If you haven’t grabbed my cycle syncing guide yet, you can find it here. This guide is supportive of PMS symptoms, cravings, energy, mood, and focus throughout your cycle. It teaches you how to be more aware of your body and what it needs. We need to learn to work with our bodies, not against them. A great place to start is by embracing your cycle! What you eat, the kind of movement you do, and the kind of tasks you take on will impact your cycle. 

Reduce stress levels

I know, stress again. Alas, stress plays a big role in our lives. The less stress, the better. Worrying about trying to get pregnant, such as with timing, charting, eating, etc. is stress in itself. Do what you can to calm your mind + body, enjoy the journey, seek help when you need it, and ask the hard questions. Trust HIS timing.

Sleep

I think this is self-explanatory but needs to be said. Sleep is crucial for your body to be able to repair, restore, and recharge.

Get outdoors

Getting outside, especially in nature, has been show to promote healthier stress levels + mood. Plus, you’re getting fresh air, natural vitamin D (need for pregnancy), and engaging in movement. When you can, practice grounding, which involves walking barefoot and feeling the earth beneath you. Trust me – it’s calming + makes you feel alive.

A word on supplements

You don’t have to take all the things. Let me repeat that – you don’t have to take all the things. Whether or not you’re on your fertility journey, you may have heard or come across a list of fertility supplements that is suggested for a woman  to take. This list can be extensive. A typical list contains 10+ supplements! Too many supplements can cause overwhelm to your body, mentally and physically, so I suggest not taking a lot of supplements unless you are working with a practitioner and you know you are absorbing them. Supplements can be very helpful when you need an extra boost, but take the time to find out what your body needs.

Please hear me when  I say this – quality supplements might be needed in therapeutic doses (as in, not long term) in different seasons of your life. They are meant to support. What + how much depends on your body (remember bio-individuality). Digestive health is super important for supplement intake because if you aren’t digesting foods well, you aren’t going to digest supplements well either. This is why working with a practitioner is crucial, especially when you are planning on having children, let along thinking about it. So, instead of sharing a long list of supplements that you may or may not need, I will share one supplement, as well as other nutrients that are supportive of fertility.

Prenatal

Ideally, started 3- 6 months prior to conceiving is supportive of fertility. You want to make sure the prenatal you choose uses bioavailable nutrients as opposed to all synthetic. Example, you want to look for a prenatal that lists methyl folate vs folic acid (synthetic version of folate) and natural forms of vitamin E like tocopherol or tocotrienol instead of tocopheryl or tocotrienyl (most synthetics vitamins carry a “y” in the word). Synthetic nutrients are not easily recognized by the body and are much harder to break down, putting a load on your liver. 

Other necessary nutrients the can help support fertility + can come in supplement form – choline, Vitamin K1 + K2, B6 (a deficiency in B6 is often a cause of morning sickness), omega 3’s, antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, Zinc, and Coq10.

Again, supplements are necessary at times, especially for fertility. Please do your research and/or work with a qualified practitioner, such as myself, to figure out what you need and to ensure you’re taking a quality supplement. Avoid any supplement with gluten, soy, any other additives such as coloring. Check for organic and non-GMO certified labels and ask to see if they have 3rd party testing.

As I’m sure you know, hormone balancing is also important for fertility. If your hormones are off, something more deep rooted is causing the hormone imbalances. It can be frustrating to boot, but your hormones can come back in line! If you’d like to dig into hormone health more, hop over to read about the signs that signal hormone imbalances and nourishing ways to support them.

Your fertility journey is unique to you and your partner. And what a special journey it is, no matter how challenging it can be. I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to stress over it. Give yourself breathing room and grace. Seek help if/when you need it – there is NO shame there. Know that nutrition plays a major role in your fertility journey, but it isn’t the only thing you should focus on. Check in on your sleep hygiene, stress levels, selfcare, and movement. Your body functions as a whole, which means we need to support it as a whole. 

Trust your body

Have faith in the process

Provide ample grace for you

Sources

Brighten, J. NMD. (2021).What to Eat to Get Pregnant. Retrieved from https://drbrighten.com/what-to-eat-to-get-pregnant/

Martínez García RM, Jiménez Ortega AI, Peral Suárez Á, Bermejo López LM, Rodríguez-Rodríguez E. Importancia de la nutrición durante el embarazo. Impacto en la composición de la leche materna [Importance of nutrition during pregnancy. Impact on the composition of breast milk]. Nutr Hosp. 2021 

Skoracka K, Ratajczak AE, Rychter AM, Dobrowolska A, Krela-Kaźmierczak I. Female Fertility and the Nutritional Approach: The Most Essential Aspects. Adv Nutr. 2021 Dec 1;12(6):2372-2386. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmab068. PMID: 34139003; PMCID: PMC8634384.

The Functional Women’s Academy. (2021). Optimizing Preconception, Prenatal, & Postpartum Health. Pgs. 5-9.
Vitti, A. (2020). Food and Supplements for Optimal Fertility. Retrieved from https://www.floliving.com/boost-fertility/