If you want to get pregnant, you need to change your lifestyle, especially your nutrition. Just walking into your doctor’s office for IVF won’t ensure success. Here are some helpful hints from Dr. Hrishikesh Pai of Babies & Us IVF and ICSI Centre, Mumbai’s leading IVF clinic.
Babies & Us Fertility IVF & ICSI Centre is the best IVF clinic in Mumbai, providing sophisticated fertility treatments to infertile couples. Their expertise, research, and cutting-edge technology are well-known. Various circumstances can cause infertility, and Babies & US treats each patient’s case individually.
Their sole focus is on you, and they provide attentive, holistic, and compassionate care in addition to a highly customized, sophisticated fertility treatment regime. They are one of the best IVF centers in Mumbai because of their unwavering commitment and love for their work.
They understand that we owe a duty to the field of fetal medicine and everybody who wishes to be a parent. They will continue to strive, drive, and look for answers to give you the best opportunity of realizing your dream of having a child.
You are what you eat, they say. Diet is undeniably important in determining our overall health. Everything we consume affects our immunity and body strength to how active we are on any given day. It should come as no surprise that our nutrition has an impact on our reproductive health, even more so if you’re attempting to conceive naturally or through IVF.
“Diet plays a very crucial role not only for people having IVF but also for individuals who are attempting to get pregnant naturally,” says Dr. Hrishikesh Pai. It’s critical to have a well-balanced diet rich in natural foods like vegetables and fruits.”
So, whether you’re just starting your fertility journey, meeting with a professional to go in for ART treatments like IUI or IVF, or simply attempting to get your reproductive health back on track, this food advice from Dr. Pai is a great place to start.
Have faith in nature’s abundance.
Palak and methi may not appear to be the most delicious foods, but they are highly beneficial to one’s health. “Green leafy vegetables are rich in antioxidants and offer a protective mechanism on the ovarian reserve,” says Dr. Pai, who has a decade of experience in obstetrics and gynecology.
Suppose you have a regular cycle and few complaints about your reproductive health. In that case, you might be wondering why you should be concerned about your ovarian reserve in the first place, but the truth is that stressful lives and diets high in processed foods and fats can have an impact on your ovarian reserve. “In the younger generation, we’ve seen ovarian aging proceed very quickly.” Additional research is needed to pinpoint the specific link between nutrition and this, but it does have a part,” the expert argues.
Green leafy vegetables aren’t the only foods that can help. Fruits like pomegranates, oranges, and berries, according to Dr. Pai, should also be included in a well-balanced diet. “Berries are high in antioxidants, which slow down the process of ovarian aging,” he adds.
Non-vegetarian foods.
Non-vegetarian foods aren’t forbidden, although there are some restrictions.
Meat doesn’t have to be avoided in your diet, whether it’s your favorite biryani or butter chicken. However, you must select your meats carefully. “A lot of couples ask me if they can have meat,” says Dr. Pai. Yes, they can—but my suggestion is to try to incorporate free-range, organic animal products into their diet as much as possible. Free-range products are also recommended in other countries because the animals are not fed antibiotics or steroids.”
He also recommends eating white meat like chicken and fish instead of red meat for your fertility.
Embrace seeds that are good for you.
Seeds aren’t typically thought of as foods that can significantly improve our health. But did you know that several seeds can help with your hormonal health? “Natural hormones are found in some seeds,” explains Dr. Pai of the best IVF clinic in Mumbai, adding that “natural estrogen is found in flax seeds and pumpkin seeds.” So, even when we’re preparing patients for embryo transfer, we tell them to eat these seeds in the early part of the cycle so that their estradiol levels are optimal, which helps the womb lining prepare.”
However, flax and pumpkin seeds aren’t the only sources of nutrition. Sesame seeds, which contain natural progesterone, are also recommended by Dr. Pai. “We ask the patients to ingest sunflower and sesame seeds after the lining has reached a certain thickness when we start the hormone progesterone,” he says.
Flax and pumpkin seeds until ovulation, then sesame and sunflower seeds after ovulation—including seeds in your diet like this is also excellent for women trying naturally. According to Dr. Pai, PCOS sufferers can also benefit from eating these seeds.
Limit your sugar intake.
What is the secret to excellent health? Everything should be consumed in moderation, especially sugar. “I constantly warn my patients to stay away from excessive sweets, processed sugars, and simple carbohydrates because they might spike blood sugar levels,” says the specialist.
Dr. Pai emphasizes the importance of following an individualized diet—one that is tailored to your body and your health concerns—and advises people with PCOS or who are at a higher risk of developing diabetes in the future to avoid eating too many sugars and to limit carb-heavy foods like rice and potatoes, especially at night.
Limit your caffeine intake.
If you can’t imagine starting your day without a cup of steaming coffee, you must read this. “According to a few studies, patients undergoing reproductive treatments such as IVF should consume no more than 12 ounces or 200 mg of coffee per day.” According to Dr. Pai of Mumbai’s leading IVF clinic, increased coffee use reduces fertility and IVF success rates.
If you’re a caffeine addict, it’s time to quit reaching for another cup after your morning or evening fix. Twelve ounces of coffee usually amounts to one cup each day.
BONUS: You’ll be able to keep your tummy fat under control.
There’s no denying that losing weight is crucial to living a healthy lifestyle and achieving optimal fertility. However, there is one area where you should pay particular attention: your belly fat. “Studies have revealed that abdomen fat releases many substances and free radicals that cause oxidative stress in the ovaries,” says Dr. Pai. This harms the quality of the eggs.”
To keep belly bloat at bay, you must exercise in addition to eating a good diet. “A daily 30- to 45-minute stroll should be enough to keep your weight under control.” He says, “However if you’re targeting the stomach area, I would advocate high-intensity and core activities.”