While I was getting my hair cut the other day, my hair dresser, Paula, mentioned she is starting to “clean up” her diet and lifestyle. She is trying to lose a little weight, eat more healthfully and is taking a vitamin supplement. Her motivation? Paula and her husband want to conceive a baby within the year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 12 percent of women ages 15 to 44 face infertility, which is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex. Paula is making appropriate changes to increase her chances of not becoming one of them.
[See: The Fertility Preservation Diet: How to Eat if You Want to Get Pregnant.]
But emerging research is suggesting that Paula isn’t the only one who would benefit from diet and lifestyle changes to increase her chances of getting pregnant. Her husband’s behaviors are important, too, since more than 40 percent of the incidences of infertility may be due to issues involving the male partner. For men, being overweight or obese, smoking, drinking too much alcohol and using marijuana can all increase the risk of infertility, according to the CDC.
This doesn’t surprise Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietitian nutritionist and the author of “Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy.” “In the past, we thought fertility was only a woman’s issue,” she says. “We know [now] that the male’s diet and lifestyle can affect conception.” For example, studies show that being overweight or obese may reduce sperm count. “The effects seem to be inversely related,” Ward says. “The more overweight a male is, the lower the sperm count tends to be.” With less sperm available to fertilize the egg, then, it could take longer for a couple to get pregnant. What’s more, unhealthy habits such as excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, anabolic steroid use and illicit drug use can also contribute to erectile dysfunction, which of course can interfere with the baby making process.
[See: Why Can’t I Get Pregnant?]
What the man eats also matters. Research suggests that a diet that contains higher amounts of fruits, green vegetables, certain fish, chicken, whole grains and low-fat dairy products like low-fat milk can positively affect the quality of men’s sperm. Fatty fish such as salmon, for one, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are also abundant in sperm. So eating fatty fish or taking a fish oil supplement may improve the concentration and quality of the sperm. What’s more, antioxidants, such as vitamins E and C, and carotenoids, found in nuts, fruits and vegetables, may help protect the sperm from damage by free radicals. On the flip side, eating lots of saturated and trans fats, especially from processed foods and meats, could have a negative effect on the quality of the sperm.
[See: 13 Best Fish: High in Omega-3s and Environmentally-Friendly.]
When it comes to conceiving a healthy baby, it appears that the adage “it takes two to tango” is true in more ways than one. To boost your fertility, experiment with ways to get more healthy foods in your diet. Here is a simple fish recipe you can enjoy with your partner to get started:
Roasted Honey Orange Salmon
Servings: 2
2 tablespoons honey 1/4 cup 100-percent orange juice
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced, or 1 teaspoon prepared minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely grated, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces salmon fillet
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, orange juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and black pepper.
Place the salmon skin side down in a shallow baking dish. Top with the honey mixture.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Nutrition information per serving: 333 calories; 15 g fat (3 g saturated); 62 mg cholesterol; 601 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 21 mg calcium; 1 mg iron.
(Recipe from “Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy,” by Elizabeth Ward)
More from U.S. News
In Vitro Fertilization Grows Up
What Only Your Partner Knows About Your Health
10 Weird Mind and Body Changes That Are Totally Normal During Pregnancy
The Best Foods for Your Sperm originally appeared on usnews.com
