It’s frustrating when you are trying to conceive a baby. Infertility is a common problem today, that even afflicts women in their 20s. Before you seek medical help, read this. You may not even know it, but some of the foods that you are eating are actually reducing your chances of getting pregnant. Surprised? Rid your diet of these things and see the change for yourself.

1. Soy

Soy foods have been known to exhibit estrogen mimicking properties that interfere with your reproductive cycle. Avoid processed soy foods such as soy milk, soy burgers, soy protein powder, soy chips, soy meats, and soy cheese. (Scientists are still on the fence on links between soy and fertility as it has great benefits too. But we would say it’s better to be safe than sorry.)

2. High Sugar Content

High sugar messes up your system in many ways – infertility is one of them. It causes inflammation of your uterus lining. White rice, french fries, mashed potatoes, donuts, pumpkin, and cornflakes are some foods that you should avoid. Bottled fruit juices and colas are the worst – they contain concentrated sugar which can throw off your blood sugar levels – stay away from these completely.

3. Caffeine

Caffeine is known to disrupt egg production in your body. Consuming more than 300 grams of coffee per day is not safe when you are planning to conceive.

4. Raw Meat and Eggs

Raw and undercooked meat and eggs can be infected with E.coli, Salmonella, or even a deadly parasite Toxoplasma that cause serious birth defects. Avoid uncooked proteins such as sushi, deli meat, shellfish and hot dogs. Even items made with raw eggs can be equally harmful such as Caesar dressing, eggnog and uncooked cookie batter.

5. Soft Cheese

Cheese that is not made with pasteurized milk can cause infertility in women. Listeria bacterium that is found in unpasteurized cheese and milk, has the ability to cross the placenta and affect the uterus, which might result in abortion or blood poisoning.

6. Bottled Water

Surprised? The plastic from cheap bottles can easily leach into the water and can create a hormonal imbalance in your body. Best is to drink reverse osmosis (RO) and distilled water. Avoid tap water, as it might be laced with harmful pesticides from agricultural run-off.

7. Smoking and Alcohol

It’s no secret that cigarettes are bad for your fertility. However, over consumption of alcohol too can reduces the egg’s quality. Detox your body for three months in advance before you try to conceive.

If you still don’t get lucky after giving up or reducing these foods, then you may have an underlying medical condition. Visit Namaha Healthcare to get an expert’s help for your fertility woes.