As with any big medical procedure, there is plenty of prep time before the big day. Some of these procedures are performed at a clinic or hospital and involve a team of doctors and nurses, machines, and so many wires and needles your head may start to spin.

Other methods can be done from your home and don’t take a lot of effort at all. IVF is no different.

For couples who are looking to start a family, you may have looked into the various procedures and methods that are available for conception. Of course, there is the natural way, but couples may have been unable to conceive, thus turning to various assisted reproductive techniques. IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is one such technique.

By leading a healthy lifestyle and careful planning, this is what’s going to give you the greatest chance of IVF success. Below, we’re going to go over some tips and how they can help you.

Health Tips to Get Your Body Ready For IVF Success

1. Leafy Greens

It’s something that you’ve been hearing since you were a small child, “Eat your vegetables!” Why does it have to be that one of the most nutritional parts of your meal has to be the most disgusting?

When it comes to eating vegetables, you should be targeting those leafy greens, like spinach and kale. Mix them with some extra virgin olive oil and add them to a salad or morning omelet. Leafy greens are high in folic acid, which plays a pivotal role in preventing any possibility of birth defects.

They will also provide a solid amount of fiber to your diet. In fact, reports show that fiber intake during pregnancy reduces your risk for celiac disease.

2. Fruit

Like peas in a pod, you can’t talk about vegetables without eventually talking about fruit. Fruit is just as important to your diet and you should be making those a regular snack.

Two fruits to target before your IVF treatment are oranges and strawberries, both of which have a high level of folic acid. It’s easy to incorporate them as they’re so delicious.

3. Healthy Fats

Even though “fat” has had a negative connotation connected to food for quite some time now, there are plenty of healthy fats you can consume to improve your overall health as well as the health of your eggs.

Turn away from saturated fats found in red meat or dairy products and make sure you’re consuming foods rich in healthy fats, such as avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

That means you can devour guacamole and substitute the nuts and seeds as snacks instead of relying on chips or cookies.

4. Lean Meats and Less Dairy

Combining these two L-themed tips, you should get your protein from lean meats by stocking up on chicken, fish, and turkey. When you’re choosing fish in the supermarket, make sure you’re avoiding any deep-sea fish that are likely to be high in mercury.

With your dairy products, limit your milk and cheese intake. A glass of milk a day is fine because it’s going to provide you with the calcium you need. It’s also a good idea to switch to low-fat dairy products overall.

5. Things To Cut Out

There are certain things you should be cutting out of your diet and lifestyle completely, such as salt, smoking, drinking, and staying out late. Staying out late is a big one simply because rest is detrimental to the overall functioning of your body. According to sleepfoundation.org, some of the best ways to ensure you get proper sleep is to create a sleep schedule and even to exercise aids in a good night’s sleep.

Salt is also something that needs to be cut out and substituted with something else. You can substitute salt with various herbs and spices instead, as salt can dehydrate you over time. Cut out high caffeine use as well. Smoking should definitely be on the out with you and your partner, as that affects both your long-term health and the chance of IVF success.

An occasional glass of red wine isn’t going to hurt anything, but those nights of going out or after-work drinks should probably be cut out from your diet as well.

6. Plenty of Exercise

The best rule is to keep doing what you’ve been doing, but don’t push yourself too much. Now is not the time to start training for a marathon or beat your latest CrossFit mark… you’re preparing your body for IVF and a potential pregnancy, so go easy on the workouts.

If there’s one thing you should cut back on, it’s running. Running usually has adverse effects on pregnancy and should be replaced with light jogging, hiking, a spin class, and even swimming. If you’re not exercising, then it’s time to start. Plan a short walk every day with your partner to make sure you’re moving and staying active.

Planning Ahead

These tips are definitely ways to improve your chances of IVF success but it’s also important to be realistic and understand that every woman’s body react differently to the process… meaning there’s a chance that you could get pregnant and there’s a chance that it may not happen. But by implementing these health tips, you’re giving yourself a better chance at IVF success.