My main rule of thumb is: eat real food. I think if you are eating actual food that’s, you know, fruits, vegetables, meats, that have not been processed, it’s going to be hard to go really wrong with the diet.
– Dr. Aimee, The Egg Whisperer
I get so many questions about things I did while we were first trying to get pregnant with Roux. One of the most common questions is what I ate while I was going through IVF in order to optimize fertility success. Obviously, I’m not a doctor and you should consult your fertility doc/OBGYN regarding what works best for you, but, I’ve shared my favorite tips below.
Similar to the quote above from Dr. Meredith Provost, I focused on whole foods. Many doctors also recommend a Mediterranean-style diet. I kind of combined these two methods in order to find a routine that works for me! I don’t consider this a “diet” – I consider this a healthy way of eating & fueling my body with nutrition. Don’t go into this with a scarcity or LIMITATIONS mindset – it will mess with you.
Below are some of the guidelines I followed and some of my favorite foods I ate throughout the process.
- Fill up on fresh fruit and vegetables [they should take up the most room on your plate]
- Choose lean proteins like fish and poultry
- Eat whole grains like quinoa, farro, and whole-grain pasta [avoid all the white stuff]
- Add in legumes, including beans, chickpeas and lentils
- Eat healthy fats such as avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds
- Avoid red meat, sugar, refined grains and other highly processed foods
- Cut out salt – flavor food with herbs and spices instead
- Minimize or cut back on caffeine [at least until the embryo transfer – then re-evaluate]
I specifically focused on including more foods that are high in Folic Acid.
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- leafy green vegetables, such as cabbage, kale, spring greens, and spinach
- peas
- chickpeas and kidney beans
- breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid [i didn’t really do this – but you can]
I also focus on foods with high levels of Vitamin D!
For me: this looks like salmon & egg yolks. But here are some other options for you. A lot of supplements have Vitamin D in them too.
- salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel
- mushrooms
- egg yolks
- fortified foods – such as some OJ, fat spreads and breakfast cereals
Here are some of my favorite meals to eat during my fertility journey! My perspective is this : what can I do to naturally support the odds of success? I can fuel my body properly & avoid the junk that is just plain bad for me.
If you’re newer to healthy eating – I know it can easily feel like restriction. But, try to flip your mindset. Try to approach this as bringing additional nutrients into your body via food – to support a successful pregnancy.
- Guacamole + Peppers
- Buddha Bowls: great bc you can easily incorporate lean protein, veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats: BBQ Chicken Bowl | Butternut Squash Bowl | Thai Coconut Quinoa Bowl
- Garbanzo Bean Brownies
- Taco Salad Bowl: This one is great bc you can easily incorporate lean protein, veggies, and healthy fats!
- Strawberry Quinoa Salad
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Kale Sweet Potato Salad
- Green Smoothies: (I love this one too!)
- Eggs and turkey bacon on a bed of raw spinach or sauté the spinach with a little olive oil
- Chocolate Superfood Smoothie [Shakeology] with water, almond butter, banana, and raw spinach
- Generally, I like to include foods with a ton of antioxidants every single day. That’s actually very easy to do! Think fruit bowls or smoothie bowls!
- Polyunsaturated Fats like: some fish, some nuts, flax seed can be very easy to incorporate & are great for you!
- Monounsaturated Fats like: avocado, olive oil & canola oil are actually very good for hormone health – just don’t over do it.
Next up is either an Urban Legend or Truth…?
Not sure: but I added them to my diet anyway! Worst case, you are eating a variety of healthy foods.
Apparently, adding pineapple core, pomegranate juice, beetroots, and brazil nuts to your diet can help! Supposedly you should eat these foods before & after an embryo transfer or IVF to help boost blood flow, thicken uterine lining and improve the chances of the embryo sticking. There are other supposed benefits you can read about all over the internet. There are case studies, hundreds of personal stories supporting the theories, and a ton that just say there is not strong enough science to confirm.
Personally: I’m a fan of brazil nuts, pomegranate juice & pineapple. Plus anything to increase antioxidants.
In my opinion, Brazil Nuts do not taste good. But, they are rich in zinc and selenium. These play key roles in making progesterone which helps to support and thicken the endometrial lining.
During my last IVF cycle, I bought plain Brazil Nuts and could barely stomach the 5 a day. I just really did not like them. But, this time, I’ve found something I enjoy! A friend of mine has now launched something called Barukas. I am not associated with this company at all but I sincerely LOVE them. Go to their site & read all about them. You’ll see how healthy they are & the best part is they taste pretty good! Recently, I told some friends I wouldn’t sit down with a bag of Barukas and binge a Netflix series or anything – but they aren’t bad!
Find What Works For You!
I hope you can use this as a starting point as you get started on your fertility journey. I always suggest being your OWN advocate – and begin reading for yourself. Doing research of your own will help you decide what is right for you. It feels like a long and lonely road sometimes, but know you’re not alone! You can always DM me on Instagram or shoot me a note at sayhey@brittanylegette.com to chat more. I love connecting with women who are going through the same thing.
If you have any other fertility tips and tricks, leave them in the comments below!
