If you are looking for ways to increase your chances to conceive and be a mother, then here’s what famous nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar has some great advice.
To optimize women’s fertility, taking better care of one’s body is a foremost step. And, in order to do so, it is quite important to improve insulin sensitivity. Rujuta Diwekar shares 5 food tips that will manage insulin sensitivity and hence, will increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
As per Rujuta Diwekar, to improve insulin sensitivity, one needs to take the brave path of increasing the lean body weight. And what one eats (and doesn’t) play a big role in that.
So here are the top five diet tips to make getting pregnant easy:
1. Packaged Products – A Big No!
Reduce intake of packaged products, which includes not only obvious junk food but also camouflaged junk, which pretends to be healthy. E.g. cereals, juices, biscuits, the low-fat versions of yogurt, cheese, or even ice cream.
Thumb rule – if the product is being sold on the basis of a single nutrient i.e. gluten-free, sugar-free, low-fat, high-protein, etc., then one needs to stay away.
2. Say Yes to Pickle Or Chutney
Introduce a pickle or chutney in one of your main meals daily. Sadly, we were not being taught to see these side-dishes as sources of Vitamin B12. It is exactly these essential-fat packed side dishes that help us assimilate and even make our own Vitamin B12. Add one tsp of home-made pickle to breakfast or lunch, and two-three tea-spoon of home-made chutney to lunch or dinner.
3. Have Homemade Curd
Rather than buying a curd packet from the market, learn to set it at home. From the diverse strains of gut-friendly bacteria to the essential amino acids and vitamin B, the curd is the magical food that you can’t afford to miss. The probiotic yogurt in the market is no match for home-set curd. It is also a good antidote to breakouts and sweet cravings during PMS. And, more importantly, it will help keep acidity under control once pregnant.
4. Eat Seasonally
Eat according to the season. In today’s era, we get every food item year-round. But, we shouldn’t forget that because these food items are frozen in some large cold storage, hence, it’s available year-round. So, it’s better to buy food items available in a small market. Not only they taste better, but also will also improve your chances of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Improved diet diversity is good news for the intestinal mucosa, probiotic bacteria, and insulin sensitivity.
5. Don’t Overeat
Know when to stop eating. Rujuta suggests following the Mental Meal Map to control the eating pattern. First, visualize how much you want to eat and then start with half the amount. The trick is to then eat slower than your usual speed. It means smaller morsels of food enter the stomach, thus improving the micronutrient assimilation and insulin response. This process can be repeated if required, but the key is to be without gadgets during meal times so that you are tuned in to your stomach signals.
Additionally, Rujuta Divekar shared not to forget three to five tsp of ghee per day.
All these tips were taken from her book “Pregnancy Notes: Before, During & After“. You can buy the book from the link below.
