Planning to start your family? There are certain things you need to keep in mind. Getting pregnant is so complicated yet so easy. It’s complicated because you need to keep trying for a very long time and sometimes it just happens in one go. However, most of the couples have to keep trying for six months and further. It is difficult because you have to match the period cycle and the exact date of ovulation and thus your intercourse needs to be well-timed. It’s easy for couples who are young and healthy as compared to older couples. These days due to the food we eat and environment changes many people are facing the issues of infertility or not being able to conceive soon. Therefore, if you want to conceive here are a few things you must avoid if you want to conceive.

· Smoking or alcohol

Women who smoke accelerate the ageing process of their ovarian follicles, which in turn can lead to early menopause and an increased risk of infertility. So, if you want to get pregnant avoid smoking at all costs. Besides smoking has other harmful effects too that can lead to cancer. Research also suggests that men who smoke their sperm quality get affected but since your sperm production is dynamic, if you leave smoking the effects can be nullified after three months or so when the new sperm will reach the ejaculation. There’s no clear reason on how alcohol affects fertility but a couple who consume alcohol leads to late pregnancy. So if you are trying to get pregnant avoid alcohol or drink occasionally and once you are pregnant, you must completely stop drinking alcohol.

· Excessive caffeine

You don’t have to completely give up on coffee but you definitely have to reduce the number of cups you drink per day. Caffeine is harmful to your fertility and even after you get pregnant increases the risk of miscarriage. So put limits on your caffeine intake and remember, caffeine is present in not just coffee but also chocolate, sodas, etc.

· Junk food

There’s good evidence that women with infertility related to irregular periods may benefit from minimizing their intake of sugar and processed foods and increasing their intake of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and plant-based proteins. A balanced diet can help you get pregnant faster and also makes sure to keep a check on your weight.

· No exercise or extreme exercise

Becoming a couch potato which means absolutely no movement of the body or very little movement can affect your fertility. It can also cause irregular periods and thus taking part in household chores and exercising daily is necessary. However, extreme exercise is also not good as it can take a longer time to conceive for women who over-exercise. This involves yourself in a moderate exercise like daily walk or jogging.

· Chronic stress

Women with higher stress levels, find it harder to conceive. Stress can’t be completely taken away from us there’s always going to be some amount of stress but if you are unnecessarily overthinking and getting anxious about things that aren’t in your control you must stop it right away. If you want to conceive as soon as possible stay happy and cheerful, avoid stressful situations as much as you can.

Also Read,

Diet hacks for belly fat!

Why exercising every day is healthy?

What to do when you simply can’t sleep at night

5 ways to search happiness in nature