Welcoming a child into the family is one of the happiest moments in one’s life. And while raising that kid may seem like it’s a difficult task, it will give you immense pleasure. You will be filled with happiness and satisfaction right from the moment you bring your baby into the world.
However, getting pregnant is not as easy as it sounds. In a lot of cases, couples have to try really hard to be blessed with their own bundle of joy. The efforts have to be consistent, and there must be no problems with the man or the woman for the efforts to be successful. While it may take months to make a baby in most cases, ultimately leading to successful conception, sometimes, couples still end up being unable to conceive.
The progesterone levels of a woman play an important role in helping a couple get pregnant. The levels have to be high enough for the woman to be fertile. There are obvious symptoms that indicate a dip in progesterone levels; they include mood swings, anxiety, low sex drive, weight gain, irregular periods, and errant sleep patterns. The more serious consequences of having low progesterone levels include infertility or the increased likelihood of suffering a miscarriage. Therefore, you have to ensure that the levels are high before you try to make a baby.
In this article, let us look at the best ways to keep your progesterone levels high.
Ways to Increase Low Progesterone Levels to Get Pregnant
There are many ways to increase progesterone levels naturally for fertility. The best ways are mentioned below:
1. Avoid foods that influence oestrogen levels.
The female body maintains a delicate balance between progesterone and oestrogen levels, which ensures that the woman remains fertile. If either of the two becomes high, the other goes down. Therefore, if you’re trying to get pregnant, it would be best to avoid food items which make the levels of oestrogen shoot up in the bloodstream. These food items include soy products, carrots, olives, chickpeas, and legumes among many others.
2. De-stress.
Your stress levels should always be kept under control if you are trying to get pregnant. When you are stressed, hormones like adrenaline and cortisol start coursing through your bloodstream. The body does not produce enough progesterone as a result, and you might face fertility-related issues because of the same. You can try a lot of methods to de-stress; a short walk, playing with pets, or a romantic night with your partner can all work in your favour.
3. Consume good fats.
The body needs fat in the form of cholesterol, in order to produce progesterone. Cholesterol also plays a huge part in the production of the thyroid hormones, which is extremely important for the health of a woman. This means that you have to consume enough fat consistently to keep the hormone levels of your body high enough for fertilization to occur. Foods like meat, lard, fatty fish, and coconut oil are great to help keep your cholesterol levels adequate. This means that you have to consume at least two tablespoon equivalents of fat during every meal in order to be healthy. Fat also plays a huge role in maintaining the insulin levels in the body, so that your luteal phase defects are solved.
4. Try vitex (chaste tree berry) capsules.
Consuming vitex helps stimulate your brain to produce more of the LH (Luteinizing Hormone), which is responsible for the production of progesterone in the female body. It also helps keep your prolactin levels in check, while simultaneously helping in raising your progesterone levels. You can take vitex capsules a couple of times a day in the right dosage to ensure that the levels in the body stay high.
5. Include zinc-rich foods in your diet.
One of the most important minerals that helps your body maintain hormones at the right levels, zinc plays a huge role in ensuring fertility. This mineral prompts the pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormones, which help promote ovulation in the female body. You can consume zinc-rich foods like liver, lean red meat, shellfish, and dark chocolate.
6. Increase the consumption of magnesium-rich foods as well.
Along with zinc, magnesium is also extremely important in helping you maintain hormonal balance in your body. You can opt to consume enough magnesium by using supplements or by eating food items like black beans, spinach, halibut, whole grain cereals, and nuts.
7. Avoid certain herbs.
Some herbs have the effect of increasing oestrogen levels in the female body. This results in the reduction of progesterone, and you might be unable to conceive after a time. Therefore, you have to avoid all types of herbs which can result in the rise of oestrogen levels. These herbs include blue cohosh, black cohosh, liquorice, lavender, tea tree oil, and Rhodiola rose root, among many others.
8. Consume more Vitamin C-rich foods.
Vitamin C also plays a huge role in improving your fertility levels, as it can help in ovulation. The ovaries of the female body take in ascorbic acid before they ovulate so that the ovulation process goes smoothly. Vitamin C facilitates the re-absorption of ascorbic acid, as it functions as an antioxidant in the body. It was even found in a survey that women who consumed foods rich in Vitamin C had higher progesterone levels and pregnancy rates as compared to women who did not. This means that you have to consume enough of the vitamin for your body to function properly. Foods like broccoli, lemon, oranges, and dark leafy vegetables are the best sources of Vitamin C.
9. Include Vitamin E-rich options in your diet.
Another vitamin that plays a huge role in pregnancy is Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps increase the luteal blood flow which lengthens the luteal phase. This means that the egg released will be of higher quality, and increase the chances of pregnancy in a woman. To include Vitamin E in your diet, eat foods like nuts, sunflower seeds, and increase your consumption of olive oil in order to be fertile.
10. Avoid non-organic foods.
Most food items that you can get from the market today contain high levels of pesticides, which can affect your chances of getting pregnant adversely. Therefore, you should always try and purchase meat and chicken which are free of hormones while trying to have a baby. This prevents any additional hormones or pesticides from entering your body, and you will have a better chance of being pregnant.
11. Refrain from exercising too much.
While exercise definitely helps curtail stress by keeping the production of the cortisol hormone under control, the exact opposite can happen if you tend to over-exercise. In such a case, your body’s hormone levels may go for a toss and your cortisol levels may end up increasing. As a result, your progesterone levels may end up being on the lower side.
If you are thinking about how to raise your progesterone levels to get pregnant, then you have many options to choose from. In short, you will need to stay calm, eat healthy foods, and avoid any food that can mess with the hormonal balance of your body. This will enhance your chances of getting pregnant and soon, you will have your little bundle of joy.
