Ready for a baby? Start living healthy.

We’ve always known that a good diet and exercise help stave off illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Well, it’s become clear that what we eat and how we live also has an impact on our ability to bear children.

One in seven American couples face infertility. A lot of these couples cannot find concrete medical reasons for their inability to conceive. There’s a big chance they can benefit from healthy lifestyle changes. And if you’ve decided you’re ready to eat for two, you’ll also want to start eating – and living – healthier from the get-go.

There’s a book that tells us what the Harvard School of Public Health has discovered about exactly what you should be eating if you want to conceive. The book is The Fertility Diet written by doctors Jorge E. Chavarro, and Walter C. Willet. Both were part of the Harvard Nurses’ Health study that tracked almost 19,000 women to see how their diets and exercise levels affected rates of cancer, heart disease and other ailments. It just so happened many of them were trying to get pregnant. Among those who had trouble, doctors found compelling data linking certain diet and lifestyle choices… and infertility.

Dr. Chavarro explains their theory on the diet and fertility link: “We think it has to do with the hormone insulin and the function of the ovaries. Women who have healthy insulin levels are more likely to ovulate normally; those who have insulin resistance or diabetes are more prone to irregular ovulation. What’s more, several studies, including ours, have shown that women who exercise moderately, about 30 minutes every day, are less likely to experience ovulation-related infertility than those who don’t, and we know that exercise improves insulin levels. In fact, moderate activity, as well as nutrition, is a key part of the Fertility Diet.” Here’s a simple breakdown of what the doctors advice for those who want to up their chances of conceiving:

The Bad Stuff

Avoid Trans Fats found in fast foods like fried chicken, french fries, biscuits, donuts and commercial baked products such as cakes, pies and cookies.

Fast Carbs, also known as refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, potatoes and soda.

Same with too much alcohol and caffeine. Smoking also reduced chances of conceiving.

The Good Stuff

Eating lots of vegetables and fruits should boost your chances of getting pregnant. A colorful diet of leafy greens, bright reds and yellows will make you healthier – and more fertile. Enjoy those blueberries, strawberries, kale, broccoli and red peppers!

Plant proteins are also good. These include nuts and beans that do not just pack the protein punch, they also carry healthy fats that are known to support ovulation and normal hormone function.

Exercise can serve you well. Used to be that women were discouraged from exercising to aid conception. But researchers now know it is only extreme exercise (usually from pro athletes) that can throw hormones off-kilter and affect ovulation. Skipping exercise all-together will be counter productive as women who are overweight tend to have a harder time getting pregnant.

Pumping up the iron will also be beneficial. Pregnancy demands a lot from your iron stores so start building up even before you test positive on the pregnancy test. If you do not eat enough meat, an iron supplement is advisable.

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