Emma Cannon’s fertile cleanse

This is not a detox – it’s a way to introduce a healthier, more delicious style of eating, and better digestion. A gentle word of advice is not to plan to make a baby; instead I want you to think about it in terms of preparation. Things may happen easily, or they may take a little longer, and the more wedded to your plan you are, the harder it will be to be flexible and resourceful if things don’t go to schedule.

I suggest you don’t immediately overhaul your entire life by stripping away all the fun things you do as a couple and removing all the foods you love to eat. Set aside a month where you gently shift your focus to preparing for a baby.

Sort out your cupboards. Get rid of anything processed or packaged. Stock up on: wholegrains, including spelt and rye, gluten-free grains (quinoa, buckwheat, oats), legumes and lentils, seeds (black and white sesame, pumpkin, chia, flax, sunflower), nuts (almonds, brazils, walnuts), tinned fish (sardines and anchovies), herbal teas, nut butters, dried seaweed, dried fruits, raw cacao, oils (olive, coconut, hempseed, pumpkin, avocado).

Aim to eat five to eight servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Boil up bones to make a bone broth (see Redonline.co.uk).

Begin each day with hot water and lemon. Breakfast: eggs, avocado or goat’s or sheep’s cheese on toasted rye, or porridge with seeds and butter (and a small amount of honey).

Lunch is your main meal, and dinner should be eaten by 7pm to help your digestion. No raw food with dinner; it’s hard to digest. Soup is the ideal dinner.

Drink two litres of room-temperature water and herbal teas a day, but don’t drink with food.

Eat calmly, chewing well – and not while looking at a screen.

Look after yourself. Try dry-skin brushing, starting on the soles of the feet, brushing towards the heart. Or hot and cold showers: switch back and forth for two minutes at a time. Or try a ‘fish and chip’ bath: add a handful of magnesium-rich Epsom salts and a cupful of cider vinegar.

Exercise moderately and regularly, doing something you like, such as walking, dancing, yoga or a bike ride.