Sure, good genes and a healthy dose of luck are never a bad thing to have on your side when talking about fertility, but there are also a handful of ways to improve your fertility by simply making some key lifestyle changes.
With the help of lifestyle changes in your daily routine, you can greatly affect your odds of conception! Check out these 6 ways in which you can organically improve your fertility.
1. Kick that smoking habit to the curb
I’m sure by now you understand the life threatening detriments of smoking, so I won’t harangue you for long about how this nasty habit can lead to severe health issues later in life. Instead, I’ll focus on how smoking can directly affect your odds of conceiving a child.
Quitting this habit is wildly beneficial for both women and men! In women, smoking can reduce how receptive your uterus is to the egg. And in men, smoking can reduce sperm count and damage DNA. Furthermore, the fact that women who smoke go though menopause (on average) two years sooner than women who don’t, is a clear indication of how smoking damages the reproductive system.
Learn more natural ways to boost your fertility! Click next for more!
2. Nix caffeine and alcohol consumption
Both of these beverages should be avoided for maximum fertility. In a study by The Fertility Society of Australia, researchers found that “Women who consumed less than one cup of coffee were twice as likely to become pregnant, per cycle, as moderate coffee drinkers and the risk of not becoming pregnant increased with higher consumption.”
While this same research concedes that there still remains little evidence that alcohol consumption is detrimental to women attempting to conceive, experts have found that alcohol consumption can yield poor fertility in men. According to the study, “In men [alcohol consumption] can cause impotence, reduce libido and affect sperm quality.”
3. Stress management
Stress can be the root of a multitude of health related issues. Though there aren’t any clear, direct links between stress and infertility, research is being done to draw a relation between the two. Many doctors believe that stress, specifically trying too hard to conceive, is accountable for nearly 1/3 of all infertility problems.
Allen Morgan, MD, director of Shore Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Lakewood, N.J. says that while doctors don;t know too much about the relation between the two at the moment.; however, “What [experts] do know now is that when stress-reduction techniques are employed, something happens in some women that allows them to get pregnant when they couldn’t get pregnant before.”
4. Multivitamins and supplements
Okay, so taking a multivitamin is hardly an “organic” solution to infertility. But taking a one-a-day type of multivitamin or a prenatal supplement can lend a hand in boosting your overall fertility. Supplements with folate/folic acid will do wonders for your chances of conception, moms!
Learn more natural ways to boost your fertility! Click next for more!
5. Weight management
In a study published in the British Medical Journal that found that very lean women and very obese women (BMI >38) had lower conception rates. So, the key is to instill healthy eating and exercise habits that you maintain over the course of your pregnancy.
The best way to know what a healthy weight is for you, is to calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index). If you’re curious about your BMI click here to visit the Australian Government’s BMI calculator and healthy weight information page.
6. Properly eating for two
If you’re going to create a hospitable living environment for a child, you might as well start eating like you’re already pregnant. To do this you can eat foods that are rich in whole grains. Not to mention an increase in your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. You should also try to find foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are components in all cell membranes. One food rich in these fats, for those who are fans of seafood, is salmon. If you want to improve your intake of omega-3s, the Mediterranean Diet is a great way to do so.
READ: 10 Scientifically proven ways to improve your child’s memory
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