When you’re struggling to conceive, the odds seemed stacked against you, but there is always hope. Outside of closely monitoring your ovulation cycle and upping how often you have sexual intercourse, there are several things you can do to help boost your fertility naturally.
Cut Down On The Coffee / Alcohol
You may need that first cup of joe to get going in the morning and even enjoy a few glasses of wine with dinner, but drinking too much coffee and alcohol can have a negative impact on your fertility. Moderate consumption – one or two cups a day – seems to be okay, as long as you stay under 200 to 250 milligrams of caffeine per day.
As for alcohol, though Swedish research has found that women who drank two alcoholic beverages a day decreased their fertility by 60 per cent, most studies have produced mixed results. It is known that alcohol can affect oestrogen levels, which may interfere with egg implantation. So better to be safe than sorry – when you’re trying to get pregnant, limit your intake of alcohol.
Give Up Smoking
In this day and age, we should all be plainly aware how harmful cigarette smoke – both direct and second hand – can be to our health, but women trying to conceive need to know that toxins found in cigarette smoke can damage your eggs, interfere with the fertilization and implantation process, and also cause your ovaries to age prematurely.
The bad news? Smoking causes permanent damage to your ovaries, but the good news is, once you quit you can regain some of that.
Make Healthier Choices
There are so many reasons to get into the habit of living a healthy lifestyle, but preparing your body for the tough road of getting and being pregnant is as good a motivator as any.
Eating right is key to boosting your odds of conceiving. Make sure to get your daily recommendation of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D, because deficiencies in these nutrients have been linked to lengthened menstrual cycles, and a higher risk of early miscarriage.
Supplementation: It is often recommended that women trying to conceive take a folic acid supplement. Supplements that contain at least 1mg of folic acid has been proven to decrease the incidence of spinal chord abnormalities in fetuses. Discuss this with your doctor.
Even a little exercise goes a long way. Studies have shown that at least 30 minutes of fitness activities per week, consistently, can increase ovulation.
Choose The Right Lube
There’s nothing wrong with needing a little extra help to get things moving in the bedroom, but some lubricants can actually decrease fertility. While you should products that include spermicides in their list of ingredients, as well as water-based lubricants, which may inhibit sperm motility (movement) by up to 80 per cent, there are products on the market, like Preseed and Zestica, that are okay to use and may even enhance sperm.
Curb Your Stress
Easier said than done, but that harmful little stress hormone cortisol (which plays a role in so many common health issues) is one of the biggest factors that can contribute to a hormonal imbalance. Learn to manage your stress through relaxation and mindfulness techniques, like deep breathing, yoga, and light to moderate exercise.
For a woman who dreams of giving birth to her own child, the struggle to conceive can be stressful and heart breaking, so take the time to focus on your health – body and soul. A healthy body is the first step to a healthy pregnancy. Start your journey right, contact us today!
