Natural infertility treatments are a great way to get started if you're starting to try for a baby. Before you head to the doctor's office for expensive treatments, there are a few things you can consider with your mind and body to increase your chances of conceiving. Below are 10 natural ways you can boost your fertility:
1. Move your body.
Moving your body in a way you enjoy plays a huge role in your overall health and fertility health. By staying active, you can maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress levels, and increase blood flow to important reproductive organs. Try yoga, long walks, or other low-impact activities to get your blood moving, and be sure to add it in gradually if you're starting at 0. Here are my 5 top tips for exercise while trying to conceive.
2. Prepare your mind.
Whether you're trying to conceive through traditional or alternative methods like IVF or IUI, preparing your mind is just as important as preparing your body. Getting educated, taking care of your mindset, and managing your emotions can impact the success of TTC. Some things you can do to prepare yourself are:
- create and repeat positive affirmations to reduce stress (Here are 10 to get you started.)
- start a journaling practice for TTC to release your emotions, reduce stress, and track your
- list the things you're grateful for to maintain a positive attitute
- practice meditation and visualization
- read up with a list of recommended books over TTC
- practice yoga to relax your body and mind (Listen to the podcast episode Taking A Deep Breath with Lisa Pineda for the benefits of yoga for fertility)
3. Consider your diet.
There is evidence that your diet can impact your fertility success. If you're trying to conceive, include foods that are rich in healthy fats, protein, fiber, and greens to create a healthy diet, high in antioxidants, rich in fiber and iron.
You don't have to stick to the same recipes over and over again. Studies show that including different vegetables and fruits in your meals can help you add a variety of vitamins and nutrients to your diet. You can also consider swapping protein sources to reduce ovulatory infertility risk.
Not sure where to start? Read about the 7 foods to increase your fertility.
4. Update your supplements.
I recommend that most of your nutrients come from whole foods, but a varied diet can be difficult if you're not up for cooking different meals all the time or you're a particularly picky eater. Adding different pre-natal vitamins and supplements can ensure you have all your bases covered.
Look for omega-3 fatty acids, folate, selenium, vitamin D, DHEA and other doctor-recommended supplements. For a list of vitamins and supplements to increase your fertility, click here for my list.
5. Manage your stress.
It's likely that life will start to feel stressful when you're doing everyday life and TTC. It's important that you're not going about your day pretending to be okay, because those emotions can build up over time and affect your fertility health.
Some ideas for managing your stress and keep your calm are to go outside and enjoy the sun, go walk or run, keep a journal of your feelings.Make sure you make time, space, and activities to get these emotions out.
6. Try fertility massage or acupuncture.
Most evidence of fertility massage is anecdotal, but if you've ever received a massage, you most likely have experienced its calming and relaxing effects to reduce your stress. Head to your local massage experts in town and mention that you're looking for massage techniques that will help aleviate stress.
Fertility acupuncture is also an option if you're open to Eastern medicine techniques. If you haven't tried acupuncture for fertility before, listen to the podcast episode Acupuncture and Supplements for Fertility with Dr. Adrienne Wei.
7. Eat a heavier breakfast.
Did you know that there is a study that has found eating a larger breakfast may improve the hormal effects of PCOS? By the end of the 12-week study, women who chose to start their days with a larger meal and end with a lighter breakfast ovulated more than women who did the opposite, which suggests an improvement in fertility.
8. Cut down on caffeine.
Studies differ on this topic, but limiting your caffeine intake to 1-2 cups a day could possibly make a difference with the success of your fertility. Many people choose to start their day with their beloved cup of coffee, so listen to your body and do what feels right for you.
9. Limit alcohol intake.
While the jury is still out on caffeine's effects on fertility, alcohol has been shown to cause ovulatory disturbances and hormone imbalance among other issues.
If you choose to consume alcohol, I highly recommend you limit your intake to a few glasses on the weekend, choose water as your main beverage choice, and stay hydrated—for both you and your partner.
10. Maintain a healthy weight.
Being underweight or overweight can affect your chances of becoming pregnant. The amount of fat stored in your body can affect your menstruation cycle and egg development, so speak to your doctor and do what you can do aim for a healthy weight.
Need someone to help you choose which natural infertility treatments to try first? Book your consultation call with me so we can chat and figure out what questions we can ask your doctors and specialists.
Eating more healthy fats like omega-3 found in fish really helped me. Processed foods and other sources of unhealthy fats are good to avoid as well.