If you’re looking to improve or protect your fertility, there are lots of ways you can achieve this through simple lifestyle interventions. The way we live has a huge effect on our overall health, including our fertility.
The following methods can be be powerful in helping to improve hormone balance and support fertility.
1. Detox
Detoxification is a process that removes toxins from the body. These toxins can come from the environment, food, and even our own bodies. When it comes to fertility, detoxing can be a helpful way to boost fertility and support hormone balance.
There are many different ways to detox, but some of the most common include dietary changes, supplements, detox baths, exercise and reducing chemicals in the environment.
Dietary changes can help to remove toxins from the body by eliminating processed foods, artificial ingredients and chemicals. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and healthy fats can help to reduce the amount of toxins in the body and improve fertility.
Detox baths are another great way to remove toxins from the body and boost fertility. These baths can be made with fertility-boosting ingredients like epsom salt, baking soda, and essential oils. Adding these ingredients to a warm bath can help to detoxify the body, reduce stress, and improve fertility.
2. Exercise
Not only does exercising help to remove toxins through sweat, but it also helps to improve circulation and increases oxygen to the reproductive organs. This can be beneficial for fertility because it can help to improve egg and sperm health.
Exercise also helps to reduce stress and improves fertility by promoting relaxation. When the body is stressed, it can produce hormones that can interfere with fertility.
Three of my favourite fertility-boosting exercises are kettlebell workouts, yoga and Pilates, which all focus on tone and strength, particularly in core stability and balance.
Yoga and pilates are wonderful at helping to reduce stress, improve circulation, and increase oxygen to the reproductive organs. Pilates is also beneficial for fertility because it helps to strengthen the core muscles, which can improve posture and decrease back pain.
Both yoga and Pilates are great fertility-boosting exercises that can help to improve your chances of getting pregnant.
3. Sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial for maintaining hormonal balance, which is essential for fertility. Lack of sleep can disrupt the production of hormones like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which are necessary for ovulation. It can also lower levels of progesterone, a hormone needed to sustain a pregnancy. In addition, sleep deprivation can lead to higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can interfere with fertility. Sleep also promotes the release of growth hormone, which aids cell division and regeneration, and also tissue repair.
There are a few things you can do to improve your sleep, including the following:
– Establish a regular sleep schedule and stick to it as much as possible.
– Create a relaxing bedtime routine to help you wind down before sleep.
– Avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening.
– Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet.
– Limit screen time before bed.
– Practice relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga or Pilates.
4. Balance Blood Sugar
When blood sugar is out of balance, it can cause hormones to become imbalanced and this can make it difficult to conceive.
If you’re trying to conceive, it’s important to eat foods that will help keep your blood sugar levels in check. Including protein with every meal, along with fibre and healthy fats are the best ways to keep blood sugar stable. You should also limit sugar and refined carbs, as these can cause blood sugar to spike. Click here for more on blood sugar and it’s effects on the body.
5. Adopt a Healthy Diet & Supplement When Needed
A healthy, balanced diet that optimises fertility is actually quite easy. Simply focusing on real, living food and eliminating processed food is the easiest and most important step to supporting your health.
Foods to include:
- Antioxidants and Polyphenols: Eat a rainbow of fresh vegetables and low-glycemic fruits such as berries, citrus fruits, apples and pears.
- Healthy fats: Avocados, olive oil, fish, nuts, seeds and dark chocolate.
- Protein: Meat, fish, eggs, plain yoghurt. Plant protein sources including legumes, pulses and tofu.
Foods to exclude:
- Processed foods such as biscuits, crackers, crisps,
- Trans fats, fried foods, margarine, pastries and commercial bread.
- Refined sugar (sweets, candy, etc).
- Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin (they disrupt the gut microbiome).
Supplements can support hormones and fertility. Some of the most common fertility-boosting supplements include CoQ10, omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium. These nutrients are important for fertility because they help to support egg and sperm health, as well as support hormone balance.
My preferred supplement company is Cytoplan, because their products are all made from whole food sources, which makes them more bio-available to the body. You might like to check out their wonderful Preconception Bundle. Get 10% off by copying and pasting this code at checkout: CYT77135-10