The biggest piece of the puzzle that is missing from fertility is the education piece. You are not broken. Let’s wade through the myths and misinformation to empower you to be your own health advocate towards your health and fertility.
Pre-conception care is an important concept for both male and females for natural conception and IVF, no matter what your age. It takes the female body around 100 days for a follicle to reach maturity and 72 days for male sperm (spermatozoa) to develop. Essentially, anything that your eggs and sperm are exposed to over the 100 days will influence the overall quality of your egg and sperm. For IVF, it means that the quality of your embryo is as good as the egg and sperm.
What you eat, think, drink and do during this time will influence the quality of your genetic material, egg and sperm. There are many positive steps you can action for pre-conception at any time. Following the 5 Pillars of preconception to Optimal Fertility will ensure your body, eggs and sperm are efficient powerhouses.
1 Fertile Lifestyle: Take a life audit. Are your lifestyle choices working with you or against you? In Chinese Medicine the best sleep is before 10pm. Sleep a minimum of at least 8 hours. Sleep helps restore your body back to its natural state of wellness, balance your hormones and most importantly your circadian rhythm. Adequate sleep helps reduce stress and rejuvenates your mind, body and spirit. Is your exercise regime supporting your hormones or overheating your testicles? Balance your exercise between yang (HIT) and yin (yoga + qi gong, walking). Over exercising induces the stress hormone cortisol and depletes your body of its vital nutrients.
2 Fertile Nutrition: Remove the rules and restrictions around your food. Have fun with your food and include fruits and vegetables that represent the colours of rainbow. Naturally fermented foods are super nourishing and a great way to improve liver and gut function. Let go of processed foods, gluten, dairy, wheat, alcohol, caffeine and sugar. Be sure to keep yourself hydrated and don’t forget the protein and bone broth. Let food be thy medicine.
3 Fertile Mind & Body: The power of your mind and emotions can impact your overall health and wellbeing. The mind influences every cell in your body through a frequency called neurophysiology. Every conversation you have with yourself affects your health and fertility at a cellular level. Observing your thoughts is crucial in your ability to change them. Daily affirmations are a great way to create a positive mindset and reduce stress.
4 Fertile Environment: Reduce your exposure to toxins, pollution, heavy metals and endocrine disruptors. Don’t forget to wear your blueblockers and turn off your phone at night!
5 Fertile Fundamentals: Hugging is the BEST and its free. Hugging another human being or furry friend brings so much joy, happiness and connection. It releases the hormone oxytocin lowering both your heart rates and cortisol levels.
The better equipped you are with knowledge regarding your fertility, the easier it is to choose the right path for you and your partner. Get more wisdom @angea_ acupuncture_yoga
