The New Year is here, which means it’s time to make some resolutions. If you’re trying to have a baby, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to improve your mood. Not only will a healthy mind and body make pregnancy that much more enjoyable, but leading a healthy, active lifestyle can have a positive impact on your ability to become pregnant.
While the idea of making lifestyle changes may seem daunting at first, taking them on the right way can make it much more manageable. Dr. Walid Saleh of SIRM Dallas in Dallas, Texas recommends taking it slow and introducing them one at a time. By making one or two small changes and giving yourself time to adjust before moving on to the next, you’ll have a greater chance of success in the long term. As you incorporate healthy changes, you’ll find that your increased energy and improved mood will motivate you to continue making positive changes that impact your overall wellness. Except for smoking cessation, these lifestyle changes may not boost your fertility because the main limiting factor in reproduction remains the DNA inside our eggs, not how we feel or eat on daily basis.
Below are some simple changes you can make over the next year that can improve your overall health while boosting your fertility.
Adopt a Fertility Friendly Diet
One of the best ways to boost your energy level is by changing up your diet. While there is no such thing as fertility boosting foods, cutting back on things like carbs and sugar is a reasonable and sustainable way to get on the path to a pregnancy friendly way of eating. While implementing an entirely new diet overnight just isn’t going to work for most people, it’s more manageable if you take it slow. Patients at SIRM Dallas in Dallas, Texas have found that adjusting what they eat week by week makes adjusting to a diet easier. Start swapping out things like red meat and saturated fats for healthy choices such as fresh fruits and vegetables and seafood. Prepare what you eat as often as you can, and avoid prepackaged items whenever possible.
Drink Less – If at All
While many people enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner or to unwind after a long day, it’s best to avoid alcohol completely when you’re trying to conceive. Not only does alcohol disrupt many wellness goals – causing restless sleep, consumption of unnecessary calories, and escaping stress in an unhealthy way – for those undergoing IVF it’s also been shown to decrease the pregnancy rate (Hakim, 1998, Rossi, 2009) and possibly increase the rate of miscarriage (Klonoff-Cohen, 2003).
Learn to De-Stress
Stress does not impact fertility per se. Women living in war zones do not experience infertility. So do not let anyone blame your stress level for your inability to conceive. It’s usually the opposite. Infertility causes stress and frustration. But while stress can seem inescapable, especially for those struggling with infertility, we can develop some coping mechanisms that will make dealing with stress easier. Having an array of stress-busting techniques when you’re going through treatment for infertility– like exercise, massage, yoga, meditation, volunteer work, nightly baths, or daily reading—can be beneficial. The key is to find out what works for you.
For some patients, monthly, or even weekly, acupuncture appointments can make a big difference in their stress level. It can help ease the stress and anxiety that is so common during infertility treatment.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Reaching a healthy weight – whether that means losing or gaining – can be a real fertility booster. Being over- or underweight can depress fertility by causing hormonal imbalances and problems with ovulation, making it more difficult for you to conceive. Whether it’s a change of a few pounds or more, getting to an ideal weight is a great yearlong goal to help boost your fertility and improve your overall health.
Stop Smoking
Nicotine replacements are safer and have no effect on egg DNA. Please refer to this blog on this subject: Smoking and Infertility: Know the facts.
Resolving to make a few updates to your lifestyle throughout the year will result in positive changes that can help you achieve your dreams of family. If you’re struggling with infertility and would like more fertility boosting tips, call SIRM Dallas at 972-566-6686 to speak with an expert.