We all know people who smoke like a chimney and eat nothing but fast food and keep having babies like nobody’s business. You and your partner live relatively healthy lives and are having trouble conceiving. It’s frustrating but don’t give up hope. Our constitutions differ so we must implement different lifestyle strategies accordingly. Try working your way through these fertility strategies with your partner – but don’t let this list stress you or your relationship. Be gentle with yourselves and take your time.

Get Ample Sleep

  • Adults need 8 – 9 hours of sleep each night
  • The 2-3 hours before midnight are most important
  • Can you avoid shift work somehow?

Reduce Stress

  • Take stock of your life and eliminate extras including people, things, responsibilities, and commitments
  • Meditate 20 minutes per day
  • Practice gratitude: acknowledge all the wonderful people you know and think about what’s great about your life
  • Talk to your friend/partner/psychologist about your feelings surrounding the challenge of conceiving
  • Be gentle with yourself. Send positive messages to your body.  Envision yourself pregnant.

Commune With Nature

  • Spend time in natural settings
  • Sitting, walking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing, skating, sledding, horseback riding, yoga-ing

Exercise

  • Getting your heart rate up for 30-60 minutes each day is very important
  • Find something you enjoy so you are more likely to stick to it
  • Walking briskly, group fitness classes, dancing, swimming, martial arts, etc.

Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine

  • Limit caffeine (coffee, pop, chocolate) to 200-300mg per day if you must have it
  • Alcohol is better in moderate amounts <5 ounces per week
  • Quit smoking

Maintain a Healthy Weight

  • Being too thin or carrying too much extra weight can influence your fertility

Keep Your Testicles Cool

  • No hot baths, hot tubs, laptops directly on laps, etc.

Avoid Exposure to Toxins

  • This includes pesticides, fumes, chemicals, etc.

Drink Plenty of Water

  • Attempt to drink 1/2 your body weight (lbs) in ounces every day
  • Drink it at room temperature (no ice!)
  • Click here for ideas on how to consume more water each day.

Limit Damp Foods

  • Damp foods cause your body to become “gummed up” when we want energy and nutrients circulating freely. Limit the following:
    • Dairy products
    • Fatty meats
    • Bread
    • Fried food
    • Sweets (chocolate and ice cream)
    • Packaged/processed foods

Eat These!

  • Seaweed, oysters, fish eggs
  • Bone broth, fermented foods, organ meats
  • Healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil, uncooked olive oil, hemp oil, flax oil, nuts and seeds)
  • Fill half your plate with vegetables every time you eat. Meat should not exceed the size of a deck of cards.

Miscellaneous Fertility Tips

  • Don’t use douche
  • Use sperm-friendly lubricants if needed
  • After intercourse, keep seminal fluid as close to the cervix as possible by laying on your back and elevating the hips with a pillow