From Food to Footwear – Simple Life Changes to Improve Fertility
Struggling to get pregnant and maintain a pregnancy is an increasing problem in the modern world. In fact, it is estimated that one in six couples in Western countries experience fertility problems and this number is growing (1).
However, there are a number of lifestyle changes that may help improve your chances of having a baby. Today, for World Fertility Day (November 1st), Belle speaks to Dr Attilio D’Alberto, author of My Fertility Guide: How to get pregnant naturally, to discover what small changes may help increase a woman’s chance of conceiving.
Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight and underweight are both counter-productive to fertility. So, make sure your weight is within a healthy range.
If you are underweight (less than 22 per cent body fat), eat regularly and reduce exercise to help recover body fat levels.
If you think you are overweight, measure your waist–hip ratio. This is done by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Do not use body mass index (BMI) as this is out of date. If your waist–hip ratio is 0.8 or higher, try and lose weight through exercising, don’t diet.
Do regular, moderate exercise
Do cardo exercise two to three times a week plus soft exercises such as yoga, Pilates or t’ai chi. Remember, however, that exercise is good only in moderation. Too much is bad for fertility.
Limit your alcohol intake
Don’t drink more than two glasses of red wine per week (125ml/1.4 units per glass).
Spirits should be avoided, and beer and lager should be drunk in moderation – no more than a couple of bottles a week.
Stop smoking
Studies show that smoking increases your chance of infertility and can extend the time it takes to conceive a baby. Smoking also increases your risk of having a miscarriage.
Reduce Stress
Stress reduces fertility. Take time to relax and unwind. Try acupuncture, meditation or mindfulness to reduce stress.
Eat a balanced diet
Optimising your diet means not only eating good-quality foods for fertility but also eating regularly, when you’re hungry and not on the go. You need to think about optimising every meal and every drink you have. Everything counts and is important in aiding your fertility:
- Avoid pre-made processed foods.
- Don’t freeze meats or foods – cook and eat fresh.
- Don’t microwave foods or drinks as they’ll have little energy left in them and can also irritate your digestive tract.
- Eat foods that are organic.
Reduce the consumption of man-made foods – for example, bread, pasta, refined
sugar, etc. Instead eat fresh meat, fish, grains, fruit, vegetables and eat low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates like quinoa, oats, brown rice and sweet potatoes.
Wear appropriate clothing
Research has shown that exposure to the cold reduces fertility hormone levels to the ovaries. When the outside temperature is below 10?C (50?F), it’s better for your health and fertility to wear thermal undergarments to keep the heat in, especially the legs.
If you feel too warm, you need to make changes to your diet to cool yourself down and not expose your body to excessive heat, including exercising, stress, saunas and sunbeds. Being too warm can cause a miscarriage or preterm labour.
Men tend to be warmer than women and their testicles can be affected by too much heat. They should wear loose-fitting underwear and trousers that allow air to circulate within them.
Put on the right footwear
Regulating the temperature of your feet is an easy way to regulate your body temperature. Warm feet equal a warm body; cold feet equal a cold body!
Yet, in winter, people don’t always wear covered footwear to keep their feet warm. If you have cold feet, it makes the body feel cold and slows down blood flow around the body, including to the uterus, thereby damaging hormone regulation and your fertility.
It’s also important to keep your feet warm indoors. Wearing socks and slippers around the home will help to regulate blood flow around the body and improve hormone regulation and your fertility.
If you suffer from very cold feet, I would recommend using a warm foot spa daily to help encourage blood flow and improve your circulation.
- My Fertility Guide: How to get pregnant naturally is out now, priced £13.49. Also available in Kindle and as an audiobook. For more info see www.attiliodalberto.com
(1) Obesity associated advanced glycation end products within the human uterine cavity adversely impact endometrial function and embryo implantation competence. Antoniotti, Gabriella, et al., s.l. Human Reproduction, 2018.
