If you’ve been trying to conceive for a while, you know how heartbreaking it is every month when your period starts. It’s hard to stay positive and not feel at least a little stressed out.
Maybe you are also feeling a tad overwhelmed with tests, doctors, supplements, and everyone you meet telling you to “just stop trying and it will happen”.
Here are 5 simple tips you can implement right now to help make your journey a little easier (and hopefully successful!). They will help you reconnect with your body, love yourself, and reduce your stress - all while giving your reproductive health a boost!
These are things you can do daily or every few days, whatever works best for you.
1. Practice yoga and/or meditation
Yoga and meditation are excellent ways of lowering stress and reconnecting your mind and body. Fertility-specific practices will focus on opening up the pelvis and rebalancing hormones. You can even do it from home, in as little as 30 minutes. Yoga Goddess has a wonderful program that is easy to follow, even if you’re new to yoga or meditation.
2. Exercise
Even taking a brisk 15 minute walk every day will help improve circulation to your organs, gently detoxify your body, and regulate hormones. Getting fresh air also helps clear the mind and keep us grounded. Don't overdo it though, too much exercise is also known to inhibit fertility. The best forms of exercise are walking, hiking, and moderate cardio. Avoid anything too intense or long in duration.
3. Try massage therapy or self-massage
The benefits from massage are endless. Abdominal massage in particular will help all your organs function better, including your reproductive organs. Massage techniques are used to break up adhesions, improve circulation, and reduce stress. It also helps to rebalance hormones by stimulating the functioning of organs like the ovaries which produce important sex hormones. You can even do it at home - just grab a bit of coconut oil and gently massage your abdomen in clockwise circles once or twice a day. See my Services page for Preconception massages in North Vancouver.
4. Incorporate fertility foods in your diet
If your body is missing some key nutrients, your hormones might not be balanced enough for pregnancy to occur. Some of my favourite nutrient-dense fertility foods are wild seafood, grass-fed beef and liver, butter, seeds, nuts, avocados, eggs, and leafy green veggies. Focus on healthy protein, lots of fats, and green vegetables.
I offer in-person and online nutrition consultations if you want help getting started.
5. Drink more water
We all know we should be drinking more water, but did you know that dehydration can affect fertility? Adequate water intake helps flush toxins from the body, improves circulation, improves our mental health, and helps enhance the quality of our cervical mucus (which is important for keeping sperm alive until it reaches the egg). Aim for 2 litres per day, or more if you drink caffeinated or sugary drinks.