| One of the most common questions I see asked is, | | | | regularly. Exercise three or four days a week for at |
| "How can I get pregnant?" Infertility affects ten percent | | | | least 20 minutes per day. If you have not exercised in |
| of the reproductive population in the United States | | | | the past, then walking is a great way to get your |
| according to the American Society for Reproductive | | | | exercise. If you have access to a place to swim, it is |
| Medicine. Many couples can overcome the challenge | | | | great exercise that is easy to get into. Remember for |
| of trying to conceive through lifestyle changes.Infertility | | | | men that you should not over-exercise, which can |
| affects both men and women. In approximately 40% | | | | create too much heat.* Avoid toxins such as alcohol, |
| of couples, male infertility contributes to or is the sole | | | | tobacco, and recreational drugs such as marijuana and |
| cause of their infertility. Lifestyle changes can have a | | | | cocaine. Do not take any medications not approved by |
| dramatic impact on fertility. These tips will help both | | | | the ObGyn or your family doctor. Men and women |
| women and men increase their chances of getting | | | | both need to make sure their doctor is aware they are |
| pregnant.For women...* Use an ovulation prediction kit. | | | | trying to conceive when they are prescribing |
| This will let you know 24-48 hours before you ovulate | | | | medications.* Do not smoke. This is worth repeating. |
| so you can time your trying to conceive appropriately. | | | | Smoking can have a profoundly negative affect on |
| When the test shows positive, you and your partner | | | | your fertility. Smoking is also detrimental to the health |
| should have sex that day and the day after.* Chart | | | | of both you and your baby. If you are a smoker, stop |
| your basal body temperature. This provides you with a | | | | smoking now.* Eat healthy. Eat whole, natural foods. |
| record of what is going on with your cycle. Not only will | | | | For instance, eat an orange instead of drinking orange |
| you be able to tell the day you ovulated, but charting | | | | juice. Avoid processed foods. This means for the |
| your BBT can also identify potential problems such as | | | | most part sticking to the outside aisles at the grocery |
| low progesterone and luteal phase defects. You can | | | | store where the whole foods are and staying away |
| download a free BBT chart from my website in either | | | | from the packaged foods on the inside. For bread, |
| Celsius and Fahrenheit format. BBT Monthly Cycle | | | | check the label. If it says enriched, then it is processed. |
| Charts* Take prenatal vitamins. This is essential for | | | | Look for unprocessed whole grain breads. For oats, |
| both your health and your baby's health. Taking folate | | | | eat steel cut oats rather than instant.* Get to a healthy |
| at least one month before conception can decrease | | | | weight. Thin men may have a low sperm count, while |
| your baby's chances of having neural tube defects by | | | | obese men may have their hormones out of whack - |
| 70%. The daily intake of vitamin C can help you grow | | | | too much estrogen and not enough testosterone. Thin |
| a strong placenta that will last through a full term | | | | women do not have enough estrogen and may not |
| pregnancy.For men...* Limit or eliminate caffeine intake. | | | | ovulate, while obese women have too much estrogen |
| Drink no more than one or two cups of coffee a day. | | | | to get pregnant.* Be sure and get plenty of |
| Eliminate caffeine entirely if possible. Drinking an entire | | | | anti-oxidants in your diet. This includes drinking tea, |
| coffee pot full can be detrimental to your fertility.* | | | | eating fruit snacks like blueberries, cherries, black plums, |
| Keep cool and avoid excessive heat to your scrotum. | | | | prunes, and apples, and eating vegetables such as |
| Wear boxers instead of briefs, stay away from | | | | dark green leafy (kale, spinach, romaine lettuce, etc.), |
| saunas and hot tubs, take cool showers, and avoid | | | | tomatoes, peppers and parsley.* Drink water and lots |
| bike riding or over exercising.* Take vitamins. At | | | | of it. A man should drink half his weight in ounces of |
| minimum, take a good daily multivitamin. Some | | | | water per day. If he weighs 200 pounds, he should |
| important vitamins for sperm health are B12, C (500 | | | | drink 100 ounces of water. A woman should drink a |
| mg daily), E (400 IUS daily), Arginine, L-Carnitine, Zinc | | | | minimum of 100 ounces of water per day.* Avoid |
| (20 mg daily), Selenium (200 mcgs daily), and | | | | stress. This can be hard to do, especially during the |
| Coenzyme Q10. Folic acid is also recommended for | | | | two week wait, but it is essential for your reproductive |
| men (400 mcgs daily). Get approval from your family | | | | health. Relax and enjoy this time with each other.* |
| doctor before taking any vitamins.* Abstain from sex | | | | Avoid toxins. Do not take any medications unless |
| for short periods. Abstaining can increase the volume | | | | approved by your ObGyn and your family doctor. |
| and potency of sperm, but abstaining for too long can | | | | Stay away from alcohol, tobacco, and recreation |
| leave too many older less motile sperm. Do not abstain | | | | drugs such as marijuana and cocaine.* Avoid |
| for more than 3 to 6 six days.* Be careful with | | | | environmental hazards such as pesticides, lead, heavy |
| medications. Some medications are known to cause | | | | metals, and radiation.Following these lifestyle change |
| fertility issues. Medications to avoid include anabolic | | | | tips can help many couples improve their chances of |
| steroids, some antibiotics (nitrofurans and macrolides), | | | | getting pregnant. Some changes will provide almost |
| sulfasalazine (anti-diarrheal), and ketoconazole | | | | immediate improvement, and some take longer. Keep |
| (anti-fungal).For both of you... * Have sex every other | | | | in mind that it takes three months for a man to grow |
| day throughout your fertile period. While having sex at | | | | sperm, so if things like smoking or excessive heat |
| the right time is one of the most important things you | | | | have hurt or killed his sperm, it can take that long for |
| can do, some couples overlook this. A woman's egg is | | | | the lifestyle changes to take affect.Visit the Baby Talk |
| viable for just under 24 hours. Most sperm live 2-3 | | | | Zone forum for more tips and friendly support of |
| days, with some living up to five days. This means | | | | those pregnant, trying to conceive, adopting, and |
| your fertile period begins approximately five days | | | | bringing up baby. |
| before ovulation and ends one day after.* Exercise | | | | |