New Year’s Resolutions to boost Your Fertility

With the new year comes new beginnings and goal setting. When you’re trying to conceive, your hopes and dreams may be mixed in with disappointments and worries. Nevertheless, there are some resolutions you can make, and keep, which will help you get the family you want. The common New Year’s resolutions, like eating healthy and exercising more, can help couples struggling with infertility.

Before getting pregnant focus on making a few simple changes and you can boost your health and fertility.

– Modify your diet and exercise: If you want to boost your fertility and weight loss is on your resolution list this year. Consider ways to eat healthier foods and fewer junk foods to boost your fertility, try to always choose fresh fruits, veggies, and whole foods over processed or canned goods. Try to stick with foods that are high in zinc, vitamin E & C and folic acid. Think of ways to reduce your caffeine, alcohol and sugar intake. Your weight affects both your periods as well as your ovulation. The first thing you should do is come up with a routine workout schedule, so the exercise helps improve your circulation, work your heart and other muscles, and keep your weight down, all of which are important to your health and fertility.

– Get enough rest: Many of our hormones are replenished while we sleep, including some of the reproductive hormones. Research shows that the hormone leptin, which has a critical role in female fertility, is reduced when the body is deprived of sleep. Rest for 8-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night, and be aware of your body’s needs. Better sleep can help to regulate your hormones and boost your fertility.

 – Quit smoking: Smoking negatively impacts fertility, cigarette smoking can make it even more difficult to get pregnant, the same goes for second-hand smoke. If you are trying to conceive, it is smart to quit smoking at least six months prior to starting.

Cigarette smoke contains chemicals that accelerate egg loss in women and also causes menopause to occur one to four years earlier and can create pregnancy complications in expecting mothers. For women undergoing IVF treatment, those who smoke experience 30 percent lower pregnancy rates.

– Deal with Stress and be positive: Trying to get pregnant is stressful. Stress can negatively impact your chances for conceiving and can cause problems if you’re currently carrying a child. Unfortunately, stress is compounded when we try to conceive month after month, creating a downward spiral that is difficult to break. Make a conscious effort to find a natural balance that will benefit you and your baby.

Seek out activities that make you feel calm and refreshed—warm baths, yoga, massage or long walks, for example. You can resolve to use relaxation response techniques, like deep breathing or meditation, to manage stress.

– Visit a fertility Doctor: You may have been putting off seeing a doctor for your fertility for a number of reasons, whether it’s fear of a diagnosis, financial concerns, or simply time. However, if you’re 35 or older and have been trying to get pregnant for six months or more, it’s time to consult with a specialist. There may be simple changes you can make to help achieve conception. Your fertility doctor will develop the right treatment plan for you based on your specific medical issues and concerns. You can also join a fertility support group that offer a range of opportunities to relieve the stress of your diagnosis and treatment plan with a group of people who absolutely understand what you’re experiencing. These groups can offer the advice and support you need.