Trying to Conceive? 5 Foods that Support Reproductive Health

If you are trying to have a baby yet are experiencing challenges, you are not alone. Statistics show that 1 in 8 couples have trouble getting pregnant or have trouble sustaining a pregnancy in the United States. Despite this statistic, there are certain steps you can take to increase your chances of having a child. Making better nutritional choices daily is an important place to start. 

Navigating the world of nutritional advice can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to fertility challenges. You may feel overwhelmed when trying to decipher conflicting information from family members, friends, blogs, magazines, and more. Fortunately, your food does matter and can have a positive impact on your fertility journey. Read on to learn about five foods that can help you along the way. 

Foods That Support Fertility Health

Full-Fat Dairy

A 2021 meta-analysis of 27 studies, published in the Journal of The American College of Nutrition, suggests that consuming dairy foods may actually reduce inflammation rather than cause it, contrary to popular belief. Keep in mind that this doesn’t apply for those who have dairy sensitivities or are lactose intolerant. 

Data from a study in Frontier's in Public Health has shown that those suffering from ovulatory infertility may benefit from the incorporation of full-fat dairy into their diet, as opposed to opting for fat-free dairy options. This is due to the fact that low-fat dairy consumption is associated with an increased risk of ovulatory infertility.

Sardines 

Sardines are an excellent source of DHA omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein, and feature a variety of fertility-supporting nutrients. Studies have shown that couples who consumed more fish had a higher likelihood of conceiving. 

Because sardines are smaller fish, they have lower levels of mercury, making them a pregnancy-friendly food. Adding sardines to snacks and meals is an easy way to get a fertility boost.

Oats 

This whole grain fuels your body with iron, B vitamins, and fiber. They play a role in supporting the endometrial lining, which is where the embryo implants. Endometrial thickness is correlated with higher positive fertility outcomes. The thicker the endometrial lining, the higher the chance of attaining a pregnancy and live birth. 

Lean Beef 

Lean beef is a powerhouse of protein and is packed with essential nutrients like zinc. Zinc plays an important role in the fertility diet of both males and females, as it is necessary for sperm health and egg quality. Be sure to always look for grass-fed beef!

Tomatoes

Most of the focus of fertility support is geared towards women, but males need support too. A 2021 review published in The Lancet revealed that 50 percent of couples struggling with conceiving had issues with male infertility. 

The tomato is one of the best foods that supports male fertility. This fruit is loaded with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been found to improve sperm quality. To get the most out of your tomatoes, opt for dishes with cooked tomatoes over ripe ones. If you don't like tomatoes, other foods rich in lycopene include red peppers and watermelon. 

If you are struggling to conceive, you can make a difference by making small changes in your diet and adopting these as a lifestyle change. While many other factors may be out of your control, you very much have control over what you eat. 

Consuming the foods listed above, including other whole grains, lean protein, walnuts, dairy, and seafood, can cause a positive impact on your fertility. While you are adding in these foods, be sure to reduce your consumption of refined carbs like pizza and pasta to support you on your journey. 

The Struggle is Real

Many couples struggle with fertility challenges. Whether you just recently started trying to conceive or have been trying to conceive for years, we can all use help and support. The road to motherhood is not always an easy one. Every month you may feel start hopeful only to feel a sense of loss at when another period arrives.

There are many more options besides a healthy diet, such as fertility acupuncture, massage, and virtual fertility coaching. If you need fertility support in general, reach out for help. If you need some extra fertility boosting tips, download this free fertility e-book. 

You Already Have a Great Nutrition Regimen…Now What?

If you’re still struggling to conceive and want more support, check out The Wholesome Fertility Podcast for free fertility boosting tips!

Why You’ll Need Three Months to Improve Egg Quality and Support Your Fertility Health

If you have been experiencing fertility challenges, chances are you have heard of the importance of egg quality on fertility health. The quality of a woman's eggs plays a major role in her fertility. The great news is, there are some steps you can take to improve the quality of your eggs and increase your chances of conceiving.

In this blog post, I'll go over some tips for improving egg quality and supporting fertility in three months. Why three months? That’s the amount of time it usually takes for eggs to mature. During this time, nutrients that a woman gets from their diet and supplements and benefits from an improved lifestyle can benefit the maturing eggs. By the time they fully mature, their quality will be improved from the changes implemented. 

So what things can you do to support egg quality? I'll cover diet and nutrition tips, supplement suggestions, and even some exercise and sleep tips. I'll also discuss the role of acupuncture in improving egg quality. Finally, I'll talk about some common mistakes to avoid when trying to improve egg quality.

Whether you're trying to get pregnant naturally or are preparing for IVF, you’ll want to keep reading.

It Can be Done, but it Takes Time…

With the right diet and lifestyle changes, you can make a big difference in the quality of your eggs. This, in turn, can give you a better chance of conceiving. Here are some tips to get you started.

First, it’s important to understand that improving egg quality is a process. It takes time and effort to make lasting changes. It may take several months before you start seeing results. 

Second, lifestyle changes may be necessary. This includes changes to your diet, exercise routine, and sleep habits. Third, you may need to take supplements to support egg quality. Finally, acupuncture may be beneficial for some women.

Now that you know the basics, let's talk about how to improve egg quality and support your fertility..

How to Support Fertility and Improve Egg Quality

The first step in improving egg quality and supporting fertility is to make some lifestyle changes. This includes changes to your diet, exercise routine, and sleep habits. All of these can play a role in improving egg quality.

First, let's talk about diet. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential for supporting fertility and improving egg quality. This means eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. Avoid processed and refined foods, which can be detrimental to your fertility.

It's also important to get enough vitamins and minerals. Some of the most important vitamins and minerals for fertility include B vitamins, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, and iron. You can get these from food sources such as leafy greens, nuts, and legumes. Alternatively, you can take a quality prenatal vitamin to ensure you're getting enough of these important nutrients.

Diet and Nutrition Tips to Improve Egg Quality

In addition to eating a healthy, balanced diet, there are some specific foods that can help to improve egg quality.

One food group that can be beneficial for fertility are omega-3 fatty acids. These are found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines. They can help to reduce inflammation, which can improve egg quality.

Antioxidants are also important for fertility. Foods high in antioxidants include blueberries, dark chocolate, and green tea. These can help to reduce oxidative stress, which can damage the quality of your eggs.

Finally, it's important to get enough protein. Good sources of protein include lean meats, eggs, nuts, and legumes. Protein is essential for the development of healthy eggs.

Supplements to Support Egg Quality

In addition to a healthy diet, there are some supplements that can help to support egg quality.

One supplement that can be beneficial for fertility is Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). This is a powerful antioxidant that can help to reduce oxidative stress, which can damage the quality of your eggs. Make sure you find one that’s in the form of ubiquinol, which is a superior form of CoQ10. 

Another supplement to consider is DHEA. This is a hormone that can help to improve egg quality and support fertility. It's important to note, however, that it can have some side effects and is not for everyone. If you are considering taking DHEA, it is best to get tested first because for some it can cause adverse effects if their DHEA is already high. It's best to talk to your doctor before taking it. 

Finally, Vitamin D can be beneficial for fertility. Vitamin D is important for the development of healthy eggs. You can get Vitamin D from exposure to early morning sun or by taking a supplement. Keep in mind that if you are deficient in Magnesium, it may affect your absorption of Vitamin D.

Exercise to Improve Egg Quality

Exercise can have a positive impact on egg quality. Moderate exercise such as walking, jogging, swimming, fertility yoga, and cycling can help to improve circulation, which can be beneficial for fertility.

It's important to find an exercise routine that works for you. Try to find something that you enjoy and that you can stick with over the long term. It's also important to remember that too much exercise can have an adverse effect on fertility. So make sure to find a balance that works for you.

Sleep Tips to Improve Egg Quality

Getting enough sleep is essential for improving egg quality. Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep can lead to a decrease in egg quality. Aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

It's also important to establish a good sleep routine. Make sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. This will help to regulate your sleep cycle and will make it easier to get the rest you need.

Finally, make sure to create a sleep environment that is conducive to good sleep. This means keeping your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. Avoid using electronics in the bedroom and limit your caffeine intake in the afternoon and evening.

The Role of Acupuncture in Improving Egg Quality

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that can be beneficial for fertility. It involves stimulating specific points on the body with needles. This has been shown to help improve egg quality and increase the chances of conception.

Acupuncture works on balancing a person’s “pattern” so that their body can get into a natural, self-healing state. When patients come in, I first assess their pattern and tendency in order to create a treatment protocol. The points chosen are both distal and local. Meaning that distant points can be used to treat something they aren’t necessarily close to.

Local points are usually placed around the pelvis to encourage blood flow to the uterus and ovaries. This assists in helping the blood carry the nutrients that are absorbed from the diet and lifestyle protocols implemented for egg health, so that it can support the maturing eggs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Improving Egg Quality

When trying to improve egg quality, it's important to avoid some common mistakes.

First, don't rely solely on supplements to improve egg quality. Supplements can be beneficial, but they should be used in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle changes. It’s also important to keep inflammation down so that absorption of supplements can be optimized. This can be done with a balanced diet.

Second, if you are stressed trying to do everything perfect in regards to egg quality, it will impact your hormone balance as well as sleep. So make sure to find a balance that is realistic for you.

Finally, don't try to rush the process. Improving egg quality takes time and patience.

Conclusion

Improving egg quality and supporting fertility may seem overwhelming at first. But with the right diet, lifestyle changes, and supplements, you can make a big difference in your fertility health and egg quality. 

In this blog post, I discussed why three months is a necessary time to improve egg quality and support fertility. Diet and nutrition tips, supplement suggestions, and even some exercise and sleep tips were discussed. I also shared the benefits of acupuncture on improving egg quality. Finally, I talked about some common mistakes to avoid when trying to improve egg quality.

If you're trying to get pregnant or just want to make sure you have the best quality eggs possible, then following these tips can help. Keep in mind that improving egg quality takes time and patience, so be sure to be consistent and stick with it. If you would like more customized help in order to improve your egg quality with acupuncture or online consultations, be sure to schedule your free fertility discovery call. 

Dairy & Fertility: Getting to the Bottom of it

As a fertility acupuncturist, I constantly find myself researching and learning information regarding fertility. Luckily, even though there are varying opinions out there, in the natural medicine world of fertility there aren’t too many extreme conflicts of information - at least not in my experience. In regards to fertility, I knew it would be really important for me to be able to guide my patients on diet which is one thing that is more in their control than anything. So I wanted to address the one topic that continuously causes confusion for my patients, and that is dairy. Specifically milk products.

In Chinese medicine, dairy can cause phlegm which is why we suggest to keep it to a minimum. Dairy has also been an issue for certain people who cannot digest it properly. Yoghurt seems to be a lot more compatible with our digestion because it has healthy bacteria which is healthy for the gut.

In a book called The Fertility Diet, the authors share information that was retrieved from the most comprehensive study to date from the long-standing Nurses’ Health Study on how a certain foods can affect fertility. In this book they say that skim or reduced fat dairy can have adverse effects on fertility. On the other hand, full fat yoghurt or milk has shown to increase chances of conception. My understanding for the reason there are so many conflicting reports on this is that some milk products add hormones which are known to disrupt the endocrine system therefore causing fertility challenges. It can also be that people who have noted adverse responses due to reduced fat dairy, which has been shown to reduce the rates of fertility, associated it with dairy as a whole.

So according to these studies, if you are to have dairy make sure it’s whole and full fat. Fat is actually an important part of our diets and it is found to be a lot more beneficial than we have thought for the past several decades. Healthy fats are also listed as the foods necessary for improved conception in the The Fertility Diet.

As an Oriental Medicine practitioner, I look at the person’s individual constitution. If they have phlegm damp symptoms I would not recommend dairy. And if the person doesn’t have any symptoms of phlegm damp, is not lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy, I would suggest full fat organic yoghurt once a day if they are looking to get pregnant. This will give their bodies a needed serving of fat which is shown to increase fertility. I would also suggest to drop sugar which is another ingredient that is associated with poor fertility outcomes.

Image by Nikolai Chernichenko