Holistic Advice to Boost both Female and Male Fertility

Practicalities and holistic advice to boost fertility.

Another informative article from: Kirsty Hawthorn, Midwife and holistic therapist for YOU Massage Southampton

   More than 90% of male infertility cases are due to low sperm counts, poor sperm quality, or both. As a midwife and holistic therapist I see couples pre conception to create holistic planning for a change in lifestyle to promote optimal fertility. Pre conception is the best time to start making changes.

   Working on reproductive health for men, women and as a couple cannot be understated for a healthy, happy journey into pregnancy, birth, parenthood and indeed into the older years.

  Ways in which to boost fertility are generally the same for men and women, so if you are thinking about getting pregnant now or planning for the future here are some top tips for lifestyle changes that you can start to implement now:

Boost your chances of conception together with these Holistic lifestyle changes….

1. Exercise regularly to reach and maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) which is essential for healthy egg, sperm and metabolism.

• Look at walking, swimming and yoga if you have never done exercise before.
• If you do regular exercise take a look at where you could achieve more balance. For example if you do high intensity training or insanity regularly look at calming it down a notch and substitute one session a week for a yoga or pilates class See here

 2. Eliminate toxins– this means all types; smoking, alcohol, drugs (recreational and prescription- talk to your GP about medication you are on in terms of fertility and pregnancy), high meat intake (especially red meat), junk food and caffeine.

• Eat lots of plant based foods and have your main fluid intake be water.

 3. Have any underlying medical conditions addressed asap.

• Make treating sexually transmitted diseases a priority.

 4. Look at your work/life balance– is your work high in stress? What do you do to relax? Are you able to rest?

• Relaxation is a crucial aspect and one which I find is linked to toxins consumed and the fight / flight activation of the modern world – one affects the other.
• Objectively look at your lifestyle- including the socially ‘acceptable’ aspects of work.
• Can you and do you say ‘no’ often enough? Self care is so important.

 5. Schedule in a massage regularly or similar treatment for yourself. Give yourself permission to take this space for you.

• Look after your holistic health, read my previous blog post here which outlines the therapies which are best suited to promoting fertility.

 6. Eliminate toxic people from your life and assess the stability of your relationships.

• Focus on positive relationships; the people who enhance your being, not those who drain you.
• Clear up any underlying issues in your relationship.

 7. Look at the logistics of having a baby; finances, living situation and the practicalities of social support.

 8. Take a good pre–conception (women / male) multivitamindaily.

• Viridian and Solgar are two very good brands.

 9. Bring meditation and yoga into a daily practice – even ten minutes a day to start you off.

• Download the app Headspace for an introduction to meditation.
• Click to Book a Yoga class at YOU Massage Southampton

 10. Laugh and play as often as you can.

• Find what makes your soul happy together– and go do it.

    If you take the time to start implementing these aspects you will be well on your way to creating an optimal environment for fertility. You will probably need help in one or two areas so don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed – easy does it, but do get started!

     For an appointment to look at a holistic plan for yourself and your partner contact Kirsty at YOU Massage here

 Specific areas of focus for men’s reproductive health are:

1 Stop smoking /alcohol/drugs.

2. Reduce caffeine / junk food.

3. Regular exercise:

• A balance of stress and relaxation, maybe running with swimming, yoga or pilates

4.  Sperm is produced in the testicles which are outside of the body for a reason- so keep them cool and avoid excessive heat (eg – long hours at work sitting down- walk around every now and then).

     And last but not least- focus on nurturing your relationship, not adding stress. Try not to let fertility and conception be the main focus.  I see time and time again how the anxiety of this kills the passion and adds strain to even the strongest of  relationships – remember what’s important to you both as a couple.

     After all life is here for living so be healthy, be well, and have fun trying!