10 Awesome Natural Fertility Boosters

There’s nothing quite as exciting as trying for a baby! You can’t wait to share the exciting news with your partner, lovingly pat your growing baby bump and finally meet that beautiful new addition to your family

But sometimes things don’t happen quite as fast as you’d like. Yet you don’t want to resort to expensive or invasive medical treatments just yet; you’d prefer to naturally support your body to rediscover its own natural balance whilst boosting your fertility at the same time.

The great news is there are many natural fertility boosters that have been proven to have a positive effect upon your chances of conceiving. Here are my top ten:

1. Overcome Stress

Stress is one of the leading causes of infertility in both men and women. It places a huge strain upon your body, disrupts your natural hormonal balance and signals to your body that the time is not right to fall pregnant. And when we are stressed, our libido often vanishes and there can seem a million things we’d rather do than have sex.

So if you really want to conceive, it’s time to explore better ways to dealing with your stress. Why not try journaling, yoga, meditation, hypnotherapy or spending time with the people who really matter to you.

2. Quit Pre-Packaged Junk Foods

If you’re eating something straight out of a packet, you’re highly unlikely to be getting the nutrients your body needs to conceive and carry a child. Even if your microwavable lasagne is packed full of beetroot and kale goodness, it will lose the majority of its vitamin and mineral content before you hear that ‘ping’ and toss it onto your plate.

Instead, opt for wholesome ‘real’ foods that you can use to create mouth-watering dishes for yourself. If your grandmother wouldn’t recognise it as food, then neither should you.

3. Eat More Fat (And Quit Low-Fat Dairy)

We’ve been fooled into thinking that it’s healthier to go for the low-fat dairy options when the opposite is actually true. Without adequate levels of dietary fat, our bodies simply can’t produce those essential hormones effectively and so we are far more likely to struggle to conceive and carry a child. Essential fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D and E are also lost thanks to modern processing techniques which also leave us more vulnerable to infertility, nutritional deficiencies, chronic stress and depression.

So for the sake of your hormones and your future family, increase your healthy fats such as coconuts and coconut oil, olives and olive oil, butter, grass-fed meats, eggs, avocado and nuts, and ditch that low-fat fake dairy.

4. Clean Up Your Lifestyle

If you only do one thing to improve your chances of falling pregnant, make sure you cut down on your smoking and drinking.

Both of these habits have been proven to significantly reduce your fertility and lower your chances of falling pregnant. In fact, for each and every cigarette you smoke or alcoholic beverage you drink, you decrease your chances of success. Both cigarettes and alcohol contain toxic chemicals which reduce sperm quality, increase your chances of miscarriage, harm your unborn child, and cause you to reach the menopause earlier than you naturally should.

5. Get To Know Your Cycle

Many women believe that it’s possible to fall pregnant at any time of the month, and then wonder why it’s just not happening. But the truth is, you can only fall pregnant in the handful of days surrounding ovulation, so if you want to maximise your chances, it’s essential that you find out when this is happening for you.

Each woman ovulates on a different day during their cycle, so you will need to do your homework to discover your own unique ovulation rhythm. Then just time your attempts to conceive around the time you ovulate and you will fall pregnant more easily.

6. Give Omega-3 Fish Oils A Try

Studies have demonstrated that infertile men and women have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their bodies, and run a greater risk of premature delivery and birth complication.

It’s clearly very worthwhile investing in a supplement or upping your consumption of oily fish, soy beans, milk, eggs, nuts and seeds. In supplement form, aim for 1000mg per day.

This nutrient will help normalise your cycle, balance your hormones, improve blood supply to your uterus and also ensure the healthy cognitive development of your unborn baby.

7. Get More Sleep

When you don’t sleep properly, your body simply doesn’t work properly. You find yourself unable cope with stress, your blood-sugar levels fluctuate wildly and you start feeling exhausted and low, instead of happy and healthy.

Studies have also shown what happens to your hormones when you aren’t sleeping enough- the drop in serotonin and melatonin shortens your luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period) which lowers your chances of conceiving.

Make it your priority to get to bed on time, aiming for 8-10 hours of sleep per night.

8. Explore Herbal Remedies

Herbal remedies have been used as fertility aids across the globe for thousands of years, and continue to help women of all ages to conceive. Here are my top five:

Agnus Castus/Vitex/Chaste Tree Berry

If you’re struggling with a short luteal phase, I’d highly recommend that you try this hormone-balancing herb. It works by raising that essential pregnancy hormone, progesterone, lowering prolactin and lengthening your luteal phase.

Red Raspberry Leaf

This is probably the best-known of all the fertility aids, and is usually taken as a tea, or a capsule. It works well to ensure the health of your uterus and is high in nutrients including calcium.

Maca

Maca is a potent herb packed full of nutrients, phytonutrients and is a proven way to support your entire endocrine system. This makes it perfect for overcoming infertility or other hormonal imbalances that can make conception more difficult. For best results, take it for the days between your period and ovulation and then discontinue after ovulation. Be sure to contact a qualified herbalist before taking.

Red Clover

Red Clover works on many levels to promote fertility in the female body.

Firstly, it is packed full of vitamins and minerals which help support whole-body health. Secondly, it contains high levels of isoflavones and phytoestrogens which help rebalance your hormones. And thirdly, it can also help to thin your cervical mucus and increase your blood flow to your uterus which ups your chances of getting pregnant.

Nettle Leaf

Green leafy veggies are amazing for fertility, especially nettle leaf. This often-forgotten nutritional hero is high in chlorophyll and minerals which nourish your adrenal glands and help overcome stress. It also contains high levels of vitamin K which strengthen the uterus, help prevent haemorrhage and provide excellent levels of the vitamin to your baby. You can take it as a capsule, or even drink it as a refreshing tea.

9. Invest In A Vitamin & Mineral Supplement

There are certain vitamins and minerals which are essential for your hormonal health and can often make the difference between conception or failure. Even if you’re very conscious of eating right, you could still have small gaps in your nutrition which you absolutely must fill.

For best results, invest in a high-quality multivitamin, mineral and phytonutrient complex which contains:

• Selenium: to create a healthy environment for the egg to develop and increase sperm production.
• Zinc: to ensure proper cell division and healthy sperm.
• Vitamin C: for high sperm quality and regular ovulation.
• Folate (folic acid): to protect against birth defects and miscarriage.
• Coenzyme Q10: to reduce the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in your eggs and help improve sperm mobility.

10. Try Acupuncture

According to studies at Tel Aviv University, acupuncture can significantly increase your chances of conceiving, whether naturally or with the help of IVF. It helps by addressing any hormonal issues you might be suffering from such as hyper- or hypo-thyroid and helps your body find a new energetic balance.

For best results, try acupuncture at least six weeks before you try to conceive (or undergo embryo transfer), and in the first week of your cycle.

You can improve your chances of falling pregnant in the most natural way possible, without turning to expensive drugs or invasive treatments, and improving your overall health and happiness at the same time.

Give your diet a makeover, clean up your lifestyle, take steps to reduce your stress, experiment with herbal and nutritional supplement and try alternative therapies to give yourself a head-start when it comes to conception.

Which of these will help you get pregnant?

Note: you should always check with your healthcare professional before taking any herbal supplements.