09 April 2015

Get the Basics Right First


The number of couples experiencing fertility problems is increasing exponentially. The reason for this increase in fertility problems is directly related to certain lifestyle changes that have taken place in the last 30 years. These lifestyle issues include an increased incidence of time urgency perfectionism (TUP) stress, poor dietary habits and poor nutrition. Smoking and excessive alcohol have been shown to reduce infertility. Getting these lifestyle basics right will not only improve your fertility health but also your general health.

Medfem Fertility Clinic offers world class advanced fertility treatments including laparoscopic fertility surgery and assisted reproduction including artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation, intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection, assisted hatching and pre-genetic embryo biopsy. However our philosophy at Medfem Fertility Clinic is to achieve a pregnancy as naturally as possible. This can be achieved by the infertile couple taking charge of their lifestyles. By improving your lifestyle you will go a long way to improving your fertility. Let’s look at factors which can influence the health of eggs and sperm. Some factors can be modified by changing behaviours; others can’t.

Maximising egg and sperm quality is based on maximising your overall health. The most important factors include diet, environmental influences, hormonal issues and stress. Before ovulation, an egg’s cycle is around 90 days and sperms around 72 days, during which time the quality of the eggs or sperm can be affected by different aspects, such as nutrition, oxygenation, proper blood circulation, the balance of the hormones, the mood of the woman or man, and stress. Leading a healthy lifestyle, reducing stress, and keeping a healthy weight are things you can do to try and improve your fertility.

Exercise: Many chronic health conditions are linked to a sedentary lifestyle. Low impact exercise can be very beneficial by encouraging blood flow, increasing nutrient absorption and restoring the blood vessels. Avoid high impact exercise which can damage cells rather than increasing their vitality.
Diet: Nutrition is important and you should pay attention to what you eat. Follow a healthy and nutritive diet to keep your body healthy and energetic. Stay away from bad foods like caffeine, sugar and alcohol. Lean meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, oils, whole grains, nuts and seeds are abundant with vitamin rich nutrients. Avoid processed foods because they do not provide you with all the nutrients whole foods contain.

Drink plenty of water: Good oxygenation and blood circulation are necessary to grow healthy eggs. Adequate hydration will stimulate circulation and in turn lead to improved uterine health.

Supplements: Certain supplements are known to have a very positive effect on fertility health. The supplements we suggest are StaminoGro and Comega Vite.

Environmental Influences: Your environment can affect your health and in turn your fertility. Where possible try to:

  • Quit smoking
  • Avoid second hand smoke
  • Reduce stress
  • Eat natural foods
  • Purify your drinking water

Stress: Stress can prevent ovulation so try and relax as much as possible. Constant stress depletes the body’s resources and if the body lacks resources then egg production is likely to become inefficient.

For more information on how to improve your lifestyle visit http://www.medfem.co.za/how-can-you-prepare
 

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