A 3 Step Approach to Boosting Fertility in Men and Women

Name one thing that everyone wants to talk about, but no one wants to talk about. If you said "sex" you nailed it (pun intended... in fact, all puns from here on out -- totally intended). Now, we won't be getting into the nitty gritty of baby-making, but we will be talking about 3 big steps towards making you fertile. Also, ahem... MAN FRIENDS: I don't care how you jacked you are, where you got your MBA, or how sensual your hipster beard is -- 50% of the fertility burden lands on you. Mostly, because you're required to make half of the baby, and also because the world wide sperm count has dropped by 30% over the past 10 years. Guy or gal, take these 3 leaps; not only for fertility, but for general wellness and a higher quality life!

The truth is, making a baby is getting more difficult by the day because our world and cultures are changing. Our soil is robbed of nutrients by relatively new farming practices, which means we get less out of our food. The food we eat today is not the food of our grandparents, and (unless you're growing organic in your back yard) has less nutrition and more chemicals. We're swimming in a toxic soup when we consider the amount of chemical exposure from pesticides, cosmetics, medications, deodorants, shampoos, and more. The key is that men need to be healthy so they can deliver rockstar sperm with healthy DNA to their super hot crush... the egg. Men make new sperm every 74 days, so any improvements in diet and lifestyle will have an effect on fertility ASAP. And ladies need to take a few steps to successfully do the most amazing mind blowing super power: growing an entire human.

3 Natural Ways to Boost Fertility for Men and Women

1. ADD MORE GOOD

Ideally, we’d be able to get all of our nutrients from the food we eat. That’s always best, but even on some of the healthiest diets you’ll have trouble getting the nutrients needed to combat infertility.

Guys: Vitamin E keeps your sperm alive. B vitamins keep your sperm from mutating. Zinc boosts your testosterone and sperm count. Omega 3's stimulate blood flow to your favorite part of your body. So getting a high quality multivitamin, and fish oil are going to help you hit it out of the park. 

Girls: You need a prenatal that's as high quality and nurturing as you are. Try one with plenty of Calcium, and Vitamin D (your new human needs those to grow bones), as well as Omega 3's which are crucial for brain development and keeping inflammation at bay. You'll need plenty of B vitamins, which are CRUCIAL for building a babe (they prevent birth defects and help with morning sickness). However, we need them in the best forms.

Here’s the thing about B vitamins I wish everyone knew:

• B9 (folate) is often given in the form of Folic Acid. However, 50% of the population has a genetic mutation called MTHFR which means they can’t metabolize Folic Acid. We've talked about this before (like a lot), but it’s hard to know what your genes can handle unless you get tested. So to be safe, make sure you’re taking the methyl-folate form of B9 which is user-friendly in both cases, and for both genders.
• B12 commonly exists in 2 forms: cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin. Be sure to take the methylcobalamin form, because the other is synthetic and hard for the body to deal with. Think cyano… cyanide… cyanide is poisonous… that might help you remember which one you need!

It is CRUCIAL to go into child bearing with your nutrient storage full, because I hate to tell you this... a small tiny alien is going to steal all of your nutrients from your insides... for about 10 months, and longer if you breast feed. 

2. LIMIT THE BAD

Did you know we live in a toxic soup? I don’t mean to scare you, but unless you’ve done some legitimate leg work to replace common household items you could be exposed to endocrine disrupters. These hormone manipulators can have a negative effect on the fertility of men and women, so do your best to limit the following:

• BPA: often in plastic cups & containers. Try subbing out for glass and stainless steel options. Plastic especially may be slaying sperm left and right. 
• Paraben & Phthalates: common in cosmetics, soaps, hairsprays, etc. Look for natural options without them. I often buy my body products at health food stores instead of salons for this reason. GIRLS - switch your makeup to something less toxic like Beauty Counter (tint skin is your new best friend) or W3ll People (a great mascara). BROS - get rid of your aluminum filled deodorant. You're no longer in a high school locker room and no woman likes the smell of axe body spray. Try these natural options instead, or find my personal favorite here (I smelled it and immediately thought, "oh this is what men smell like").
• Organophosphates: found in herbicides, and pesticides. This is why eating organic when you can is important. Your body has to spend energy to fight these toxins, when it should be using that energy to make you stronger and smarter. Don’t make your body work overtime to combat things you could avoid.

3. GET YOUR EMOTIONS IN CHECK

Man or woman, stress can interfere with our hormones. And making a child requires a delicate hormonal balance. Working 80 hours a week, or swimming in a soup of depression and anxiety might not make for a pleasant internal environment. Cortisol and adrenaline associated with stress and anxiety can degrade sperm, suppress ovulation, and interfere with critical hormones for pregnancy. Moms and babies are in tune emotionally right from the start. After all, you’ve been carrying your eggs even since YOU were in the womb. That’s right, your mom carried her grandchildren in her own womb for a bit, how crazy is that?! Do your best to stabilize your emotional environment, and find stress solutions before you camp out in baby land. After all, you don't thrive in a world of emotional train wrecks, why would your offspring?

THE BOTTOM LINE

A healthier you is important no matter what stage of life you’re in. Nutrition is your friend. It gives your body the building blocks to make energy, and sustain life (and life x2!). It’s best to use that energy more for efficient processes and less for fighting toxins. So eat clean and be aware of what you put in, on, and around your body. Do your best (you don’t have to be perfect) to cope with stress and negative emotions in a healthy way. Take comfort in knowing that you can take leaps and bounds to improve the next generation.

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