What is that sound? That ticking sound? Is it an old heirloom? In a way, it is. That’s the sound of our biological clock, it really does feel like it’s moving faster than a normal clock.
As a chiropractor, I’ve demonstrated to my patients that pain and systemic dysfunction within the body have natural, non-invasive, effective solutions at a fraction of the cost. Fertility is no different.
Infertility By the Numbers
- 10-15% of couples in the US are infertile
- 7.5 million women aged 15-44 experience infertility (15 seems young, but these results are from the CDC so I’m just going to let it go)
- 6.9 million women have used infertility services
- 1 in 5 women have their first child after 35, making age a growing cause of fertility issues
- 1 in 4 infertile couples have more than one factor contributing to their infertility
- In 40% of infertile couples, the man is either the sole cause or contributing cause of infertility.
- 13% of female infertility is caused by 🚬
- 25% of infertility issues are the result of irregular or abnormal ovulation
Infertility is a difficult condition to deal with. It can be frustrating and isolating to not have the ability to bear children, especially for women who are used to being able to control their bodies. Fertility treatments can be emotionally and physically exhausting, not to mention insanely expensive. Here are some of the most successful natural fertility treatments that can help couples to conceive without time-consuming, invasive, and expensive infertility treatments.
Natural Ways to Boost Fertility
1. Decrease Stress
We continually underestimate the impact of stress on our health, that’s why I’m putting this at the top of the list. Decreasing stress levels is critical for our overall health, particularly if someone is trying to conceive.
Stress – whether it be physical, emotional, or chemical – puts the body in a state of “fight or flight”. This diverts all our energy from things like proper hormone regulation, digestion, and self-healing, to protect us from a perceived threat – whether that’s a bear or Karen, our cubicle mate at work.
We need to be constantly evaluating, but especially when trying to conceive, what is causing our stress and the best ways to eliminate or cope with it. Our body can’t function properly when it’s in a constant state of stress, it degrades all major body systems and makes us inhospitable to new life.
2. Eating a Healing Diet
Improving our diet is on a lot of lists like these because the food that we eat is the fuel for our body to do the incredible things that it does. If a car needs premium gas, but some poor sap puts in diesel, they’re not going to make it very far down the road.
It probably won’t be that dramatic, but it won’t be good.
- Organic foods: pesticides can throw off the healthy hormone levels needed to conceive
- Wild-caught fish: Omega-3s reduce inflammation which is great for fertilization, they also regulate ovulation and improve the quality of eggs. Just keep an eye out for fish high in mercury.
- Vitamin E-rich foods: Vitamin E is critical for proper hormone function and regulation, and pregnancy involves a whole lot of hormones.
- Vitamin C-rich foods: Vitamin C triggers ovulation! It also increases a man’s sperm count. Grapefruit, kiwi, guava, red peppers, and kale are great sources of Vitamin C which helps the body absorb iron, a nutrient that many pregnant women find themselves deficient in.
- Food rich in folate: Green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and beans all produce folate which is a building block for new cell growth and prevents birth defects.
- Broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts: Best practice is to steam these bad boys to help the liver metabolize estrogen.
- Pumpkin seeds: Helps the boys produce zinc which they need for their role in the process.
- 🚫High-fat processed meats: increase inflammation
- 🚫Grains: increase cortisol and estrogen
- 🚫Refined sugar: reduces immune function and leads to obesity
- 🚫Caffeine: dehydrates, causes hormonal imbalances, makes normal people briefly unbearable
- 🚫Drugs: make ovulation more difficult
- 🚫Alcohol: The elixir of life, but I guess it also increases inflammation and increases the chances of infertility or something
3. Fertility-Promoting Supplements
- Evening Primrose Oil: This oil contains high levels of an essential fatty acid that strengthens uterine function.
- Vitex (Chasteberry): With a name like Chasteberry it sounds a little unhelpful in a discussion about improving fertility, but this supplement helps balance estrogen and progesterone while stimulating the ovaries.
- Vitamin C: Helps the boys with healthy sperm production.
- B-Complex: Useful in estrogen metabolism.
- Vitamin E: Helps with hormone balance.
- Progesterone Cream: when it’s applied topically, it is another aid in balancing and regulating hormone levels.
4. Get More Sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average woman between the ages of 30-60 gets, an incredibly specific, six hours and 41 minutes of sleep.
Sleep, or the lack thereof, is important for a few reasons when trying to get pregnant.
- It has a strong impact on our body’s hormonal system
- It can disrupt normal ovulation cycles
- It raises stress levels (making us inhospitable for new life…and life partners)
The goal is eight hours of sleep or more. Sleep is a problem for most human beings, especially in today’s world, so be intentional about making sleep a priority. Try natural sleep aids, digital sunsets, and reading early 18th-century poetry.
5. Exercise
Hormones are the key player in pregnancy, so why not do the thing that is known for having an immediate effect on hormones.
Serotonin and endorphins, our favorite hormones, are released after exercise. They improve our mood, decrease our stress levels, improve our quality of sleep, and increase sexual appetite, everything on the Trying To Get Pregnant checklist. Hormones play a role in every aspect of conception so it makes sense that we would do everything we can to keep them happy.
We’re aiming for moderate activity that is focused on weight training. Going too hard or not hard enough and focusing on long-distance cardio actually has negative effects on fertility.
6. Essential Oils
For Ladies: Roman Chamomile, Thyme, and Ylang Ylang
For Gentlemen: Sandalwood and Thyme
7. Chiropractic Care
This really should be #1, but I put it last because it makes all the other things on this list easier. Chiropractic adjustments reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and improve physical function making exercise painless and enjoyable.
A chiropractor might not be the first person to think of when trying to become pregnant, but they should be. Chiropractic care is devoted to complete body wellness, not just treating a symptom with drugs or surgery until it comes back. Chiropractic treatments are about preventative care, creating a body that functions so well it is resistant to illness and injury.
Our bodies are marvelous creations capable of miraculous tasks like conceiving, birthing, and raising new life. Not to mention healing, complex thought, and this:
As the Master Control System of the body, charged with enhancing the body’s ability to function properly, the nervous system is responsible for making all of these miracles happen. In many cases, fertility may be related to improper nervous system function as well as poor nutrition, high stress, or bad lifestyle habits, all of which, coincidentally, can impair the nervous system. Weird how it always comes back to the nervous system.
Certain neurological signals being blocked due to subluxation – spinal misalignments – has a significant impact on the ability of hormone-producing glands, vital to a healthy reproductive system, to function properly. Chiropractors are champions of the nervous system, specialized in reducing interference to enhance the body’s functions. Call us or schedule a time to talk with one of our amazing doctors and let’s figure out how we can make the dream of becoming a parent come true. We haven’t given up yet, and neither should you.
