2024 is here! Every year, the new year brings an opportunity to visualize your hopes and dreams through a fresh perspective. If pregnancy is top of your list, you may be interested in incorporating some lifestyle changes that support fertility into your routine. We know there is a ton of information out there, so if you’re wondering where to start, we’ve got your back! In this blog, some fertility experts are sharing their recommended lifestyle tips for boosting fertility – from making healthy food choices to staying active and prioritizing your well-being. Which will you try this year?

Tip #1: Diversify Your Diet

“As a fertility specialist, my top piece of advice for couples trying to conceive this year would be to avoid inflammatory foods and lifestyle choices. This would include ultra-processed foods, added sugars, synthetic ingredients, and excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption, all of which can deplete the body of vital nutrients needed for conception. Having high levels of any of the above in the diet can impact the quality of both egg and sperm health and can be detrimental to overall fertility. Instead, try to increase consumption of whole foods, which include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, pulses, and legumes.  

In general, focus on diversifying the diet with plenty of different types of plant-based foods per week. This will ensure you are getting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber which all promote optimal fertility and increase the chances of conception. Instead of rotating the same food choices in your weekly shop, try something new and where possible buy seasonal produce, which will be higher in nutrient value. Local farm shops and fruit and vegetable delivery boxes are great places to shop if you need some inspiration.” – Gail Da Silva Madalena, Fertility Specialist at The Natural Balance 

Tip #2: Carve Time Out for Physical Activity

“Exercise is an important part of maintaining physical and emotional health. However, when it comes to TTC, over-exercising can actually be detrimental to your fertility. I recommend implementing the following three activities into your daily routine to support ferility and keep your body in the movement:

 

  • Yoga – Any kind of yoga is excellent for fertility, whether it’s a virtual or in-person class. For quick practice at home, try running a Google search for fertility-enhancing yoga sequences.
  • Light Weight Lifting – Strength training can be a great way to boost fertility. If you’re unsure where to begin, recruit a gym buddy and try to have some fun with it.
  • Walking – This activity is my ultimate favorite, and it’s so easy to do anywhere!” – Priscilla Goddard, Fertility Practitioner at Heirloom Fertility

Tip #3: Prioritize your Mindset

“Another important piece of advice would be to take some time to try and prioritize your mindset daily. Trying for a baby can take its toll on you both mentally and physically. Chronic levels of stress can be one of the most detrimental factors to fertility for both men and women, so now is the time to learn some new techniques to get this under control. Mindfulness looks different to everyone, so it’s about finding something that works for you and most importantly finding something you can implement into your day-to-day life. A few options include reading, listening to music, walks in nature, breath work, meditation, yoga, massage, acupuncture or just having a relaxing bath at the end of a long day. Whatever helps you to switch off and calm down will invariably help improve the odds of getting pregnant faster.” – Gail Da Silva Madalena, Fertility Specialist at The Natural Balance 

Bring On The New!

Whether you decide to try one or try them all, we hope these tips are helpful as you begin or continue in your journey to conceive. Whatever you choose, do your best to have some fun with it and document your experience along the way. On behalf of the team at OvuSense, we’re sending you lots of baby dust in 2024!