Lifestyle Choices & Fertility

Remember the three "E"s

Lifestyle and fertility are closely linked. Control what's within your control: a healthy routine is a combination of eating well, moving regularly, and doing things you enjoy that keep stress manageable.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Please speak to your doctor about your own situation.

Eat well

• Cook from scratch where you can, and limit fast food
• Know roughly what your daily calorie needs are, and eat to them
• Know which foods supply the micronutrients that matter here — vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and zinc

Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. Vitamins C and E and zinc contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity.

Exercise

• Around 30 minutes of walking a day, or 6.000 steps
• A watch or fitness tracker makes it easier to see whether you're actually hitting that
• Moderate and regular beats occasional and intense

Enjoy, responsibly

• Keep stress manageable — trying to conceive is stressful in itself, so having something that reliably lowers your baseline matters
• Limit alcohol
• Don't smoke
• Avoid environmental pollutants where you can
• Avoid prolonged heat exposure, including heated car seats

Timing

Cycle timing matters as much as anything on this list. Ovulation tests are inexpensive and take the guesswork out of which days in the month are worth focusing on.

Give it time

Sperm development takes roughly 74 days from start to finish, and micronutrient status builds over months rather than weeks. Changes made today show up in about three months, not next week.

If you have been trying for a year without success — or six months if you are over 35 — that is the point at which most European guidance suggests seeking assessment.

This article provides general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.