If you’ve been having unprotected sex for 12 months or longer without conceiving, it might be time to consider some alternative methods to help improve your chances of conceiving. There’s loads of information on the internet regarding natural treatments that can help you get pregnant, but which ones have actually been shown to work?
Here are a few simple health and wellbeing tricks and tips that can actually help protect and promote your fertility…
1. Relaxation techniques
Along with hypnosis, meditation, yoga and talk therapy can help relieve stress. Stress has been said to interfere with fertility, so any kind of stress-busting activity should help you set you on the baby-making track.
2. Support hormone balance
Hormonal balance is integral to your baby-making journey. Hormonal imbalance is a common cause of infertility, so paying attention to your body and looking after it properly is essential while you’re trying for a baby.
You can control your hormonal balance by eating healthily, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. If you don’t get the right nutrients from healthy, whole foods or if you’re not getting enough shuteye at night, then your cycle, as well as ovulation, can get thrown off.
3. Chiropractic
Some research has indicated that chiropractic – a kind of manual therapy that treats disorders of the bones, muscles and joints – may help to boost fertility naturally. The principle is that the nerves to the reproductive system run through the spine, so if those nerves are misaligned then manipulating the spine may help improve hormonal balance and improve the chances of getting pregnant.
4. Healthy foods
Foods that are thought to help naturally boost your fertility include:
Organic goods
Wild-caught fish – Omega-3s can help reduce inflammation which can promote fertilisation and implantation. Research has also shown than a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids can help regulate ovulation.
Vitamin-C rich foods – citrus fruits, guava, red pepper and kale are good sources of Vitamin C.
Folate-rich foods – most women who are trying for a baby are encouraged to take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid to ensure they get the recommended 400-800 micrograms daily. Foods that are naturally high in folate include leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and wheat germ.
Pumpkin seeds – for men, pumpkin seeds provide a source of zinc – an essential nutrient for reproduction.
5. Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves inserting tiny needles into specific points in the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture improves blood flow to promote a state of balance in the body. So where fertility is concerned, acupuncture may help to stimulate hormones, regulate ovulation and decrease stress levels. You can read more about the relationship between fertility and acupuncture here.
Before trying out any natural remedies or therapies you should seek advice from your GP to double check they’re safe. And to find out what alternative therapies are safe during pregnancy, play our quiz!
