Practical Tips to Increase Fertility

Infertility is an issue that causes much distress in couples who want very much to conceive a child.  While it is often considered a woman’s issue, it is important for the man in a relationship to have his sperm examined to look for abnormalities as well.

In addition to the recommendations given in the article below, it is also advisable from a food therapy perspective to eat nuts, seeds and fish.  In this day and age one has to be somewhat careful with fish consumption because of the metal content present, especially in predatory fish.

About 10% to 15% of couples are infertile.  Some people still think of fertility as a “woman’s problem” but about half of these couples will discover fertility problems are also related to men.

Male Infertility can be the result of many causes such as low sperm count, the complete absence of sperm or abnormal sperm shape.  There is also the case where although alive, sperm may be completely immobile due to lack of movement or they may be lifeless.  Infertility can also relate to physical problems, an unhealthy diet, obesity, increased age (over 40), illnesses, injuries, chronic health issues, smoking and excessive drinking.  Some medications and lifestyle or environmental factors can also play a role in causing male infertility.

Not being able to conceive a child can be stressful and frustrating, but there are treatments available.  Men who live a healthy lifestyle are more likely to produce healthy sperm.

I’d like to share some tips to increase fertility:

-Include antioxidants, especially zinc in the diet (boosts sperm levels, function and quality)
-Stay away from high amounts of soy (lowers sperm count)
-Maintain appropriate weight (over/underweight leads to hormonal problems)
-Stop smoking (smoking significantly decreases both sperm count and sperm cell motility)
-Avoid anabolic steroid and recreational drug use (which can cause the testicles to shrink and sperm production to decrease)
-Protect against chemical exposure (which may contribute to low sperm counts permanently)
-Limit alcohol use (increased alcohol abuse lowers sperm counts, decreases normal sperm shape and sperm motility worsens)

Article by: Andrew Gaeddert, President of Health Concerns