“Reproductive wellness” as a term can feel elusive. The internet is full of articles claiming to know exactly how to maximize your fertility, down to the tiniest detail of what you eat or what activities you should or shouldn’t do. Over our decades of experience, we’ve learned that each patient’s fertility journey is unique, and there are no one-size-fits-all universal solutions. However, we do have some broad guidelines that are a great starting point for anyone looking to improve their reproductive health.
1. Make Balanced Nutrition Choices
We’ve all heard of magic fertility diets that claim to increase pregnancy rates immediately. In truth, no one particular diet plan or food group guarantees increased fertility. However, overall healthy food choices can improve general health, which supports reproductive wellness. Some beneficial nutrition steps include:
- Choosing organic fruits and vegetables where possible
- Favoring non-processed foods over processed
- Limiting alcohol and caffeine intake
Moderation is key – but that includes moderation around moderation! Restrictive guidelines around food can cause stress and lead to unhealthy behaviors. Remember that you can aim for healthy habits overall while still enjoying an occasional dessert or treat.
2. Find Joyful Ways to Move Your Body
Regular physical activity and movement benefit physical, mental, and reproductive wellness. As with nutrition, the “perfect” fertility exercise routine doesn’t exist. Instead, find physical activities that you enjoy and can fit regularly into your life. For example, you could take a dance class, go on long walks with friends, join a climbing gym or kickboxing class – anything that gets you moving and brings you enjoyment.
3. Aim for 7-8 Hours of Restful Sleep Each Night
It’s easy to let rest fall by the wayside, but sleep directly contributes to overall and reproductive wellness. In fact, getting enough sleep helps balance hormones, regulate energy levels, and allows your body and brain to recover each day. Some tips to improve sleep include:
- Limiting alcohol or heavy meals at night
- Avoiding caffeine in the afternoons and evenings
- Reducing or avoiding screen time an hour or two before bed
- Participating in daily exercise
- Creating a quiet and restful environment in your bedroom
- Going to sleep and waking up at consistent times each day
4. Maintain and Care for Your Mental and Emotional Health
Reproductive wellness doesn’t stop with physical health: emotional and mental wellbeing also play a large role. Navigating fertility can be challenging, especially for the 1 in 8 couples who experience infertility. It’s important to create intentional space and time for rest, relaxation, and recharging. Not only does this directly benefit your overall health, it also helps you stay positive and motivated along your family building journey.
5. Reduce Exposure to Environmental Toxins that Harm Reproductive Wellness
Many common household products contain harmful chemicals that interfere with hormonal balance and reproductive wellness. These endocrine disruptors include phthalates, parabens, and bisphenol A, which can appear in cleaning products, cosmetics, plastic items, and more. Reducing your exposure to endocrine disruptors can increase your overall reproductive health. Dr. Lora Shahine has written extensively about environmental toxins and how to avoid them – explore her resources here.
Reproductive Wellness Goes Hand in Hand with Overall Wellness
It’s easy to think of reproductive wellness as its own, separate category. But our bodies’ systems communicate with and affect each other in millions of unique ways. Physical, mental, and emotional health all help regulate and strengthen reproductive health. While each patient’s fertility journey is unique, supporting your body, mind, and spirit provides a strong foundation for your reproductive treatment plan. To get started, contact us today.
