Everything Pregnant

Increasing Low Sperm Count

A healthy male fertility diet should include the following nutrients:

 

Zinc 

... improves the form, function and quality of male sperm and greatly shoot up sperm count. Try to consume zinc in its raw forms if possible as it can be damaged during cooking.

Sources

... red meat, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, yogurt, turkey, green peas, oyster, shrimp.

Selenium

...is responsible for sperm making. It is essential to include it in your diet.

Sources

... fish such as cold, halibut, snapper, sardines and shrimp. Also found in liver and turkey.

CoQ10

...is responsible for sperm motility in semen.

Sources

...most seafood and organ meats. However, it is hard to obtain through natural diet. A supplement is recommended.

Vitamin E

... improves sperm health and motility in men. Antioxidant found in Vitamin E helps to protect sperm and egg DNA integrity.

Sources

... dark leafy green vegetables, almonds, olives, papaya, sunflower seeds, etc.

Vitamin C

... improves sperm quality motility. Protects sperm from DNA damage. Like zinc, try to consume Vitamin in its raw forms if possible as it can be damaged during cooking.

Sources

... fresh vegetables and fruits.

Folic Acid

... can boost sperm health.

Sources

... black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, brussel sprouts.

B12

... increases sperm count.

Sources

... clams, oysters, muscles, crab, lobster, beef, lamb, cheese and eggs, etc.

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Fertility Acupressure

Chinese has been practicing acupressure for thousands of years for medical treatment. The theory is that the human body is connected with a number of specific points which can channel energy throughout the body into specific point by applying light pressure. By channeling energy into particular points have long been practiced by Acupressure therapist in order to boost fertility.


In the post to follow, I will share a series of acupressure treatment that can be done at home by yourself. Be sure to check back!

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Boost your fertility by staying in the normal range

BMI chart for men and women

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Ways to boost your fertility naturally

• Keep those little men nice and cool. Sperms thrive in cooler temperature. The optimal sperm production temperature is between 35-36C, 1-2C below core body temperature. That is why they hang outside the body, not inside.

•  Go to the beach and soak up some sunshine whenever you can. The increase of vitamin D from soaking up the sun helps to boost his and her fertility. Vitamin D increases levels of sex hormones in female which helps to regulate menstruation. It also helps boosting sperm count.

• Dairy fat helps the ovaries to work well. Studies show that consuming at least one serving of full-fat dairy products a day can reduce infertility by up to 25%.

• Smoking cigarettes reduces sperm counts by 50% or more and causes 30% infertility rate in women. Cigarette smoking also prevents an embryo from implanting in the uterus. So, think before you smoke if you are trying to conceive.

• Get to know your body. Take notes of your period and work out when is ovulation when you are most fertile. Pay attention to your body changes during ovulation, your breast becomes more tender, you might get abdominal cramps and increased vaginal discharge.

• Have more fun and happy sex. Statistically, you have 15% chance of conceiving if you have sex once a week compare to 50% for couples having sex 3-4 times a week. Regular sex keeps healthy sperm production. Sperms quality declines as it retains in the body for more than three days.

• Understand your BMI. Women rely on regular menstruation cycle for successful conception. Body fat produces oestrogen which confuses our body's ovulation cycle. Stay within the normal range of BMI could increase your chances of conception by far. Being too thin also affects fertility. Fertilization is more likely to take place in a healthy environment than an under or overweight one.

• Insulin causes infertility. Watch what you eat, stay away from refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, rice, etc. 

• Increase your daily intake in omega-3. Omega-3 can be found in salmon, meat and milk that comes from pasture-fed animals, omega-3 enriched dairy products, soybeans, walnuts, flax, all sorts of beans, sustainable seafood but watch out for the mercury level, etc.

• Reduce your caffeine intake. Studies show that caffeine may reduce the the activity of the Fallopian tube muscles, which carry the eggs from the ovaries.

• Stay away from over-the-counter drugs. Paracetamol and ibuprofen may suppress prostaglandins, hormones that help release eggs into the Fallopian tube. Consult your GP before taking any drugs if you are trying to conceive.

• Keep your body hydrated at all time. Fluid, especially water strengthens your womb lining and maintains strong blood supply. A hydrated cervix is more sperm friendly than a dehydrated one which makes sperms sluggish. Water also helps sperm production. 

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Vitamin A

Vitamin A is an antioxidant that helps protect our body from disease by neutralizing bad radicals in our body. Amongst many benefits such as helping the functioning of our eyes, hair, teeth, gums and the metabolism of fat. It also helps supporting and balancing the reproductive system.

Vitamin A supports women's fertility by promoting better cervical fluid. It helps the body by producing more sperm friendly fluid and helps them live longer inside women's body in order to meet the egg successfully.

Vitamin E

Studies shown that Vitamin E can increase fertility when taken by both men and women regularly, in order to boost their fertility. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E can improve the egg quality of women as well as protecting sperm damage from the environment. Vitamin E can be found in eggs, avocado, dark green leafy vegetables and a variety of nuts.

Vitamin C

Studies shown that vitamin C deficiency is linked to infertility in men and women. Increasing your intake of vitamin C can help improve your odds of getting pregnant. Researchers found that antioxidant which can be found in Vitamin C can help improve men with poor sperm quality. A Vitamin C rich diet can help boost your fertility as well as preventing those winter cold and flu.

Vitamin K

• Vitamin K helps preventing miscarriages and can increase sperm quality and motility.
• Red cabbage contains large amount of vitamin K.
• Carrots and tomatoes can improve fertility in men by boosting sperm quality. Studies were done by researchers from Harvard University School of Public Health supported this theory. It is said that cartenoids, found in carrots and tomatoes, which the body turns into antioxidants helps maintaining healthy sperm.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D help our body create sex hormones. Sex hormone regulates ovulation and balances hormone. You can find Vitamin D from dairy, fatty fish and eggs. Vitamin D can also absorb Vitamin D by sitting out in the sun. I'm sure you all know that already!!

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Fertility Diet

Harvard researchers Jorge E. Chavarro, MD, and Walter C. Willett, MD, along with writer Patrick J. Skerrett, wrote that eating the right food could:

• improves ovulation and fertility
• offers a healthy start to a pregnancy
• is good for the heart, bones, and the rest of the body throughout pregnancy and beyond 

The above group of researchers from Harvard Medical School carried out a study over eight years involving over 18,000 women. With solid scientific data, they made the following key recommendations from The Fertility Diet:

• Avoiding trans-fats, the artery-clogging fats found in many commercial products and fast foods
• Eating more vegetable protein, like beans and nuts, and less animal protein
• Drinking a glass of whole milk or having a small dish of ice cream or full-fat yogurt every day; temporarily trading in skim milk and low or no-fat dairy products for their full-fat versions
• Getting into the "fertility zones" for weight, which is the range of BMIs from 20 to 24.

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Missionary position

You have probably heard that the missionary position and doggy style are in favour when it comes to conceiving successfully. Though there have not been scientific evidence supporting these claims. Common sense tells us that these positions allow deep penetration and are likely to place sperms right next to your cervix (the opening of your uterus).

Stay lying down afterward

Though there is no scientific proof to support its usefulness but if you have the time to do so, lying in bed with your partner is a nice way to relax your body after sex. Relaxation helps you to get pregnant, so, why not? Additionally, you could place a pillow under your hips while lying on your back to encourage sperms flow through your cervix, uterus and into the fallopian tubes.

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Getting started

Getting pregnant isn't always so simple. Throughout our teenage years and before settling down, we've spent our lives trying to prevent getting pregnant and tried everything in our power to stop the "unexpected" happening. Most women went on the contraceptive pills for years before trying to conceive. What are the side effects of these contraceptive methods? How are we "girls" suppose to prepare our bodies, for one of the biggest and most important task of continuing the human race?

Fun and happy sex

Understanding your monthly cycle is most essential. Women are most fertile during ovulation. You are most likely to conceive if you have sex within 24 hours of ovulation. Ovulation usually takes place about 14 days after the first day of our last period.  Woman's eggs are precious and limited. Each one is short lived after being released into our ovary. An egg only lives for about 12 to 14 hours after it's released.
A sperm must reach the egg within this time. A sperm can live for up to 7 days in your body. Therefore, having sex often before ovulation are likely to increase your chance of getting pregnant.
For optimal results, having sex every 2 to 3 days gives you the best chance of conceiving successfully. You could get an ovulation kit and chart your body temperature every morning to monitor your ovulation, but calculated sex could be a stressful ordeal. It is much less stressful to have fun and happy sex regularly throughout your cycle than obsessing over your exact ovulation time.
In the United Kingdom, according to www.nhs.uk. Nine out of ten couples in which woman is under 35 will get pregnant naturally after one year of having regular unprotected sex. If you are over 35, or have had problems before, such as a ectopic pregnancy or surgery that may have affected your fertility, then you should seek help and advise from professional soon.