Acupuncture and herbs are a major part of the equation when helping women increase their fertility. I also recommend healthy lifestyle initiatives that include diet choices, healthy body weight and exercise, and visualization/meditation techniques. These lifestyle changes help to balance the yin and yang energies of the body.
1) Foods to Nourish You:
Lean meats such as turkey and chicken as well as fish contain many nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin E, magnesium, copper, vitamin B12, and folate. Fish contain nutrients that help build connective tissue with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus as well. Many of the cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale and bok choy are loaded with folate, vitamin K, A and C. All these nutrients are the building blocks of life and needed to grow a baby in utero.
2) Healthy Body Weight and Exercise
Many women are over stressed with work, relationships and other family responsibilities. Eating on the run with fast food or energy bars is not optimal for maintaining a good body weight. If a woman comes in under weight we look at what can be done to add good fats and complex carbohydrates
to increase weight. For women that are overweight and/or obese I recommend a loss of 10% of body weight. I work with fertility nutritionists to tailor a food plan for you along with supplements.
3) Visualization and Meditation
I often direct a patient towards apps such as Insight Timer or Calm to find a visualization or meditation that works for them. There are many visualization and breathing exercises found on Youtube specifically for enhancing fertility. If you can create an inner calmness and a positive outcome in your mind, it will enhance a physical response. Science has shown that a practice such as meditation can create chemical changes in the brain that can enhance our physical and emotional well being.
Please contact me for more information.
Sharon McDermott, L.Ac., CBD