Fertility Friday: Vitamins for Guys

Men can greatly benefit from taking vitamins too. Vitamins like zinc and selenium can promote fertility in men. Men also need micro-nutrients like iron and calcium to produce adequate amounts of semen. Adequate amounts of micro-nutrients can aid in the development and maturation of sperm.  Some men are pill adverse because it isn't on their radar to take a daily vitamin, but diets high in seafood, color rich food, and plant based proteins like nuts, soy and legumes can ensure that men get all of these essential vitamins and minerals.

Tip Tuesday: Go on a Date

Planning and prepping for baby can sometimes let a loved one get sidelined.  Ask your significant other out on a date, get dressed up and plan sometimes special, even if it's just a trip to a local sight or an old favorite. If you are single, plan a night with your best friend. Emotional connection is important for health and well being. Planning a fun activity and looking forward to it can also enhance relaxation and promote happiness.

Fertility Friday: Genetics

The field of genetics is a fast evolving field and what we are learning on a week by week basis is fascinating. We are reinforcing an assumed knowledge that we've had for years: we are all different, and we react differently to different environmental triggers. Because of this, we have to understand that what works for some doesn't always work for others. For example, while some women thrive off of pit fruits, other women may be allergic, or while some women thrive on dairy others may be intolerant. 
Knowing this, what we can do in the interim, until a blood test will tell use exactly what to eat, how to exercise, and who to marry, is to utilize our family history, intuition and trial and error. Also, many holistic practitioners, including nutrition, osteopaths, and acupuncturists are trained in taking seemingly benign symptoms like constipation or sinus pressure and coming up with a holistic body diagnosis.  The takeaway is to keep in mind our differences when trying to conceive and promote overall health.

Tip Tuesday: Simplify

Easily said and less easily done. A good way to simplify is to sometimes go for less instead of more. Sometimes a few white roses makes such a better statement than an entire bouquet.  When cooking sometimes a dish with less ingredients can be tastier and easier than a smorgasbord of items in one dish. A lot of times we can spend hours on something for someone else, when all they really needed was a few minutes. Another way is have others help you out. As a co-worker to pick something up for you at the store, or fax a letter while they are already standing at the fax.
A good tip is to ask yourself:

• Do I need to purchase that?
• Do I need to go there?
• Do I need to keep this?
• Do I need to do this?
• Can this be done easier, in less time, in other way?
• Can someone else do this instead?

Fertility Friday: Whole Milk

When trying to conceive, it's best to avoid dairy products that have the fat removed. Eating yogurt, milk, and cheese in it's natural state maintains the integrity of the food.  Skimming the fat off the top chabes the chemical balance of hormones and proteins in the milk making it a hindrance to ovulation and therefore fertilty.  So, just for the short term, enjoy a good ice cold cup of whole milk.

Tip Tuesday: Get Organized

Now well into the new year, a great way to beat the winter blues is to get busy organizing. Organization can bring feelings of freshness and energy. During the winter when we can't go outdoors as much, it's a great time to clean out clutter. Start small, with the goal or a closet or a room and work up from there. A great friend once told me: "If it's not beautiful or functional, throw it out."

Fertility Friday: Soy Love

Soy was a wonder food of the last decade.  Many studies found that it had profound health effects like a reduction in menopausal symptoms for women, weight loss, lower cholesterol, and a reduction in osteoperopsis and certain types of cancers.  The real benefit of soy comes from eating it in its natural form, usually beans or paste, as seen in many Japanese restaurants in miso soup or edamamde.  As a nation, we may have overdone it on soy, eating it in all kinds of forms, including the fermented kind, isolates, concentrates, and flours. Anytime we over-process something it becomes less nutritions and more harful for the body.  Soy is great in it's plant based natural form, but once it has a shelf-life that extends beyond a few weeks, it's best to consume in moderation.

Tip Tuesday: Learning How to Relax

Relaxation is actually something that many people must learn. There are several ways to learn how to relax: meditation, guided imagery, even dance and moment classes can all teach relaxation. Relaxation is about learning how to control your mind and body. Some relaxations exercises involve tensing and relaxing of each muscle group in a coordinated series. Some ways to relax include breathing or rhythmic movements. Others can even involve hypnosis.  Practice relaxing so that you are very comfortable with your ability to relax yourself.  If you find it difficult, consider taking a yoga class, talking to a health care providers, or reading material on relaxation to get some technique tips.

Fertility Friday: Plant Proteins

Animal proteins have long been favored over their plant protein counterparts.  Animal proteins have more satiety, due to their higher fat content and then are often complete proteins in themselves and do not need to be complimented. This was an excellent way to maintain a good metabolism and appropriate amount of fat and calories when food was less abundant. Today, with food so abundant it is easy to consume the right compliment of plant proteins to get a complete protein.  Eating animal proteins can increase the amount of insulin like growth factor 1, contributing to infertility and poor ovulation.  So substitute a few animal based proteins a week for eggs, legumes, or soy.