If You Are Trying to Conceive, Don’t Count the Dad Out! Men’s Overall Health & Fertility Matter, Too!
It’s a fact that almost 1 in 6 couples in the United States struggles with infertility. For a couple wanting to have a baby, this can be a source of frustration and sadness. Believe it or not, in about half of the couples experiencing these struggles, there are issues or imbalances related to men’s overall health & fertility.
More often than not, treatments and medical intervention are focused on the woman. So, the would-be dad never even gets checked out! If and when the man ever gets evaluated, it’s usually after many months of searching for answers to resolve fertility issues with the woman — so what’s up with that!?
Let’s not leave the dad out because early intervention can mean the dream of starting or adding to a family can happen much sooner!
Checking it out: men’s overall health & fertility
Yes, these things may be hard to talk about but please know that your health is just as much of a factor in the baby equation as the woman! So, what will you go through when you get checked out?
Check for overall health
as tough as you may want to be, your fertility is rather delicate and is easily affected by your general health, including something as seemingly simple as a lack of good sleep. Get a thorough health check-up and do what you need to get as healthy as possible.
Semen analysis
Since your sperm is responsible for 50% of your future baby’s genetic make-up and provides the essential building blocks of your baby’s long-term health, it’s vital to make sure the quality and effectiveness of your sperm are as good as it can be. A semen analysis will check for all the important factors that make up happy and eager sperm.
There are immediate steps you can take to get yourself in better shape for conception in just three months.
These will get you started and then we have even more for you!
Get healthy — Change your diet and cut out the bad habits
- Avoid alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and processed junk foods high in trans fats. All of these have been shown to reduce sperm count and quality.
- Research has shown that the regular consumption of marijuana affects sperm health.
Aim for a Healthy Weight.
- One way to increase fertility is to bring your weight to a healthier level. Being over or underweight can upset hormonal balance, leading to lower sperm counts.
- Men with a BMI of 25 (pre-obese) or greater were shown to have significantly more immotile sperm that men with a BMI less than 25.
Balance Your Hormones
Toxic chemicals such as heavy metals, lead, and chemical solvents can increase your percentage of damaged sperm. If you are wanting to conceive, try to avoid these. If your job or other activities place you around chemicals, limit your exposure by wearing a face mask, protective clothing, and always use proper ventilation.
Eat nutritious foods
- Eat a whole food, nutrient-dense fertility diet that includes whole grains, a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, good fats, lots of clean water, and clean protein.
- What you eat during the preconception stage is just as important as what the woman eats, especially if you are experiencing fertility issues.
We hope we haven’t scared you off yet! Eating healthier is not too tough.
Take a good multivitamin
- Avoid vitamins with a high percentage of fillers.
- Look for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) stamp of approval.
Beware of heat.
You’ve probably heard that sitting in a hot bath or jacuzzi can decrease or kill your sperm — it’s true and there are other heat factors that you should consider, too, such as boxers or briefs. Wearing tight underwear can increase scrotal temperatures which may decrease sperm counts and quality.
Are you ready to start making changes in your diet and lifestyle to improve your overall and fertility health?
Check out our free download, The Fertility Godmother’s Guide to The Male Fertility Diet—a complete breakdown of the best (and worst) foods for male fertility.
Click Here to Download The Fertility Godmother’s Guide to The Male Fertility Diet »
Click here to see what she needs to do to get her body ready to conceive.
