A woman’s lifestyle choices play an important role in her fertility, which often manifests itself as an infertility problem. Meaning, a woman’s fertility is closely tied to their lifestyle. There are a lot of things women do that can affect their chances of conceiving. Here are six modern lifestyle habits that can affect female fertility:
Processed food is often high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. This can negatively affect fertility because it can lead to hormonal imbalances in the body and reproductive problems. Women should avoid processed foods as much as possible and instead eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Caffeine is a stimulant that has been shown to affect ovulation, as well as hormone production in the body. It causes your body to produce more adrenaline, which makes it harder for your ovaries to release an egg (and also makes it harder for you to fall asleep). To reduce the amount of caffeine you consume, try limiting your caffeine intake to about 200 mg per day.
Alcohol inhibits ovulation by preventing progesterone production, which can alter the cervical mucus and affect the female sex drive. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy has also been linked to low birth weight babies, so women who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant should avoid alcohol completely if they wish to conceive naturally.
Stress is a big deal when it comes to fertility. It can cause issues with ovulation and menstruation. Stress may also affect the quality of your eggs, making them less likely to fertilize. If you’re under stress and feel like you’re not getting enough sleep, try scheduling some time for relaxing activities such as yoga or meditation. Studies have shown that these practices can help reduce stress levels and improve fertility.
Smoking negatively impacts fertility in many ways including: increasing the risk of miscarriage due to defects in the placenta; decreasing egg reserves; increasing the amount of estrogen needed for successful conception; increasing blood pressure which affects blood flow to the reproductive organs; making it more difficult for an egg cell to attach itself to its partner.
Exercise – especially if you do it regularly – can help improve your fertility by helping you lose weight if you’re overweight or lose extra fat if you’re not. Physical activity helps improve blood flow, which helps increase fertility. It also boosts energy levels and reduces stress levels. In addition, regular exercise increases testosterone levels in men and ovulation rates in women, which are both indicators of increased fertility levels.
For those looking to get pregnant, or start a family, there are numerous lifestyle habits that can affect both fertility and long-term health. So, address these mentioned problems first and it will subsequently improve your reproductive health, increasing your chances of getting pregnant.