Fertility lifestyle: prepping your body for pregnancy

On this page

1. Overview
2. Sleep
3. Baths versus showers
4. Exercise
5. Sedentary lifestyle
6. Pace of life
7. Drug use, smoking and alcohol
8. Clothing
9. Footwear
10. Donating blood
11. Dieting
12. Improving your menstrual cycle
13. Improving implantation
14. Fertility lifestyle checklist
15. Related fertility lifestyle pages

Overview

The body tends to live in the past. It stores life’s trauma and stresses, like data on a hard drive, which can stay with us in our muscles and organs and cause health problems. For example, a period of extreme stress will have increased the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in your body, which in turn interfered with the production of fertility hormones — leading to an irregular menstrual cycle, heavy periods, muscle tension and unexplained infertility.

The emotional stresses that you carry around with you in your body need to be resolved and released in order to stop them blocking you from having a baby. Acupuncture and counselling are good at releasing emotional stresses from the body, thereby aiding better hormone regulation and fertility. You can also do this with mindfulness and meditation.

When you move into a new house, you first make sure it can protect you from the environment outside — that it’s warm, doesn’t have damp and has water. It therefore makes sense to prepare your uterus for your baby to call home for the next nine months by making sure it’s warm enough, has enough energy and blood, isn’t damp and is protected from the harshness of the surrounding environment.

Optimising your lifestyle is an easy way to take control of your fertility. We are often told a good lifestyle means losing weight (on the latest celebrity diet) and exercising (like a marathon runner), while also having a successful career, dressing in the latest fashions, keeping a lovely clean house, being a great cook and a social bunny. From a Chinese medicine point of view, trying to achieve all of this depletes energy and blood. This leads to reduced levels of leptin and irregular hormone levels that can cause infertility. To enhance fertility, energy and blood levels need to be increased. You should save and bank your energy rather than spend it.

Sleep

Sleep can greatly affect fertility. Going to sleep near midnight or afterwards damages Yin, because midnight is the highest point of Yin. This can affect egg and sperm quality. There’s a saying: ‘Two hours before midnight is worth 10 after.’ Try not to go to sleep later than 10pm. Research has shown that women who work in the evenings or do night shifts have fewer eggs available, because their jing is drained from excessive Yin loss.

Women who sleep 7–8 hours a night have better fertility, while women who sleep 4–6 hours and those who sleep 9–11 hours have reduced fertility. Sleeping 4–6 hours reduces energy, blood, leptin and melatonin in the body. Women who need 9–11 hours of sleep already have a deficiency and the body is trying to recover by sleeping more.

A 20-minute power nap in the afternoon is a great way of boosting your energy levels and fertility. Quality matters as much as quantity: a comfortable mattress and pillow are critical, because you spend on average 26 years of your life sleeping. If you wake during the night or at 5am, your mind is most likely restless and anxious. Wind down before bed — no TV, phone, computer or tablet for at least one hour before sleep (the blue light keeps you awake). Read a fiction book, listen to music or practise yoga to stretch out the stresses of the day. If you find it hard to sleep, see my page on acupuncture for insomnia.

Baths versus showers

Women tend to prefer hot baths, while men prefer warm showers. Having a bath after ovulation is a no-no — the heat around the uterus can cause a fertilised embryo to dislodge from the uterus wall, causing an early miscarriage. Baths before ovulation are fine.

Men need to be especially careful with heat around their groin. Testicles are outside the body to keep them cooler for optimal sperm production. Excessive heat damages sperm production, motility and the DNA within the sperm head. Men should avoid baths altogether and have warm showers instead. Avoid saunas and Jacuzzis for the same reason.

Wet hair loses heat (Yang) from the head. We have hair on our heads to keep heat in. Dry your hair immediately after washing it and never leave home with wet hair — it reduces body temperature, slows blood flow and uses up energy reserves that could otherwise be used for fertility. Being cold can also affect the thyroid (causing thyroid-related infertility) and FSH distribution to the ovaries.

Exercise

Regular exercise is good for both male and female fertility. I recommend around 30 minutes of cardio (non-impact) activity — such as cycling, rowing or cross-training — three times a week. This regulates energy and blood flow and reduces stress hormones (such as cortisone) that can cause infertility.

Avoid impact sports like running, tennis or badminton, which may cause an embedded embryo to become dislodged. Combine cardio with softer exercises that help the body relax, like yoga, Pilates, t’ai chi or qi gong.

Too much exercise is harmful to both male and female fertility. Being fit just means you’re fit — it doesn’t mean you’re healthy. Recent research has shown that women who exercise too much have fewer eggs available, because exercise uses up the body’s resources (Qi, Blood, Yin and jing), leaving fewer for fertility.

People often exercise to give themselves more energy. Actually, exercise just regulates the flow of energy — the heart pumps blood around the body, allowing it to clean up any issues. Only exercises such as qi gong can actually give you more energy. Otherwise, energy comes from good sleep and good food.

Sedentary lifestyle

Research has shown that men who spend more time sitting down watching TV have lower testosterone levels and sperm counts. This is probably due to excessive heat building up around the testes with no air flow. This is a real problem for gamers. Men should limit time spent sitting at the computer or gaming to a few hours at a time.

Women who lead a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to put on weight, especially around the abdomen, which in Chinese medicine causes stagnation, slows the regulation of blood flow to the uterus and fertility hormones to the ovaries — causing infertility and PCOS.

Pace of life

Today’s modern pace of life does nothing to help fertility. The faster we move or do things, the more energy we use up. It’s like having a fast car — a bigger engine with more cylinders uses more petrol. Moving at a fast pace uses up energy and blood, which causes leptin levels to drop and affects hormone regulation by the hypothalamus. Slow down, be more patient, and you’ll conserve more energy for fertility.

Drug use, smoking and alcohol

Men should not use illegal drugs such as cocaine, crack, MDMA or THC for at least six months before trying to conceive, as they damage sperm DNA and drain jing (essence). For women, illegal drugs also damage egg quality.

Both men and women should refrain from smoking cigarettes (including vape inhalers). Nicotine damages semen quality, can prevent ovulation and impedes embryo implantation.

Limit alcohol intake to no more than two glasses of red wine per week (125ml / 1.4 units per glass).

Clothing

Clothes and their impact upon fertility are seldom looked at in fertility treatment. In today’s world we are often insulated from the Earth’s environment. Wearing the right clothes for the right season can greatly improve your fertility — research has shown that exposure to the cold affects FSH levels to the ovaries.

When the outside temperature is below 10°C (50°F), it’s better for your health and fertility to wear thermal undergarments to keep the heat in, especially on your legs. Most people wear three or four layers on their upper body but only one layer on their legs. The legs contain our largest muscle groups — if they get cold it affects blood flow and the hormones contained within it.

Keep your uterus warm and protect it from the cold. Wearing thermal undergarments when it’s cold is like insulating your house from losing heat. You can apply a hot water bottle on your lower abdomen before ovulation to help blood flow to the follicles and uterus. Once you’ve ovulated, don’t apply any heat to your lower abdomen — apply it to your lower back if you’re cold.

If you feel too warm, this can also make your uterus an inhospitable environment for your baby and may cause miscarriage or preterm labour. Cool yourself down with changes to your diet and avoid excessive heat sources: vigorous exercise, stress, saunas and sunbeds.

Men tend to be warmer than women, and their testicles can be affected by too much heat. Wear loose-fitting underwear and trousers that allow air to circulate.

Footwear

Shoes and fertility may not be an obvious connection, but the right footwear has a big impact on health and fertility. Regulating the temperature of your feet is an easy way to regulate your body temperature: warm feet equals warm body; cold feet equals cold body.

I often criticise patients for coming into the clinic in wintertime wearing trainers, sneakers, pumps or boat shoes. The sole isn’t thick enough to insulate the foot from the cold ground. Wear boots in wintertime instead. Trainers are often made of mesh that lets cold air in — only wear them indoors during winter, or outdoors in summer.

Keep your feet warm indoors too — especially on cold floors. Wear socks and slippers at home. If you suffer from very cold feet, use a warm foot spa daily to encourage blood flow.

Donating blood

Donating blood is an important act — without it, many people would die. However, when trying for a baby, conserving and building blood is vitally important. Women lose blood every month and need to rebuild it. Stress, careers, excessive exercise, social activities and poor diets often leave blood levels lower than they should be. Blood donors are more likely to develop an iron deficiency, which can affect fertility and pregnancy.

For these reasons, I do not recommend women donate blood when trying for a baby. In most cases it’s okay for men to donate blood while trying for a child.

Dieting

Sometimes it is necessary to lose weight if the waist-to-hip ratio is higher than 0.8, as this improves fertility. But it’s best done through exercise and a good diet, not dieting. Dieting weakens the body and reduces levels of LH and leptin, which damages fertility.

Simple advice on how to lose weight without damaging fertility:

• Acupuncture has been shown in research to help with weight loss.
• Cut out gluten — this helps you lose weight quickly because gluten impairs Spleen function.
• Cut out refined sugar.
• Don’t eat too late (after 7pm).
• Eat a good, balanced diet.
• Eat foods rich in copper (whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes, dark leafy greens, dried prunes) — copper is important in fat metabolism.
• Cardio exercise three times a week, but no more.

If a woman has been dieting and then falls pregnant, the pregnancy is at risk as the body is in a weakened state. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are vitally important in supporting the woman and baby in such cases, especially in the first 12 weeks.

Improving your menstrual cycle

Improving your menstrual cycle is the most important aspect of infertility treatment for a woman. This is the cornerstone of Chinese medicine and is something overlooked by Western medicine. By improving your menstrual cycle, you help the growth and maturation of the egg and its implantation into the wall of the uterus. It also reduces the risk of an early miscarriage by ensuring adequate blood flow and hormone regulation.

Steps to improve your menstrual cycle:

1. Rest and don’t exercise during your period, as it can cause a blood deficiency.
2. Reduce cosmetics to two or three products. For example, deodorant and hand/face cream — cut out lipstick, nail polish and perfume. Check ingredients with apps like ‘Think Dirty’ or ‘Healthy Living’.
3. Sleep early — before 10pm, for 7-8 hours — will help your energy levels if they are low during your bleed.
4. If you crave sweet foods during your period, your body needs quick energy because you’re losing energy in the form of blood. Increase iron and protein, and rest.
5. Look at your menstrual blood. Is it dark or bright red? Are there clots? Dark with clots indicates blood stagnation. Use a hot water bottle on your abdomen and practise mindfulness.
6. If you have pain, use a hot water bottle or acupuncture rather than painkillers. Pain in Chinese medicine is caused by stagnation — heat helps blood move.
7. Use moon cups or sanitary towels rather than tampons. Tampons are more likely to cause blood to back up rather than flow out freely, leading to blood stasis in the uterus — which can cause problems with the new uterus lining, obstruct sperm, and lead to endometriosis, polyps and fibroids.
8. Keep your abdomen covered so it’s not exposed to the cold.
9. If you’re more sensitive to crowds or pain during your period, you’re lacking energy. Take ginseng and iron supplements.
10. For premenstrual symptoms (cramps, PMS, tender breasts), you’re frustrated. Meditate, do mindfulness, or seek out an acupuncturist.
11. Crossing time zones (e.g. GMT to PST) may affect the length of your menstrual cycle and ovulation timing.
12. Have acupuncture treatment at least once a week. You may also need to take Chinese herbs.

Improving implantation

Implantation is controlled by several factors: the embryo, the mother’s immune system, levels of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). LIF is a cytokine that helps regulate immune function in the uterus, while AGEs are proteins or lipids that bond to sugars, which can make the uterus lining inhospitable to an embryo.

• A good-quality embryo will help the embryo hatch and start implantation. See my pages on how to improve egg quality and improving sperm morphology.
• Implantation only takes place during a 4-5 day ‘implantation window’ between days 20 and 24 of a regular menstrual cycle. The mother’s immune system retreats (levels of TH1 drop) after ovulation allowing an embryo to implant. If the woman has higher than normal TH1 levels, the embryo won’t implant. Acupuncture can regulate TH1/TH2 levels and increase LIF.
• Being relaxed and not stressed can also reduce immune factors that affect implantation.
• Eating plenty of essential fatty acids, such as omega-3, helps regulate immune function.
• Consuming fewer foods and fluids with sugar reduces AGEs.
• Taking ginseng supplements can increase TH2 levels, which protects an implanting embryo.

Fertility lifestyle checklist

Quick summary of things you can do to enhance your fertility:

• Be positive and use a vision board (see Mind & emotions).
• Check your waist-to-hip ratio to see if your weight is correct.
• Don’t diet; exercise if you need to lose weight.
• Don’t have a bath after you ovulate; have a shower instead.
• Don’t lift anything heavy.
• Don’t smoke or take illegal drugs.
• Don’t work night shifts.
• Drink no more than two glasses of red wine a week.
• Cardio two to three times a week plus soft exercises (yoga, Pilates, t’ai chi, qi gong).
• Go to bed at around 10pm and sleep for seven to eight hours.
• Have weekly acupuncture and take Chinese herbs daily.
• Listen to your body; it knows best.
• Men should not sit down for more than a few hours at a time.
• Practise mindfulness or meditation.
• Reduce your exposure to air conditioning, air pollution, chemicals, heavy metals, plastics.
• Reduce your stress by having fun.
• Reduce your use of painkillers, antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs and statins (always consult your doctor first).
• Reduce your use of technology (mobile phones, tablets, laptops — EMWs).
• Slow down your pace of life.
• Wear the right clothes and footwear for the season.
• Women should try to avoid giving blood.

Related fertility lifestyle pages

• Prepping your mind and emotions for fertility
• Optimising your environment: chemicals, plastics, pollution and EMWs
• How to improve egg quality
• How to improve sperm morphology and quality
• Endocrine disruptors and plastics

My Fertility Guide