Falling pregnant should be as easy as falling off a bike, right? Well unfortunately for many couples this is not the case. There is an increasing occurrence of infertility in Australia, with one in six couples experiencing fertility problems. This is partly attributed to women having babies at an older age, which decreases fertility.There are many factors that influence how quickly and easily a pregnancy may occur. Some of these we can’t change, such as our age,or some genetic traits. Other influences, especially diet and lifestyle, can make a big improvement in your chances of a successful conception - for both partners.

Whether you are male or female, here are my top 5 lifestyle tips to boost your fertility.

1. Regular exercise helps to improve circulation, maintain weight and improve body composition. Engaging in team sports or exercising with someone else also helps reduce stress. Increasing your heart rate for just 10 minutes at a time helps the body release endorphins which improve your mood and overall health. Exercise also helps maintain blood pressure - essential for a healthy pregnancy, if and when you do conceive.

2. Living a low-tox life. Environmental toxins, such as plastics, chemicals and synthetics cause changes in our hormone profile. This can increase inflammation and reduce the quality of both sperm and egg - an essential part of successful conception and pregnancy. Try using glass, ceramic or stainless steel containers instead of plastic (including your take-away coffee), using cosmetics and skin products that are natural and don’t have synthetic ingredients, and (where possible) buying organic/biodynamic food to reduce pesticide and herbicide exposure.

3. Eating regular meals ensures blood sugar levels are more even across the day. This approach helps improve insulin sensitivity and reduce stress in the body, but also reduces you reaching for the sugary treats when you get low in energy. Maintaining a healthy weight is easier when we eat regularly. Maintaining a healthy weight is easier when we eat regularly. A healthy weight is important for improving sperm and egg quality as well as reducing the risk of complications during the pregnancy.

4. Reduce stress Stress disrupts all sorts of natural body processes. While some stress is essential, being under constant stress increases inflammation, and prevents your body from ‘resting and digesting’. This can result in missing out on essential nutrients such as folate, B vitamins, iron, iodine, zinc and selenium. It can also increase the body’s need for these nutrients. In addition, prolonged stress can alter and degrade egg and sperm quality- not ideal for a healthy conception.

5. Get a good nights sleep to give your body time to rest and process everything that has happened to it during the day. Your sleep-wake cycle, called the circadian rhythm, helps regulate sex hormone production, particularly luteinising hormone which is responsible for triggering testosterone production in men and both ovulation and progesterone production in women. These are essential for the development of sperm and egg, and for a successful pregnancy in the early stages.

So there you have it. If you would like more information on boosting your fertility, please feel free to book an appointment.