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27 fertility tips: Naturally increase your fertility and the ability to get pregnant without drugs

by Holle Abee

Fertility rates have sharply declined in the U.S. since the Baby-Boomer era. Today, thousands of couples have trouble conceiving. Several factors are most likely involved, including pollution, diet, stress, and general lifestyle.

Getting pregnant is actually a fairly complicated process, and it's not as easy as most people think. Several key elements are involved, and proper timing is crucial to success. Most experts agree that in about 30% of cases, the problem is with the female, and in another 30%, the problem lies in the sperm. For the rest, the problem is unknown.

Before you give up and head to the fertility clinic, there are a number of things you can do on your own to increase your chances of conception:

1. Maintain a healthy weight. Women and men who are overweight often have a hormone imbalance that inhibits their fertility. In addition, women and men who are too thin often have hormone issues, also. In fact, women who are ultra-thin might stop ovulating altogether due a lack of estrogen. 2. Know your cycle. This is perhaps the most important thing you can do in your quest for conceiving. Women are most fertile the five days before ovulation and the 24 hours after the egg has been released. Learn to identify ovulation by taking your temperature, checking cervical mucus, and being alert to ovulation pain. The best way to identify ovulation is by using an Ovulation Predictor Kit, which identifies a specific hormone in your urine. 3. Be strong with B12. Vitamin B12 helps maintain a healthy sperm count and sperm motility. This vitamin is especially important for men with a sperm count of less than 20 million per milliliter. Guys, you'll need 1,000 micrograms a day in supplement form or from your diet. Good natural sources of B12 include beef, eggs, milk, and shellfish. 4. Think zinc. This trace mineral is found everywhere in the human body, and it's essential for a healthy sperm count, a healthy testosterone level, and a healthy prostate. It also increases the sperms' motility, so they can "swim the distance." Zinc can be taken as a supplement, and it's often part of a multi-vitamin. Natural sources include beef, lamb, turkey, crabmeat, pork, salmon, chicken, oysters, and lobster. 30mg twice a day is optimum. 5. Don't smoke. Male smokers typically have lower sperm counts. Female smokers tend to produce fewer viable eggs, and women who are heavy smokers can even experience early menopause. Once you get pregnant, ladies, you'll have to quit the habit, anyway, so you might as well get a head start. 6. Guys, hit the shower! Men who take hot tub baths tend to have lower sperm counts. The high temperatures of the water are not favorable to the "little swimmers." The same rule applies to hot tubs and saunas. 7. Do it often. Have sex at least as often as every 48 hours during the five days preceding ovulation. You want to be sure to keep a good supply of sperm ready, at the beck and call of the egg. Having sex any more than that could have a negative effect by reducing the semen level. 8. Ladies, take a break after sex. Women should remain in a supine position, with their bottom elevated by a pillow, for a full 30 minutes after having sex. The force of gravity will be used to your advantage by tipping the vaginal canal. While you're lying there, you can be thinking of baby names. 9. Limit the joe. Too much caffeine can cause fertility problems. Both sexes should limit caffeine intake to two cups of coffee or tea a day. For men, caffeine can be responsible for a decreased sperm count, chromosomal abnormalities, and decreased sperm motility. For women, too much caffeine can cause problems with the fallopian tubes. In addition to coffee, tea, and soft drinks, caffeine is also found in chocolate, cocoa, and in some over-the-counter medications. Substitute water, fruit juices, or skim milk for your caffeine-laden beverages. 10. Drink a cup of tea every day. Research shows that women who drink at least a half cup of brewed caffeinated tea a day are twice as likely to conceive as those who forego the beverage. Polyphenolic compounds in the tea inhibit abnormalities with chromosomes. Don't overdo it, however. Limit it to two cups per day, and make sure your cup is filled with regular tea - not instant tea or green tea. 11. Lay off the booze. You know that women shouldn't drink during pregnancy, but can the man's sperm be affected by alcohol consumption? Yep. Alcohol enters the testicles via the bloodstream and can have a negative impact on the quality of the sperm. In fact, the sperm of heavy drinkers often appears malformed, especially in the tail area, which could definitely damage the sperm's motility. Once it enters the digestive system, alcohol turns into acetaldehyde, which is poison for sperm. In addition, alcohol inhibits the production of testosterone. 12. Trade the briefs for boxers. Keep the scrotum cool and "hanging free." Briefs crowd them and hold in too much body heat. The average temperature for the human body is 98.6 degrees, but sperm prefer it a little cooler, at 89.6. This is when they produce and function best. Avoid wearing athletic cups as much as possible, too. 13. Exercise regularly and in moderation. A daily exercise routine can help keep your reproductive system healthy. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week should do the trick. Men should avoid getting overheated, however, and should wear cool, loose-fitting clothes during physical exertion. 14. Drink your milk! Calcium enables the sperm to have that final boost of energy necessary for penetrating the egg, according to studies conducted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Calcium is important for women, too, to ensure that they have strong bones and teeth before the demands of pregnancy kick in. The recommended daily dose for adults is 700-1,000mg, available in tablets, Tums, or in tasty flavored chews. Natural sources include dairy products, sardines, broccoli, salmon, and tofu. 15. Make corrections with vitamin E. it's important for men to take vitamin E for their reproductive health. The E regulates the endocrine glands, including the ovaries and testes - the major players in the reproductive process. In addition, vitamin E's antioxidant properties protect the sperm membrane from being damaged by free radicals. Take 600 IUs of E a day. If you have hypertension, lower the dose to 400 IUs a day. 16. Get your B6. Vitamin B6 gives the immune system a tremendous boost, and it helps regulate female hormones necessary for conception. B6 is important for males, too, because it boosts sperm production. You'll need 2 mg a day of this important vitamin. Foods rich in B6 include sunflower seeds, walnuts, dried peas and beans, soy flour, and bananas. 17. Drink like a fish. Water is a natural body cleanser that can help flush harmful toxins from your system. Women should shoot for 100 ounces a day, while men should imbibe half their body weight in ounces of daily water. Got it? A 180-pound man should drink 90 ounces of water every day. 18. Eat well. Avoid processed foods. Replace them with fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and lean meats and fish. Get plenty of fiber, and replace bad fats with healthy fats like olive oil. 19. Get seedy. Raw sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds can improve sperm count in men with unhealthy numbers. Eat cup a day of these munchies as a snack. Not only are the seeds yummy - they're also a healthy alternative to salty chips. 20. Don't stress out. Stop worrying so much about getting pregnant and just enjoy the ride. A relaxed couple will be more likely to conceive. Try yoga, meditation, and other relaxation techniques. Slow down, put on some soothing music, and take time to smell the roses. After the baby arrives, you'll have all the stress you can handle! Take advantage of the time you have alone together now. 21. Take a daily dose of selenium. Men need selenium in order to produce proper levels of testosterone. Low selenium leads to deformed or weak sperm, especially in the whip-like tails. The tail serves as the sperm's swimming apparatus and enables it to get to the egg, which, of course, is your main objective in getting pregnant. The recommended daily dose is 200 micrograms of selenium a day. Much more than that could have a toxic effect. 22. Wake up to sex. Sperm counts tend to be highest first thing in the morning, so this is the best time for getting pregnant. In addition, both partners will be more rested and relaxed at that time than at the end of the day when you're tired and stressed from work. 23. "C" your way to a higher sperm count. Ascorbic acid, better known as vitamin C, helps maintain a healthy sperm count and decreases abnormalities in your "tadpoles." It also does something else that greatly increases the chance for conception: it inhibits the individual sperm from clumping together. You don't want your little guys slowing each other down. A 1,000mg dose of daily C can increase your sperm count by 140%, according to studies. 24. Rub him the right way. Giving your guy a massage just before love making will greatly improve his circulation. It will also relax him, and it can serve as a form of foreplay for both partners! 25. Get off the pot, dude...and dudette. Smoking marijuana inhibits sperm counts, and according to some experts, it can actually cause the sperm to start out swimming vigorously, but then tire before they reach the egg. According to a study at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, it doesn't really matter which partner is the pot smoker. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, winds up in the vaginal fluid of a female smoker and can negatively impact the sperm. 26. CoQ10 for everyone! Coenzyme Q10 activates important enzymes throughout the body and also serves as an antioxidant that protects cells. As far as fertility is concerned, CoQ10 can increase sperm production and improve the sperms' motility and viability. Unfortunately, most people get less than 5mg of CoQ10 a day. You'll need 100mg per day. Take the soft gel capsule with a little fat to enhance absorption. 27. Take fish oil for your tadpoles. Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in fish oil, have a powerful benefit for male fertility. For one thing, they lower blood pressure and increase the blood flow in the genital area, greatly reducing the incidence of erectile dysfunction. Omega-3s also help maintain a healthy prostate gland and increase sperm production and sperm motility. This beneficial fat can help women conceive, too, by increasing blood flow to the uterus. The recommended amount is 1-3 grams of fish oil per day, available in soft capsule form.