9 tips to improve your fertility
ur fertility accompanies us for half our lives - from menarche to menopause. But can we actively do something to positively influence it?
What factors influence fertility?
Above all, age is THE determining factor in female fertility. A woman's fertility decreases noticeably from around her mid-30s. But that doesn't mean it's too late! This is because many other parameters determine how long a woman is fertile: from the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which indicates the number of eggs, to fallopian tube permeability, the thyroid gland and vitamin D levels, through to health restrictions such as endometriosis or PCO. Of course, the sperm quality and general physical condition of the partner also play a decisive role.
"Expanding your knowledge on the subject is the first step towards becoming more aware of your own individual fertility," Alexander Just is convinced.
Find out more about your own fertility
So it's never a bad idea to think about the issue early on. On the contrary: the sooner potential problems are recognised, the better for you! An annual cancer smear test with your gynaecologist should therefore be a matter of course. But it's also worth taking certain precautionary measures so that you are better informed. For example, regular thyroid screening or a focussed search for endometriosis and PCO is recommended (especially if you have a family history). A sperm test on your partner, on the other hand, can reveal deficits at an early stage, which you can work on together.
The Just-One-Step method, which was developed by Alexander Just, involves a little less effort, but is still very informative for you and your partner. As the name suggests, you can use it to take your family planning precautions in one step. "The method includes a special cell analysis, a determination of the AMH level and a questionnaire. We use these variables to create a personalised treatment and nutrition plan that our patients can easily incorporate into their daily routine," explains Alexander Just.
Some factors for your fertility are to a certain extent predetermined. But they can also be positively influenced with a few measures in your daily life. So you can actively do something to maintain them! And this also applies to your partner, by the way, because what is good for you is also good for his fertility.
1) Watch your weight.
Being overweight can have a negative impact - this has been scientifically proven. Women with obesity are even three times more likely to have fertility problems than women of normal weight. A few kilos too much is not that bad, but it's worth keeping an eye on your weight. For many other health reasons alone.
2) Eat a conscious and balanced diet.
Your diet is just as important when it comes to fertility. A balanced, plant-based diet with little sugar and fat, as is often found in fast food or convenience products, for example, can have a positive effect on your fertility.
3) Exercise regularly.
Exercise (especially in the fresh air) has many beneficial effects on your health and therefore also on your fertility. But beware: exercising to the point of physical exhaustion can have the exact opposite effect! So, as is almost always the case, you need a healthy balance.
4) No smoking and little alcohol.
Smoking and drinking are of course absolute no-goes during pregnancy! But even before you want to have children, it's worth giving up smoking or binge drinking. This is because both nicotine and alcohol are neurotoxins that can impair your fertility.
5) Take the right nutritional supplements.
Food supplements should not replace a complete diet. However, they can supplement it in a targeted manner. Alexander Just advises an individualised intake of food supplements that strengthen the body's energy centres and maintain cellular integrity. For example, you can prevent inflammation in the body. In men, food supplements can improve the quality of sperm cells.
6) Test your fertility - and that of your partner.
As mentioned, measures such as the Just One Step method are a good way to familiarise yourself with your own fertility. Ignorance is not always bliss, especially when it comes to your fertility!
7) Have a hormone status done at least once.
Fertility is a complex matter in which many hormones and metabolic processes interact. A hormone status (ideally between the second and sixth day of your cycle) provides you with information about numerous important hormones that influence your cycle and can be used as a comparison.
8) Get a second opinion in case of problems.
Have you possibly been diagnosed with a condition that requires lengthy treatment or even surgery? Then be sure to get another opinion beforehand. Sometimes there are alternative treatments and therefore more options to improve your fertility.
9) Track your cycle.
If you want to know about your fertility, you should also know your own cycle! femSense can help you to monitor your cycle and recognise any problems right from the start. For example, if your cycles are noticeably short or long or no ovulation is detected at all. In the event of a consultation with your gynaecologist, this information can be worth its weight in gold.
The bottom line is: it's never too early to start thinking about your fertility. Alexander Just agrees: "Test your fertility and don't automatically assume that everything is in the green. Because natural fertility is one thing above all: limited in time. It passes very quickly and doesn't come back. So take care of yourselves and your bodies!"
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