What habits should you consider if you’re planning to fall pregnant?

1. Diet and lifestyle are key

When it comes to sperm and egg health, a healthy lifestyle plays a significant role. Habits such as eating foods high in saturated fats, smoking and not getting enough exercise can have a negative impact on both male and female fertility.

Previous studies have shown a strong link between smoking, obesity and longer time to pregnancy (TTP) or infertility. Researchers have investigated the role diet may play on fecundity or the amount of time taken to fall pregnant and has revealed a link between pre-pregnancy fast food and fruit intake and the amount of time to fall pregnant.

Smoking is also well known for having a detrimental effect on your general health and that also includes the health of your sperm and eggs. Studies released in the last few years have revealed that male smoking is a significant factor in poor embryo development, poor fertilisation and compromising the quality of an ongoing pregnancy.

2. Get enough sleep

A lack of sleep can have a detrimental impact on your mental health, your ability to lose weight and your fertility. Sleep plays an integral part in maintaining overall health including the ability to help regulate hormones and enable your organs to function.

Even minor fluctuations in hormones can lead to changes in bodily function, which is thought to also impact ovulation. Research has previously found that women who get less than 7 hours of sleep are in fact 15% less likely to fall pregnant than women who got more than eight hours.

3. Limit your alcohol

It is widely known that smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have detrimental effects on the health of both males and females.

It can also have a negative impact on fertility, and an adverse effect on the IVF outcome of patients, resulting in a reduced ongoing pregnancy and delivery rate. Sperm health is heavily influenced by your lifestyle, and there have been countless studies that have supported these links. When you’re thinking of starting a family, beginning with maternal and paternal health is important and one of the most overlooked components when it comes to fertility.

4. Take some time to chill

Easier said than done when you are undergoing fertility treatment, but it’s important to take time out for yourself and ensure you as “kind to yourself”. Whether this is going for a run, putting your feet up and watching a TV show, dissolving into your favourite book, or spending time with your loved ones.

Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health when it comes to fertility and is often neglected. When you are undergoing fertility treatment, life becomes a blur of appointments, injections, scans, blood tests and scientific terminology that sends your head into a spin.

It can be a stressful and daunting experience and at many times, overwhelming. It is therefore important to take time to look after your mental health, however you may choose to do this. Fertility First has counselling available to those who feel as though they may be struggling.

5. Are you getting enough nutrients?

Like with diet and lifestyle, it’s essential to get sufficient nutrients needed for healthy egg and sperm development. Poor egg and sperm health can often be linked to diet and lifestyle; therefore, it is of great importance to make the necessary healthy changes to your diet.

We post regularly about the importance of the role a healthy diet plays on your fertility treatment because we feel it can be the one piece of control you can take back in your life when everything else feels as though it has been taken away.

One great idea that the celebrities are currently obsessed with is the “knocked up smoothie”. Will this smoothie be guaranteed to get you pregnant? Probably not, however this smoothie is an example of how you can create a healthy snack/meal and pack it full of the essential ingredients needed to improve your egg or sperm health.

The “Knocked Up Smoothie”

Ingredients:

• 240 ml almond milk
• 60 ml coconut water
• 1 date
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1/2 cup of spinach
• 1/4 avocado
• 1 Tbsp goji berries
• 2 Tbsp of protein powder
• 1 tsp of super greens
• 1 tsp of chia powder
• 1/2 tsp of E3live
• 1/4 cup frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup of ice
• 1 Tbsp of hemp seeds

Directions:

Place all ingredients except for hemp seeds in blender. Blend on full speed until fully combined, pour in glass and top with hemp seeds. Enjoy!”

The post 5 healthy habits to help your fertility appeared first on Fertility First.

Given mixed nuts are a popular snack served during the holiday period, it will give you a great opportunity to treat yourself while also consuming foods to help your chances of conceiving.

Nuts can improve male fertility because nuts are loaded with nutrients such as omega-3, antioxidants, vitamin E and zinc, and have been linked to huge improvements in the quality as well as the concentration of sperm. One specific aspect that they improve is the level of DNA fragmentation in sperm, something that Fertility First has spent much time investigating and testing for in patients for over 15 years. Read more about foods to help improve sperm quality and quantity.

Here at Fertility First, we encourage clients to incorporate nuts into their fertility diets. Our studies have shown that more than 75% of patients who simply make changes to their lifestyle and take the recommended dietary supplements will have a reduction in DNA fragmentation after approximately 2 months. Furthermore, a significant portion of these patients will go on to conceive naturally and the miscarriage rate is dramatically reduced by less than 5%.

Here’s a yummy recipe full of nuts:

Spiced festive nuts

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat butter
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 500g mixed unsalted nuts (eg. cashews, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, brazil nuts)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line an oven tray with baking paper and place nuts onto the tray.
2. Combine butter and honey in a small pot on medium heat.
3. Stir through cinnamon and salt and place the
4. Drizzle the melted honey and cinnamon mixture over the nuts, shaking the tray to help toss through.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, ensuring that you turn the nuts when you’re half way or until they are golden brown.
6. Set aside to cool and enjoy!

The post Can eating nuts help improve your fertility? appeared first on Fertility First.

Zinc has repeatedly been linked to normal hormonal function, cell division and sperm physiology, while we know that iron deficiency has been tied to increased rates in miscarriage and anovulation.

Both nutrients contribute to maintaining healthy sperm and egg quality and are essential for a healthy pregnancy.

In other good news, not only is turkey a lean meat, but it also is an excellent source of protein, which helps maintain lean muscle mass and keep your insulin levels stable after you eat meals.

The post Gobble up some turkey! appeared first on Fertility First.

Beets are also excellent sources of folate, which we know helps reduce homocysteine levels and increases fertilisation rates in women who are trying to conceive. Folate has also been linked to sperm count and quality, so indulge and enjoy in some roasted beetroot or a fresh beetroot and goats cheese salad.

Roasted beetroot and goats cheese salad with pecans

Ingredients:

• 4 bunches mixed coloured beetroot (substitute red baby beetroot), washed
• 1/2 bunch thyme
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbs pomegranate molasses
• 2 tbs dried cranberries
• 4 marjoram sprigs (substitute oregano), leaves picked
• 1 bunch watercress, sprigs picked
• 150g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled
• 100g pecans, roasted, chopped

Methods:

1. Roast the beetroot in the oven at 180 °C until tender, scatter with thyme and a pinch each of salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle with 1 tbs oil and the vinegar.
2. To make the dressing, whisk garlic, allspice, white wine vinegar, pomegranate molasses and remaining oil in a bowl until well combined. Stir in cranberries and marjoram.
3. Arrange watercress on a platter, scatter the beetroot over, top with goat’s cheese and pecans, then spoon dressing over and enjoy!

The post Add some beets to your roast veggies or salad appeared first on Fertility First.

Alcohol intake has been linked to increased DNA fragmentation in sperm and reduced oocyte quality, however there are still ways you could enjoy a family friendly tipple without the additional concern of it affecting your fertility, such as this drink below.

The Sweet Adeline

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup fresh pomegranate juice (Pomegranate is rich in antioxidants and has shown to benefit both male and female fertility)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon syrup
• 1 teabag black tea blend with orange and spice
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup hot water, to taste
• Cinnamon stick, for garnish

Method:

1. Pour the pomegranate juice and cinnamon syrup into a warm mug
2. Add teabag and fill with hot water
3. Allow tea to diffuse for a few minutes and then remove the teabag
4. Stir and then garnish with a cinnamon stick

The post Go easy on the alcohol appeared first on Fertility First.

There are numerous links between seafood or the “Mediterranean diet” and fertility, fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids being linked to greater improvement of testicular function and egg quality.

Tuna, salmon, oysters, lobster, and mussels are great sources of zinc and vitamin B12, which have also been linked to reducing the levels of DNA fragmentation in sperm.

The post Seafood is your friend appeared first on Fertility First.

We’ve posted in the past about the importance of vitamin D and how it impacts sperm health and embryo quality. Recently, researchers from Oregon Health and Science University and Portland State University in the United States have revealed a strong link between vitamin D and mitochondrial biogenesis in developing eggs.

What does this mean?

Essentially, human eggs will develop and mature in follicles located in the ovary. The growth and development is controlled by local factors in addition to mediating actions of gonadotropins (the FSH injections you have to take during your cycle). The studies have determined that vitamin D plays a key role in helping to regulate physiological functions that control reproduction and influence the metabolism and signalling pathways in the ovary.

In mouse studies, it was discovered that mice who were fed a diet that was deficient in vitamin D had fewer mature eggs, impaired follicular development and estrogen biosynthesis was disrupted due to poor gene expression.

In contrast, vitamin D3 supplementation helped to promote granulosa cell proliferation. This is important because granulosa cells form the single layer surrounding your developing eggs, and are involved with the production of sex steroids which impact the quality of your eggs.

Fertility First has recognised the importance of sufficient vitamin D levels in our male and female patients trying to conceive for over 10 years. As a result, our clinic will routinely test the vitamin D levels in all our patients as part of our preliminary assessment.

And where can you find vitamin D?

Foods that are rich sources of vitamin D include fatty fish such as tuna and salmon, cheese, egg yolks and orange juice. Vitamin D can also be found in mushrooms exposed to sunlight (some are commercially available), and you can also help boost your vitamin D intake by stepping outside and spending about 10-30 minutes in the sunshine. For recommended guidelines for spending time in the sun to boost your vitamin D levels, you may want to check the resources on the Cancer Council’s website.

Looking for more personalised information to assist with your fertility journey? Contact us to schedule a consultation with our expert team.

The post Can vitamin D affect follicular development and egg maturity? appeared first on Fertility First.

Symptoms range from weight gain, irregular menstrual cycles, elevated testosterone levels, infertility, acne and unwanted body hair. Women who suffer from PCOS may be able to grow numerous follicles, however the follicles will fail to regularly release a mature egg.

Regardless of the diagnosis, many women have still managed to start a family and lead healthy, functional lives.

So, how can you take back control and help to manage symptoms of PCOS?

The symptoms of PCOS can cause a lot of stress, especially if they consist of weight gain, hair growth and acne, however some women have found regular exercise or even practicing yoga can help manage symptoms and restore balance in their lives. A recent study that was published in the Journal of American Osteopathic Association in May 2020 has shown that regular yoga can help improve the endocrine, cardiometabolic and psychological parameters in women with PCOS. Given that yoga is a low-impact activity that does not require a specific level of fitness, it is an exercise that most women will be able to do comfortably regardless of their weight.

Some foods have shown to be beneficial to managing PCOS and research has shown that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help manage symptoms

4 foods shown to significantly help manage symptoms of PCOS

1. Whole-grains, legumes, high protein foods that are rich in fibre have previously been shown to be effective in reducing insulin resistance in diabetic patients. As a large number of women with PCOS tend to have elevated insulin resistance.

2. Healthy fats such as omega-3s are beneficial for both men and women during fertility treatment, however a study published in Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes has also suggested that it can help to balance hormone levels and to optimise insulin levels in women suffering from PCOS.

3. Green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts and cabbage are also excellent in helping to reduce insulin resistance which is seen in many women with PCOS.

4. There has been evidence that antioxidants are effective in helping to alleviate oxidative stress and control free radicals which cause damage to your body. An article published in 2018 in The Journal of Metabolic Diseases has shown that colourful berries help to manage weight, diabetes and indigestion, which is beneficial for patients with PCOS.

The post Is it possible to help or cure your PCOS through diet and lifestyle? appeared first on Fertility First.

The short answer is yes, and looking after your health and hygiene plays a huge factor in prevention.

To limit the spread of COVID-19, practising basic hygiene is essential. Washing hands, using hand sanitiser and minimise contact with others, especially if they are feeling unwell.

Your immune system and general health are just as important. The best way to boost your immune system essentially is through diet and ensuing you’re consuming the correct foods.

1. Vitamin C

Most people will know how important vitamin C is for a healthy immune system. In addition to helping to keep away coughs and colds, vitamin C also keeps your skin, bones and connective tissue strong and healthy, helps to heal wounds and prevent infection and is crucial for assisting your body to absorb iron from your blood.

Where can you find vitamin C? Vitamin C isn’t only found in oranges and citrus fruits, it is also found in berries, blackcurrants, sprouts, broccoli, tomatoes and capsicum.

2. Vitamin A

Vitamin A has an antioxidant effect on your body, which will help to strengthen your immune system so your body can help fight infection. The most effective and safest way to consume vitamin A is through carotenoid-containing fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, papayas, watermelon, pink grapefruit and tomatoes.

3. Vitamin E

In addition to helping improve sperm production, Vitamin E is also a very effective antioxidant, helping your body fight off infections by boosting your immune system. Foods high in vitamin E include nuts such as almonds, peanuts and hazelnuts, spinach and broccoli, and plant based oils such as sunflower oil.

4. Vitamin D

Fertility First has recognised the importance of sufficient vitamin D levels not only in our female patients, but also our male patients for over 10 years and routinely test our patients’ vitamin D levels as part of our preliminary assessment and treatment programs. Vitamin D can help to modulate immune responses and is produced by the body in response to sunlight. Recently, scientists from the University of Edinburgh found that Vitamin D may also influence T-Cells, the key cells involved with the immune system.

In addition to sunshine, vitamin D can be found in foods such as fatty fish like salmon and sardines, fortified foods such as milk, orange juice and cereals, eggs, and mushrooms.

5. Iron

The role of Iron is essential in providing the body with a strong immune system. Iron is important for cell proliferation, maturation and imperative for the function of lymphocytes, white blood cells that are responsible for specific responses to infection. It is especially important for women, particularly if they are pregnant or trying to conceive. Foods rich in iron include read meat such as beef, lamb and kangaroo, liver, canned salmon, tofu, nuts such as cashews and almonds, quinoa, kale, broccoli, spinach and green beans.

6. Zinc

Zinc is essential for sexual health, has been known to increase testosterone levels and improve sperm motility in many cases. It also helps to metabolise nutrients and maintains a healthy immune system by growing and repairing body tissues. As your body doesn’t store zinc, it is important to eat enough every day to ensure you are able to maintain daily requirements and keep your immune system healthy. Foods rich in zinc include meat such as beef, lamb and port, shellfish such as oysters, lentils, chickpeas and beans, nuts and seeds, eggs and dairy, and vegetables such as green beans, kale, potatoes. As an added bonus, a reasonable amount of zinc has been found in dark chocolate!

It is crucial to note that like all medications and supplements, they can have benefits and can also be dangerous to exceed the daily recommended dose. We encourage our patients to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle when looking at undergoing fertility treatment during this time and strongly suggest that when in doubt, check with your fertility specialist and be guided by The Australian Government Department of Health.

The post Six essential vitamins and minerals for a strong and healthy immune system appeared first on Fertility First.

A very recent article published in the European Journal of Nutrition has identified Lycopene, a natural pigment found in tomatoes as a carotenoid that can greatly improve sperm quality.

Scientists from the University of Sheffield in the UK conducted a study involving 60 test subjects and found that those who consumed Lycopene showed a 40% improvement in both sperm motility, concentration and morphology. The powerful antioxidant effects of the carotenoid were also believed to be helping protect the sperm against damage caused by oxidation, which has been well document as a cause of male infertility.

The university is now planning a larger scale study involving men who have known fertility problems to observe the powerful effect of the natural pigment.

The post Tomatoes and sperm appeared first on Fertility First.