Preparing for pregnancy – fertility

Some research carried out in 1992 showed that there was evidence for decreasing quality of semen during the past 50 years. It has also been reported that one in four woman miscarry – some as often as 10 times and that couples are taking longer to conceive.

As a nutritionist this does not surprise me at all – the egg and sperm are only as healthy as the woman and man that produce them and from my experience our body health as a nation is getting worse.

We are seeing a major deterioration in the health of our society due to factors such as:
Quality of food (lack of vital vitamins and minerals). A national food survey as far back as 1995 showed that the average person in the UK was grossly deficient in six out of eight vitamins and minerals surveyed, and fewer than 10 people received the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for Zinc – this is an extremely important mineral working with many systems in the body – including male and female fertility.
Weight issues (under and over). The fat content of a woman’s body is crucial for fertility, that is why a woman has an average fat content of 27% of body weight to a man’s 15%. Therefore if a woman’s body goes above or below that figure, fertility is compromised. Overweight can stop ovulation, create hormonal imbalance and cause irregular periods.
Underweight can cause periods to stop, hormonal imbalance and affect fertility.
Stress causes the body to release hormones that affect the body’s ability to conceive – for both men and women.
Increased dependency on alcohol and smoking (including recreational drugs). It is well known that cigarettes contain over 4000 toxic compounds – these will have a very negative effect on the body’s ability to conceive, quite apart from the damage it can do to the body generally.

Take your next step towards optimal health and increase your fertility – book a consultation to discuss your situation

Preparing for pregnancy – after a miscarriage

A miscarriage is one of the most devastating things that can happen to a woman, and to her partner.

If you have suffered a miscarriage, you will be naturally concerned about why it happened and how you can prevent it from re-occurring. There will probably have been many tests carried out that have proved inconclusive, showing no medical reason why you are miscarrying and just told to go and try again. Many couples feel very frightened at the prospect of the same thing happening again as there seems to be nothing changed between one miscarriage and the next pregnancy.

It is extremely important that both you and your partner are in optimal health before and during the pregnancy. It is believed that about half of miscarriages are as a result of chromosomal abnormality, but only a small percentage of that amount are inherited and you can both be tested to see if there is a problem that needs addressing. The more serious findings show that other chromosomal damage occurs during and after fertilization, as the chromosomes divide; this indicates an unhealthy environment for the foetus.

Studies have shown that when couples with a previous history of miscarriage, were subjected to a lifestyle change, including food and nutritional supplements, they conceived and had a baby within a three year period without experiencing another miscarriage.

Preparation for pregnancy

Because every ‘body’ is different and has different needs it is very difficult to give an overall program to follow.

At my clinic I offer as part of my consultation an EAV health screen. This enables me to determine the areas of weakness or inflammation in the body. Once I have determined these areas we can work out a program, including diet and nutritional supplements, that will bring these areas back to balance. It is suggested that both partners follow this procedure to ensure both sperm and egg are in good health.

The lifestyle change will include discussing the intake of cigarettes, alcohol, environmental xenobiotics (pollutants), caffeine, and food choices.

You will have constant support through a period of at least four months (pre-conception period) prior to trying to conceive. It takes three months for an immature egg to mature enough to be released during ovulation, and three months for sperm cells to develop ready for ejaculation. This period is therefore as important as the period during pregnancy; hence we need to take care over a complete period of thirteen months.

We will discuss all aspects of dietary advice and supplementation in detail for you both – remember every ‘body’ is different, although we will work out a food plan that you can both follow.

If you would like to discuss nutritional issues please contact me:

Tel: 01954 204828

email: peter@graysnutrition.com