Last updated on
Unexplained infertility may be one of the most frustrating diagnoses one can receive. A diagnosis of unexplained infertility is given to couples when there has been complete infertility testing and nothing comes up as a marker for the cause. Both men and women must be tested to be given this diagnosis. Unexplained infertility diagnosis is given to about 25% of couples with infertility.
Doctors often jump to aggressive fertility medications or give the couple the option of IVF if they are not able to conceive on their own naturally. It seems like there should be a better way, right? So if you have been diagnosed with infertility for unknown reasons, what should you do? Well let us start by taking a good look at our daily lifestyle, eating habits and then what we can do naturally to prepare for pregnancy. If over time you are still not pregnant at least these steps will have better prepared you for possible medical infertility treatments.
Natural Options: Cover the basics!
1. Eat a Nutritious Nutrient Dense Whole Foods Diet
Diet is the most important way to support fertility health. What you put into your body and what you avoid are the foundation for cellular health, this includes the cells that make the egg and sperm. We are what we eat. Nutritional deficiencies contribute to almost all fertility issues. Changing the diet should always be the first thing anyone with unexplained infertility should do. Keep a journal of everything you eat a day, what areas are lacking?
So, what does eating a whole food diet mean? This means that the foods you consume should be minimally processed, as close to their natural state as possible. Harvard performed a study that showed an 80% decrease in infertility by switching to a fertility diet.
Key tips to follow:
- Eat Whole Foods– Fresh vegetables, fruits, raw seeds and nuts, whole grains, lean grass fed free range organic meats and dairy products (limited).
- Avoid anti-nutrients– Processed foods abound. Most things in the grocery store that come in a box are highly processed and contain preservatives, dyes, and fillers.
- Drink clean water– Drink filtered water, try to avoid tap water. Be sure you are drinking at least 8 full glasses of water. This will not only keep you hydrated, but will help you to flush toxins from the body daily.
Learn the full details of eating a Natural Fertility Diet here…
2. Lifestyle Management
- Address Stress! Take a look at both partners stress levels. If you have high stress there is a possibility that this may be hindering conception efforts for multiple reasons. The body is designed to prevent conception from occurring during times of high stress. High stress impacts hormone levels, sperm and egg health as well as libido. Work to reduce stress levels. Try meditation, calming herbs, daily exercise, ect.
- Exercise is extremely important for a variety of reasons. Regular exercise strengthens the muscles, builds stamina, may increase flexibility, increases circulation, keeps stress, depression and anxiety at bay, and promotes regular detoxification of excess hormones and toxins in the body. It is important to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week. Make sure that the exercise you choose to do promotes sweat. Sweating is not only the body’s way to cool itself off, it is its way to naturally detoxify, daily. All of this is very important for healthy hormonal balance and circulation to the reproductive organs. Regular exercise also is beneficial for preparing the body for the hard work of childbirth.
- Cut out bad habits! Consider daily habits you have that are not so healthy. This could be smoking, drinking alcohol regularly, high caffeine or sugar intake. All of these are known to directly negatively impact fertility.
- Fertility Cleansing may help to reduce the impacts of bad lifestyle choices and prepare the body for healthy conception. Twice yearly Fertility Cleansing for both the female and male partners may greatly support hormonal balance while promoting natural detoxification of environmental toxins.
3. Consider following an Herbal and Nutritional Supplement Program
- Take a whole food multivitamin. This can help to ensure you are getting all the proper nutrients needed daily!
- Fertility Herbs are a great way to bring about healthy healing and change in the body. There are many supportive herbs for pregnancy preparation and supporting men’s fertility health. Some herbs are considered fertility superfoods which boost nutrition while supporting endocrine system function. Other herbs prepare the uterus for pregnancy. Some aid in menstrual cycle regulation, stress support and some have been shown to increase sperm health. You can learn about the most supportive fertility herbs here…
- Antioxidants are one of the most important components to having healthy fertility that every woman and man needs to focus on. Antioxidants are a family of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that help to protect the body from the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cell structures. Antioxidants are one of the first lines of defense we have for protecting egg and sperm health!
- Omega Essential Fatty Acids aid the body in balancing weight, support body system function, and create a healthy environment for conception. EFA’s have been shown to support hormonal production and balance in both men and women.
Want to learn more about unexplained infertility, check out this article…
- Unexplained infertility. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unexplained_infertility
Practicing natural health and herbalism since 2000, Dalene received her training and certification under the guidance of Lynn Albers at Yarmony Mt. Herbal College in Colorado. She went on to become a Certified Birth Doula at Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon in 2007.
