Have you been told by medical professionals or fertility clinics that there is nothing you can do to improve your egg quality prior egg retrieval in order to boost your chances of success?
Well then I have some good news for you. This is not true. There are absolutely things we can do to give our eggs the best possible chance! Sure, as females we are born with all the eggs we will ever have and there is nothing we can do to change their genetic makeup as such. BUT the three months in which an egg matures provides a huge window of opportunity to firstly make sure that we give our eggs everything they need to thrive whilst also making sure that we avoid doing things that may have a negative effect on our egg quality.
Whilst caring for our eggs will likely look different for every single one of us, depending on our health history, current diet and lifestyle, here are 5 simple things we can all do to give our eggs the best chances:
1. Eat a nutritious diet
Our eggs need nutrients to be able to grow and mature. A healthy and balanced diet rich in high quality protein, healthy fats and a variety of brightly coloured fruit and veg alongside a personalised plan for high quality supplementation can make a world of difference. Not only does this ensure that your body gets all of the essential nutrients it needs to support your reproductive health, but ensuring an adequate intake of all macronutrients also helpos to balance your blood sugar levels which is crucial for overall hormone health and egg quality.
Download my free 'The perfect meal guide' here and find out how to put together a perfectly balanced, fertility friendly meal every time. 2. Incorporate light movement on a daily basis
Movement is a key cornerstone for overall health. Whilst heavy exercise can cause stress on the body, including light exercise such as walking or yoga on a daily basis can help to not only relieve tension but it can also help to increase blood flow and nourishment to the ovaries and uterus. 3. Reduce stress
Did you know that our stress hormone cortisol and our reproductive hormones are made from the same building block? When we're stressed, our body uses this building block to make cortisol at the expense of our reproductive hormones which are crucial for egg maturation and quality. Remember that stress is not always mental, but physical stressors such as heavy exercise, toxin exposure and chronic inflammation amongst others, have the same effect on our reproductive health.
4. Get some zzz's
Aside from the fact that sleep is one of the core foundations for our overall health and wellbeing, there is also a mountain of evidence telling us that poor sleep can have a detrimental effect on our reproductive health including egg quality. Not getting enough (or too much for that matter, the sweet spot is 7-9 hours) sleep is a physical stressor on the body, affecting our hormone health and disrupting our reproductive system in a number of ways. Switching off all screens at least 2 hours before bed, trying some relaxing techniques and making sure that we expose our eyes to natural light first thing in the morning can all help to promote good quality sleep. 5. Reduce your exposure to toxins
The sad truth is that we are exposed to tens of thousands of different chemicals every day, all of which may be negatively affecting our egg quality. Whilst we won't be able to eliminate them completely, some simple changes that you can start implementing today, can significantly reduce your daily exposure. Switching to natural care products and household cleaners, choosing organic produce where possible, using glass or steel food and drink containers, and drinking filtered water are all great ways to cut down on your daily toxin exposure. You can read more on reducing your toxin exposure on my blog here. The above is by no means an exhaustive list on the practices we can work on to support our egg health but I hope it illustrates that we absolutely have a level of control over our egg health. If you'd like to find out more about working with me 1:1, or if you'd just like to have a chat with me, drop me a message or book in for one of my free 30 minute phone calls, no strings attached :)
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