The Quick & Easy Men's Guide For Fertility
The question of male health in this country is a serious issue, especially in the month of Movember. There is an overall lack of awareness of men’s health conditions, particularly due to the fact that men traditionally don’t discuss how they’re feeling.
Traditionally, fertility challenges focus on the female side of this issue. However in the past few years research revealed 30-40% of these challenges are due to the man. While this indicates male partners should frequently get evaluated by a fertility specialist, there are a few basic questions to also consider.
When Is The Peak Fertility Time For Us?
There is only one opportunity to conceive per month. Making plans to be together during that fertility period can improve your chances of conception. We recommend most of our couples try to set time aside to take an overnight trip together and try to change the landscape and environment during the fertile window.
This window by definition is the 5 days leading up to ovulation. But the likelihood of conceiving is dramatically increased if sex occurs in the three days leading up to and including ovulation. Remember that sperm can live in the female reproductive tract for around 5 days. So, if the sperm are around a few days before ovulation, there is a better likelihood of conception.
How Can I Be Healthier?
Your food choices are information for your body and nutrition can affect the quality of your sperm health. We’re not saying you need to change your whole diet and only eat salads, but try incorporating in some foods that are known to help with better quality sperm production.
Think whole foods, such as walnuts and steamed dark leafy greens, along with dark skinned berries such as blueberries, and blackberries. Generally speaking a mediterranean diet serves as a great general rule of thumb to pick foods from. And to avoid any type of xenoestrogens, it’s best to not use plastic packages to carry your food.
How Stressed Am I?
We all know emotional and environmental stress can have an impact on our health. In men, the influence is frequently overlooked and marginalized. Work related stress, oxidative stress, and environmental stress can create havoc on sperm quality. Now more than ever is the time to step back and take an emotional and environmental inventory on things that could be hindering your chances of starting a family.
Examine Yourself
Remember 80% of the testicle is devoted to sperm production, so making sure the testicles are functioning is a great way to rule out potential issues or challenges. Remember to evaluate:
size - the testicles should be around the size of an apricot
shape - each testicle shape should be similar to that of an egg
surface - check for distended veins; the surface of the testicle should be round and smooth
texture - finally the overall texture should be smooth and bouncy
Men’s health is not something we should push to the side and ignore. A couple’s fertility journey is a team effort and both the men and women can make changes to improve their odds of conceiving.
