Infertility occurs equally amongst men as it does women. Research shows one in six couples is infertile, one woman in five will suffer a miscarriage and one child in ten suffers from learning difficulties. The best thing you can ever do for yourself, and your unborn child is include pre-conc eption care in your current lifestyle. This involves optimising your nutrition, undertaking detoxification programs, reducing your stress levels, creating balance in your lifestyle, including exercise, and by healing yourself emotionally.

Nutritional Health
In the first three months, the fetal mass increases over 2 500 000 times. This is an extraordinary rate of growth that has unique nutritional requirements. Falling pregnant whilst nutritionally compromised may mean that your pregnancy may not be as straight forward as planned.
By taking a pin prick of your blood, a Live Blood Assessment is an informative way of looking at your nutritional status.
Minerals: My favourite multi-mineral supplement is Colloidal Minerals; they come from plants and are 97% absorbable through the sub-lingual circulation under the tongue, balancing cellular deficiencies immediately.

Vitamins: Using Live Blood Assessment, I would say that 50-60% of my clients have mild to moderate vitamin B deficiencies. Organic Spirulina is my favourite way of correcting Vitamin B deficiencies, including folate; it is also high in protein, corrects iron levels within weeks, and alkalises the blood.

Protein: Store nuts and seeds in the fridge, many nuts are best soaked prior to consumption and should not taste bitter. Eat fish that are high in essential fatty acids, and ask your fish monger about avoiding fish with mercury. Soft boil your eggs, they are great for you. Eat white organic meats in moderation, if at all. Avoid cow’s milk, stick to organic yogurts, sheep and goat’s cheese.

Fat: Essential Fatty Acids are essential for reproductive health and we need a balance of Omega 3, 6 and 9. Flaxseed (linseed), sesame, coconut and evening primrose oils may be taken as a supplement or used in cooking, without being heated.

Avoid: Refined carbohydrates, red meat, alcohol, sugar, processed and junk foods.

Lifestyle Health – Are You Stressed?
The beauty of a conscious conception is that you can make sure that your lifestyle is in balance and you are happy prior to falling pregnant. A stressed woman may often skip ovulation altogether and stress, including over-work can cause havoc with fragile sperm counts. Exercise, even if it is just 20 minutes per day, taking breaks from work, even a 10 minute tea break, replacing coffee with green tea, taking regular short cold showers, and being in nature everyday, all help to reduce stress levels.

Intent – Why Do You Want a Child?
There are some really important questions to ask yourself. Do you really want a child or is it because society, your parents and/or your partner think you should have one? Do you want a child to ‘fix’ your relationship, to avoid working, to feel loved, or to fulfill something that is missing in your life? Be honest with yourself. If you want a child with your heart and your intention is pure, then you can be patient and enjoy the process. Perhaps you are enjoying your career and current lifestyle and are not completely ready yet. It is possible to block conception on a subconscious level. To be attached to an outcome may cause you much emotional pain.

Infertility – Due to No Physical Condition
If you and your partner have failed to conceive after one year, you have had all the physical examinations done and come up perfectly healthy, then you need to look at the emotional causes to your infertility. When you have a baby, in a sense you have to re-live your childhood. Sometimes a woman’s childhood was so traumatic, that on a subconscious level she will block conception as she simply doesn’t want to re-live it. Herbal medicine, counselling, Australian Bush Flower Essences, emotional release techniques and healing can all free emotional and physical blockages.

The good news is Natural Fertility Management has shown that health far out ways age!

Miriam Young is a Medical Herbalist and Natural Fertility Management practitioner. Visit www.detox4life.com.au