We are becoming more aware of our impact upon the environment but seldom think how this affects our ability to conceive a baby. We spoke to Dr (TCM) Attilio D’Alberto to ask him what impact he thinks the environment has on our fertility and what we can do about it. Here are his top 5 tips:
My Fertility Guide
Reduce your exposure to chemicals
Our bodies are surrounded by numerous chemicals from fragrances in soaps, shampoos and perfumes to make-up and cleaning products as well as nail polish that act like oestrogens.
Unknowingly, we are overdosing on these chemicals, which cause irregular hormone levels in men and women and infertility. It’s better to limit the amount of chemicals in your home (including your garden) and in your body.
Know your plastics
The use of plastics is a growing problem, not only for the environment but also for male and female fertility as they too can act like oestrogens. There are many things you can do to limit your exposure to plastics.
- Keep all plastic containers out of the heat and sun as these can cause the chemicals within them to be released into your food and fluids.
- Always try to buy foods that are not prepacked in plastic and use paper bags to pack loose fruit and vegetables.
- Don’t reuse clear plastic water and soft drink bottles.
- Limit the use of cling film. Use wax paper or parchment paper to cover your food.
- Store food in glass, ceramic or stainless-steel containers.
- Don’t cook food or put hot food into polystyrene (this includes disposable foam plates, cups and packing materials).
- Don’t heat foods in plastic containers.
Air conditioning
Air conditioning can make you feel cold and this weakens the body, as it needs to use up energy to keep you warm. The coldness also causes blood flow to slow down and this affects the regulation of fertility hormones which are moved around in the blood. It can make the uterus too cold which can lead to unexplained infertility.
Whilst on the other hand, if the air conditioning is set at a high temperature it can cause irregular thyroid function, excessive sweating, agitation and irritability which can affect the menstrual cycle.
Reducing your exposure to air pollution
It’s well known that air pollution affects the respiratory system causing people to develop problems with their breathing, such as asthma, but it’s less well known how air pollution affects female fertility. Exposure to air pollution can reduce the number of eggs a woman has.
Avoid walking next to busy roads, standing at junctions, using the underground system or breathing in any type of combustion (cigarette, BBQs, fires) smoke. If you can’t avoid being exposed to air pollution, you can protect yourself in three ways:
(a) Take high doses of B vitamins – B9 (2.5mg), B6 (50mg) and B12 (1mg) – this can reduce the harmful effects of air pollution upon the body.
(b) Wear an air pollution mask.
(c) Change your car for one that is more environmentally friendly, i.e. one without a diesel engine and that has some form of electric propulsion.
Reducing your exposure to electromagnetic waves (EMWs)
In today’s modern world we are constantly being bombarded with EMWs.
Research has shown a correlation between increased mobile phone use and reduced male fertility and studies have also shown that men who use a laptop connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi to surf the net for more than four hours a day can have significant problems with their sperm which can lead to infertility.
In women, mobile phones can affect thyroid function, causing irregular levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which may also lead to infertility.
You can protect yourself from EMWs by either reducing your use of gadgets that emit EMWs, turning off your Wi-Fi at night or by neutralising them with semi-precious stones such as tourmaline.
Article by Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto, author of My Fertility Guide: How to get pregnant naturally, out now, priced £13.49. Also available in Kindle and as an audiobook.
For more info see: https://www.attiliodalberto.com/