Lifestyle habits you should avoid to protect your fertility
Facing complication in reproduction is more common than you think it is. It has been estimated that 1 in 8 couples face problems in conceiving at some point of time. If a couple is unable to conceive after several attempts, they are advised to seek professional help. In many cases, the reason behind it can be our daily lifestyle habits, especially when it comes to sperm health in men. While seeking advice from a fertility specialist or getting a semen analysis done, men are advised to keep an eye on your daily habits too. With a few tweaks in your lifestyle, you can help improve your sperm count and quality. Let’s know what factors and situations of your lifestyle affect your fertility.
Lifestyle habits you should avoid to protect your fertility
Sometimes certain lifestyle habits can be an obstacle in the way of conceiving, says Dr. Rohit Gutgutia, Medical Director at Nova IVF Fertility, Eastern India. He also suggests some lifestyle changes one can make to improve their fertility. He says:
Avoid consumption of alcohol and smoking
While you are trying to conceive, it is always advised to avoid alcohol consumption. Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol is fine but going over the limit can decrease your testosterone levels and impair sperm quality. Smoking is also to be avoided as it can affect your fertility in many ways. Not only that it is also harmful for your overall health as it increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, and countless other conditions.
Avoid drug usage
Avoid drugs, such as steroids, opioids, and cannabis when you are trying to conceive. Many men use steroids to increase muscle mass and to enhance their fitness routines or athletic ability. But these drugs have a negative effect on hormones that are responsible for sperm production. Prescribed or not, opioids can disrupt the production of sperm by reducing its quantity and quality. Cannabis too is believed to reduce your sperm count but further research on it is yet to be done.
Concentrate on diet and physical fitness
Weight plays a major role in your reproductive health. Being underweight or overweight can affect the sperm production and hormones differently. The best way to maintain a healthy weight can be through a balanced diet and with regular exercise which are also shown to improve fertility. If you are lazy when it comes to exercising then, you have to make changes to your habits.
Incorporating whole foods such as lean proteins, vegetables, fruits and whole grains in your diet can help in a positive outcome. Running and weight lifting at least three times a week are some of the moderate physical activities that can improve both the quality and quantity of your sperm.
Reduce exposure to hazardous substances
Some studies have suggested that recurrent exposure to hazardous substances such as electromagnetic radiation and pesticides may have negative effects on sperm count, morphology, and motility. The use of pesticides in agriculture nowadays is hard to avoid. Going for organic food is the only thing that can be done to avoid this.
Electromagnetic radiation is tricky to avoid, since most of our common devices like phones, tablets, laptops, or microwaves emit electromagnetic radiation. To limit this exposure of electromagnetic radiation try using these devices less.
Keep heated objects away from the scrotum
Do you have a habit of keeping your laptop on your lap for a long hour? The scrotum comprises testes and it remains 2-3 C lower than the normal body temperature. This temperature facilitates the production of sperms as they require a comparatively cooler environment than the rest of the body. If the scrotum is exposed to heated objects like laptops, the sperm production can be negatively affected.
“Your overall health matters when it comes to reproduction. And evaluating your daily habits and upgrading your lifestyle can bring positive results for you,” says Dr. Gutgutia.
Consulting a doctor is advisable to know more about improving your reproductive health and fertility. A fertility specialist will also address your concerns, he adds.
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