Fertility

It's not just for baby makin'

I say fertile you say BABY. 

Fertile. Baby. Fertile. Baby.

Not many of us are jumping on the fertile train. Either we don't want kids. Don't want any more. Or that ship has sailed. 

But fertility doesn't have to solely be for those gearing up for baby-makin'. In fact, Chinese Medicine views fertility as a balance in the body for both men and women. The funny point is... want ultimate health? Check out a Fertility Health book incorporating TCM and holistic care. You'll be surprised to find out that it's not about the act of fertilization as much as it is the acts BEFORE baby-makin'.

There are three main factors that are repeated for fertility building.

Stress

Oh, we all know that stress has its effects on everyone. But when we really understand the effect it has on our bodies, we'll begin to take a different stance on how we cope with our stress. How stress can affect us on a 'fertile' platform is the lack of blood flow to our center. Stress can pull blood away from your organs when you're in a fight-or-flight mode, I suppose it's to feed the limb's muscles so you can run faster. But this is why in Qigong you take time to come into your center, literally and breathe. One good stress release ability is a tummy rub. Seriously. Rub your tummy and take deep breaths into your lower Dan Tien.

Hormone balance

Our hormones reflect much of our lifestyle. How we eat, exercise, work, and find stillness affects our 'fertility'. Your diet should always moderate how much cheese, alcohol, dairy, and sugary, greasy foods you consume. Aside from the obvious? Why? Because these are damp foods that can cause cysts and fibroids in the body. And don't think that this is a cool form of birth control. We should be caring for our bodies in a loving way for longevity. Take time away from work and play to let the body rest. Sleep is so important in our body's health. That said, Exercise should be within moderation so as not to spike 'stress' hormones throughout the body just as meditation is key.

Emotional Health

Aw, our emotions. What does this have to do with 'fertility' or begin balanced in our health? Well, TCM finds a stick in the spoke for many wanting to conceive- they have Liver Qi Stagnation. Funny thing is, MOST people have liver stagnation. We're all antsy and yang'ed up with emotions. It's important to recognize frustration and anger in your life. These pent-up emotions are reflective of your health, regardless of wanting to be pregnant or not.

That said, you may not want a baby inside your belly but you may end up with a tumor growing inside if you have emotions that are stagnant. Breath is a GREAT exercise for releasing pent-up emotions. Our lungs are part of the Metal element and it affects how we let go. When we're warm, enveloping, holding & supportive in our emotions, we let go of all that may be suppressing our health.

Funny thing is... these factors are not only for a potentially conceiving mother-- it's for us. Right now! 

Stress. Check.

Lifestyle. Check.

Emotional Health. Check.

It's only because women are expecting results from their bodies and are now noticeably taking actions towards a healthy home base for a baby to grow. But why don't we ALL view our bodies as a healthy home base for OURSELVES?!

Do you think minimizing eating cheese, milk, greasy foods, alcohol, and sugar is only for those conceiving? Cysts and fibroids aren't cool forms of birth control. This is your body. You want to keep it clean.

Exercising to the max, comparing yourself to a skinny girl in a magazine wishing for rock-hard abs isn't what a woman who's trying to conceive is looking at, she's pinning after her body growing rather than shrinking.

We push away from being Yin in our bodies. While we're not focused daily on being fertile, we're ignoring the balance of health. 

Fertility is about being balanced. Be balanced. Be fertile. 

Fertility isn't just for baby-making.