Perhaps you've overheard the news reports or glanced at the articles.
You're aware that environmental pollutants are a growing concern, but
now, as you are trying to expand your family, it is becoming
particularity important that you pay attention to these findings.
Analyses show that pesticides, plastics, cleaning agents, and other
chemicals we are exposed to on a daily basis contain toxic substances
which disrupt our hormonal balance and increase our risk for
infertility. Arm yourself with knowledge and learn about your options as
you and your partner start on the journey towards parenthood.
Pregnancy Planning And The Environment
According to a press release issued by Friends of the Earth, there
are over 300 recently developed substances our bodies can store that
cause hormonal imbalance. Furthermore, women who are exposed to heavy
metals such as lead, aluminum or cadmium are more likely to have
irregular cycles and suffer from even more dramatic hormonal
fluctuations. To enable your body's natural detoxification system to
work properly and insure hormonal balance, it is important to take
measures to avoid these harmful substances.
Limit Pesticide Consumption
The only way to remove pesticides from the surface of fruits and
vegetables is by peeling them or removing the outer layers of leafy
vegetables.But sometimes its not quite practical to peel everything -
imagine trying to peel bunch of grapes! For those fruits and veggies
that you can not peel, the go-to method of rinsing under water hardly
removes the harmful residues. After peeling, the best way to remove
pesticides is by soaking your produce for 10-30 minutes in a solution of
water with a bit of dishwashing detergent or vinegar.
If you don't have the patience to soak your produce, a produce spray,
available in most healthfood stores, is also a good option. Spray your
produce and wash thoroughly before eating. You can also create your own
produce spray by mixing up a 3:1 water to vinegar solution to keep in a
spray bottle by your sink.
Nutritionist advise including a wide variety of fruit and vegetables
into your diet to avoid ingesting too much of one particular pesticide.
Protect Yourself Against Plastics
Until recently, no one thought twice about our bombardment with
plastics - plastic bottles, plastic food wrappers, plastic dishes,
plastic bags and plastic containers for everything - but today, there is
growing concern among scientists about these products.
Dramatic hormonal alterations were found in those who had high levels
of the chemical compound Bisphenol A (BPA) that is common in plastics.
One study proved that women who experienced one or more miscarriages had
triple the concentration of Bisphosphate A in their blood than women
who had never suffered a miscarriage. Another highlighted a scary
phenomena where male workers developed breast after inhaling dust
containing BPA.
Take these steps to protect yourself, especially if you are trying to get pregnant.
1. Use plastic containers and tableware that are clearly marked
BPA-Free or that do not contain any softening agents. If you cannot
determine this clearly from the product description or label, don't buy
the product.
2. Do no cook or reheat food in plastic. Do not use plastic containers in a microwave oven.
3. When you buy food sealed in a plastic film, remove the food from
the packaging straight away and store it in a suitable container. Be
especially careful to avoid keep high-fat foods in plastic containers as
Xenoestrogens are easily transferred to foods with a high fat content.
4. When you buy hard cheese sealed in plastic film, scrape the surface with a knife before consuming.
5. Use glass bottles! Water is probably the most important
ingredient in a healthy diet and detoxification regime, and there has
been a huge increase in the consumption of bottled water. However, while
this bottled water might be filtered, because it is stored in plastic,
it absorbs BPA. We recommend you refill your own non-plastic water
bottle instead of using toxic plastic bottles.
Avoid Heavy Metals
You might not realize just how often you are exposed to heavy metals.
Aluminum cookware, metal cans, foil coatings, and even the material
used to correct teeth are also causing concern among the scientific
community for their high levels of BPA and other toxic substances. Below
we will address some of the more common metals and their effect on
fertility, and what you can do to avoid them.
Aluminum
Scientific studies have shown that aluminum impairs the absorption of
nutrients and can negatively impact fertility. Aluminum is found in
everyday goods such as antacids, deodorants, anti-clumping agents in
dried milk, aluminum kitchenware, drink cans, and foil.
- Replace all your aluminum pots and pans with kitchenware made from iron, glass or stainless steel.
- Do not drink carbonated drinks from aluminum cans. Carbonated
drinks in cans have high concentration of aluminum from the inner lining
of cans that dissolves into the drink.
- Buy aluminum-free deodorants.
Mercury
You might already know that pregnancy women should avoid fish with
high levels of mercury, but you probably don't realize where else
mercury is shows up. Mercury is not only unsafe for pregnant women, it
has an effect on your ability to get pregnant as well. Studies have
shown that Mercury reduces fertility by accumulating in the pituitary
gland, which is crucial to stimulating the production of sexual
hormones. An alarming finding shows that female dentists and dental
assistants, who are often exposed to mercury, have a particularly high
rate of miscarriages.
The mercury in your teeth fillings can escape in the form of mercury
vapor and pass into our bodies when we consume hot drinks such as tea or
coffee, brush our teeth or chew gum. One study, in which over 100
research reports and medical files were assessed, concludes that the
accumulation of mercury in the body can cause many different symptoms
such as allergies, chronic exhaustion, depressive episodes, flu-like
ailments, menstruation complaints, reduced sperm levels, ovulation
disorders, and miscarriages.
If you need a tooth filled, ask your dentist for alternatives to the
standard metal filling. Special tests can reveal if mercury is escaping
from your fillings. If you find that it is, dentist can replace the
fillings. However if the test reveals that there is no indication that
mercury is passing into your body, you should not have the replacement
work done while trying to get pregnant because large amounts mercury
could be released during the procedure. Our advice is to have all of
your necessary dental treatments completed three months before
attempting to get pregnant.
Copper
Copper is one of the essential trace elements, but it too can be
toxic in high concentrations. The body can absorb copper from water
pipes or from contraceptive coils. The main problem with copper is that
if its concentration increases too sharply, the absorption of zinc, and
important component in fertility, will be impeded.
Try not to wear copper jewelry if you are trying to conceive, and if
you cook in copper cookware, make sure the surfaces are not scratched.
Cadmium
Cadmium is a highly toxic heavy metal found in cigarette smoke that
has a very harmful effect on male and female fertility. Quit smoking and
protect yourself against second hand smoke.
Chemicals in the Home
That fresh, chemical smell that permeates your house after you give
it a good cleaning ––you know, the one that smells like a mixture of
pine and bleach? Well, many experts believe that these chemicals are
actually a great risk to your fertility because of the volatile
off-gassing. Its important to live in a clean environment though, so
lets take a look at some of the natural alternatives that do just as
good, if not a better job, of eliminating those messes.
Vinegar. It's a magic cleaning agent with virtually endless possibilities.
- A dash of vinegar on a damp cloth is ideal for cleaning unvarnished wood.
- Add a few drops to your steam cleaner to it kills house dust mites and bacteria.
- A good alternative to floor cleaners, which contain lots of chemicals: add a cup of vinegar to a bucket of water.
- In a spray bottle, mix vinegar and water in the ratio of 1:1 for a natural window cleaner.
Baking soda also has excellent cleaning properties.
- Create your own room spray by mixing a few drops of essential oil with baking soda.
- For fresh clean carpeting, sprinkle baking soda over it before vacuuming.
While thinking about expanding your family, you might decide that
this is the perfect time to expand or redecorate your house. Be careful
though, many materials used in renovations have been linked to
infertility.
Paints that contain solvents and turpentine substitute release gases
which can hang in the air for weeks after the painting work has been
finished. Also, new carpets often contain the preservative formaldehyde,
which can irritate the mucous membranes of eyes, nose and throat and
are generally unhealthy. An American study of women who were suffering
from unexplained infertility revealed a high concentration of two
chemicals which are present in carpets, leather upholstery and wood
preserving agents.
Toiletries and Cosmetics
Many commercial toiletries contain detergents and artificial
fragrances which can irritate your skin and mucous membranes. Read
labels before making any purchases, and avoid those with chemicals.
For an all natural relaxing bath, try adding dried or fresh fragrant
herbs (lavender, rosemary or peppermint), essential oils, or a cup of
Epsom salts to warm water. Try switching to natural, organic soap which
you can purchase in wholefood shops or pharmacies.
If you want to get pregnant it is best not dye your hair or use any
chemical hair treatment that comes in contact with your scalp.
Highlights are a good alternative to a full hair dye because to
chemicals do not come in contact with the scalp. If you are already
pregnant, it is recommended that you wait until your fourth month before
dying your hair. There are also wonderful all-natural hair dyes
available at health food stores.
Nature Knows Best
For better or for worse, advancements in technology have created a
lot of unnatural products and byproducts, but when you are trying to
concieve nature is still knows best. Making a baby and becoming parents
is one of the miracles of nature that connects you right back to the
majestic organic world we live in. Stay one step ahead of the game by
keeping your food, environment and lifestyle choices wholesome and
natural.
Read the original article here:
http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/environmental-pollutants-and-fertility
Everything seemed so simple yet so grand; as if the entire cosmic universe was coming together to make our transition into parenthood breathtaking. Then, one cold November morning, Dusten decided the time had come. We nervously, slowly - ah, those glorious contractions - walked the halls of the hospital towards the delivery room, room 318. And there he was born. 
Get your hands on a fertility monitor like Cyclotest Baby, and you’ll know when during the month you can conceive. On those days you can strategically plan to have intercourse, and during the rest of the month you are free to be as spontaneous as you want. Plan date nights for outside of the fertility window, at a time when you can simply enjoy each others company with zero pressure. Play an adult board game, go for a moonlit walk, or just snuggle close on the couch watching TV. When you track your fertility with Cyclotest Baby, you’ll give yourself the gift of clarity, and you’ll be amazed to see how much better you’ll feel when you are able to release that pressure.
