“The silver lining is this is a pause and not a stop, and now you have the opportunity to get your body ready to run this marathon,” said Dr. Brian Levine, founding partner of CCRM Fertility in New York.
As if life isn’t already turned upside down, many fertility clinics are cancelling IVF, IUI and other treatment cycles. It’s one more waiting game women with infertility have to endure. Maybe you can challenge yourself to re-frame it and find a silver lining.
How would it feel to you to use this time to get your body in the best shape it can be before your next fertility treatment cycle? Here are three tips.
- Eat a fertility-friendly diet. Studies have proven the effects of diet on fertility treatment. The Mediterranean Diet is a fertility-friendly model. That means eating mostly plant-based foods, including fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains and olive oil. Eat less eggs, poultry and dairy and even less red meat.
- Adjust your workout routine. In general women who are trying to get pregnant are recommended to do gentle exercises that put less stress on your body and are expansive and opening, like yoga. Underweight women are recommended to cut back on the intensity and frequency of exercise. Overweight women are recommended to gradually boost intensity and frequency of cardio and strength training.
- Engage in a regular stress-reduction practice. There are a number of ways to get your body out of fight or flight mode which can wreak havoc on your reproductive system: take a 24-hour (or longer) news break as often as you can, do simple breathing techniques, download a free meditation app or start a gratitude journal to express thankfulness for what is good in your life.
xo,
Jennifer