Oysters Deserve Your Praise...and Other Fertility Ideas

Women and female infertility are the focus of so many articles and discussions. Men, on the other hand, are left with very little information about their fertility issues. And, when anything is offered about male fertility, it usually focuses on sperm count.

While sperm count and issues are important for male fertility, there are also important lifestyle changes and behaviors that men should know about to help themselves and their fertility.

Helping Yourself with Vitamins

There are many small alterations you can make to your diet and your lifestyle to try to help with your male infertility. Zinc is a great supplement to help with sperm production and strength. That idea that men should eat their oysters is actually true, since oysters have a lot of zinc in them! But, for those who don't love the slimy sea creatures, you can get zinc in lean beef, wheat germ and dark-meat turkey. Vitamin C is also very important to help with sperm count and motility. Vitamin C rich foods include strawberries, oranges and citrus juices. One of the main causes of male infertility is free oxygen radicals. One way to get rid of these is with tomatoes and tomato sauces. These foods are full of lycopene which is said to get rid of free oxygen radicals. You can also take a lycopene supplement to help out.

Helping Yourself with Herbs

There are many herbs, particularly Chinese herbs, that are said to help with fertility. Ginsens, saw palmetto, astral Gus and macaw are all supposed to increase sperm count. Be very careful, however, if you look into taking herbs. They can be quite powerful and dangerous. Make sure to talk to an herb specialist, a nutritionist or your doctor before you self-treat with herbs of any type.

Hurting Yourself...

There are certainly lifestyle behaviors and choices that can actually be detrimental to your conception chances. Alcohol and marijuana should be avoided, as both decreases your sperm count and motility. Avoid coffee, if possible, as well, since it can decrease the effectiveness of your sperm. Finally, try to stay away from fish with large quantities of mercury.

And Finally, Helping Yourself

Common sense also says that you should exercise and eat right on a regular basis. Try to avoid stressful situations and keep your stress levels down. Get enough sleep so that you are rejuvenated and feel great in the morning! Hopefully, with these lifestyle changes and herbs and vitamins, you'll help to increase your fertility and to set yourself on the road to fatherhood!