Why Does Exercising and Being Active Help With Conception?
Exercising and being active is vital to your fertility and pregnancy health for these reasons
First: physical activity boosts blood flow to your brain. This fires up your neurons and helps promote cell growth, especially in the hippocampus.
After you’re done, you’ll feel fresh, focused, and ready to tackle anything that needs your full attention.
BUT… it gets even better.
Secondly, Regular exercise can change your brain to improve your memory, thinking skills, and focus.
Studies show that exercise can even increase the size of your hippocampus!
A third bonus benefit: immediately after you’re done, you will get a mood boost thanks to all the endorphins (aka the “feel good” chemicals) your brain will release.
The workout doesn’t have to be intense. The goal is to get your blood pumping and your body moving for at least 20 minutes.
Your hippocampus plays a role in your emotions, memories, and learning – but its biggest job is to hold your short-term memories and transfer them for long-term storage in your brain! Did you know that the hippocampus plays a primary role in your reproductive health? More on that in a different blog post.
What else are you going to learn here? We will cover in this article how to improve your bone health to lessen the risk of developing osteoporosis , how your exercise affects your mood and happiness, tips on how to get a healthy glow which is important for preconception health, domino effect of high blood sugar and how exercise will help manage this and a special delicious and healthy snack for you to munch on.
Why is exercising and being active Important in helping with getting pregnant?
Regular physical activity is not only beneficial for your brain’s cognitive function and emotional well-being but also has a positive impact on fertility health and hormonal balance. Exercise has been shown to support reproductive health by improving circulation to the reproductive organs, regulating hormone levels, and reducing the risk of conditions that can affect fertility. By staying active and incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you can not only boost your brain’s potential but also support your overall reproductive health. These combined benefits can have a profound impact on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being, enhancing your quality of life in multiple ways.
There are several potential health benefits for women who exercise during pregnancy, including better control of your weight, improved mood and maintaining your fitness levels. Regular exercise during pregnancy can also lessen the risk of pregnancy-related complications such as pregnancy-related hypertension and pre-eclampsia. Other benefits are:
- Happy mood
- Improved energy
- Lessen back and pelvic pain
- Help prepare for the demands of labor
- Ideal posture improvement
- Less swelling of your face and feet
- Increased ability to cope with the physical demands of pregnancy and becoming a mother
Did you know that one in two women and up to one in four men will break a bone in their lifetime due to osteoporosis?!!!
Not only that but HALF of all adults age 50 and older are at risk of breaking a bone due to poor bone health.
Even though those worries might seem a long way off, what you do TODAY can have a big impact on your bone health.
👉Here are some key things you can do to help you stay strong and independent as you get older:
- Get enough calcium and vitamin D: Talk to your healthcare provider about ways to make sure you get enough daily.
- Exercise regularly: Make muscle-strengthening and weight-bearing exercise a non-negotiable. A minimum of two resistance training workouts a week is recommended.
- Don’t smoke and DO limit alcohol intake: Both can lead to bone loss.
- Ask your healthcare provider: They can give you info about your risk of getting osteoporosis, and guide you when it comes to getting a bone density test.
Exercise isn’t just for fitness. It’s an all-natural mood booster that can significantly improve your happiness factor.
Here’s why:
Natural Mood Enhancer: Exercise stimulates your brain to produce more mood-enhancing hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine, which can help relieve feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Endorphin Release: When you break a sweat, your body pumps out endorphins, which can help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain.
Stress Reducer: It helps your brain cope better with stress by causing positive changes in the areas that regulate stress and anxiety. Plus, moving your muscles can help release tension that has been building up all day!
No Intensity Needed: You don’t need to run hill sprints or bench-press your body weight to get these benefits. It’s not about how hard you push yourself; it’s about moving and getting active.
👉Even just a few minutes of physical activity can make a difference.
In fact, studies have shown regular exercisers who completely stopped their workouts had a significant increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety.
This shows that even short periods of physical inactivity can impact your mood.
Fun fact: in 2021, the global skincare market was estimated to be worth over $130 billion a year 🤯
There are thousands of skin creams on the market that make your skin look healthier on the outside… but what if the real secret to healthier skin starts on the INSIDE?
Here’s a quick rundown of what I’m talking about.
Sometimes (especially as we get older), we can get a buildup of unstable molecules called “free radicals.”
They can be caused by stress, pollution, smoking, inflammation, and even sunlight.
These free radicals can create oxidative stress in your cells and affect – among other things! – your skin. They may play a big role in the aging process.
So, what does this have to do with working out?
Answer: regular exercise can help your body make more of its own antioxidants that protect you against oxidative stress.
Not only that but exercise boosts blood flow, which creates changes in your skin cells that can slow down the aging process.
Want even MORE anti-aging benefits?
Focus on eating healthy whole foods, staying hydrated, and getting a good night’s sleep – each of those healthy habits helps reduce oxidative stress to keep your skin (and body) healthy.
It’s all connected!
I’ve got an updated version of an old-school recipe that is PERFECT for your post-workout snack… or any time you’re craving a salty-sweet snack to fill you up!
It’s packed with protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin D, antioxidants, and, depending on your ingredients, it can even contain probiotics for your gut and immune system.
DRUMROLL… it’s cottage cheese with berries! 🫐
Cottage cheese’s popularity has fallen by the wayside over the years, which is a shame because it actually has a LOT of benefits for you.
Plus, it couldn’t be any simpler!
The key is to start with a good cottage cheese. Here are some tips:
TIP 1: Look for cottage cheese that says “probiotics” and/or “live and active cultures” on the label, for maximum gut benefits.
TIP 2: If possible, choose an organic cottage cheese.
TIP 3: Following a plant-based diet? Choose a plant-based cottage cheese — there are several brands on the market now.
Cottage Cheese & Berries
(serves 1)
- ½ cup (115 grams) low-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup (75 grams) berries of choice: raspberries, sliced strawberries, blueberries, etc.
- 1 drop of pure vanilla extract
- Optional: ½ to 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
Mix all the ingredients together and serve.
You can also make up a batch of them ahead of time — simply portion your cottage cheese & berries into reusable containers so they are ready to grab & go.
We hear so much about high blood sugar, insulin resistance, diabetes, etc. that it can be tempting to tune it out.
Here are some stats that made me sit up and pay more attention:
- 96 million adults over the age of 18 in the US have prediabetes (38% of the population!)
- 48% of people over 65 have prediabetes
- 37.3 million people have diabetes (11% of the US population) – 8.5 million of them undiagnosed
This is something we ALL need to pay attention to because it plays a huge role in your health over the long term.
Let’s take a quick look at the domino effect of how blood sugar issues can occur:
- Over time, your blood sugar levels start to get higher. This can be because of obesity, inactivity, a high-carb diet, medications, genetics, or even getting older – the list is long!
- Your body pumps out insulin to remove the blood sugar. This is a good thing… at least at first.
But over time, too much insulin can make your body resistant to it. This leaves excess blood sugar in your bloodstream. (This is when you might notice a buildup of extra belly fat.) - Chronic high blood sugar can lead to a long list of serious health conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and more.
But you have a powerful ally to help fight off this sugar invasion… Regular exercise!
Here’s how it helps:
- Exercise can lower blood sugar levels as your muscles burn sugar as fuel.
- Exercise improves insulin sensitivity. Regular workouts help your cells become more receptive to insulin, helping to keep your blood sugar levels in balance.
- Exercise helps control your weight. Being at a healthy weight can help prevent insulin resistance.
- Exercise boosts your overall health. Regular physical activity promotes better heart health, strengthens your immune system, and lifts your mood. Plus, it can help keep nagging sugar cravings at bay!
If you’re struggling to make exercise a regular part of your life or need some guidance, Abundant Fertility Project is here to help.
This program is designed to help you navigate from feeling tired and frustrated to having a healthy pregnancy weight in just 12 weeks. You can check out more info by clicking this link.
For more support on your exercise program, download this free guide!
Remember, every step you take towards regular exercise is a step towards better health.
REFERENCE:
www.healthline.com/health-news/8-weeks-of-exercise-improves-insulin-resistance-aids-in-weight-loss
www.webmd.com/diabetes/insulin-resistance-syndrome
www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics-report/index.html
bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Osteoporosis-Fast-Facts.pdf