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I often talk about “the nine months before the nine months,” because I would love to see more of us thinking about health before pregnancy begins. That was the focus of my recent podcast conversation with Dr. Susan Fox on Health Youniversity: Lessons in Fertility, Pregnancy & Perimenopause.
Susan has worked with fertility patients for nearly 25 years, so we had a lot of common ground when it came to using the months before conception to pay attention to nutrition, sleep, hydration, movement and the environment we live in every day.
For me, good preconception nutrition starts with real food. I want food that nourishes the body and provides the protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients it needs. I also pay attention to water quality, because water is something we consume every day, often without thinking very much about what's actually in it or what we're drinking it from.
Then I look at the home. Fragrance, plastics, personal care products, laundry products, cleaning products and even the bedroom are all part of our daily environment. We can't create a completely toxin-free life, and trying to do so would make most of us crazy. What we can do is look at the things we're exposed to most often and decide where a few changes make sense.
That might mean using glass instead of plastic for food storage, choosing an unscented laundry detergent or taking a closer look at the products you put on your skin every morning.
Sleep and movement are just as important to me. We talked about why you can't really “bank” sleep during the week and expect a couple of long nights to make up for consistently getting too little.
We also talked about movement in a very practical way. It doesn't always require a workout. Walking, getting outside, strength training and finding small opportunities to move throughout the day all count.
Susan and I also spent some time talking about persistent symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog. These can have many causes and deserve appropriate medical evaluation. I think they're also a good reminder to pay attention to how we're feeling rather than continually pushing through because we're busy.
If pregnancy is somewhere in your future, I hope this conversation encourages you to use the
time you have. You don't need to change everything at once. Start with the things you do every day: what you eat, what you drink, how you sleep, how you move and some of the products you live with in your home.
Susan has also created a Preconception Plan through Health Youniversity for women and couples who want more structure as they prepare to conceive naturally or through fertility
treatment.
If you would like to learn more about preconception care book a discovery call link here with me-----> https://www.healthislocal.com/cellular-detox-discovery-call
In health,
Angela Jenkins, RD/LD
Founder, Health Is Local
At Health Youniversity, they believe preparing for pregnancy means caring for the health of the
whole person before conception whenever possible. Small, consistent changes in nutrition,
hydration, sleep, movement, and environmental exposure can help build a stronger foundation
for pregnancy and the family ahead.
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