Did you know Vitamin D is essential for the development of baby bones and reduces the risk of low birthweight babies? Unfortunately many women in the UK are deficient in Vitamin D (sometimes known as the” sunshine” vitamin), which in view of our current weather is hardly surprising!
According to Zita West in her “Guide to Fertility and Assisted Conception” more and more research is showing just how important vitamin D levels are for fertility and IVF. Unfortunately it is found in very few foods. Foods that do contain vitamin D include eggs and oily fish such as herring, salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna. Other foods, such as breakfast cereals and bread are fortified with vitamin D. It is therefore very important to make sure that your pre-conception supplement contains vitamin D,and/ or book yourself a holiday in the sun!
Even if your finances don’t run to a holiday in the sun do try and get outside in natural light as much as possible. If you work in an office/under artificial light go for a walk outside during lunch and break times. Sunshine has also been shown to make men more fertile, courtesy of vitamin D. Sarah Dobyn in her book the Fertility Diet quotes research from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center New Hampshire that studied links between fertility and vitamin D. It found that fertile men had higher levels of vitamin D.
Sunlight also has a feel good factor. Studies have shown that skin also makes beta endorphins (which is known as the the feel-good endorphin) when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
Acupuncture may not be able to increase your vitamin D intake, but it can certainly help you to make you feel more positive and may enhance the feel good factor. So why not phone me now on 07919930188 to find out how acupuncture may be able to help you in your fertility journey.
