How do I boost my immune system when trying to get pregnant?

At this moment in time, we are all looking for ways to improve our immune system.

We all know that improving our resilience makes us less of a target to environmental triggers and infections.

This is as relevant for everyone wanting to conceive as it is during pregnancy.

What kind of things affect my immune system?

Our immune systems can be affected by many factors other than our genes – such as diet, exercise, stress, sleep quality and our environment.

As I mention in my “Four Steps to Fertility” guide, improving our fertility, goes hand in hand with improving our health and wellbeing.

5 ways to improve your immunity and fertility.

1. Healthy, nourishing diet with plenty of immune-boosting foods
2. Minimise your exposure to toxins
3. Reduce stress
4. Get enough good quality sleep at night and enough sunshine during the day.
5. Immune boosting supplements and herbs

Healthy, nourishing diet with plenty of immune-boosting foods

A whole-food diet, consisting of a large variety of colourful ingredients is the most important step you can take in this regard. When thinking about improving our immunity, we need to focus on preventing inflammation in the body – this is where the ‘anti-inflammatory diet’ comes into play.

Anti-inflammatory foods have inbuilt (the way nature intended) vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidant capabilities which have been proven to optimise immunity.

These include green leafy and colourful veggies and herbs/spices (including turmeric, garlic, onions, ginger); whole fruits and berries; all nuts and seeds; grains and good quality protein sources such as wild-caught fish, organic/ pasture-fed animals.

Foods that have been proven to decrease fertility and hence interfere negatively with your immune system include sugar, alcohol, pre-packaged / processed foods which tend to contain trans (bad) fats, preservatives and other un-pronounceable chemicals.

And please don’t forget to keep your body’s cells well-hydrated by drinking plenty of water i.e. 2-3 litres a day – preferably filtered.

Minimise your exposure to toxins

We all know that smoking affects our immune system, but many of us don’t realise that there are other chemicals in the environment that are known to interfere with the healthy/normal functioning of our bodies, especially our hormonal system. These chemicals are called ‘endocrine disruptors’. They are found in plastic containers (including drink bottles), non-stick cookware, pesticides, herbicides and weed killers that are sprayed on conventional foods.

Try to bear this information in mind when you’re wanting to improve your immune system.

Reduce stress

Besides experiencing difficulty conceiving, the effects of this kind of stress can spill over into other areas of life, causing tension within our relationships which can lead to anxiety, exhaustion, reduced libido and depression. Continuous high levels of stress can cause our cortisol levels to be reduced and this will end up supressing our immune system.

Regular exercise (150 – 200 minutes a week), yoga, Thai Chi, meditation, visualisation are all useful option that help to reduce stress levels.

Get enough good quality sleep at night and enough sunshine during the day.

Our circadian rhythm is a 24-hour internal clock that determines our natural sleeping and waking pattern. It influences our immune system, hormone production, cell regeneration and may other important biological processes that keep us healthy. Any disruption in this cycle will have repercussion in our reproductive, digestive, immune systems. So, getting a good night’s sleep (7-8 hrs uninterrupted sleep a night) is necessary for good health and vitality. This is known as ‘good sleep hygiene’. Getting to bed at least 1-2 hrs before midnight every night (and turning off all electronic equipment in the bedroom) will help you get into a good sleeping routine.

During the day, it’s also important to spend some time outside in the sunshine. Besides helping our circadian rhythm, vitamin D from the sun is known to improve our immune system.

Immune boosting supplements and herbs

Besides doing all of the above, supplementing with additional immune boosting herbs, vitamins and minerals can be very beneficial at this time. There are many evidence-based naturopathic options available which have immune enhancement properties.

My suggestions would include Zinc – which is known to be helpful for improving egg and sperm quality as well as stimulating our white blood cells which are an important part of our defence system and hence protects our cells from foreign invading organisms.

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which also plays a role in the mobilisation of key players in our defence system.

As mentioned before, Vitamin D is extremely helpful in supporting the immune system. It might be useful to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months when we aren’t exposed to as much sunshine as is necessary for our wellbeing and fertility.

Herbs such as echinacea, green tea, mushrooms and ginger are known to support the body’s natural immune response. They are also considered safe to take during pregnancy.

With all this information, I hope I have helped you feel more equipped with everything you need to boost your immune system and improve your chances of conception and a healthy pregnancy!

Joanne Lipinski – Fertility Naturopath Melbourne