New Mothers | Pregnancy is Not a One-Sided Effort: Traditional Chinese Medicine Explains the Reasons for Infertility in Both Men and Women, and Teaches How to Make a "Winter Nourishing and Fertility-B

With the Lunar New Year approaching, besides a wonderful holiday, it's also a great time for newlyweds to "make a baby." A study from Indiana University in the United States has indicated that the seasons have a significant impact on infant health, especially conceiving successfully in December during the winter months. This is because June to August of the following year are sunny months, making it easier for pregnant women to absorb sunlight and vitamin D in the later stages of pregnancy, which is beneficial for the baby's growth. Registered Chinese Medicine practitioner Huang Jingjing points out that preparing for pregnancy is not solely the responsibility of one person; both partners need to cooperate. She also analyzes the common reasons why urban dwellers have difficulty conceiving and discusses how soups can increase the chances of conception.

Men should face their lifestyle squarely, cultivate high-quality sperm, and prepare for conception.

Dr. Huang points out that preparing for pregnancy requires cooperation from both partners. Men need to conserve their energy and strength, meaning they need to be in a good mental and physical state to perform at their best. Excessive smoking and drinking, insufficient sleep, and high stress can affect a man's ability to produce sperm, leading to low sperm count, poor motility, or abnormal sperm morphology. Even if the couple tries to conceive at the right time, they may not succeed.

If men want to become fathers, they should first face up to their lifestyle. If they are already overweight before middle age, in addition to correcting their diet and lifestyle, they also need to exercise. Dr. Wong pointed out that he has encountered many obese men who do not like to exercise, prefer to sit or sleep at work or after returning home, and like to drink iced drinks, etc., until they found out that they had problems with sperm quality and quantity during preconception check-ups after marriage. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the above is considered a typical phlegm-dampness constitution, which is common in urban men's infertility. The cause is that excessive indulgence in diet and lifestyle damages the spleen and stomach, affecting the imbalance of qi, blood and body fluids in the body, causing dampness to accumulate and stagnate in the body. Over time, dampness accumulates into phlegm, and the skin will become oily, prone to acne, and fat will accumulate more easily in the abdomen. When there is excessive phlegm and dampness, the body's detoxification ability will decrease, making people more prone to fatigue, and even reducing libido and sexual function. Therefore, excessive phlegm and dampness can also affect sperm production and sperm motility.

As for those who are excessively thin, they are mostly of the Yin deficiency constitution. Some men who frequently stay up late, smoke and drink excessively, and indulge in excessive sexual activity may experience significant weight loss, dizziness, tinnitus, lower back and knee pain, dry skin, dull complexion, and dark circles under the eyes. These are symptoms of kidney Yin depletion, which is also detrimental to healthy reproduction and may even lead to premature ejaculation or nocturnal emission. Sperm count or quality may also be unsatisfactory. It is recommended that these men go to bed before midnight, as this is the best time to nourish Yin and alleviate Yin deficiency symptoms. If you wish to replenish kidney Yin, you can prepare the following spleen-strengthening and kidney-tonifying food therapy:

Polygonatum, Lily and Chinese Yam Porridge

Ingredients: 30g Polygonatum sibiricum, 15g lily bulb, 20g Chinese yam, half a piece of dried tangerine peel, a small amount of lean meat, rice. Instructions: Wash the ingredients, add water and rice, and cook using your usual porridge-making method for 1-1.5 hours before serving.

Women should pay attention to the timing of ovulation and adjust their physical condition to help them conceive.

Besides male cooperation, women who want to conceive quickly should also pay attention to the optimal ovulation time. Generally, women experience increased libido around ovulation, and vaginal discharge becomes clear, liquid, and stretchy. These are all indicators of a suitable time to try to conceive.

The causes of female infertility are more complex. If a couple has tried to conceive naturally for more than a year without success, in addition to the man having his sperm count and quality tested, the woman can undergo a routine gynecological examination. Conditions such as endometriosis, uterine polyps, and blocked fallopian tubes can all affect a woman's chances of conception. Irregular menstruation and significant weight gain should also raise suspicion of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as this condition can affect the release of healthy eggs.

Other symptoms such as feeling cold easily, frequent fatigue, decreased libido, irritability, and a history of multiple unexplained miscarriages can also cause fertility problems in women. If you experience any of these symptoms, you can consult a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to improve your constitution and make it easier to conceive.

Winter Nourishing and Fertility-Boosting Soup

Dr. Huang also shared a nourishing winter soup recipe. This soup can replenish qi and blood, warm yang and tonify the kidneys. It is suitable for those who are prone to lower back pain, lack of energy, decreased libido, and are easily chilled; it is also suitable for men with low sperm count and poor sperm quality, and women with light menstrual flow and lower back pain during menstruation. However, it is not suitable for people who are prone to excessive sweating, bitter taste in the mouth, dry mouth, phlegm in the throat, or have symptoms of a cold such as runny nose and fever. It can be made 1 to 2 times a week and can be enjoyed by both partners.

Ingredients: 20g Astragalus membranaceus, 15g Morinda officinalis, 15g Eucommia ulmoides, 15g Polygonatum sibiricum, 20g Cistanche deserticola, 4 red dates, 10g goji berries, 500g pork shoulder bones, 3 slices of ginger, half a piece of dried tangerine peel

Instructions:

1. Wash the herbs. Remove the cores from the red dates. Slice the Cistanche deserticola and Polygonatum sibiricum. Blanch the pork bones.

2. Place all ingredients in a soup pot, add 2000ml of water, bring to a boil over high heat for 10 minutes, then simmer over low heat for 90 minutes.

3. Add goji berries and salt to taste in the last 15 minutes before serving.