I don't know if what I have been doing qualifies as 'going green' but it is so hip right now. And I wanna be hip.Since I started the TTC, I've changed my lifestyle quite dramatically and I’ve been struck not only by how quickly I've done changed my lifestyle but also by how long it’s lasted. If anyone had told me two years ago that I would give up alcohol, I would have slapped them. Over the course of my egg drop drama, I’ve given up some things and I’ve added some things. Here is the run-down.
WHAT I’VE STOPPED
My Biggest Accomplishment
Since March 0f 2007, I’ve stopped drinking alcohol. This is surprising because I used to drink at least two glasses of wine every week, sometimes more. I love Malbec and Pinot Noir. I read that drinking alcohol can impact your fertility and at my age (as my doctor drilled into my head recently) I can’t afford to ingest anything that will slow down my egg production.
No Cow’s Milk
A few years ago, I gave up all diary products but I used to cheat all of the time, so it was very half-arsed; however, since October 2007—the month I had fertility surgery, I have successfully given up all forms of diary—for real! And I have never looked back. I don't think that this impacts the TTC so much but I am lactose intolerant and I feel so much better now that I don’t cheat.
No Sugar Orgasms
Oh, yeah, I no longer eat any chocolate. Why? My face was ‘hot mess’ I figured out that my chocolate intake used to make me break out all of the time. Chocolate coupled with injectible medication made my face look at a walking billboard for Proactiv. Just call me Jessica Simp.son.
No Caffeine
My favorite drink in the world used to be a soy café mocha. They I switched to soy lattes but that all came to an end in March 2007. I don’t drink coffee. The caffeine ruined my sleep and made me nervous wreck. I had to give it up especially when I started the injectible cycles.
Okay, so the four things that I have stopped taking regularly within the last year are: diary, chocolate, alcohol and caffeine. I do drink green tea, though, and that does have caffeine in it but it also has anti-oxidants so that cancels itself out, right? My doctor said that if or when I get pregnant I can drink the equivalent of one can of coke a day, so I am not going to beat myself up to much for an occasional cup of yerba mate. For the most part, though I drink no caffeine herb teas.
WHAT I’VE STARTED
Folic Acid
I take pre-natal vitamins. My doctor suggested that I take the pre-natal vitamins because it can help to prevent miscarriage.
I have also increased my vegetable in-take, especially green leafy vegetables which are supposed to be high in natural folic acid--good for baby.
ISO My Inner Om
Within the last two weeks, I have started yoga and I think I've lost at least two pounds. I am going to the gym later on to weigh myself, so I will let you know for sure.New 9 to 5
Also, I started a new job this week and I think I will like it. The last one was waaaay too stressful and Nadia and I both think that it had a negative impact on my fertility.
Obviously, this new approach to my taking care of my body emerged from the TTC but it is taking on a larger meaning for me. I think that contemplating conception has forced me to consider what kind of planet I want my child to live in and how I want to leave the planet when I’m gone.
I'm going to spend more time writing about going green during TTC.
5 comments:
wow! congratulations. i gave up caffeine, chocolate ad alcohol in the lead up to both pregnancies (although cheated for each BFN with preg #2) i would very much struggle to give up dairy though.
well done for making so many changes at once and sticking to them.
i hope all this results in your amazing BFP soon.
You're healthy! I'm never giving up dairy. NEVER!
Yoga rules. So does green tea. But not as much as coffee. I like the green tea with lemon or lime juice and some sugar. Mmmm.
we joined a farm share in the summer before we started ttc, and it was a humongous life changer. being forced to eat exquisitely fresh green vegetables is awesome.
but not giving up coffee. not ever.
Sounds good.
I drank green tea before the IUI that worked. I don't think there's any harm in that. :-)
And I didn't drink any alcohol the cycle that worked.
I so hope the lifestyle changes make you feel better and help improve your odds. But don't go too nutsy. You need at least one vice in this life. ;-)
Congrats! Sometimes when I am feeling so over this whole thing, I remind myself that it really has caused me to make some great changes in my life. I used to be a total soda junkie-- now I don't drink it at all (and I do not drink coffee). This process, while pretty horrible at times, has caused me to be a lot more aware of what I am putting in my body. I guess you would call that a silver lining.
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