GETTING READY TO MAKE A BABY, THE NATURAL WAY!

Dr. Nari Pidutti

Great guidelines for basic conception preparation.

These outlines are modified from Francesca Naish’s clinic and website, who runs a fertility clinic in Australia. These are great guidelines for basic conception preparation. To get more individualized treatment, detoxification programs, heavy metal and candida testing, please contact our office or another naturopathic physician.

1) Eat fresh unrefined foods that have been fed or grown organically. Choose antibiotic hormone free meats. Avoid chemical additives, prepared or packaged foods.

2) 
Avoid sugar (including all sugar substitutes, soft drinks, sweetened iced teas), 
refined (white) grains, coffee (also decaffeinated) and alcohol as these all contribute to nutrient loss. Eat whole grains (in moderation), plenty of vegetables (raw and cooked) 
and protein-providing foods. Keep saturated fats to 10% and keep cow’s milk and cheese to a minimum (and buy organic). Avoid farmed fish and fish high in heavy metals

3) Eat protein at every meal. Try to balance your carbohydrate-providing foods with an equal amount, by volume, of protein-providing foods. Consult a glycemic index/ glycemic load guide and aim 
your carbohydrates to be, on average, of low to moderate glycemic value. This is the 
measure of how the food converts to sugar in your body. Non-starchy/sugary foods 
such as leafy vegetables have no value on the index and do not need to be limited. 



4) To avoid the toxins that come through your water supply such as agrochemicals, heavy 
metals and hormonal residues and disruptors, use a water purifier. Avoid water that has been stored in plastic water bottles. Boiling 
does not destroy toxins - only bacteria. Avoid keeping or heating food in plastic wrap or flexible plastic containers. Use stainless steel or look for labels that say BPA and Phthalate free when buying plastic containers for food.

5) Exercise for at least three hours per week. Along with reducing carbohydrate intake, this 
should make it easier to normalise your weight, which can be important for fertility and a 
healthy pregnancy. 



6) Take a comprehensive nutrient supplement, including the complete range of vitamins, 
minerals and essential fatty acids. These are required for proper fertility and healthy 
embryonic growth. The antioxidant nutrients (vitamins A, C and E, zinc and selenium) 
can help you to detoxify and eliminate heavy metals and chemicals. A toxic urine screen can 
give you information on heavy metal burden in your body. 



7) Drink 2-3 litres daily of (purified) water. Eat plenty of leafy greens and consider taking spirulina or chlorella, which also helps 
to eliminate toxins. Better still, consult a naturopathic physician for a holistic 
approach to detoxification and reproductive health. 


8) Avoid all drugs, including alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, which 
have all been linked to reproductive and fetal ill-health. Take prescription drugs only if medically prescribed and cannot be safely replaced with a natural alternative.



9) Avoid exposure to paint, glues, solvents, insecticides, fungicides and harsh household cleaning materials including oven cleaners, bleach and mould treatments, which can affect the health of sperm or eggs.

10) Have a thorough and comprehensive screening for genito-urinary infections in both 
partners. 



11) To avoid the effects of non-ionising radiation, use your microwave and mobile and 
cordless phones as little as possible and keep your phone away from your body. Further 
exposure comes from CRT computer screens. Turn the monitor off when not in use, hang 
an anti-radiation screen in front of it if it is an older model. Preferably, use a 
flat (LCD) screen. Laptop computers emit less EMF when used on battery. Avoid 
sleeping in a room that has active electrical gadgets, or a fuse box on the external wall. 
Do not charge your cell phones or sleep with computers in your bedroom.

12) To avoid the most toxic, ionizing form of radiation which can damage chromosomes and DNA and affect eggs and sperm for up to 3 years, avoid X-rays for as long as possible
before conception, and only fly if it’s unavoidable. A 4-hour high altitude (commercial) 
flight exposes you to the equivalent of a chest X-ray. 



13) For stress, which can especially be a problem for those who’ve been trying to conceive for a while, an effective remedy is to lie down in a quiet place, with no interruptions, and direct breath to each part of your body in turn. Then create mental pictures of the positive outcome of an easy conception, successful pregnancy and birth, and a beautiful, healthy baby. Make sure you get adequate sleep and exercise. If necessary, seek other forms of stress relief/management or professional help. 



All of these measures should be in place for both prospective parents for at least four months before a conception, as this is how long it takes for sperm to generate and eggs to mature, during which time they are vulnerable to toxicity and nutrient deficiencies. Continue these steps into pregnancy, and you will lay the foundation for a happy, healthy family life – the greatest gift a parent can offer their child.


Dr. Nari Pidutti