Ask:
My husband and I are in our early 30s and have been trying for a baby for 18 months. We have both been checked and the only problem is that although my husband has a high sperm count, only six percent were classified as healthy. He does not smoke or do drugs, but occasionally binge drinks, downing ten to fifteen pints in one night. He also sometimes eats bread, cookies and chips and is a heavy drinker of coffee and tea. He is prone to back pain and irregular bowel movements. What do you recommend?
Answer:
This is something I hear quite often, but always from women. Men in general are embarrassed to talk about it, let alone do anything about it, although new technologies can help men with even a small number of healthy sperm become fathers. The fact is that the quality and quantity of sperm in the male population is in decline and this is a problem for the survival of the human species. Most men, however, only care about their sexual performance, rather than the quality of their sperm.
First, you should talk to your husband about your concerns. It is a very delicate matter, so she must be tactful and not accuse. She may agree to change her lifestyle as a favor to you, instead of accepting that it is her responsibility. Men are often concerned about the response of their male friends, should they be teased, although some men find plenty of support from their peers.
Once he’s ready to talk about possible changes, you can discuss the details. I suspect the way you drink from him is a problem. I might kindly suggest that he go on a non-alcoholic regimen for three or four months. After that, he could go back to drinking a couple of glasses of good red wine once a week until his sperm quality improves when tested.
It is vital that you nourish yourself by eating well. An old Indian book on the art of love states that out of 40 pounds of good food, a man gets a pound of meat. That meat produces a pound of blood (this was in the days when solid and liquid weights were the same), and that blood produces a pound of sperm. The message is the same today: eating poor quality food (or too little) leads to poor sperm quality and quantity. Imagine how much energy a sperm needs for its long journey to fertilize the egg. Unhealthy sperm simply aren’t up to the task. They get their energy from the male body, and nutrition and stress management are vital factors.
Here are my suggestions for your husband:
* Eat fresh, healthy food, preferably organic, and always start with a good breakfast.
* Eat protein (chicken, red meat or fish) once a day.
* Avoid yeast products because they make alcohol in the intestine. Avoid all foods that are acidic or bitter (citrus, pineapple, mango, chili, olives, vinegar, alcohol, coffee, fried, canned or processed foods, canned beverages) as they can act as spermicides. Drink tea in moderation.
* Mix an egg in a glass of hot milk, add salt and pepper to taste and drink. In the East, raw eggs are eaten this way to help sperm production (make sure the eggs are organic to avoid the risk of salmonella).
* Take Indian ginseng Ashwagandha: once a day for two months.
* Take Fortex to increase sperm volumes once a day for three months.
* Take one 15mg tablet daily for two months of Zinc Citrate or Shilajit: It is mined from bituminous rock in the Himalayan mountains and has an optimal concentration of magnesium, zinc and many trace elements necessary for healthy sperm.
* Take positive steps to manage stress, which can be responsible for back pain, constipation, and binge eating and drinking. Walk outside daily for at least 30 minutes. Do another exercise that you enjoy. Practice yoga or a martial art like t’ai chi. Listen to a relaxation tape at night to improve sleep quality.
* Constipation can affect nutrient absorption, so make sure this isn’t a problem by drinking at least eight large glasses of still water a day between meals. Eat plenty of fruits like figs, plums, and papaya for breakfast. If you are constipated, take Herbolax to regulate bowel function.