I created this post to spell out how to start taking control of your fertility in a way that is easy and accessible! Do you want to know how to delay pregnancy into your late 30s and early 40s through strategic diet and lifestyle changes? Do you want to know where you stand now with your fertility? Do you want to return to your natural cycle and start preparing your body for pregnancy? Here are my top 10 tips for taking control of your fertility:

1.Get a period tracking app to start understanding your personal cycle and whether or not you’re regular. I like Clue because it’s run by scientists!

2. If you’re planning to get pregnant in the near future, ditch the pill and find out what your natural cycle is like. This can be tough. Try adding some soy to your diet to help ease the transition.

3. Learn about your options – these days, there are a ton of options for getting pregnant from egg freezing to IVF to natural conception.

4. Test your hormone levels – get a baseline fertility test to see where you are. Certain hormones give you an idea of your baseline egg reserves and quality. That way you know where you stand as of now (note this is just a snapshot of your current fertility and not an indicator of future fertility). Modern Fertility is evidence-based and reasonably priced, especially if you can’t get your OBGYN to do this. Bonus – they have a free tool that helps you visualize fertility statistics by age!

5. Get yourself checked out – make sure you don’t have any other hormonal or thyroid issues that may interfere with current or future fertility. Conditions like PCOS, endometriosis and hypothyroidism are fairly common and need to be dealt with first!

6. See a dietitian – it doesn’t need to be me, but if you take control of nutrition and lifestyle factors that can help improve and preserve your fertility, you’ll be on the road to having more control and more peace of mind!

7. Start on a prenatal vitamin now – I like Rainbow Life, but any brand with adequate folic acid, iron, vitamin D and choline will do.

8. Think about adding omega 3s to your diet – whether it’s through a supplement, fish, flax or chia, this is important for your fertility health.

9. Eat whole grains – B vitamins found in these seem to be important for fertility and egg quality.

10. Eat fruit – fruits are full of antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber and other nutrients that help with fertility. Start eating some as a snack daily.

Questions? Comment below or book a free nutrition chat if you’re interested in taking control of your fertility but aren’t sure where to start.