Is stress affecting your fertility? A recent New York Times article suggests that it does. In over ten years of clinical experience working with fertility clients I’ve seen first hand how stress definitely affects fertility. Stress has a negative impact on your body’s health and ultimately your ability to reproduce, and there is science to support it! What matters most is managing stress in a healthful way, at all times, especially when you are trying to conceive. Take back the power that you have given stress and reclaim your health!

Here are some simple tips that can make a tremendous difference in how stress affects your health and in turn, your fertility:

Say YES to daily meditation. Make a commitment to sitting quietly for five to ten minutes, every day. I prefer taking time to sit in front of my meditation altar, light candles and sit for at least ten minutes. It’s so invigorating! But you can keep it simple. Just make the time—your health and your fertility will thank you for it—sit and breathe deeply for five to ten minutes. Check out my video on how to meditate simply and anywhere.

Choose Joy + Gratitude. Every day make a list of five things you are grateful for. This may not at first glance seem like a way to combat stress, but it shifts your daily intention from a place of ‘stress’ or negativity to a place of gratitude and joy. This is an invaluable tool in creating more happiness in your life. Science shows: when you are happier, you are healthier. Extra credit: do this daily with your partner. It’ll bring more joy and gratitude to your relationship!

Love Yourself. I always say: Babies are made of love. And, I don’t just mean the in-the-bedroom kind of love. I mean the love you shower upon yourself, your body and your life. Part of what I love so much about the medicine I practice, is that as practitioners of Tradtional Chinese Medicine, are trained to see that the emotions we feel every day have a direct impact on our physical health. I teach my patients that joy and love are the antidote to illness. One of my favorite recommendations for generating more self-love is to approach your life and your lifestyle choices from a place of love. For instance, when you go to eat that processed, packaged bag of candy (that you’re going to feel guilty about eating later) or worse, when you skip lunch because you’re ‘too busy’ is to ask yourself: am I loving myself and my body and my health in this moment? If the answer is no, then don’t do it. Be present in your life and act from a place of love towards yourself. You’ll find that when you make a nutritious food choice or take a self-loving five minute much needed meditation break you will feel good about YOU and love yourself more. Joy and love combat stress. Love yourself more and be healthier and more fertile!

Adopt this daily mantra which is a sneak peak from my upcoming book):

I have the power to change my health and improve my fertility.

Yes, you do! When you take back the power over your health and choose to live in a way that honors your body and focuses on joy and love and gratitude, your fertility will be protected against the negative impacts of stress. You have the power! Own it!

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Aimee Raupp is a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). She is the author of the upcoming book, Yes You Can Get Pregnant: Natural Ways To Improve Your Fertility Now & Into Your 40’s, outlining a specific fertility rejuvenation plan that focuses on the physical, nutritional and emotional aspects of health so that readers can enhance their fertility. Aimee has appeared on ABC Television’s “The View”, FOX Television’s “Good Day New York”, Martha Stewart Radio, and Yahoo! Shine, and in numerous national magazines. She has served as spokesperson for Culturelle, Whole Foods, Lululemon Athletica, and the American Leisure Spa Group. She is also a frequent women’s health columnist and an active blogger. Learn more about Amiee Raupp and her work.