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Tracy McCubbin, MD
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diet + lifestyle education
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📍 Denver, CO + Telemedicine

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May 7

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These everyday habits could be hurting male fertility 😳

🚫 Hot Tubs or Saunas Too Often
Heat is the enemy of sperm production. Sperm thrive in cooler temperatures, which is why the testicles are positioned outside the body. Skip the frequent hot tubs and limit sauna sessions. Cold showers or cooling off after workouts can also help.

🚫 Tight Underwear
Compression from tight briefs or athletic shorts raises scrotal temperature, which can lower sperm quality. Switch to looser boxers or breathable, supportive fabrics like cotton.

🚫 Keep Cell Phones Out of Your Pockets
Radiation and heat from phones can impact sperm health. Studies suggest prolonged exposure to electromagnetic waves near the reproductive area may reduce sperm motility and viability. Keep your phone in a bag or on your desk instead of your front pocket.

🚫 Avoid Laptops on Your Lap
Laptops emit heat, which can overheat the testicles and damage sperm production. Even 30-60 minutes of laptop use on your lap can increase scrotal temperature significantly. Use a desk or a laptop stand, and avoid resting your computer directly on your lap.

🚫 Reduce Alcohol & Smoking
Excess alcohol and smoking damage sperm DNA, lower testosterone levels, and reduce sperm motility. Even moderate alcohol consumption can impact fertility over time. Limit alcohol intake and consider quitting smoking or reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.

🚫 Minimize Plastic & Toxin Exposure
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in plastics, canned foods, and personal care products can lower testosterone and reduce sperm quality. Use glass or stainless steel for food storage, choose natural grooming products, and avoid drinking from plastic bottles, especially when heated.

🚫 Manage Stress & Get Enough Sleep
Chronic stress and poor sleep increase cortisol, which suppresses testosterone and slows sperm production. High stress can also impact libido and overall reproductive function. Prioritize 7-9 hours of quality sleep, practice stress management techniques, and avoid overworking without proper recovery.

Want to optimize fertility naturally? ...

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May 5

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Men: your fertility matters too! Here’s how to protect it 💪

Just like eggs, sperm need to be healthy, mobile, and genetically intact for successful fertilization. Poor sperm health can lead to:

🚩 Lower fertilization rates (sperm that can’t swim or penetrate the egg)
🚩 Increased risk of miscarriage due to DNA fragmentation
🚩 Longer time to conception and increased risk of failed cycles

You might not realise it, but your lifestyle has a huge impact on sperm production and quality. Some of the biggest fertility disruptors include:

🔹 Heat exposure – Frequent hot tubs, laptops on your lap, and tight underwear.
🔹 Toxins & endocrine disruptors – Plastics, pesticides, and chemicals .
🔹 Smoking & alcohol – Both significantly damage sperm DNA and reduce motility.
🔹 Poor diet & high sugar intake – Excess sugar leads to oxidative stress, harming sperm quality.

Sperm can take about 72-90 days to fully regenerate, meaning what you do now impacts fertility three months from today. With this in mind, here’s how to support healthy sperm:

✅ Eat for Sperm Health
⭐ Brazil nuts & selenium-rich foods – Support sperm motility and DNA integrity.
⭐ Wild-caught salmon & omega-3s – Reduce inflammation and improve sperm membrane health.
⭐ Eggs & choline – Support cell function and sperm formation.
⭐ Leafy greens & folate – Lower sperm DNA damage and improve count.

✅ Optimize Nutrients for Testosterone & Sperm Production
⭐ Zinc (pumpkin seeds, oysters, grass-fed beef) – Boosts testosterone & sperm quality.
⭐ Magnesium (dark chocolate, almonds, spinach) – Reduces oxidative stress and supports hormone balance.
⭐ CoQ10 (found in organ meats, sardines, and supplements) – Improves sperm motility and reduces DNA damage.

✅ Reduce Stress & Support Hormone Balance
⭐ Prioritize sleep – Poor sleep increases cortisol, which suppresses testosterone and sperm production.
⭐ Strength train – Resistance training supports testosterone levels and sperm health.
⭐ Reduce alcohol & smoking – Both damage sperm DNA and lower motility.

Have questions on this topic? Let me know in the comments!
#hormonalhealth #hormonebalance #coloradofunctionalmedicinedoctor #hormones #hormonehealth #fertility ...

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May 1

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Not ovulating? Here’s why it might be happening 👇

🔸 PCOS & Insulin Resistance
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the leading causes of anovulation (lack of ovulation). It’s often linked to insulin resistance, meaning your cells don’t respond well to insulin, leading to blood sugar imbalances, high androgens (like testosterone), and irregular cycles.
💞 Support blood sugar balance with protein, fiber, and healthy fats at every meal.
💞 Strength train regularly to improve insulin sensitivity.

🔸 Stress & High Cortisol
Your body is smart—it won’t prioritize reproduction if it thinks you’re in survival mode. Chronic stress raises cortisol, which can suppress ovulation and disrupt hormone balance.
💞 Prioritize stress reduction with breathwork, gentle movement, and quality sleep.
💞 Eat enough calories! Extreme diets send signals to your body that it’s not a safe time to conceive.

🔸 Nutrient Deficiencies
Your body needs key nutrients to produce hormones and support ovulation. Deficiencies in zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, and B vitamins can interfere with egg development, hormone signaling, and progesterone production.
💞 Boost zinc & magnesium intake (think pumpkin seeds, grass-fed beef, and dark leafy greens).
💞 Ensure adequate vitamin D—low levels are linked to irregular cycles (maybe consider testing).

🔸 Thyroid Imbalances
Your thyroid plays a direct role in ovulation. Both hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can disrupt ovulation or stop it altogether.
💞 Test your thyroid (not just TSH—look at free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies).
💞 Support thyroid health with selenium (Brazil nuts), iodine (seaweed), and stress management.

Even if you’re not trying to conceive, regular ovulation is a sign of a healthy, well-functioning body. If it’s missing, your body is telling you something needs support.

Know someone struggling with fertility? Share this post with them, this info could make all the difference. 🫶

#hormonalhealth #coloradofunctionalmedicinedoctor #hormones #hormonebalance #fertility #hormonehealth ...

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Apr 29

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Did you know that stress is one of the BIGGEST fertility blockers? 🤔

Your body is designed for survival first, reproduction second. When stress is chronic, your system perceives it as a threat, shifting resources away from fertility and toward keeping you alive.

It works a bit like this:

↪️ High cortisol (your stress hormone) suppresses ovulation, making conception unpredictable.
↪️ Progesterone can then take a hit, as your body steals progesterone to make more cortisol, leading to luteal phase defects and implantation struggles.
↪️ Insulin (a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels) can also spike, which can increase androgens (like testosterone) and disrupt ovulation, especially in women with PCOS.
↪️ Lastly, stress can trigger low-grade inflammation, which may impact egg quality, uterine lining health, and embryo implantation.

❌ If your body thinks it’s in survival mode, it won’t prioritize reproduction. ❌

So, how can we fix this? Truth is, it’s not just about avoiding stress (because let’s be real, that’s impossible). It’s about training your body to handle stress better:

✨ Activate Your Parasympathetic Nervous System (the “rest and digest” state)
✔️ Deep belly breathing (inhale 4 sec, exhale 8 sec)
✔️ Walking in nature—bonus points for grounding (barefoot on grass!)

✨ Prioritize Restorative Sleep
Poor sleep = higher cortisol = disrupted ovulation.
✔️ Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep
✔️ Limit blue light before bed to protect melatonin (which also supports egg quality)

✨ Nourish Your Body to Lower Cortisol
✔️ Eat enough calories – Undereating puts stress on the body and suppresses ovulation.
✔️ Balance blood sugar – Protein + fiber + healthy fats at every meal.

✨ Strength Train, But Avoid Over-Exercising
Exercise is great for fertility, but too much high-intensity training without proper recovery can increase cortisol.
✔️ Lift weights & do resistance training—it improves insulin sensitivity and supports ovulation.
✔️ Prioritize recovery days—overtraining can signal “stress mode” to your body.

Want to optimize your fertility naturally? Book a free discovery call using the link in bio to get started! 🔗 ...

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