Today I am sharing one of my go to practices for uterine health and well-being : walking. Preparing for a holistic pregnancy should ideally begin three months to one year before conception. The health of your baby will largely be determined by your health, therefore it is vital to take the time to take good care of yourself before you get pregnant. Women who are nourished on every level often times have more choices during childbirth.

It has been well documented that walking promotes a peaceful mind, reduce stress, improves circulation, encourages digestion, helps manage chronic pain and autoimmune disorders and also ramps up your sex life. Walking is beneficial during our menstrual cycles and for a healthy preconception. During pregnancy I suggest all of my clients walk daily as it’s proven to be a very effective and safe form of movement.

One of the keys to conception and carrying your babe to term is a healthy uterus. This incredible hormone responsive organ is responsible for giving your babe their first home. Isn’t that amazing? I am always so blown away by this. In order for the uterus to be nourished it needs a fresh supply of blood and to be strengthened on a consistent basis.

If you spend many hours sitting each day it cuts off the blood flow to your uterus. This stagnation also reduces blood flow to the ovaries and can over time cause scar tissue to build in the uterus. Many of the women I work with in my practice have cold feet which can often be attributed to poor circulation in the uterus and surrounding organs. A more sedentary lifestyle can correlate with weak uterine muscles.

The good news is you can start improving the health of your uterus today by going for a walk. And yes it really is that simple if you allow it to be.

I see a great deal of  women who exercise in an all or nothing capacity. They hit the yoga studio or spinning class everyday or not at all. The key to maintaining balance in life when it comes to physical activities is to make them as accessible and easy as possible. This all or nothing mentality in the long term depletes our body’s energy because you’re caught up the stress of having to do something everyday, or feeling guilty because you haven’t moved your body much in weeks.

If you’re in that all or nothing category like I was most of my life, I encourage you to ask yourself if it is working for you?

Are you caught up in what you think you should be doing for your health or are you listening to what your body is telling you?

Chances are if you are black and white when it comes to exercise there are some other areas of your life where you could use a little adjusting. Preparing for pregnancy and a new life to enter our lives is an ideal time to get a grip on our ‘all or nothing’ thinking. There will be countless unknowns on our path and the more we settle into the gray areas, the more our bodies will open to receive the life changing gift of motherhood.

You don’t have to do it all.

Remember that.

Taking care of our awe inspiring bodies is often about tuning into them in ways you might not be accustomed to. While moving our bodies to clear energy, promote wellness and prepare them for birth and our new babes is vital, our approach to how we engage with ourselves is equally as important. Often our intention that precedes the action is what really counts. Use this time to get clear on what your intentions are for your physical body moving forward.

Start walking.
Know that every time you make it a point to go outside, breathe in some fresh air and move your body you are creating healthy and supportive home for your future babe.

Keep it simple.
Put on your shoes and go outside. Walk 20-30 minutes 4-5 times per week at a brisk clip to get your heart rate up. If that feels like too much start with 10-15 minutes and work your way up. Eventually aim for 4 miles 2-3 times per week with shorter walks between.

Schedule your outings.
If it helps to keep you on track schedule your walks each week. Take it a step further and plan 2 walks a month with a friend to help you stay accountable.

Honor your body.
If you are already walking when you conceive it will be much easier to walk all the way through your pregnancy. In the first trimester you might not feel like walking as much. Adjust your walks to suit your energy levels but don’t stop your practice. Honor how your body feels without giving into laziness!

Learning how to create an enjoyable and sustainable exercise ritual is made simple by incorporating walking into your life. Supporting the health of our uterus and wellbeing is for all women, not just those trying to conceive. Walking gives us a chance to spend time in nature which is deeply healing and absolutely necessary in our lives. It also gives us permission to SLOW DOWN, really get into our bodies and become in tune with their needs. Walking brings our head down into our hearts. It is likely you will be able to enjoy walking into our old age, develop a relationship with this practice now.