3 Things I Did to Increase My Fertility

In February of 2015, I was told by a hormone specialist that my fertility was fried. She made a very romantic case, and provided me with nothing but grave explanations. “You’re in perimenopause, and this is not good. I’m really sorry, but it’s not likely you’d be able to have another child without some type of intervention.” She then went on to explain how she had her son, and always wanted another child, but then it just never happened. Reassuring me that this does happen to other women, she almost seemed joyous to welcome me into the club of “aging beyond my years.” Awesome.

That day is far behind me. I have a four month old daughter, who was 100% naturally conceived. I had been off of my Armour for 5 whole months prior to becoming pregnant with my little Celia. My little girl is living proof of the truth of your body; it can heal. Additionally, your body is designed perfectly, it fights for you, and it just needs the right fuel to thrive.

Your Test Results are a Snapshot: Fertility is Fluid

I learned that just like everything else with your health, your fertility is fluid. It can change. You can be more fertile tomorrow than you are today. You can heal, and it’s not a complicated process. It’s a matter of doing simple practices on a regular basis. You have to trust the journey.

I’m not a hormonal expert or a doctor. I am just a woman who was sub-clinical hypothyroid, hormonally imbalanced, and told I’d most likely not conceive on my own again. When I asked doctors about nutrition or lifestyle changes, they scoffed at me. I was determined to give those things a chance in spite of being told they didn’t have a bearing on anything.

Your Body is Always Trying to Balance

I second guessed myself in the beginning of my journey, and made mistakes. When I finally started following my gut, and taking consistent action,  I slowly realized the truth. The truth is that we have more power to strike the balance our body works toward. Increasing your fertility, or balancing your hormones takes the same general steps that many other health-related disorders require. Here are a few to consider when it comes to conception:

1. Implement Regular Detoxification Practices

There is a stigma attached to detox. People get scared when I start discussing detox. They ask me if they’re going to be on the toilet all day/night, or if weird worms are going to come out of their butt. People’s eyes get big and they ask me if they’re going to have to starve themselves. Look, there are stringent ways to detox your body, but I’m more of a fan of doing a gentle, regular detox. Some examples of that are in my recent ebook.

There are many things in our modern life that pose a threat to our hormonal health. You can’t live in a bubble, but you can do little things each day to give your body the best chance at being healthy. Here are some different ways to detox daily:

Daily Detoxing

1. Sweat in some way; use a sauna or workout.
2. Drink plenty of filtered, spring water. Add lemon or other citrus to detox and balance the acid in your body.
3. Incorporate raw veggies and fruits into your daily diet. Follow the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists for produce. Strive to eat a plant-based diet in general. When you eat plants, your body acts more like a plant. It can filter the bad stuff much easier.
4. Dry brush your skin. It helps circulation and lymphatic system (your internal sewage system) performance.
5. Juice raw veggies and fruits for a detoxifying and hydrating “shock and awe campaign” of vitamins and minerals to your body. Use raw juice as a supplement to a healthy, plant-based diet.
6. Use natural, toxin-free body and beauty items that are highly regarded by the Environmental Working Group.
7. Clean your home with DIY cleaners that are chemical-free. Vinegar and water basically cleans everything. Add essential oils for cleaning power and scent. Steam your floors instead of using chemical cleaners. Visit my home environment page for more on this.
8. Have your home tested for molds if you have water/dampness issues. Make sure to find a reputable company to do an inspection of your air quality in your home to ensure there’s no dangerous toxins.
9. Stop heating your food or beverages in plastic and use glass. Hot water, or high temperatures and plastic, create xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens lead to estrogen dominance, which leads to hormonal imbalance and female cancers.
10. Avoid or minimize people, places, and things that are “toxic.”

2. Optimize Digestion and Eat Quality Foods

If you have food sensitivities, allergies, IBS, or any other problems going on with your belly, then you’re going to have problems with your hormones. In the most basic sense, the nutrients you assimilate from your food are the building blocks for your hormones. If you are not digesting food properly, then you are not getting the available nutrition. Additionally, it’s wise to take a good quality probiotic.

Rest and Digest

You want your body to be in the “rest and digest” mode. Exercise such as yoga helps your body get into a parasympathetic state where you optimize your digestion. A year of hot yoga (until the studio closed) did wonders for me. Reducing stress, or managing stress is critical in healthy  digestion. If you are in a constant state of “fight or flight,” your belly is not going to be in the zone of proper digestion. It’s going to act as stressed as you, and miss out on absorbing important nutrients for your hormones.

Fertility Foods

What are good things to eat to prepare your body for pregnancy? In addition to the raw veggies, fruits, and mention of a plant-based diet, I recommend avoiding processed sugars and grains. Use natural sweeteners and eat gluten-free, whole grains. Quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, millet, teff, gluten-free oatmeal, and fermented grains (real sourdough bread) are great. Adding healthy fats and plenty of healthy protein are important too. Avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and ghee are great choices for healthy fats. Fish that is wild-caught and low in mercury is good too. If you don’t like fish, be sure to take fish oil (or a vegan option that’s made from algae) for omega 3 fatty acids. It’s important to take a food-based prenatal vitamin as well. We explore all of this in my coaching programs and latest online course.

Cut the Caffeine, Sugar, and Alcohol

I also recommend cutting the caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine, alcohol, and sugar feed stress hormones, and we don’t want that. We want healthy sex hormones, so experiment with herbal teas or herbal coffees that don’t have caffeine. Cutting caffeine alone has helped a few women I know get pregnant. Instead of drinking alcohol, find ways to relax with your partner or friends. Enjoy mocktails you can make at home, or check out companies that make them for you like Curious Elixirs.

 

3. Do Not Make the Act of Conceiving a Chore or Task

When I was hoping to become pregnant with my daughter, I focused on this last point very carefully. I refused to get swallowed up in the concern of “what if I really can’t get pregnant?” “What if going off of my thyroid medicine will screw things up?” (even though I felt great!) I made the decision to enjoy myself, and I refused to allow doubt or fear steal my joy. You have to consciously choose the joy over the fear.

As the stress takes over for many couples trying to conceive, the lackluster for sex sets in. Rather than it being a fun thing to share with your partner, it becomes a scheduled, methodical process that seems more like homework than recess. Not only is this a buzz-kill for the libido, it is also extremely unhelpful for getting pregnant.

Have you ever heard that story of how someone tried for years to get pregnant, and then one day, they stopped caring. Maybe they even adopted a baby. Then, all of a sudden, they became pregnant! You know why? They went back to just enjoying sex with their partner. Studies support this common-sense conclusion. I understand that it’s hard to let go of stress, but if you have the awareness of how detrimental it is to conceiving, you can do things to get you in the right frame of mind. Line up a sitter and get more time alone, give each other massages before bed, or just use this “free for all” as a fun reason to try different things. Use your creativity, communicate openly with your partner, and have fun. Life is too short to make sex a chore!

Do You Need Someone to Help You on Your Fertility Journey?

I’m a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who has overcome her own fertility “faults.” Having my issues had a much larger purpose; to heal and then help others heal. Check out my latest ebook, thyroid and hormone balance course, or set up a free consultation to learn more on how I can help you in your fertility journey.