Fertility is hard because it is so unique! Every couple who tries to conceive will bring different health histories to the table, so there is no one-size fits all. Each couple and/or individual needs to be supported in different ways or by different things.
Our culture is currently in the business of “fixing”. Look online or ask anyone – self-help books, medications, programs, etc. can be found in abundance. Most are quick-fixes and tend to address one specific issue, such as infertility. Instead of thinking about infertility as something that needs to be fixed, let’s take a few steps back and consider a perspective shift. What if we considered health before we considered conception? What if we were concerned with the environment our babies would be created in before worrying about the baby itself? Because infertility has become more common, there can be a lot of fear and emotion around conception. Questions like “Will I be able to conceive?”, “What will this journey look like and how long will it take?”, “How do I emotionally and mentally prepare to begin this journey with so many unknowns?” are common and can feel overwhelming. When health becomes the goal, all that fear and emotion can take a back-seat to the rest of the journey. Pursuing health will ALWAYS be positive!
Our bodies were made to do this, so supporting the body means supporting its natural processes. For example, the hypothalamus, which is in the brain, produces estrogen and progesterone (along with other hormones) to create an environment that is ready for conception.
Here are a few ways to support your body and pursue health:
1.) Diet: High quality fats and low sugar intake help reduce the production of inflammation in the body – the hypothalamus specifically. Eat organic when possible and avoid processed foods!
2.) Detox: Avoid plastics to avoid estrogen dominance, be intentional with cleaning products, bath and body products, makeup, perfumes, detergents and what ingredients and chemicals they contain.
3.) Physical Health: Consistent movement helps the body stay connected and is necessary for function. Specific chiropractic adjustments help promote ease and a high functioning nervous system in the body. It helps the body and mind stay connected to each other as one unit.
4.) Regulating menstrual cycle: This is something that most women do not consider because the answer for an irregular period has always been synthetic hormones mainly in the form of birth control. Birth control is not always the answer though! Here are a few questions to consider: if you have been on birth control, have you been off of it long enough for your menstrual cycle to normalize and recover? Even if you haven’t, is your menstrual cycle normal and fairly consistent? Or do you need to investigate first what is or isn’t normal about your menstrual cycle? Using an app to track your period can help you know what your symptoms mean and how normal or abnormal your menstrual cycle actually is. Another easy switch to make is with feminine products. Using organic cotton tampons/pads that aren’t laced with chemicals, or switching to products like diva cups or THINX can help avoid disrupting your hormones.
Men you also are a very important part of the equation and I encourage you to pursue health as well! How can you best support your body for it to be functioning at it’s highest level? Although the woman plays a huge role, this is a journey for you and your wife to go on together.
Even if you have already begun your journey to conception or are already pregnant, it is not too late to pursue health as well! If not, I encourage you to really pursue health and what that means before trying to conceive – prepare your body to do what it was meant to do!
-Dr. Sophie Mills, Chiropractor