Infertility plagues many women of all ages. It can be frustrating, painstaking, disappointing, and worst of all sad. Which is why I have made it an important topic to discuss about natural remedies for infertility. Whether you are unable to get pregnant or hold a pregnancy the feeling of shame, sorrow, and disappointment associated with infertility is more than many women can bear. Some women give up, or they seek infertility treatments which can be costly and sometimes lead to complications. The rate of infertility continues to climb as many researchers, and health advocates alike blame the toxicities and many environmental pollutants for the damaging effects of a woman’s body. As we discussed in a previous blog post on Perinatal care, many medications have not been tested on women before during or after pregnancy so we are unwittingly taking drugs that can create long-term complications to pregnancies. Not to mention, the various difficulties that are arising.
Sadly, 7.5 million women between the ages of 15 and 44 have infertility. Infertility is defined as the body not being able to hold or sustain a pregnancy even after frequent unprotected sex for a period of at least a year. The CDC further explores these figures and notes that 7.3 million women have used infertility services. What is happening when our bodies natural ability to carry and hold life is being impaired. Let’s explore the various options available to natural conception. It’s all about the GUT GUT GUT! I must sound like a broken record. Majority of the hormonal, neurological, and immunological system is all housed in the digestive system. Therefore, you are not only what you eat, but also what you digest and assimilate as well as eliminate. I am an advicate of natural remedies for infertility and it all starts from your diet.
Let’s start to look at what we are eating for optimal fertility.
- Organic Foods – Herbicides, Pesticides, GMOs can also have damaging effects on the liver as well as the digestive and hormonal system. Endotoxic chemicals found in non-organic food can potentially have many unprecedented impacts on the hormonal system many of which have not been significantly studied.
- Foods High in Nutrients – Foods high in nutrients such as Omegas, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and Folate are an excellent choice for building a healthy baby. Omegas help reduce inflammation which can promote a healthy egg quality. Folate can help build new cells as well as prevent any congenital disabilities.
- Eliminate. Eliminate. Eliminate – Eliminate foods that are damaging to your gut such as high-fat processed meats, grains, sugar, alcohol, drugs, and any foods that the body reacts to the lining of the GI system. Starving out any unhealthy bacteria as well as yeast in the digestive system is helpful for cleaning up the gut microbiology.
- Sleep – Helping the body repair and heal is essential to have enough energy to create life. Sleep supports the hormonal system by allowing the stress hormones to downregulate within the body all while restoring the bodies natural ability to heal itself.
- Balance the hormones – Once you have healed the digestive system your primary goal is to then balance your hormones by running a comprehensive hormone panel by saliva. Balancing cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone levels are crucial to preparing the body for life. This is not an exhaustive list of things but does provide women a good start when resolving their infertility issues.
At Holistic Family Practice our goal is to provide patient-centered, evidence-based holistic health treatment that brings to light all of the causes that may be contributing to a woman’s inability to get pregnant. We honor every woman’s journey to getting well as well as conceiving. Some women choose infertility treatments while others work to do natural remedies for infertility. We advise women, in either case, to help them achieve optimal health and wellbeing working integratively with their other providers.
Signs you may be infertile include:
- The inability for a woman to get pregnant after consistent effort without preventative measures in place and entirely off any birth control for a period.
- A menstrual cycle that is not regular, meaning it lasts longer than 34 days or it is less than 21 days or is erratic in its cycling. One month it is 23 the next month 35.
- Irregular periods or missed periods altogether. Inconsistent periods can be a sign of an underlying hormonal imbalance.
- Diagnosis of PCOS, Endometriosis, Pelvic Inflammatory diseases, or infection to the uterus and fallopian tubes due to chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other sexually transmitted diseases that has not be treated successfully.
- Symptoms of hormone fluctuations which may have its own set of symptoms to include reduced sex drive, facial hair growth, thinning hair, weight gain, and mood swings.
Moms are not the only ones that may be preventing the process of conception, so it is important to not exclude Dad in the process of conception. Here are some common signs that need to be evaluated with Dad for conception.
- Signs of infertility in Men Change in sex drive in a man, which means a shift in his sexual desire could indicate an issue with a males hormones and should be checked.
- Testicular pain or swelling, which could indicate many conditions within the males symptoms. Problems maintaining an erection is often linked to imbalances with metabolic health as well as hormones within the man.
- Issues with ejaculation could be a sign there may be difficulty conceiving and needs to be examined by a urologist or private doctor. Small, firm testicles could be a potential risk factor as well that must be examined by a primary doctor or urologist for any possible effects.
While many couples struggle with infertility, help is one phone call away. We work to support families to create the healthiest environments both inside and out while providing natural remedies for infertility. Not only do we address physical concerns but since we are a holistic practice we discuss the mental, emotional, as well as spiritual aspects of natural family planning and are with you every step of the way. It can be a very sensitive process with many highs and lows having a provider who can hold your hand through the journey is genuinely what we specialize in as we work to bring care back to healthcare.