3 Actionable Tips to Beat the Infertility Blues
Infertility sucks. Anyone who is dealing with it now or has ever been on the journey knows that it is a serious downer. After months (or years) of trying to conceive unsuccessfully, we begin to default into a consistently bad mood and negative outlook. It’s natural and totally fair. The constant defeat is overwhelming and the pain and fear too much to bare. The despair worsens because there is often not any clear answers or direction for us to take. It can be even worse when IVF has failed. We tend to think that science will have the answers if our body can’t quite figure it out. It’s a rude awakening when after weeks of unpleasant injections and procedures that our sweet science has also failed us.
So what’s a girl to do when she is sick of being miserable? Most of the ladies I see are boss Type A women who will take action as soon as they are given the know how. Below I’ve outlined three things you can do NOW to enhance your fertility and improve the chances of success with IVF and other efforts.
- Start acupuncture ASAP – now I know I am a completely biased resource to be making this suggestion. I am, in fact, an acupuncturist and doctor of chinese medicine so I clearly believe in its efficacy. Not convinced yet are you? Maybe you’ll find it interesting that there are fertility doctors and OB/GYNs that refer their patients to my practice. Yep, it’s true. Many of my patients find me by way of their western medicine doc. Find this surprising? Well, it may be for many but the truth is that there is mounting evidence to support the use of acupuncture to treat infertility. There is even data to support its use in conjunction with IVF and other fertility interventions such as clomid or IUI. If any of you have looked at the stats of how often IVF and ART work, it’s kind of depressing. No wonder we are looking around to see what else we could be doing to boost our odds. If you think acupuncture sounds unpleasant, I can assure you that 99% of my patients LOVE it. They find it incredibly relaxing during the session and in the days following. Even if you aren’t quite sure if it has any benefits for fertility, you might try it just to manage the stress and anxiety of the fertility journey. (https://naturnalife.com/services/nyc-acupuncture/acupuncture-for-fertility-nyc/?v=7516fd43adaa)
- Stop hoovering caffeine – this may seem obvious but from my observation many women don’t believe they are consuming much until I dissect their day. One huge coffee in the morning followed by some dark chocolate, a kombucha, a chai tea or matcha latte. Guess what, all are caffeine! If you are already an anxious person then ditch it fast. Caffeine will make you into a crazy woman. You’ll feel constantly overwhelmed and emotional, not to mention that it can affect your precious sleep. Most important, if it’s making you pump out adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones, it will suppress your fertility. Knock it down to a cup of green tea, black tea or oolong. Or maybe one kombucha daily. It will not only improve your mental health, it may work wonders for your fertility. Last, if you must drink coffee then try alkaline coffee so that it’s less acidic for your system. (https://naturnalife.com/product-category/uncategorized/?v=7516fd43adaa)
- Sugar is the devil – and it takes many forms – baked goods, candy, drinks, wine etc… You may not think you are an addict because you don’t eat cookies or cake. But are you drinking wine or other alcoholic beverages regularly? Or perhaps eating bread, crackers and pasta frequently? Booze is like sugar on a rocket ship. Its vehicle is ethanol and it enters our bloodstream quickly. That’s part of the nice high you feel (before the miserable foggy crash the next day). Same things with candies, cookies and anything made from refined flour – up goes your blood sugar and insulin with a temporary boost in serotonin followed by a crash that upsets your mood, pancreas and your fertility. Insulin disregulation is associated with implantation failure, poor egg quality, miscarriage and more. The kicker is that blood sugar swings will affect your mood, big time. You’ll have unpleasantly low lows that we know won’t help with your current challenges. Keep your blood sugar balanced and your mood bright by starting your day with protein and/or fat and maintaining the balance with a high fiber diet full of healthy fats and proteins. (https://naturnalife.com/services/fertility-supplements-copy/?v=7516fd43adaa)
I realize these things seem obvious, but despite that fact you probably aren’t keeping them in check. If you think that the root of your infertility is an undiscovered diagnosis then you might be right. But there is an even bigger chance that it’s a combination of a few things in your lifestyle that are throwing your hormones and nervous system out of balance. These are the little things that you have the power to change. Get started now. (https://naturna.janeapp.com/?_ga=2.61179492.934324201.1506952998-650887243.1506952998)
With love & light,
Dr. Christina
