Infertility affects one in six couples. Similar to pregnancy loss, it is one of those things that we don’t talk enough about. Instead, we just experience it alone. We draw away from people and isolate ourselves. There is a part of me that questions sharing. But then again, there is a part of me that wants to share my experience, screaming it from the rooftops to normalize it, so that others feel less alone. The more I’ve shared personally, the more I’ve seen other women experiencing the same thing. So here we are, I am ready to share my infertility story.
Difficulty conceiving is a growing concern among couples and individuals these days. In my practice, many of my female patients inquire about their hormones in order to optimize fertility. This is such an important step before trying to conceive, but often the forgotten step is looking into male fertility even though we know that the sperm is 50% of the equation! Studies show that sperm quality and quantity are plummeting at a staggering rate, which is why we should be testing sperm early in the preconception process.
Soft self care is a concept that I have been embracing a lot over these last few months when life has felt especially complicated and challenging. One of the most simple and transformative self care practices we can do is morning sunlight exposure. It seems simple but it affects our circadian rhythm, sleep quality, mood, mental clarity, and stress.
Making the decision to expand your family is exciting! The preconception period is a special time to focus on yourself in order to optimize sperm and egg quality, support ovulation, and promote growth and development. Every individual and couple is different, but these are just some of the ways to support the preconception period through gentle nutrition, cycle timing, and targeted supplementation.
The topic of gut health can sometimes feel like a buzzword, but the reality is that so many of us are dealing with chronic digestive issues. It can look different for everyone, but any combination of frequent constipation, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, and bloating is a sign from our bodies that there is dysfunction. After a full workup with a gastroenterologist sometimes we are left with more questions than answers. That is where an functional approach to gut dysfunction can be essential.
Sometimes it can be easy to forget that everything in nature is cyclical. The tides ebb and flow, the moon waxes and wanes, and the seasons shift. We, as people, are not immune to these changes. Even though we live modern lives, our bodies are affected by these natural rhythms in many ways. When it comes to cyclical nutrition, all it takes is noticing your environment, trusting your body, and embracing your traditions.
Medicinal mushrooms have gained popularity in recent years, showing up in coffees, superfood powders, teas, tinctures, and capsules. If you saw my last article, there is quite a bit of cultural history and modern research showing the benefits of medicinal mushrooms in supporting the immune system. But, the question that remains is, so how do we incorporate these mushrooms into our lives? I am all for using food as medicine, so first let’s talk sourcing, and then we will hop into some easy ways to bring mushrooms into your kitchen.
Medicinal mushrooms have been used in cultures across the globe for thousands of years. Now, we are seeing a resurgence of these mighty mushrooms throughout the wellness space in products like coffee, superfood powders, tinctures, and capsules. You may have seen these beautifully branded products in the aisles of your health food store and wondered why they are touted as great additions to your everyday wellness. In this article, we will discuss how medicinal mushrooms may benefit you this winter, as well as easy and more affordable ways to bring them into your life.
If we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it is that burnout is very real. We all experience burnout a little differently. For some it is physical, and for others it is mental and emotional. What remains the same for everyone is this feeling of reaching our threshold, where our stress response is maxed out. Chronic stress has a big impact on our bodies, but the good news is that there are ways to support the body to heal from burnout.
