There is a lot of confusion around thyroid function and fertility, and what should be measured when couples are trying to conceive to make sure that the thyroid is optimized.
Before we dive into those details, let's talk a bit about the thyroid and why we're even having this conversation!
The...
Estrogen gets a bad rep.
We talk a lot about estrogen and its negative impacts- we talk about things like breast cancer, endometriosis, and fibroids, which all can be linked to the hormone estrogen. However, estrogen is also critically important for our fertility, for our menstrual cycle,...
I've had a couple of doozy interactions this past week, all centering around progesterone.
1. A 43 year old woman who was experiencing irregular cycles and trying to conceive. Her naturopathic doctor measured her progesterone and found it was low- so she put her on progesterone,...
Yes, I’m serious!
If you’ve looked into naturopathic medicine or integrative approaches to fertility and been curious, this might be your chance to give it a try!
You might not know, but in addition to providing care for couples, I also do a LOT of teaching. This year,...
I talk a lot about nutrition and the role that it plays in fertility- you need macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) and micronutrients (vitamin d, essential fatty acids, etc) to build a healthy egg, sperm, and baby! But if you struggle with digestion, then all of that good nutrition...
So, I have to admit, I got this idea from JJ Virgin, a nutritionist here in the states who does it all- TV spots, practitioner coaching, and more. I'd love to work with her someday. She shared the idea, and I explored a bit to make the YUMMIEST smoothie! If you think it might...
In addition to the work I LOVE talking with clients and helping to educate couples on infertility and how they can address is naturally, I also do a LOT of professional writing, for journals whose aim it is to guide research and guide clinical practice of other doctors. This article,...
I sat with the nicest new patient last night- 40-ish year old woman, former professional athlete who lived a pretty high stress lifestyle and who was looking for support after a miscarriage and 2 failed IVF rounds. One thing really stood out to me- now that she had had a miscarriage, she...
How long have you been trying to get pregnant- a few months? A year? Many years? Really, no matter how long your journey has been so far, I am SURE you have asked yourself, “gosh, what can I do to FIX this?” or said, “I’d pretty much do anything to just...
Inflammation is an underlying mechanism of action for many chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, autoimmunity and more. When it comes to fertility, inflammation ties in in many ways, including affecting hormone balance, contributing to autoimmunity (of...
Part 4 of our 4-Part Series on Preconception
CASE STUDY
Jane, a 35-year-old woman, with no prior pregnancies, comes into the clinic hoping to get pregnant. She knows that she is approaching the age where there are increased risks of trisomies and other genetic abnormalities; thus, she would like...
Part 3 of our 4-Part Series on Preconception
STRESS MANAGEMENT in PRECONCEPTION
Stress has a documented impact on fertility. Studies have confirmed that stress inhibits the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, and the...
