My plan for you is a 90-day plan since it takes about 90-`100 days for a follicle to maturate into the dominant follicle that will be released and fertilized by sperm. This is a perfect window of time to positively optimize your fertility. What you do today affects conception 3 months from now. We want to nourish YOU so that you can be ready for your baby. This can be a joyful, thoughtful, and sacred time nourishing mind, body, and spirit. Preparing for pregnancy can help you feel better during pregnancy, help prevent pregnancy complications, and help your body recover during the postpartum time. The plan is Cleanse, Balance, Nourish.
Month 1–Cleanse
Think of it as an adventure cleanse! You are preparing healthy soil–your healthy inner eco-system. We do this by helping our liver function more efficiently and giving it less to process and do. Eliminate those things you know you have been wanting to such as processed foods, refined sugars, sodas, excess caffeine, and eliminate low-fat dairy. Add in lots of veggies, specifically leafy green, fruits ( especially berries), grass-fed organic meats, eggs, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and beans ( beans and grains are best after soaking). The myo-inositol that nourishes your egg health is found in organic berries, beans, grains, and nuts. One brazil nut a day nourishes your thyroid gland with selenium which helps your body gently detoxify. Get on a whole foods-based multi-vitamin. Focus on teas, tinctures, products that detox your liver gently such as milk thistle, dandelion, antioxidants, and NAC. Eat foods with plenty of fiber. Maybe make a chia seed pudding or add flax to your smoothie. Help unburden your liver by cutting back on alcohol, caffeine, sugar. If you smoke, stop now. Find support for this change in lifestyle if needed. I am here to help. I am your support!
This first month is also about optimizing your digestion so that you can get the most nutrition out of the foods you are eating. Eat fermented foods such as raw sauerkraut and start a probiotic. By the end of month 1, your energy should be increasing and you should notice better digestion and less reliance on stimulants and sugar. Too much acidity in the body can make your cervical mucous too acidic ( excess sugar does this). My fertility mentor and friend is finding after 12 years of experience in this field a good amount of correlation to food allergies and fertility troubles. Really pay attention to how your body reacts to foods this month, it is vitally important. This month you will discover which foods feed your vitality through eliminating processed foods.
Month 2–Balance Hormones
Herbal medicine and acupuncture are your friends and can accomplish this. Get acupuncture to increase blood flow to your uterus and ovaries and balance your hormones. Get your cycle regular, if it has not been. Nourish your kidneys/adrenals if you have been stressed out. During an acupuncture session, we will discover which meridian systems need support, balancing, and/or movement. Acupuncture helps balance your hormones by having a positive effect on your hypothalamus, pituitary, ovarian- axis. I am thrilled that there is good research showing how acupuncture works to accomplish this.
Part of our focus this month is in helping you moderate stress since stress has been shown to negatively impact fertility. When you are stressed out, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode and stress hormones are released. This negatively impacts your endocrine hormones. Research shows that acupuncture blocks stress hormones, helping your body go into a very relaxed para-symthatetic state. In this relaxed state, oxygenated blood moves easily to your reproductive organs. If you are prone to anxiety/depression, tension, or tension migraines, this will be especially beneficial to you.
Herbal tinctures help those with high FSH. Good hormonal balance is like a hormonal cocktail that has just the right mix to feed those developing follicles in your ovaries. Good hormonal balance FEEDS these developing emerging follicles. We will discover the right herbal formula for you to help you balance hormones naturally. For instance, Vitex can help your body produce more progesterone. For some women, this can help sustain a pregnancy. Taking time to nourish and balance your hormones will produce a healthier dominant follicle and a better chance of conception and pregnancy. I use only the highest quality herbs and supplements in my practice.
Month 3–NOURISH
Add more fertility recipes to your diet. Remember eggs and sperm are affected positively by proper oxygenation, blow flow, hormonal balance, nutrition intake, and stress reduction. This month the focus will be in building your fertility food recipes.
We focus on oxygen-rich blood flow to your reproductive organs. This is achieved by proper hydration ( drink lots of water!), exercise, and acupuncture. If you are not properly hydrated your blood with be thicker and make healthy circulation to your developing follicles more difficult.
In summary, what our making a baby plan covers is de-stressing our systems, increasing circulation to our female parts, balancing hormones, and nourishing our eggs and sperm. That’s it in a nutshell! The good news is that I can help you with all of this through acupuncture, herbal formulas, nutrition, supplements, and meditation.
Your 3 step plan is: Cleanse, Balance, and Nourish. Here is your 3-month plan to optimize your fertility.
90 Day Get Your Body Baby-Ready Plan
Month 1: Fertility Cleanse
Pre-conception Cleanse –21 days
Whole Foods based prenatal
Start Eating Fertility Foods
Probiotic or fermented food
Acupuncture weekly
Exercise
Start doing basal body temperature
Read Making Babies by Jill Blakeway and Taking Charge of your Fertility
Become aware of Fertile signs and ovulation
Address specific diagnosis’ such as endometriosis, PCOS
Supplements for egg quality: Coq10 and royal jelly
Enjoy sex!
Month 2: Balance Hormones/Nourish Endocrine System
Fertility Diet
Fertility Smoothie: Greens Mix and Maca
Whole Foods based prenatal
Probiotic or fermented food
Acupuncture
Exercise
Basal Body Temperature Chart
Herbal Formula to Nourish for your pattern
Supplements for egg quality: coQ10, royal jelly
Enjoy sex!
Month 3: Nourish Body with Fertility Foods
Fertility Smoothie: Greens Mix and Maca
Whole Foods based prenatal
probiotic or fermented food
Fertility Diet
Acupuncture
Exercise
Basal Body Temperature Chart
Herbal Formula for your pattern
Supplements for egg quality: coQ10, royal jelly
Enjoy sex!
What to expect. After 3 months you should find that your cycles are more regular or are completely regular now, less PMS such as mood swings, cramping, etc., more energy, better sex drive, increase in fertile cervical mucous, better digestion, less stress, anxiety, and tension, and you are sleeping well. The goal is getting our body, mind, and spirit balanced, and glowing! You may find that you need some or all of the above plan. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It is customized to meet your needs. I can provide you with everything you need to get started on this plan at our next appointment. If you would like to get started right away, email me at joy@nourishedrootsacu.com
Thanks for reading,
Joy Lechner, MSOM, L.Ac
480-577-5473
nourishedrootsacu.com
Joy is a board-certified, licensed acupuncturist with a passion for women’s health and fertility.
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