Don’t Fall for an Infertility Diagnosis
The heartbreak of infertility is becoming all too common nowadays with one in four couples having trouble conceiving or carrying a healthy baby to term.
But in many cases the medical diagnosis of infertility is a mis-nomer. As long as your anatomical structures are in place, your difficulties are likely due to underlying imbalances and toxicity levels in either partner’s body due to our modern lifestyles. The good news is that getting to the root cause and addressing it with natural methods and lifestyle changes, can result in healthy pregnancies and healthier babies and parents.
A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry
Infertility drives a lucrative industry: assisted reproductive technologies (ART) represent over two billion dollars a year in the US alone and growing. Couples have gone bankrupt believing it’s the only way they can have a baby.
What the medical establishment doesn’t tell you though, is how bad ART is for both the woman’s long-term health and the baby’s. Or that natural holistic treatments are far more successful.
During an in vitro-fertilization (IVF) cycle for example, a woman can be taking 15 different medications and her hormone levels are hugely elevated. Drugs like Clomid are designed to mimic the body’s own hormones and massively stimulate the ovaries to release mature eggs into the fallopian tube for fertilization.
The drugs tend to have horrible side-effects like mood swings, headaches, abdominal pain, rashes, nausea, breast tenderness; even ovarian cysts and ovulatory dysfunction in some women. And that’s before considering the long-term effects of having such elevated hormones for a period even after treatment has ended.
How healthy are those eggs super-matured in that way anyway?
In addition to the ovary stimulation, a woman’s endocrine system has to be suppressed by a drug that essentially stimulates menopause. Lupron tends to lead to hot flashes, night sweats and headaches – not the best frame of mind to conceive a baby in.
Follicle Stimulating Hormone is usually added to the mix also causing rapid weight gain, bloating, nausea, stomach pain, and more serious side-effects like ectopic pregnancies, blood clots and strokes.
Getting to the Root Cause of the Diagnosis
The ability to create life is the most natural thing in the world. But conception is a profound miracle affected by any one of a thousand factors: Physical obstructions in the uterus or fallopian tubes or the ovaries themselves, hormonal imbalances, an irregular menstrual cycle so the egg doesn’t release at the right time, or the uterine lining is too thick or too thin – these are just on the woman’s side.
Plus general levels of health and stress, dietary habits and toxic exposures to chemicals in food, in make-up and personal products, to electro-magnetic frequencies – cell phones are a big detriment to fertility.
Conventional medicine fails spectacularly in the realm of fertility precisely because it is such a natural process. A conventional approach just isn’t capable of correcting the tiny imbalances that rarely show up on any kind of formal test.
Here’s a few examples:
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
PCOS is one of the most common reasons conventional physicians will give for infertility these days. It sounds like a disorder of ovulation but can also affect the endocrine system, the adrenal glands, pituitary gland and the pancreas; leading to impaired metabolism, weight, hair and skin problems as well. It almost always results in an irregular or absent menstrual cycle.
Women who have PCOS are at risk for developing cardiovascular disease and cancer if steps aren’t taken to address the root cause and reverse the condition.
The main detriment to fertility is that multiple small cysts develop inside the ovaries which are tiny follicles that never fully develop to release mature eggs. The cysts instead release androgens – male hormones which prevent the release of eggs.
The androgens also escape into the bloodstream causing an abnormal hormone cascade preventing ovulation. But luteinizing hormone (LH) is often still elevated confusing standard testing. LH is usually released when the body is preparing for fertilization and implantation of an egg.
The most common underlying cause of PCOS is poor blood sugar management. Excess insulin circulating in the bloodstream stimulates enzymes that help manufacture androgens in the ovaries, and over-stimulates androgen receptors. Insulin resistance also contributes to weight-gain which is one of the reasons many women with PCOS are overweight. But insulin resistance can also be present in those of normal weight.
The holistic approach discussed below can entirely reverse PCOS. Especially cutting out sugar and refined carbohydrates, strategies like intermittent fasting, focusing on liver health through detoxification, B vitamins, and eating organ meats, and ensuring a daily exercise routine.
Endometriosis and Fibroids
Another scary-sounding diagnosis is endometriosis, and I’m also including fibroids here. Both conditions are due to inappropriate tissue growth within the reproductive system.
In endometriosis, the endometrial cells (from the lining of the uterus) migrate and implant in areas outside the uterus like the cervix, the ovaries, the fallopian tubes and even the colon or bladder wall. Often inducing severe bleeding during menstruation and debilitating cramps and pain, although some women experience no symptoms other than infertility.
The misplaced cells respond to the hormonal stimuli of estrogen and progesterone causing them to bleed during menstruation. But there is no way for this blood to leave the body so it stagnates at the site of implantation causing inflammation and possibly scaring.
There isn’t full consensus in conventional medicine why women with endometriosis have fertility problems. The scarring can certainly impede the path of the egg, but it could be other dysfunction in the ovaries and hormonal systems that unbalance reproduction as well as causing endometriosis. It could also be that endometriosis is a form of autoimmune disease where the body is mounting an offense against the perceived invaders of endometrial cells in the wrong place.
Fortunately, taking a holistic approach to overall health can heal the body and in many cases reverse an endometriosis diagnosis. Treatments focusing on the immune system should be prioritized, perhaps including Essential Oils like frankincense, clary sage, peppermint and lavender to calm the inflammation. Warm castor oil packs placed on the abdomen daily can also be helpful.
Uterine fibroids can be treated similarly.
Luteal Phase Defect (LPD)
Part of the beautiful miracle of conception and pregnancy doesn’t involve the egg or the sperm at all, or even the egg’s journey down the fallopian tube but the luteal phase affects the response of the endometrial lining of the uterus to accept the implantation of the blastocyst – the fertilized egg.
A luteal phase defect (LPD) is usually considered to be an insufficiency of progesterone production. However, often administering progesterone doesn’t cure it. The drug Clomid may be used but it could actually cause more implantation problems through a thinning of the uterine lining. Even conventional doctors may suggest the consumption of yams which are said to stimulate the ovaries into producing more progesterone.
A single remedy is unlikely to address what is principally an overall unbalance in the body’s hormonal system. The holistic approach described below must be incorporated into any targeted approach.
Unexplained Infertility
A conventional doctor may rule out these common problems already described and still be at a loss as to the label to assign to the reproductive imbalance.
There may be a range of issues going on that don’t show up in conventional testing such as immunological reactions (the body over-reacting to the non-self components of either the sperm or the new life once fertilized, resulting in miscarriage), low level infections such as yeast (candida) and an unbalanced microbiome (a common side-effect of medications and/or poor diet), menstrual irregularities and stress.
Advanced maternal age is never an appropriate diagnosis either. While it is true a woman’s eggs are usually “healthier” at 25 than 40, eggs and ovaries are negatively impacted by poor diet, drugs, toxins and stress hormones. They can be reinvigorated by a healthy diet and clean lifestyle.
A holistic approach to fertility will support the body to overcome any of these underlying problems. But you do need to embrace the approach whole-heartedly.
A Better Way to a Healthy Pregnancy
I love gardening – this spring I’m growing all sorts of new plants and about to launch my vegetable plot. Any avid gardener will tell you it’s the quality of the soil that influences the productivity and health of the plant. So it is when you want to conceive and grow a healthy human.
If you’re looking to start a family it’s important to get both Mom and Dad healthy first, ideally 6-12mths before you try to conceive.
If you’ve been trying for a year or more without success don’t fall for the expensive ART programs until you’ve truly committed to a whole body natural approach for another 6-12mths. Either on your own or ideally with a functional or integrative professional specializing in fertility.
Here’s some basics:
Focus on organic whole foods only. Plenty of vegetables (such as broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, beets, kale . . .), sprouts or microgreens, grasses like barley and wheatgrass, nuts and seeds, pasture-raised eggs and oily fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel. Organic soy products like edamame and tofu can help balance hormones, and seaweed is great for thyroid health. Organic pasture-raised beef and chicken in smaller quantities than a typical western diet is best. Make sure you know the source to avoid the extra hormones and pharmaceuticals used in conventional animal framing.
Eating clean is unlikely to address the nutrient deficiencies that may have built up over many years of modern living though. If you have already been pregnant in recent years you could be even more depleted as your body will have naturally prioritized the growing life inside you to allocate nutrients. A pre-natal multivitamin is a must, including vitamins A, C, E, B-complex, zinc and selenium. Make sure the B9 included is folate and not the synthetic version, folic acid. Bee pollan or royal jelly has been found to be helpful for ovarian function and is the top supplement recommended by TCM fertility practitioners (see #10). Freshwater algae like chlorella and spirulina are extremely nourishing to the endocrine, nervous and immune systems. I like EnergyBits for their purity and simplicity.
Nicotine ages the ovaries and makes the eggs resistant to fertilization. Alcohol is damaging to the liver. Caffeine constricts blood flow. And all three have negative effects on your stress response and hormonal balance. If you need revving up in the mornings switch out your coffee for green tea which has some added antioxidant benefits.
Stay away from pre-packaged or frozen foods as well as fast-food, all of which are loaded with chemicals and additives. Organic produce and meats should be prioritized as conventionally farmed foods are full of hormones, pesticides, herbicides and synthetic estrogen-like substances. It’s also suggested to eliminate gluten and most grains during this period. Conventional wheat has very high levels of glyphosate, a particularly harmful pesticide (the active ingredient in the weed-killer RoundUp). Also avoid industrial vegetable and seed oils (like corn, canola, soy, safflower and sunflower) which use chemicals in their processing and cause inflammation in the body. Use natural fats like avocado and coconut. Other places to look to eliminate toxins include cosmetics and personal care products, cookware, household items and pharmaceuticals.
Chances are that elimination of ongoing exposures is insufficient. You’ll need to clean out the body from prior buildup of chemicals, heavy metals, and microplastics, as well as any overgrowth of harmful bacteria, parasites or yeast (candida). Natural support for this process is gentle on the system. Read my detoxification guide with a 3-day cleanse recipe and other resources.
One of the biggest disrupters to fertility in both men and women is the extent of exposure to electro-magnetic frequencies or fields (EMFs). Cell-phones are the biggest culprit due to the proximity causing ongoing damage to our cells and the electrical circuitry in our bodies. Laptops on our knees, giant TVs and monitors emitting blue light, and the microwave in our kitchen are all offenders. Limit your exposure as much as possible. Keep cell phones out of the bedroom and do not carry your phone on your body. Incorporate these other strategies.
The hormone adrenaline, which is released by the adrenal glands during conditions of stress, inhibits the utilization of progesterone, one of the key reproductive hormones. The stress response also redistributes blood flow away from the gastro-intestinal, endocrine and reproductive systems, as they are non-essential to the fight or flight response. I was never able to get into meditation myself but have found Tapping to be incredibly helpful. Others have found dedicated fertility sites like AnjiOnline do the trick. But whether it’s listening to music in your favorite easy-chair, reading a good book or watching a comedy on TV, prioritize relaxation every day and for at least one full day a week without social media or negative influences.
The best form of relaxation is actually exercise with the added benefit of oxygenating your tissues and activating your lymph for detoxification. But too much exercise can be detrimental to fertility. If the body is putting too much of its energy into the musculoskeletal system, it will be at the expense of the reproductive system. So forego intense gym work-outs in favor of walks in a park, moderate hikes in nature, and a gentle yoga class.
Studies have abounded for the last 20 years and more on the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of infertility. Long known in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture addresses almost every stage of a woman’s cycle and reproductive health through the balancing of energy in the body. Acupuncture involves inserting tiny thin disposable needles into points on the skin, known as meridians, causing an exchange of electrons within the body. It doesn’t hurt and can induce a sense of euphoria and total relaxation as your nervous system responds. Make sure you find a qualified practitioner who specializes in fertility – a personal recommendation is always best.
If you’re going to embrace acupuncture you may as well consider all that TCM has to offer. TCM requires a whole separate article but I’ll mention it here as being particularly suited to reproductive health. The basis of all traditional Chinese medicine is energy and it is entirely energy transfer when creating new life. All of our cells and tissues conduct and transfer energy. The Chinese call this universal energy “Qi”. It flows throughout our body, invigorating our organs and powering the processes that direct every chemical and hormonal release. Taking a TCM approach to fertility incorporates everything that we’ve mentioned above but will also include a thorough diagnostic investigation into the state of your four organ systems – kidney, spleen, heart and liver, and your four vital substances – yin, yang, qi and blood. Identifying the specific imbalance caused by an excess, deficiency or stagnation of these substances and the organ(s) most affected, will direct treatment, and specifically the herbal formulas that will be most supportive. It is more art than science and you’ll need an experienced practitioner to help you on your journey such as the Eastern Harmony clinic here in Texas but others abound nationwide and beyond.
So, until you have fully embraced all of these suggestions for 12 months uninterrupted, don’t believe the conventional doctors telling you it won’t be possible for you to have a baby naturally. They just don’t have the right toolset to help you.
A Word to Men
Male fertility depends on three things: (1) adequate production of spermatozoa by the testes, (2) unobstructed transit of sperm through the seminal tract, and (3) delivery of sperm to the ovum. Medical diagnoses can include low sperm count, insufficient sperm motility, testicular atrophy and varicocele causing an obstruction. In most cases, a similar root cause analysis and approach incorporating the tips above can reverse the diagnosis. Tight fitting underwear that raises the scrotal temperature, carrying a cell phone in the front pants pocket and pharmaceutical consumption are common culprits. Anti-inflammatory drugs (like Advil, ibuprofen) and antihistamines (like over-the-counter allergy medications) have been found to reduce sperm count in men for example.
