Increasing Your Chances to Conceive Naturally In your 40’s
Whether it’s your age or your partner’s sperm that is playing a role in your inability to conceive, we are given everything we need in nature to reverse infertility and give birth to a healthy baby until menopause.
Battling Infertility and Increasing Your Chances to Conceive Naturally In your 40’s
By Carrie Rutledge
There is nothing more painful than to want a baby and to be told you can’t have one. There are or course, very rare circumstances in which there is a genetic or immune malfunction that may need doctor intervention; however, most infertility diagnoses are “unexplained.” If you fall into the “unexplained” category, I’m here to tell you that you can have a baby without doctor intervention, naturally, on your terms. Whether it’s your age or your partner’s sperm that is playing a role in your inability to conceive, we are given everything we need in nature to reverse infertility and give birth to a healthy baby, until menopause.
One of the best books on the market discussing infertility is called “It Starts With The Egg,” written by Rebecca Fett. She will tell you to start by throwing the traditional American food pyramid away because not everybody needs two servings of dairy a day or six servings grain. In fact, by eliminating sugar in all forms from your diet, you will see a drastic change in your health. A low glycemic diet is a key to lowering inflammation and increasing egg quality. The optimal fertility diet should include high amounts of organic, grass-fed meats, eggs, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. Carbohydrates from sweet potatoes and squash instead of rice or grains will supply you with loads of energy without spiking your blood sugar.
The fruit is healthy and delicious but still loaded with fructose, and unfortunately, our bodies don’t understand the difference between a piece of fruit or a candy bar. The sugar is processed the same way in our bodies. The goal is to keep blood sugar from spiking; therefore, if you must eat fruit, stick to organic berries, apples, and pears. Paying attention to eating fruit in combination with quality fat and protein. A wonderful option to zap those sugar and chocolate cravings is through smoothies. A cup of organic berries, a whole avocado, almond butter, and raw cacao is an excellent dessert that you can eat every day for a quick boost.
Supplements, in addition to a healthy diet, are crucial to egg and sperm health as well as building your own reserve of nutrients for when you do conceive. During the first few months of pregnancy, the baby will feed on the yolk sack. What you eat before conception is critical for preventing miscarriage and ensuring healthy fetal development. A quality prenatal vitamin containing folate (instead of folic acid) is essential. Thorne is a brand of supplements that come highly recommended by most Naturopathic Doctors and are highly absorbable by the body. Thorne Methyl-Guard is a combination of folate, B-12, and B-6, all crucial for preventing miscarriage especially in women who have the MTHFR gene and are unable to absorb folic acid.
Vitamin D is not a vitamin; it is actually a hormone and is extremely important in trying to conceive. In fact, all IVF doctors will check your levels before moving forward with treatment. Most of us are deficient because we are told to wear sunscreen on virtually every part of our bodies. This is one of the worst things we can do for our infertility, our immune system, and our mental health. Dr. Mercola is one of my favorite health column writers, and he will tell you that he lives in a climate in which he can soak up vitamin D all year round. Exposing large portions of the body to the sun for twenty minutes a day (depending on skin tone) is one of the best things you can do to maximize Vitamin D levels.
Other supplements that are extremely helpful in the conception process are 200-400 mg of CoQ10 (Ubiquinol for absorption) for egg quality; nascent Iodine which aids in removing toxins; Black Cohosh on days 1-14 of your cycle will ensure a strong uterine lining; calcium and magnesium to prevent morning sickness once you are pregnant; a natural progesterone cream from days 14-28. Sometimes just adding progesterone cream is enough! In fact, the only pregnancy that stuck for me was the one in which my NP doctor prescribed a natural progesterone cream tailored to my body.
Lastly, in terms of supplements, I strongly recommend Juice Plus. For some reason these little capsules reduce inflammation in the body and the only times I conceived, both my husband and I were taking them. Likewise, Dr. Odom completed a study in Mississippi comparing mothers who took Juice Plus during pregnancy and those who didn’t. He found that delivery before 37 weeks was 0% versus 20%, pre-eclampsia was 0% versus 21%, and admission to NICU was 0% versus 10%. You can’t go wrong with these little capsules before and during pregnancy.
Toxins are everywhere and are a big contributor to fertility issues. All forms of toxins are to be avoided as much as possible. This means pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines (especially during pregnancy), pain medications, fluoridated water, plastic containers, cleaners, detergents, bleach, perfume, nail salons and polish, receipt paper, and makeup. The list goes on and on. If you take steps to reduce these body pollutants in your life, you will drastically increase your health and hormone balance. Invest in a water filter for your household that filters out fluoride. We recently hear more about the dangers of fluoride from the mainstream media; however, holistic practitioners have been warning us for years. Replace all makeup with brands such as Juice Beauty or Tarte or any brand that doesn’t use phthalates (artificial fragrance) or parabens. Nail polish and unventilated salons are very toxic, and it is recommended to avoid them completely or find well-ventilated organic salons.
Finally, working with an NP doctor who can monitor your hormones and nutrient levels as well as a reputable acupuncturist can do wonders for you physically and spiritually. Taking your physical wellbeing into your own hands is incredibly empowering and life-changing. Treating root causes instead of masking problematic symptoms will leave you with a greater sense of self. In today’s society, we are bombarded with marketing firms, pharmaceutical companies, and physicians who make more money when we are sick or infertile. It makes sense that they want to keep society at their disposal. Even if you choose to go the IVF route, making these changes in your life will ensure you a more successful outcome, a healthier pregnancy, and a healthy baby at the end of a life-changing journey.
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About the Author
Carrie Rutledge is a full-time working mother who spent five years struggling with infertility and miscarriages. She finally decided to take her own health into her hands. Through hours of endless research and lifestyle changes, she was able to put an end to frustrating doctor’s visits and expensive pharmaceutical drugs that worsened her condition. At forty she was able to give birth to a healthy baby girl and is now devoting her time to helping other women take back their health and conceive on their own terms. https://www.facebook.com/carrie.rutledge.378
