Wellness and Emotions

Hi! I’m so glad you’re here. This page is designed to provide support and guidance along your fertility journey. There is quite a bit here that will be continually updated. Please read through it carefully and take what resonates! Before diving into the information below, please note this information is not to be used to treat nor does this replace working with a practitioner like myself. If you are interested in 1:1 support, please see my fertility 1:1 support or fertility intensive (bloodwork review).

Below you will also find a list of practitioners who I trust who specialize in nervous system support, MCAS/Histamine, menstrual cycles, hormones, Menopause, autoimmune, fertility for couples, and root cause wellness.

Nourishing Preconception/Fertility Overall:

There is quite a bit of overlap here between fertility and hormone balancing. Take what resonates with you, and please don’t feel obligated to do all of these. Start with what you feel called to, go slow, and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

• Process emotions/seek emotional support if needed/support your nervous system - See more information under emotional support below.

• Get sunshine (especially in the morning) to support Circadian rhythm) and decrease blue light exposure at night (from screens, phones, artificial lights) at least 1-2 hours before bed.

• Support egg quality/sperm quality; I have a few resources on this I will link here.

• Support your liver and other drainage pathways: Please see the “drainage guide” for more info here

• Balance blood sugar: Eat plenty of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and high-quality protein. Aim for at least 30g of protein per meal. Nourish your body well (eat regular meals, eat within 1 hour of waking, savory meals over super sweet), and eat whole foods as often as possible.

  • A quick walk after eating can help support glucose regulation and digestion

  • Apple Cider Vinegar before meals can support reducing glucose spikes from your meals - about 1tsp with a few ounces of water 15-30 minutes before eating (but is. not recommended if you’re dealing with mold/yeast/candida

  • The Glucose Goddess is a great resource

• Warm and cooked foods are encouraged as they are more gentle to digest. In Chinese Medicine, a warm body = a warm uterus, which is beneficial for conception and fertility/hormone regulation. At most, during the luteal phase and menstruation, I highly encourage warm food, cooked food vs. raw. Sweet potatoes, grass-fed beef, soups, and stews are great to incorporate.

• Incorporate warming herbs like cinnamon, ginger, or chai tea to support blood flow, and circulation to the uterus.

• Work to build up your blood/nourish your blood if you notice your periods are light or you are dealing with menstrual issues: Black Cumin Seed Oil is very supportive. I recommend starting slow with this. Please see my fertility and wellness supplement guide for more information.

• Other foods: Bee pollen, royal jelly, wheatgrass, blue-green algae - these are nourishing for hormone regulation. Please note, that if you are allergic to bees and honey, it is a caution to avoid bee pollen and royal jelly.

• Start a prenatal - see my recommendations here

• Track your cycle and ovulation. You can find more information on how to do that in my Fertility Signs guide.

Balancing Hormones Overall:

• Balance blood sugar: Nourish your body well (eat regular meals, eat within 1 hour of waking, savory meals over super sweet), and eat whole foods as often as possible. Aim to eat 30g of protein per meal. Eat plenty of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and high-quality protein.

• Get sunshine (especially in the morning) to support Circadian rhythm) and decrease blue light exposure at night (from screens, phones, artificial lights) at least 1-2 hours before bed.

• Find ways to manage your stress - meditate, go for a walk, breathwork, journal, read

• Find joy in your day-to-day and focus on nourishing positive relationships

• Drink clean and filtered water. Please see Dawn Lusk (below under practitioners) for information about water quality and sourcing.

• Balance your circadian rhythm: morning sun, regular sleep/ wake cycles, limiting blue light exposure 1-2 hrs before bed, reducing EMF exposure, such as turning off Wifi router at night

• Eliminate processed foods, junk food, and processed oils like canola, trans fats, sunflower seed oil, and rapeseed oil (derived from canola oil).

• Reduce alcohol intake and caffeine (although I find King coffee and Espresso pods from Organo do well)

• Warm and cooked foods are encouraged as they are more gentle to digest. In Chinese Medicine, a warm body = a warm uterus, which is beneficial for conception and fertility/hormone regulation. At most, during the luteal phase and menstruation, I highly encourage warm food that’s cooked food vs. raw. Sweet potatoes, grass-fed beef, soups, and stews are great to incorporate as well.

• Avoid skipping meals post-ovulation and avoid fasting - I don’t generally encourage fasting for women, but if you choose to, please stick to fasting during your follicular phase only and I recommend skipping dinner vs. breakfast :)

• Reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors: Aim to use glass, reduce exposure to plastics, consider a reduction in BPA’s, and check your makeup/skincare for harmful ingredients. You can find more information on this topic via my Ditch the Toxins Guide.

• Track your cycle to make sure ovulation is consistent, and understand if you are ovulating (you need to ovulate to produce ample progesterone to get pregnant and stay pregnant)

• Support your drainage pathways - see my guide here

• Track your cycle and ovulation. You can find more information on how to do that in my Fertility Signs guide.

Health Practices:

The recommended supports below are optional, but not all need to be utiltized. If you are feeling called to try these out, pick the one you resonate with most :)

• Yoni (vaginal steaming): An ancient practice of bringing warmth, steam to the vaginal tissues and the womb by squatting over a pot of hot water with herbs. The practice has been shown to support menstrual health, cleanse and tone the uterus, and encourage blood flow (which supports fertility). Yoni steaming is helpful during each stage of a woman’s reproductive years. This can be done 1-2x times a month for 15-3o minutes (please avoid it during your period and ovulation).

  • You can find yoni steaming herbs here

  • Amazon also sells vaginal steaming/yoni steaming kits

  • There are contraindications to yoni steaming. You can find them here: https://www.kitaralove.com/pages/when-not-to-steam-contraindications

• Castor Oil Packs: Castor oil can promote circulation to organs such as the liver, uterus, and thyroid. These can be used throughout your cycle (please avoid them during your period). I. recommend using castor oil packs a few times a week for 15-12 minutes (please avoid during your period and at night). You can find more information on castor oil packs via Queen of Thrones. You can also DIY your castor oil pack as well. You can find more information here

• Womb Massage (Mayan Abdominal Massage): A massage performed on your abdomen (and lower back) to support circulation and blood flow to the uterus, support the menstrual cycle, and may reduce scar tissue and encourage hormone balance. A womb massage is not recommended during your menstrual cycle if you have an IUD, during the first trimester of pregnancy, and if you are 6 weeks post-partum (vaginal birth) and 3 months postpartum (Cesarean birth). Here is a video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl0uOlZKun8

• Red Light Therapy: Exposure to infrared, and near-infrared light wavelengths. Red light has been shown to supportive for fertility for both men and women.

  Fertility benefits included:

  • Supporting blood flow - research has shown improved blood flow to the reproductive system

  • Potential to regulate hormone balance

  • Supporting cellular health - red light therapy increases the production of cellular energy (ATP) - this supports healthy cells = healthy sperm and egg quality

  • Reduce inflammation and oxidative stress

  • RLT can help to reduce cramps during and before your period

    • If pregnant, it is not recommended to use RLT directly on your belly

    • Recommended devices: Joov, Therasage, Biolight, Lume Box, Fringe

• Acupuncture: Acupuncture can be utilized to support this connection, supporting blood flow, and energy and balancing the body's meridians to enhance fertility. Acupuncture also has benefits rooted in supporting stress, fatigue, sleep issues, illness, and overall well-being.  Acupuncture for fertility can be utilized to support blood flow to the uterus, ovulation, cycle support/menstruation, post-miscarriage support, PCOS, and endometriosis, and is an effective support for those undergoing IVF or IUI. 

  •  I often encourage clients to explore acupuncture in their fertility journey as a way to not only nurture this connection [between the heart and uterus] but also support their body's balance overall. 

  •  If you are feeling called to acupuncture, do a quick Google search for a fertility acupuncturist in your area :)

Emotional Support/Nervous System Support:

• Meditation: Process emotions/seek emotional support if needed/support your nervous system -

  • See Consciously Present for mediations (She has both fertility and motherhood/pregnancy loss meditations)

• Emotional Clearing/Nervous System Support: Practices like MBSR, Emotion Code, and NET are beneficial

  1. MBSR session (Mind Body Spirit Release): connection to organs and emotions. Please see Leah for more information: https://www.organicleah.com

  2. Emotion code: A technique used to release trapped emotions: Please see Jocelyn for more information: https://edsonemotionreset.com 

  3. NET (Neuro-Emotional Technique): A mind-body stress relief tool. Please see more information here.

  4. Amanda Panacea. - nervous system support. Please see her information below in the practitioner connections section.

• Womb meditation:  This is a practice of placing your hands on your uterus/womb and thanking it for carrying a healthy baby and letting it know it's safe—that type of thing. This would also be a great stress-reducing activity :) 

  • See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJA2XRMA-YY (it's about 10 minutes) 

• Reiki: Reiki is the practice of transferring “universal energy” from the practitioner’s palm to the client to support healing. Reiki can be utilized to clear energy, support the nervous system, and clear chakras.

  
  

Spirit Babies:

• Spirit Baby Mediumship: Connecting with your spirit babies and conscious conception

  • Please see Emily the Medium (Emily Greene) and her team!

Books for Fertility:

A Cosmic Bond: Communicating with your Spirit Babies from Preconception to Birth

Real Food for Fertility: Prepare your body for pregnancy with preconception nutrition and fertility awareness

Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 20th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health

Awakening Fertility: The Essential Art of Preparing for Pregnancy by the Authors of the First Forty Days

It Starts with the Egg: The Science of Egg Quality for Fertility, Miscarriage, and IVF (Third Edition)

Books for Pregnancy:

Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition

Nine Golden Months: The Essential Art of Nurturing the Mother-To-Be

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

Podcasts:

• Red Pill Your Healthcast with Dr. Charlie Fagenholz and Lauren Johnson, FNP

  • A health podcast dedicated to breaking down complex health issues and providing insight and education from a holistic perspective

• Emily the Medium with Emily Greene

  • A podcast dedicated to conscious conception, spirit babies, and enhancing your spirituality

• Fertility Friday Podcast with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, FAE, HRHP

  • A podcast dedicated to helping you feel empowered about your health and the fertility awareness method

• Soul-Led Living Podcast with Nikki Novo

  • A podcast dedicated to helping you enhance your life, living soul-led

• Ancient Health Podcast with Dr. Josh Axe, Dr. Chris Motely, and Courtney Bursich

  • A podcast dedicated to providing holistic education around nutrition, natural health, fitness and more

• The Healer Revolution with Amanda Panacea

  • A podcast dedicated to providing ancient wisdom and education about health, energetics, and biohacking technologies