Latest Blog Articles Archives - Natural Fertility and Wellness

MSG and fertility

February 28, 2018 by Donielle Baker

Years ago, I suffered from migraines. I carried Excedrin with me where ever I went. There were even occasions that I had to take Vicodin just to rid myself of them. At the time I was lucky enough to work with a few different women that also suffered from migraines and we talked often about them.

One day after lunch, about an hour after I’d gotten back, I noticed the dull ache in the back of my head move sharply toward my temple. It was the classic sign that yet another migraine was coming. This time though the woman I sat next to looked over at me and said something like “Girl, whatever you’re eating is giving you migraines”. (ok, so she probably didn’t say “girl”. We didn’t care for working with each other much… she may have just been annoyed that I was complaining yet again. )

“But all I had was a salad!” I mentioned. I was trying to be all healthy and whatnot and eating just a low-fat salad.

Then she knew because MSG was one of her triggers too.

From that day forward my migraines came only occasionally as long as I avoided any foods with MSG. I probably should have been nicer to my coworker after that since that moment has changed my life so much…but the two of us? Like oil and water.

What is MSG?

MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a flavor enhancer that is commonly added to soy sauce, soups, processed meats, packaged sweets, chips, and the most widely known – Chinese food. This flavor enhancer also tends to enhance (increase) our appetite and cravings for the foods with added MSG.

It has also been blamed for brain, nervous system and reproductive system disorders.

The FDA has considered MSG to be safe, but the controversy behind remains great, with many health-conscious people actively avoiding it. So much so that it’s now common to see products labeled as “msg-free” or “contains no msg” to let discerning shoppers know that they can safely buy the product.

Our bodies have a natural glutamate in them and MSG producers claim that the naturally occurring and the processed MSG are the same. But they have some differences:

There are contaminants in the processed MSG from the actual production of the amino acid.
Our bodies know what to do with the naturally occurring amino acids, but the processed glutamate also has amino acids in it that are basically backward or mirror images of themselves. This makes it more difficult (and for some people, impossible) for the body to process.

Other names for MSG

Another problem with MSG is the labeling of it. In food labels, it can actually be hidden under another name. Names like;

Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein,
Hydrolyzed Protein,
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein,
Plant Protein Extract,
Sodium Caseinate,
Calcium Caseinate,
Yeast Extract,
Textured Protein (Including TVP),
Autolyzed Yeast,
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, and
Corn Oil.

How it can affect your health and fertility

Along with its damaging effects on fertility, MSG can also cause irritability, migraines, nausea, and hyperactivity.

MSG actually stimulates your pancreas to produce more insulin. Even if the food you eat doesn’t have the carbs in it for the insulin to act upon. When your bodies insulin (a hormone) is constantly rising and falling, it causes your other hormones to be thrown out of balance as well. Basically, insulin sits on top of the cascade of hormone imbalances – when it’s “off”, estrogen, testosterone, etc are off as well.

Not only does insulin affect your reproductive hormones, it also creates a drop in your blood sugar when it floods your body. A drop in blood sugar and you feel hungry again. Overeating and we’re right back to weight being an issue as well.

Iva Keene, Natropathic Physician, mentions a study that was published in Neurobehavioral Toxicology back in 1979, showed that MSG reduced pregnancy success. Before 1970, it was routinely added to baby food, until children started developing convulsions and the link was discovered. After 1970, MSG was banned from baby food but conveniently added to many adult foods.

Studies on MSG

So far I have only found animal studies that have been done on the effects of MSG to fertility, one in particular from North Eastern University showed:

Rats fed MSG before attempting to conceive had a decreased conception rate. Male rats fed MSG before mating had less than a 50% success rate (5 out of 13 animals unable to reproduce), whereas male rats not fed MSG had over a 92% success rate (12 of 13 animals were able to produce).
The offspring of theMSG-treated males showed shorter body length, reduced testes weights and evidence of overweight at 25 days.
In female rats, it seemed to interfere with ova and follicle releases (annovulatory cycles) and overall decreased fertility. (source)

Avoiding MSG

The biggest thing you can do is check labels. I have been able to find MSG free products in my normal supermarket as well as a health food store without problems.
Try and make more of your food from scratch – if you make it at home you know exactly what’s in it!
Replace processed snack foods with whole foods. Try eating an apple or carrots instead of chips!
Eat out less. (fast food, restaurant food – especially chinese! —tend to have MSG in it)
Most of all: be aware of what you eat!

Free Fertility Foods Checklist

February 25, 2018 by Donielle Baker

Confused about what foods to eat in order to balance your hormones and increase your fertility naturally? I’ve prepared a simply fertility foods checklist just for you!

This convenient checklist can help you figure out what to eat, as well as give you a weekly look at your food intake. This checklist covers most of the basic foods that are nutrient dense and good for balancing hormones and boosting fertility. And I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time getting in everything, every day – so this is an easy way for me to make sure that most of the boxes are checked off by the end of the week.

Of course, nothing is perfect. And there is no “perfect diet” for fertility, so some of your food items will need to change based on food allergies or intolerances. There are also a few lines for you to write in the specific foods you need, to customize it a bit.

Simply try using this checklist to make your weekly menus and then make sure to mark off the categories you eat each day. Use it for one month and I know you’ll begin to see positive changes!

My diet was the very first thing I changed years ago. Six months after a complete overhaul I went from ovulating once, maybe twice, a year to every four weeks for the first time ever! Even now, when new health issues arise, I come back this.

The foundation for health is food (and lifestyle).

My hope is that this simple checklist will help propel you to making better choices when it comes to what you eat each day.

Getting pregnant

February 21, 2018 by Donielle Baker

Before and during pregnancy, you want to do what’s right for you and your baby so they can live a healthy and happy life. The number of environmental and food-based toxins we consume makes this process complex, but it is absolutely possible if you have the right know-how. As a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner and health coach, I want to arm you with the five best ways to boost your fertility and good health for your baby. These three tips are designed to help nurture your hormones, fuel your body, and remove unwanted toxins and stressors which makes getting pregnant easier.

1. Follow a (very) clean diet

Food can either be the best form of nourishment or the worst form of stress on our bodies. To optimize fertility, you need to be extremely diligent about the food you put in your body. Many foods today, unfortunately, contain toxins that are endocrine system disruptors, which can cause your hormones to get out of balance. For someone who has been in the deep end of adrenal dysfunction not too long ago, rebalancing your hormones from this damage is not an easy process, so start today by committing to a squeaky clean diet.

Here are the foods to avoid before and during pregnancy (as well as when you’re breastfeeding):

Gluten: This includes wheat products, most processed foods, and many name-brand makeup products
Dairy: Most of us cannot digest it well as adults, causing inflammation and stress in the body
Soy: Many supplements and medications contain these, so check the ingredient label!
Corn: Again, many supplements and medications contain these, too
Canola oil: Many restaurants cook with this, so beware!
Refined sugar: Sugar hides in the sneakiest places, so start reading ingredient labels
Caffeine: A staple for many, it can stress out your adrenal glands and compromise normal hormone production
Alcohol: This one goes without saying and clogs up our body’s detox pathways
Eggs: These are a top allergen for many people
Factory farmed beef, chicken, and fish: These contain endocrine-damaging hormones, antibiotics and allergens
Other foods that your body is sensitive to: I recommend running a food sensitivity panel to find out
All of the product in EWG’s Dirty Dozen list that are non-organic
GMO foods: Cottonseed, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, some zucchini and yellow squash, as well as soy, corn, and canola listed above

Now, I know the list above is quite long and you may be feeling overwhelmed just looking at it. The best way to begin working on it is by removing just a few foods at a time. Gradually over time, you’ll get used to avoiding certain foods.

To help you in the process, here are the foods to focus on that can help boost fertility:

Foods you test least reactive to on a food sensitivity panel (you can run it with a practitioner like myself or ask your doctor)
Organic versions only of the foods on the Dirty Dozen list
Foods on the Clean Fifteen list
Honey, raw maple syrup, date sugar, coconut sugar, or stevia instead of sugar
Dandelion root tea, tulsi tea, or raspberry tea instead of caffeinated tea or coffee
Non-dairy milk products made from coconut, cashew, or hemp
Healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil instead of canola oil
Pasture-raised, free range chicken, grass-fed beef, wild caught fish

2. Hormone-supporting supplements

Next to eating clean, you need to pay particular attention to all of your nutrient intake levels. Unfortunately today, even some of the cleanest organic produce are still void of proper levels of vitamins and minerals due to over-farming and declining soil quality. Because of this, it’s important to supplement short-term to bring these levels back up.

There are several vitamins and minerals that are particularly important to ensure adequate levels of before and during pregnancy:

Vitamin C: This is the first to be depleted in a chronic stress state. We need about 1,000mg per day to optimize adrenal and hormone production.
B Complex: Vitamins B12, B5 and B6 are precursors to healthy hormone production, so be sure to get 500mg of a B complex two to three times a day.
Magnesium: Magnesium is a calming mineral which helps your body respond to and reduce chronic stress levels. Magnesium glycinate, in particular, at about 400-600mg per day, is fantastic for stress reduction.
Probiotics: The gut-brain connection is real, so to produce enough hormones, starting in your brain, you need a proper balance of gut bacteria.
Omega-3 fatty acids: These help to lower inflammation caused by stress, infections, and toxicity.

3. Aim to de-stress three times a day

Stress does a number on the body, and even I didn’t realize the magnitude of it until I worked on my own hormone health. Chronic stress caused by everyday things can put our bodies in a constant fight-or-flight mode, which over time exhausts the body and its ability to crank out the right levels of hormones. If, overtime, you deplete your body’s ability to produce normal levels of estrogen and testosterone, conceiving will become that much more difficult.

There is a lot we can do to re-train our body to cope with stress and reduce overall stress levels.

Here are a few of my favorite techniques:

- Meditate for 5-10 minutes a day using apps like Headspace or Calm
- Come back to your breath. Here’s a breathing pattern that works well: Breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, and exhale for 8 counts. Repeat this three times.
- Take an Epsom salt bath, which is rich in calming magnesium
- Schedule time each day and find a fun activity like being with a friend or watching a funny movie
- Avoid people and things that drain you of energy and learn to say “no” to things that don’t light you up

Because many of these require only a few minutes of your time, you can fit them in periodically throughout the day. I believe that if you can do one stress-relieving activity three times a day, you will enable your body to better respond to stress and lower overall stress levels.

Nurturing Your Body to Good Health

Boosting fertility starts with you. How you feed your body and live your life has an incredible impact on your ability to conceive. Clean eating reduces the overall burden on your body by unclogging detoxification pathways and allowing your body to cleanse itself naturally to prepare to make life. But also recognize that you can’t always get a full profile of nutrients, even from the cleanest food sources, which is why it’s wise to supplement strategically with vitamins and minerals that will boost hormone health. Last, your hormone pathways will never be optimal if chronic stress resides in your life. Finding techniques that help you reduce and adapt to stress can’t be stressed enough.

Implement these three fertility boosting tips and you’ll not only increase the chances of getting pregnant, you’ll improve your overall health and that of your baby.

Guest author Kristin Thomas is a functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner (FDN-P) and holistic health coach. She is the founder of Thrive by Food and works with women worldwide who are looking to balance their hormones, improve digestion, and live a clean and naturally healthy life. Kristin went through a hormone battle herself, triggered by stress and environmental toxins and relieved by strategic diet and lifestyle changes. She is trained to help others revive their hormone pathways much in the way she did using advanced testing techniques and strategic healing protocols.

www.thrivebyfood.com

Eating for natural hormone balance

June 29, 2017 by Guest Author

Natural balance is about eating whole foods and as close to the source as possible. There’s no need to deprive yourself when you’re trying to conceive or balance hormones; there is a vast array of foods that can help you feel great and energized everyday. Nutrition is the foundation for natural hormone balance! You can take all the herbs and supplements for hormones/fertility as you want, but if you aren’t feeding your body what it needs for proper hormone production you won’t see the results you desire.

Four food tips for natural hormone balance

Whole Grains

Sticking to healthy whole grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, wild rice, cornmeal and oatmeal you’ll realize how much better you feel as these options won’t alter your blood sugar and insulin as dramatically as their white friends will (white flour, white rice, white bread). Try whole grain pasta with fresh tomato sauce and fresh marjoram, a whole grain pita filled with steamed vegetables, almond butter and sesame seeds, create a balsamic quinoa dish with cashews and fresh thyme

**It’s recommended that all whole grains be properly soaked or fermented using traditional foods preparation methods before consumption. This will help reduce the inflammation they may cause as well as increase bioavailibility of nutrients.

Fresh Produce

The antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables will do wonders for both you and your husband. Try to purchase organic as often as possible; aim for a fresh fruit and veggie at each meal. Try spinach in your morning omelet, red bell peppers and salsa for a snack, berries in your Greek yogurt parfait, bananas in your oatmeal, fresh orange and grapefruit juice as the dressing for your salad, steamed fennel and leeks added to your favorite soup recipe. See how easy it can be to sneak in a few new fruits and veggies into your daily eats?

Fresh herbs are also a great way to add flavor to all of your dishes; I love cilantro, rosemary, marjoram, basil and sage but don’t stop there – there’s a whole garden of herbs that you can experiment with. Try a bit of mint in your evening tea or some cilantro in your tomato sauce; how about basil in your salmon salad?

Plant Proteins

Animal protein sources can be an important part of a healthy nutritional plan, but we often forget to include plant protein as well! Beans, legumes, peas, nuts and seeds are a wonderful source of protein and can be used in recipes from stews to hummus, salsa to stir-fries, nut butters to chili. Toss some peas onto your lunchtime salad, cook up a batch of black beans to store in your fridge for the week to use in your scrambled eggs, homemade hummus, burritos, wraps, and rice dishes. Carry around a Ziploc bag filled with nuts and seeds for a nice dose of protein when traveling or running errands where there are no healthy protein options; you can sprinkle a bit of these seeds onto your cereal, salads, baked goods, pilafs and smoothies as well.

Healthy Fats

We all need a bit of healthy fat in our lifestyles and there’s no need to shun the three-letter word or be scared of eating foods with fat because we all need fat to survive and for our bodies to properly function. Good sources of fats include olive oil, coconut oil, organic butter, organic tallow/lard as well as fatty foods like nut butters, avocado, and eggs.

Try a mashed avocado with a slice of whole grain toast with fresh arugula and tomato slices. Or whip up an easy hummus with chickpeas, chia seeds, extra virgin olive oil and red beets for a quick mid-day snack that can be enjoyed with crudités, a toasted English muffin or whole grain crackers. Roast some pumpkin seeds in your oven with olive oil, cinnamon and sea salt; store in Ziploc bags for an easy travel snack that you can store in your bag when you need a bit of a blood sugar boost.

Eating for hormone balance doesn’t have to be difficult, though it may take a while to begin new habits if you don’t currently eat this way. Just remember, small changes add up and before you know it your body will have the nutrition it needs to function optimally for natural hormone balance.

Amie Valpone, HHC, AADP is a Manhattan based Culinary Nutritionist, Marketing Consultant, recipe developer and food writer specializing in Gluten Free, Soy Free and Dairy Free Culinary Nutrition. Amie is the author of the gluten-free blog, The Healthy Apple and is the Publisher and Marketing Director of the online gluten-free magazine, Easy Eats.

Amie shares her passion for and approach to ‘Clean Eating’ by focusing on natural, whole foods and ingredients. She’s a Food Media Expert and works hands-on with individuals and groups as a Food Allergy Concierge and Healthy Family Pantry Stylist to guide them through their transition into a healthier lifestyle.

What is fertility massage? A podcast with Claire Miller, fertility massage expert

March 7, 2017 by Donielle Baker

Fertility massage may help increase fertility and reproductive health by putting the reproductive organs into proper alignment as well as increase blood flow. It’s a form of massage that works directly with the abdomen of women and often times called Mayan abdominal massage, and therapists who work with this particular massage technique also claim that it helps to break up adhesions from endometriosis.

Back when I was writing my book I had the chance to talk to Claire Miller from ClaireMarieMiller.com to talk to us about fertility massage, what it is, and how it works. Below is the full podcast as well as the summarized version.

What is fertility massage?

Fertility massage is a certain protocol that I teach students where you are doing things that will enhance the fertility in terms of aligning the body, cleansing the colon, increasing circulation to the pelvis, and using reflexology to support the endocrine system as well as the reproductive system. It has a whole flow to it that honors the body, the emotions, and the spirit all together.

Who would benefit from receiving fertility massage?

I get a lot of women who have waited to have kids. A lot of them are in their late 30s and early 40s. But I think anyone would benefit. You could be in your 20s and thinking now you are ready to start your family and you would like to be cleansed and tuned up and in your center. I work with both males and females.

It really benefits anybody. I’ve worked with a lady who had an IUI (intrauterine insemination), and she conceived right after I worked on her. I’ve worked with ladies who have done IVF (in vitro fertilization) who have conceived as well.

Primarily I start working with them before they go to the fertility clinic. They are either hesitating or not wanting to go that route or would like to try something else before going down that road.

What are the benefits of fertility massage?

Any massage tunes you into your body. All of us, even massage therapists get on the table and realize, I didn’t know I was tight there or had something going on there. So it really does tune you in to what is going on, where you hold tension. Digestion is a big part of it.

It also relaxes the person. Letting go of stress, alone, is a great benefit to conceiving. If you are under a great deal of stress, it throws your hormones off. You’re less likely to conceive. You see that often when people go on vacation or there is a snow storm and you can’t go anywhere. People make babies.

It’s a relaxation effect as well as the cleansing effect as well as tuning in to your body.

When do you do fertility massage to benefit IUI or IVF?

It would be done before treatments. Its to clear the digestive system, increase circulation to the pelvic area, and open up and balance where the uterus is for the ladies. I also use castor oil quite a bit, which is very cleansing to the body. It breaks up adhesions and dissolves cysts and fibroids and has a whole bunch of wonderful benefits.

There’s a really good book called, The Oil That Heals by Dr. William McGarey. I’m a big believer in castor oil. I’ve even seen it increase sperm count. It would be good for both parties before either IUI or in vitro.

After the procedure you could do energy work, basically because the baby is now implanting. We don’t mess with the abdomen really until the second trimester. I’ll do some light massage on the arms and the legs, relaxing things, but none of the deep work that I would do at the end of the pregnancy.

Would that be the same when you are trying to conceive naturally?

Yes, and actually I will ask my clients that when they come. I say, are you actively trying to conceive? We schedule their session between the last day of menstruation and up to when they are about to ovulate.

What I have found is that they tend to get pregnant if I get them a day or two before ovulation. I have a really good success rate with them conceiving on that ovulation.

How often would someone get fertility massage done?

Most of the people I am seeing come once a month. You could have a couple of sessions if you really feel like you need to get tuned up and you are not actively trying to conceive within a month.

Once they are actively trying to conceive, they could get as many as two or three right before ovulation. Not everybody has the time or money for that. Most of my clients come just once a month and that is really affordable.

What can couples expect during a session?

Most of it’s very relaxing. I use aromatherapy oils and castor oil packs on their belly, because it is very warming and soothing. I do shiatsu on the back, which is working the acupressure meridian points down the back.

The first session takes at least an hour and a half because I am also getting to know them. After that it is usually about a 75 minute session.

Where might someone be able to find a massage therapist that offers fertility massage?

They can go to my website at ClaireMarieMiller.com. In the menu bar, there is a link to Find a Therapist. Click on that link and then select fertility massage as the therapist type and enter your postal code.

Can fertility massage be used along with other natural alternative therapies like acupuncture and herbal treatments?

Absolutely. I network with acupuncturists, a local herbalist, an aromatherapist, nutritionists, and chiropractors. I am all about trying as many of the natural ways as possible. They all work really well together.

What are some of the success rates for fertility massage?

Mine has been running somewhere around 80 percent. I’ve had a number of my students go out and do this. One of my students reported back 10 out of 12. Another one reported 2 out of 3.

[Claire includes more information about talking to the baby spirit and The Fertile Female by Julia Indichova at 8:58 to 10:35]

How long have you been doing fertility massage?

I’ve been teaching Nurturing the Mother since 1990. I’ve been a massage therapist since 1979. I consciously conceived my daughter, Jessica Hope, in 1984. So we were using some of those techniques back in 1984.

I have other types of clients too. I do pregnancy massage and reflexology, as well. I travel all over the country teaching massage. Pregnancy, fertility, and reflexology are my three specialties.

How many of your clients are struggling with infertility versus being already quite fertile?

I travel and teach so I don’t keep a large clientele. Right now I am working with 2 or 3 women who have not currently conceived. I have one about to deliver any day. I have one who is pregnant and the others have already delivered.

With your clients who have not yet conceived and may be dealing with infertility, is there anything special you do for them?

I teach them how to use castor oil packs at home. I may refer them to an acupuncturist so they are getting both things at the same time. A lot of times it is just getting that timing right and making sure they are really open.

I had one lady who had been coming for 8 months. We had a talk and I asked her if she really wanted a baby. She was here, there, and everywhere with all kinds of stuff going on. She looked at me and said, absolutely I want a baby. Within a month she was pregnant. She just had come to that place.

I have them come once a month and try to get as close to ovulation as they can. I think that is the best time, because we can really open things up and they are really excited about feeling their energy moving when they go home and hopefully conceive.

What is fertility massage