7 THINGS TO AVOID

1. SKIPPING MEALS AND SNACKS.

"Eating every 3-4 hours has been shown to keep your blood sugar stable, which has many benefits for your health. Schedule meals and snacks into your busy schedule. This will greatly benefit weight goals and also hormone health."

2.

BLUE LIGHT IN THE EVENING.

"Blue light in the evening can trick our brain into thinking it's still daytime, disrupting our circadian rhythms and making it hard to feel sleepy. Many know this but we forget where blue light is, such as TV, phones, computers and tablets."

4. REHEATING FOOD IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS.

3.

SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER, SOY, SESAME AND CORN OILS.

"When consumed in high quantities, these create inflammation and hormone disruption. Instead, use avocado oil, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil and flaxseed oil."

"BPA lives everywhere nowadays, but microwaving plastic allows for releasing this and other chemicals into your food. Switch to glass or ceramic items for those tasty leftovers and meal preparations."

5.

DO NOT AVOID SYMPTOMS THAT YOU FEEL ARE CONCERNING.

"If you have a symptom or symptoms that concern you, seek care. If your provider overlooks it, seek a second opinion. You are your own best advocate and know if something isn’t right with your body."

6.

DON’T SKIP CARING FOR YOURSELF.

"It is so easy to get busy, be consumed by the needs of others and place ourselves last. Please make a strong conscious effort to put yourself in your planner and on your calendar."

7.

DO NOT AVOID CARBS OR RESTRICT YOURSELF NUTRITIONALLY.

"Substitute for healthy carbs such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, berries, chickpea and lentil pasta, and oats. Work with a trained provider to help create a plan that best fits your nutritional needs."

"Sweet potatoes might be my favorite carb in my diet!"

- Brady Drake, Editorial Director

1. Jovi Pain Patch

"This amazing drug-free reusable pain patch is marketed for period pain, but don't be deceived, it can be used anywhere on the body for those unexpected moments of injury or pain. For those with painful periods, this can be life-changing."

3. AIRSEE Sound Machine

"Sleep and hormones follow a circadian rhythm. Research demonstrates a disturbance of the natural circadian rhythm can disrupt hormones. Sound machines generate particular sounds that stop those inconsistencies in sound from reaching our ears while we're asleep and waking us up."

2. Mira Home Hormone Tracker

"This lab-accurate hormone tracking machine can be used from conception, prevention, pregnancy and into menopause. This machine makes it easy to understand your hormones and spot potential imbalances."

4. Probiotic-GI Assist Protea

"Probiotics have been shown to have so many benefits for our health but specifically for hormone health. GI Assist also contains several other ingredients that help with overall GI health and tastes delicious."

What are some of the common causes of infertility that we don't think about?

Many don't realize infertility is equally a men's and women's disease, with research showing it is ⅓ male, ⅓ female and ⅓ both or unexplained. Many women lack the understanding of how to properly track their ovulation cycle or use products that lack reliability to really show what their hormones are doing. Additionally, in my practice, I see so many women who have had symptoms overlooked and led to the diagnosis of contributing diseases such as endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid disease and their partner having impaired sperm quality.

What are some things people who are experiencing issues can do right now to improve their chances of procreating?

Individuals and couples have the power to create a healthcare team versus just receiving care from one provider. Creating their own healthcare team that provides a variety of cares that they feel is best for them. Many diseases take a multisystem approach to care with various healthcare professionals involved, but this gets missed in reproductive healthcare. Often patients feel one healthcare provider will hold all the solutions or if that provider doesn't fully understand other cares, they may disregard the patient's desire to add them to their plan. Always listen to your “gut” feeling and find providers who listen to you while providing care that feels best suited for your needs. You are your own best advocate.

Do you have any other general wellness tips for people?

Protein with all meals and snack the best you can to help with blood sugar stabilization which in turn will help with hormone balance. Find a fitness program or routine that you enjoy and that creates a fun environment you enjoy attending. Enjoy the outdoors, even in the winter. Sunshine helps boost a chemical in your brain called serotonin, which will give you more energy and provide a calm, positive and focused feeling. Create a sleep routine or seek a healthcare evaluation to determine why you are having issues if this is challenging. Sleep plays such a vital role in our overall health, including immune health, food cravings, memory and so much more.

What are some health/beauty options in town that you have utilized that have not already been listed?

I really like Praireland Counseling as they specialize in women, couples and infertility. Catalyst Medical Center + Clinical Spa offers great wellness services.

How can partners be supportive during times when there are fertility and miscarriage issues going on?

Partners being aware of the difference in emotions, coping and how each person deals with this disease is so important. Do not judge your partner or compare them to how they may or may not be feeling. Each person can find support in each other but also different sources, knowing its okay to reach out to others as well. Using supportive comments and words during conversations is key. Feeling safe and comfortable to express feelings and emotions without judgment will allow for safe conversations to take place.

What was the most helpful resource you came across during your fertility journey?

Support groups were so important and nowadays there are even virtual ones. Mindset work was something I didn’t start until later in my journey and I wish I had incorporated it earlier. This includes meditations, affirmations and hypnosis from Circle + Bloom and Her World Hypnosis

Prairieland Counseling's women-focused services include care for people with postpartum, empty nest or self-esteem issues. And that is only the tip of the iceberg!

Tara Brander's nonprofit, Everlasting Hope, hosts a support group monthly.

Fertility Rally is a national organization that hosts support groups as well.

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Hopeful Hints: An Infertility Podcast

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