Let’s talk about Fertility

Fertility: “the ability to produce young.”

A bit about fertility…
The decision to have children is a big decision, for some it comes easy (whether yes or no) and for others it takes a bit more time. Initially when we decide to have kids we don’t give too much thought about the “what ifs” or the specific state of our emotional and mental health.

For many, trying to conceive starts out as an exciting new journey, an exhilarating new phase of our lives. Some couples will just get going while others will follow tips, track their ovulation dates, fertile periods and take a more calculated approach. But what happens if it takes longer than we are mentally prepared for? What if nothing happens? What if there is no explanation medically for our struggle?

We often get bombarded by the medical system using big terminology that we don’t understand, without any explanation to what is happening. We feel completely overwhelmed by facts and figures and “Dr. Google” becomes our only source of knowledge which is just as intimidating. The journey becomes less exciting and starts to take a huge toll on our mental, emotional and physical health. Suddenly the road to pregnancy is nothing like we imagined. We feel hopeless and alone and unsure where to turn to.

There are so many fertility challenges, some we are aware of and others not so much.
There are the well-documented causes of infertility like ovulatory dysfunction, sperm disorder, and pelvic dysfunction such as endometriosis, adhesions, or abnormal cervical mucus and hormones. But then there are some other major factors that may influence fertility like:

• Nerve dysfunction – spinal subluxations caused by misalignment of 1 or more vertebra can impair nerve messages resulting in altered joint movement and nerve irritation. This in turn lessens organ function and general health.
• Lifestyle factors:
  • Diet including allergies or sensitivities to certain food which can cause inflammation and a range of other symptoms in the body.
  • Dysfunction of the thyroid and adrenal exhaustion. Subclinical hypothyroidism is often a cause of undiagnosed fertility issues in a large percentage of women. Thyroid hormones are involved in almost all phases of reproduction, hence healthy thyroid is key.
  • Improper exercise.
  • Environmental toxins and chemicals – results in decline in sperm count or influence a woman’s cycle.
  • Contraceptive pill – alters the body’s ability to uptake and utilise a number of vitamins and minerals. The pill is also known to alter your gut bacteria and the longer you have been on the pill the greater the risks.
• Emotional and mental wellness – Emotional wellness is tied to physical health. People who experience great amounts of stress and negative emotions will often develop other health problems.
• Beliefs – Our beliefs can be limiting and can often hold us back and prevent us from achieving what is meant to be. When we don’t believe we can, or we are stuck in the lies we tell ourselves, it often becomes our truth. An example of a limiting belief is: ”My mom struggled to fall pregnant so I will struggle as well.” This is not necessarily your truth, it is important to catch that thought and replace it with a more empowering belief.
• Your age – the age of the couple trying to conceive does play a role, couples younger than 30 years have a greater success rate at conceiving within the first year of trying than couples older than 35 years. (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)

“It is the response of each individual woman’s body to these insults that determines the direct health impact. This is one reason why health levels vary so greatly.”  – M. Behrendt.

All of this can just become completely overwhelming, but this is where we come in! We want to support you on your journey, whether it takes months or years to conceive or even if it is not part of your soul journey.

At Centered Health we have a holistic approach to health care. Regular and consistent treatment is a way to lower stress and improve quality of life. It helps identify certain health issues that can be subclinical and not so obvious. We look at nutrition, the mental and physical state of the body, the hormonal pathway, toxicity, organ function, your structure and we can help you to identify emotions that you have kept suppressed. Holistic health care is commonly used alongside conventional treatments, giving you the best possible outcome. Holistic therapies can strengthen reproductive integrity. For some couples there are many chemical, nutritional and physical aspects that need to be addressed to aid in natural fertility, whilst other couples need to simply focus on one or two key elements.

As chiropractors we adjust the spine to remove nerve-interference to allow your body to recreate ‘body order’. By correcting altered joint motion, which can impair nerve function, we restore the flow of life force throughout the body. Any interference on the nervous system may allow for miscommunication between the brain and organs, affecting organ function and your overall health. Hence it is important to get adjusted while trying to conceive.

But… Most importantly, we are here for you! We are here to listen to what you have to say, from your concerns and worries to the joy you are feeling. We are here to offer you another level of support and advice and to guide you along your journey no matter what it might look like.

And remember “Prenatal health prior to conception is one of the many factors to influence a successful reproductive outcome.”

Love,

Dr. A. Zietsman