Tag Archives: fertility

Healthy Exercise patterns for fertility: flowing with hormones AND the mind-body connection

Happy Monday everyone!  We are at the end of the month, which means the last blog about Fertility (for now:))  Wrapping up this month, we will be talking about the last vitals parts of fertility which are healthy exercise and minds!  And remember, my 120 fertility program addresses all to what we have talked about with fertility thus far!

Previously we’ve talked about nervous system involvement, nutritional recommendations, and today we will dive into how to have a healthy exercise routine to sync with your cycle and to not deplete you.
It’s true that exercise is good and necessary for SO many health benefits including decrease alzheimers, increasing immune system, boosting mood, ect.  We are MOVING beings and NEED to move.
However, sometimes we can either get out of routine and not really do very much, or in San Diego, we see a lot of women who do way TOO much, thinking the more the better.

The key is moderation, and doing what is right for you.

How do we know this?

Well lets talk about excercising and syncing wiht your womenly cycle.

The goal of exercise in general which is known for many elite athletes is cycling your workouts and cross training.  Switching up your activity several days per week ensures that every muscle group gets both the work AND rest time it requires.  Going to the gym and doing the same machines, or the same class every week will NOT make you grow.

In order to sync up your exercise with your cycle, you have to kind of know what the four stages of your cycle look like right?!

*** this also requires you to have a NORMAL, healthy cycle.   Meaning you have already done step 1 and 2 of my protocol healing the nervous system and nutritional fundamentals to have a healthy cycle of around 28 days.  You can’t sync for cycle with exercise if it’s already irregular.


(this is not my image)

There are 5 hormones that govern your menstrual cycle:
1. estrogen
2. progesterone
3. follicle-stimulating hormone FSH
4. luteinizing hormone LH
5. testosterone.

The amount of these hormones that are released changes 4 times throughout your cycle.
This means: 4 phases:
1. Follicular
2. ovulatory
3. luteal
4. menstrual

Most women don’t really know where they are at daily in there cycle.  They either know they are in the moody phase or the bleeding phase.

Over time you will be able to tune in to the shifts and be able to sync up with what your body needs at different times during these phases.

PHASE 1: Follicular Phase. 7-10 days

What’s happening?  The hypothalamus (in your brain) signals your pituitary ( in your brain), to send FSH to your ovaries, telling them get ready, we need another EGG!  Egg follicles then start to swell to prep and estrogen increases to thicken your uterus so it can be able to make a nice little home for the egg.

What kind of exercise should I do to enhance this?
This is a good time to try something new, maybe a class you’ve been wanting to try.  Putting your brain and body in a new stimulating situation will feel easier during this phase.  Your able to form new neuro connections during this phase, which means YES you can step out of your comfort zone with ease, and the new activities might stick better for long term because you have the energy for challenging workouts right now.

PHASE 2: Ovulatory Phase. 3-4 Days

What’s Happening? A sharp rise in the FSH increases LH from the brain as well.  This helps to stimulate ONE follicle further to swell and burst releasing an egg into the fallopian tube which transports the egg to the uterus.  Estrogen is still increasing, and testosterone takes a quick surge and drops right around ovulation.

What kind of exercise should I do to enhance this?
Keep two things in mind for this phase.  High impact workouts and group settings.  This is when your energy is at its highest, so you can do more strenuous things like weight lifting, running, plyometrics.  Communicating and connecting with others will also feel easier at this stage, so doing group classes like cycling or working with your gal pals will be best now.

PHASE 3: Luteal Phase. 10-14 days

Whats happening? The follicle that bursts now called the (corpus luteum), grows on the surface of the ovary, which causes production of progesterone.  This signals the body to keep the lining of the uterus intact, and also signals the brain to stop sending out FSH and LH so that only one egg gets into the uterus.  Estrogen continues to rise.  If the egg isn’t fertilized, the corpus luteum gets reabosrbed by the body, progesterone will stop which triggers your period, and testosterone will increase.

What kind of exercise should I do to enhance this?
During the first half, your energy may still be high, so more strenuous exercise may be great, then you will need to scale back on the intensity during the last half of the phase.  Yoga, pilates, walking are all great options because you may feel more sluggish and have more water retention.

PHASE 4. Menstrual Phase. 3-7 days
Whats happening?  Progesterone production stops, which triggers the shedding of your uterus (bleeding).  Estrogen peaks and then drops stimulating your hypothalamus to start all over again!  This part is also vital as this is a time per month we get to detox.  Men don’t get this opportunity.

What kind of exercise should I do to enhance this?
Rest AND recovery are important during this phase as it’s an intense job shedding the lining of the uterus.  Your body needs time to repair.  Schedule rest or a gentle yoga class, especially the 1st day or 2. You also don’t want to overdue the stretching, as ligaments will be looser and we don’t want to cause pelvic instability.  With heavy flow days made sure you go for a walk and stretch.  Towards the end you will be able to amp up for exercise again depending on how you feel.

Makes sense right??  It looks a lot different than just planning to go for a run 7 days a week, or lift massive weights 7 days a week.

This is definitely a skill, but will help you so much in the long run when you can sync in with how your body is feeling.  Maybe in the past you’ve felt like one day just doing a yoga class, but you talked yourself into going for a jog instead because it “burns” more calories.  But then the jog was super difficult, or that gym session you did instead was half way done which led you to be more down on yourself.
Don’t overdue things.  Exercise IS healthy, but it IS also a stress.  You need time for rest and recovery.

Being in tune with your body takes time, its a partnership really, but one that can SUPERCHARGE your fertility.

_____________________

Mind- Body AND Fertility.

The last and final part is what can often be the most important is having the right mindset for fertility.
Often women that come to me for fertility help are not in partnership with their bodies.

They either are:
Adrenal fried, have been burning the stick and both ends either already being a mom, or in their adult lives with work and stress.

Those who dedicate their lives to helping others and leave little for themselves

– Women who recently got off the pill, having been on it since a teenager, which masked a huge problem which is why they can’t now conceive.

Maybe there isn’t enough space in your life for the pregnancy, or for a dependent baby, which means you have to start shifting your life BEFORE pregnancy.

***Everyone has stress, but how well you adapt to it makes all the difference in the world.
Many cycles issues can resolve with appropriate adrenal support and function.

Another important mind body connection with fertility is knowing if you have an imbalance in masculine or feminine energy, and being able to tap in more to the feminine energy.

How do you identify this?!

Here is a list of masculine and feminine energy from the book (WOMAN CODE).

Masculine Energy

  • “Tenaciously pursuing what you want
  • deciding when/where/how a project grows
  • focusing on the end result, less on process
  • focusing on one thing at a time
  • relying on only yourself and your individual achievenments
  • setting boundaries around emotions and body in order to accomplish goals
  • relating through entertainment, camaraderie, problem solving”
Feminine Energy
  • “Magnetically attracting what you want
  • holding the space for projects to develop at their natural pace
  • enjoying the process of creation independent of the end result
  • seeing the big picture, multitaksingng
  • working with others, community
  • connecting to emotional and physical life
  • relating to others by listening, sharing nurturing”

Here would be having too much masculine:

-“feeling disconnected from emotions
-self worth outside yourself, material success
-difficult to give and receive nurturing
-unable to fully get projects up and running
-isolated
-stick to your schedule like clockwork
-push yourself and others to finish every task
-when with others don’t share whats going on, don’t want others opinions
-you eat what’s in front of you, or forget to eat
-select your workout based on your fitness goals and push through no matter what
-you want to talk about what you accomplished for the day then crash out in front of the TV
-focus on the next day’s to do list”

Now, these aren’t all “bad” to have masculine qualities of course, it’s just a balance that’s more important.  Especially when talking about fertility and conceiving.

In order to create a better fertility mentally, you have to create more space for feminine energy.  This means coming to terms with how you feel, working through past hurts (if any) and giving yourself the time and space needed.  Get closer to God during this period. I know it sounds woo woo, but often just the physical part with fertility is not enough.  Celebrate emotions and release them as needed.

You need FUN every day, make time for it.

Follow your heart and goals you have. Create new dynamics and relationships to support you, make room for love in your life.

Often times there are subconscious thoughts and blockages we don’t know about and that’s why I use NET in my office for this purpose.  It’s vital and often enough but not always enough for some.

Some women are also on medications to balance this.  I’m not anti medications as they can help many, but important to note with preparing for a baby. Anti-depressants and anti anxiety medications …… NO drug has been demonstrated safe for all fetuses under ALL circumstances. All drugs cross the placenta and antibiotics cross it rapidly.  So, be careful when taking these during pregnancy.

Need more help with exercise specific for you???
I have great referrals for that JUST ask!

Next month will be all about ADRENAL HEALTH!

Stay tuned!

Supercharging Fertility Through Nutrition

Continuing on this month all about Fertility!  Last week we chatted about how the nervous system is #1 in my fertility program, because if there’s no signaling= no fertility!

#2 in my fertility protocol is nutrition.  So, this week we will briefly chat about how to supercharge your fertility through nutrition.

If you need more information about nutrition and fertility I highly recommend the book:  Woman Code!  I use tips from this book in today’s blog as well as other information from other sources and evidence based nutrition sources.

There are usually 3 things that women/men experience with endocrine problems:

1. Menstrual Problems
2. Fertility Trouble
3. Low Libido

Let’s start with number 1…..

Menstrual Problems.  Did you know that the women’s cycle doesn’t fully mature till the age of 25?!  So, there will be fluctuations within the cycle up until that age, that are normal.  However, genetics and nutritional factors determine how are bodies react to the mountain of estrogen we are bombarded with daily.

In some families they adapt to this estrogen load by presenting as PCOS, others: fibroids, others: endometriosis, PMS (PMD).

“You actually were PRIMED to develop your own unique issue before you were born, or had your first period.
This is why it’s crucial to do something about endocrine function now!  You can actually change your epigenetics to set future generations of women down your family line up for pain free and healthy periods!
And you will also feel so much better.  Did you know you are supposed to just wake up and realize you started your period?  THIS IS NORMAL..
NOT.
The symptoms handed down from generations, cramping, bloating, pain, acne, PMS……

Number 2…..

Fertility Trouble. Our bodies as women are very fine tuned, and require a very specific ratio of progesterone to estrogen in order for conception to be successful!

Estrogen levels can become elevated by:
Poor blood sugar regulation, adrenal fatigue, congested pathways of elimination (food and product sources), birth control.

When it’s elevated, progesterone becomes insufficient.  And when progesterone is insufficient, ovulation is not regular, which means no baby….
OR.. you will get pregnant, but your chance of miscarriage is very high because you can’t produce enough progesterone to maintain it.

PCOS prevents ovulation, which is of course essential for allowing an egg to be available for conception.  Fibroids and endometriosis also cause fertility problems by creating actual blockages within the uterus or ovaries.

But, it’s easy right.. just take a pill to regulate these mentrual issues.! Right?!
So so wrong.

Pills or injections will temporarily lower symptoms I’ll give you that, but estrogen levels managed improperly for too long, and these symptoms will always come back, AND your chances of having a baby when you are ready will go way way down….

View your fertility in the long term!  By fixing these three pathways mentioned above which cause estrogen elevation.

** also important to note, if you’ve had the SUPER toxic gardasil vaccine, your fertility will also be compromised.  It has been shown in research to make young girls infertile, and also increases cervical cancer risk.  I’ve had many patients with vaccine injuries from this terrible and corrupt vaccine.  Please please say no for our young girls. **

Number 3…

Low libido… Well, you could be riding blood sugar highs and lows, stressed out from work, chasing kids around, deadlines approaching… So, getting some love from your husband/wife is safe to say not on your mind. 
You probably don’t have much energy at the end of the day to do much other than eat that chocolate or treat and collapse on the couch.

For women AND men.  Blood sugar irregulation and chronic stress = low libido.

If this cycle remains, your body will become really confused, and tell you to eat more carbs although you’ve already eaten too much.. Hypoglycemia…This then dampens the production of DHEA as cortisol is being pumped out excessively.  Which DHEA turns into testosterone (supports sex drive).

Carbs/Sugar and stress= exhausting your body= no energy for love stuff! 

So..
Enhancing Fertility through nutrition is quite simple when you think of it.

It involves these principles:

1. Stabilizing the blood sugar.
This is done through customized eating plans for you.  It’s not about dieting.  Dieting DOES NOT work.  It’s just NOT sustainable.  Eating pre-packaged foods, or limiting what you can eat so much you end up eating a whole carton of ice cream in one sitting and just say heck with it!.
Yep.. been there.

Its about reconditioning what you are eating.  I want you eating, and actually eating quite a lot to stabilize the blood sugar, but I want you feeding your fertility instead of inhibiting it.

This is all explained in my 120 day fertility program, but includes more of a ketogenic whole food plan, Organic and non GMO foods, high fat, limited grains and dairy.  This is of course customized for each patient depending on their needs.

Eating regularly and increasing good fats stabilizes the blood sugar amazingly.  In fact, when stabilized, most people are able to do intermittent fasting as well, which is so healing for the body and fertility.

2. Supporting the Adrenal Glands ( Stress Glands)
Also included in the 120 program.  Some individuals are in super high stress environments, and they need supplementation in order to get things back on track.  This involves customized herbs and whole food nutritional recommendations as well as specific NET ( a stress technique I do in my office) and stress related work to help create healthy habits.

Some individuals will need to change things within their pattern to decrease adrenal fatigue.  Whether its changing things with your job, decreasing the amount of things you are doing, working out less (yes there are many women and men who work out too much and deplete their adrenal glands), asking for help, ect.

Remember it’s a lifestyle.

3. Clearing out the estrogen and pathways of elimination .
This means first getting rid of that birth control pill or shot.  It’s harming you short and long term.  Detoxifying the body through specific herbs and whole food nutrients and going on safer birth control methods (if needed). Birth control completely depletes all your B vitamins, so this is something that has to be added in.  It also decreases your immune system, so often immune system support is needed.

Cleaning out your food sources that aren’t organic (hormones and chemicals), beauty products that aren’t organic (hormones and chemicals), plastic wear ( all estrogen), decreasing microwave use (estrogen), non natural cleaning products (toxic chemicals), cleaning up your water source, and other exogenous exposures.

I know it sounds like a lot, but these are REALLY big hormone disruptors. And over time, these wreak havoc not only on fertility but many systems and cause cancer and other illnesses as well.

Then we move onto cleaning out the main pathways of detoxification such as the Liver and large intestine, skin & lymphatic system.
This is through nutrition and chiropractic care.

Sometimes, it takes more detoxification means as well such as incorporating saunas, colon hydrotherapy, cleaning out toxic heavy metals in the mouth and body ( food sources, vaccines, passed down).

I also, always always include CBT, craniobiotic technique which helps clear out hidden infections in the body, and also desensitizes against allergens.  Both can be HUGE in being the tipping point for successful fertility.

4. Supporting the sex organs.

This is done through specific whole food nutrition supporting these organs with nutrition and what are called protomorphogens.  If you’ve taken birth control these organs will need support as they haven’t been producing the hormones because you’ve been taking fake ones.

5.  Supporting the brain glands which signal the hormones

Also done through specific whole food protomorphogens and herbals targeting to help with the signaling process.  This is also AMAZING for teenagers to help with that fluctuation I was talking about in the beginning. PMS, bloating, heavy bleeding, acne.  If you have a teen girl you will THANK ME for this one.

One herbal I use… chaste tree ( depends on quality!), is amazing for regulating the brain signaling.  If you’ve ever taken birth control this signal is damaged and needs support.

That’s it!!  haha. I know seems like a lot, but really EVERY person is different, and your path will look different from the next.  You may need some or all of these steps, but the fact of the matter is all hormone dys-regulation CAN be helped naturally.  I see it everyday!

Don’t forget about the men too!!

They also need sperm support, detoxification, stress and blood sugar support!  Remember you can actually CHANGE your epigenetics, which can change your child’s and their child’s genes to be strong and more efficient!

Often times infertility is a mix of the man and the woman.  So, most of my program’s require BOTH to be involved in the process.

Next week.

We’ll talk about Exercise and Mindset in Fertility.
Stay tuned!  And please please SHARE THIS!

How Chiropractic BOOSTS Fertility (Men & Women)

How Chiropractic Boosts Fertility ( Men & Women)

Happy Monday Everyone!  Continuing on this week about Fertility, We are going to be diving in to each section of last week’s blog.  Natural options as to how we can BOOST fertility in men AND women.

In last week’s blog, we chatted about how Nervous System Health can boost fertility, and why it is part of my 120 day Fertility Program.But why is this so important, and how does Chiropractic help with this?!

I’m SOO Glad you asked! 🙂

Let’s do a little anatomy review here first:

The brain controls every function of our body.  It does so by sending “signals” to the rest of your body to control functions.  
Here is an example:
Your brain sends signals through nerves that go specifically to your heart, to signal it to beat.The same thing happens in your hormone regulation.

There is a gland in your brain called the pituitary gland….

(not my picture)

This gland sends signals to: for women, the ovaries, and men the testes.  (It also sends signals to other organs, but for the sake of this topic we will talk about this).

This gland sits in a bone in the head called the sphenoid bone.  Its like a little saddle that holds this gland in place.

However, this bone, the sphenoid is pretty much the center of all cranial bone movement.

This is a view from the inside of the skull (looking in)

(not my picture)

 

Because of it’s location, any slight disruption in the movement can cause pressure into the pituitary gland.

What disrupts it?

A few things can cause disruption within the movement of this bone:

1. Birth.  The birth process itself can put pressure on certain areas of the head, that aren’t “normal” .  Sometimes the body is able to adapt, and the bones will naturally move into their correct place, other times (for most of us), they need guiding to get back into their original position.  This is where craniopathy care comes in.

2.  Any head trauma.  Hitting your head as a child, concussions, even just rocking the head back and forth disrupts the movement.

3.  Clenching of the teeth.  Do you clench your teeth?  DO you know you clench your teeth?  A good majority of my patients had NO idea they were clenchers.  Even their dentists never told them or didn’t know.  Clenching is a sign that there is dysfunction in the cranial system and inflammation.  The more you clench the more stress on the cranial system and on that delicate pituitary gland.

4.  Emotional trauma.  This can cause disruption within the flow of these bones as well.  The cranial system is intricately connected to the emotional system.  Usually one affects the other.

5. Low back/pelvis injuries.  Since the body is connected low back injuries affect the upper regions as well and can make the body going into compensatory patterns, which put the cranial bones in abnormal positions.

So… If there is disruption, then the SIGNAL from the pituitary won’t get effectively to the sex organs, because the connection is poor.  It’s like someone tripped the breaker switch.

The same goes for nerves that actually stimulate the sex organs.  

The lumbar spine, which is your LOW BACK, has nerves that come directly out of the discs and canals in the vertebrae.  These nerves control the function of the organs.

(not my picture)

 

So if the nerve coming out of that vertebrae in the low back is not functioning properly, the organs that are innervated by that region will not function well either. 

How do the nerves in the low back get compromised?

In chiropractic we call it a “subluxation”, meaning the movement within that joint is not proper, which then affects the nerves. The abnormal movement makes the signaling compromised.
Some examples of how they get compromised:

-improper postures
-injuries
-stress
-sitting too much
-daily activities
-clenching
-pelvic floor dysfunction

These are all examples of what makes that low back area get dysfunctional.

In my practice, I have seen hormone cases where they have taken everything in the book for fertility.  And it’s just as simple as actually getting the nerves functioning through craniopathy specific chiropractic that makes the difference.

You see, you can give all the supplements in the world, but if the nerve signal isn’t getting to the organ, or your brain is inflamed, fertility will not be optimal.  The supplements you take probably won’t be as affective either.

Get the nervous system functioning first, and then fill in the gaps nutritionally and emotionally.

This is why chiropractic is #1 in my 120 day fertility program.

Heal the brain and nervous system, and see what the body can do!

This goes for men too.  When signaling isn’t proper, your sex organs and hormone regulation won’t be as great either, which means the genetics you are making for your child won’t be optimal either…

You didn’t know you can change your genes to create the healthiest baby?!  That’s for another day….

That is all for now.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.
Dr. Hamel

All About the F word… Fertility That is..

Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend, and are surviving the heat! Whew!

This month will be all about Fertility, facts about fertility, myths, tips, natural options and success stories through chiropractic and nutritional care.

Sorry men, this month might not pertain to you, but….. If you know someone going through fertility issues, is planning to have a family, or you are planning to have a family one day, I HIGHLY suggest you still keep these emails or share them to those in need, as fertility involves BOTH individuals.

Lets start with some facts:

  • In the US, we rank 61 in the world for maternal health.  You are better off giving birth in Iraq, than in the US….  It seems for most health conditions the US is far behind, even though our “healthcare” is the highest costing.
  • 1 in 6 couples struggle with infertility!
  •  “infertility” is usually the inability to conceive after 1 year of unprotected sex, or 6 months after the age of 35
  • 40% of infertility is based on a “medical issue” with the women, 30% the man, and 20% both man and woman, 10% they just “don’t know”
  •  If women are “infertile”, then IVF is usually the route. The average cost of a medication-only cycle is $1,182, while the cost of one cycle of IVF is about $24,373. IVF with donor eggs cost even more, averaging $38,015. When looking at the cost of “successful” fertility treatments, the number grew higher. The average cost of successful medication-only treatment was $5,894 and $61,377 for IVF. Again, the cost of successful donor egg IVF was even higher, at $72,642. Women who chose cycle-based treatment received an average of 3.6 treatments!!!
  • The success rate of IVF? Live birth IVF success rate for women under 35 who start an IVF cycle is 40 percent. However, women over age 42 have a 4 percent success rate.
  •  In the US, it is “normal” to not have a period, it’s normal to NOT ovulate.  This we know is NOT true.
  • A healthy cycle which on average is about 28 days with about 50 mls of blood loss. No cramps, lots of clotting, acne, mood swings, these aren’t “normal”!
  • The normal amount of blood to lose per cycle is 50 mls, that’s it.  (regular tampons hold 5 mls, supers about 10mls).  Any more than that, there’s possible anemia.    A normal, regular cycle is a healthy woman!
  •  It’s also ‘normal” in the US for girls to start their period between 6 to 8 years old! WHAT?!  Yes… it keeps getting younger and younger because of hormones
  •  It takes about 120 days for eggs to mature.  This means if you’ve had a really “whacky” period, look back three months from that period.  Is it diet, or stress? it reflects three months ago.( This is also GOOD NEWS)  You should be able to see changes in cycle, hormones and fertility within this 120 days when you add in natural interventions:)
  • IVF, IUI and fertility drugs don’t address fertility issues which are often due to nutritional deficiencies, stress, toxins, nervous system involvement, ect…..
  • Lab work only looks at what is happening in that exact moment.  Thats why blood work isn’t a good measure for hormones. There are some other markers that are acceptable to look at in the blood, but for hormones, this testing is very poor.  The majority of hormones are in our tissues.

So, now that we know some facts, and we know that IVF and fertility drugs don’t actually address the actual issues, what causes infertility and how do we change it naturally?

Well how come it doesn’t address the issues?

Fertility drugs and treatments main focus is on creating more eggs.  Giving more and more hormones to produce more eggs.  The problem is almost all infertility problems are due to an inhabitable environment.  And fertility treatments cannot address this issue.

As I always tell my patients, if you are having trouble conceiving, there is always a reason!  Your body knows that the environment is not healthy to be able to grow and sustain a healthy baby.
So, what do we do??

We CREATE a healthy environment!  … Unless their is anatomical problems with infertility in the uterus or fallopian tubes. I can’t do much for this…. But this is rare in comparison to hormonal issues.

What disrupts the environment??

  • Most women that have fertility issues most likely had menstrual issues to begin with.  Things like cramping, mood swings, irregular periods, acne, heavy bleeding… ect.  These are not “normal” womanly symptoms.  In fact, you should not really have many symptoms with a normal cycle other than minor fluctuations.  But, we have accepted that all these are normal, and to use things to just mask the symptoms. It is also normal to have fluctuations in your period until the age of 25 when it fully matures.  So teens going on birth control for symptoms are really damaging the signal processes and ability to conceive later on, when there are natural options to help with the fluctuations that wont harm your fertility.
  • Birth control has created a HUGE problem for fertility.  The pill hides problems that we don’t want to deal with.  And when you take hormones, the actual organs that were producing the hormones go on vacation, because they no longer have to produce them.  The longer you’re on birth control the harder it will be to conceive. ( more on this subject in a subsequent blog)
  • Hormones are everywhere.  Not only birth control but food, plastic, even store receipts.  This causes imbalance over time.
  • Sleep imbalances.  Yes sleep and uninterrupted restful sleep.  This is how our body heals and replenishes.
  • Toxins are also everywhere which creates an unhealthy environment.  That’s why it’s important to check toxin levels, heavy metals, teeth health.
  • Stress causes so many hormone imbalances within the adrenal and thyroid.
  • We are all iodine deficient which causes thyroid dysfunction.
  • Allergies are now so common and create inflammation within the entire body.  Inflammation = not good environment.
  • THE NERVES that get to the hormone producing organs…. are they functioning well?  if not, there wont be strong signals to the organs.  (chiropractic and Cranial )  Hormones are signaled from the BRAIN.  I’ve had hormone issues correct just from proper cranial work.

Over the next month we will be going over topics from these points on how to increase your fertility through chiropractic care, nutrition, stress/emotional and exercise.

I will also be going over my 120 fertility program.  This not only works for fertility but also other hormone dys-regulation problems, post partum and other conditions.  That’s because you can change and get new cells and eggs in 120 days, and you can change hormone and environments in 120 days ( some might take longer depending on levels of toxins, ect.)

In 120 Days care includes:

1. Craniopathy Chiropractic care
2. 21 Day Detox program ( all about environment!)
3. prenatal vitamin ( whole food only)
4. omegas, fish oils ( whole food only)
5. Proper Sleep
6. Exercise
7. Acupuncture
8. Vitamin D
9. Proper hydration
10. immune support
11. iodine
12. adrenal support
13.  healthy mindset

If you do decide to do IVF, this protocol can also enhance it’s success, because again we are changing the environment.  Which would mean the eggs would harvest better.

More to come on this topic!

See you next week!

OIL OF THE WEEK

ON the spotligth this week is DoTerra’s Clary sage.
Clary Sage Oil Product Description
Enriched with the organic chemical linalyl acetate, Clary Sage is known as one of the most relaxing, soothing, and balancing essential oils when used aromatically and internally. This herbaceous oil can be used for a variety of purposes both externally and internally. In the Middle Ages, Clary Sage was used for its benefits to the skin and has continued to be popular for its topical benefits. When applied topically, Clary Sage oil calms and soothes the skin. Clary Sage oil can also be applied to promote healthy-looking hair and scalp. If used aromatically, Clary Sage oil promotes feelings of relaxation in preparation for a restful night’s sleep.

Clary Sage Oil Uses and Benefits

  1. Hairdryers, flat irons, crimpers, and curling irons can all make your hair look glamourous, but for how long?  With frequent use of a heated styling tool, hair strands can begin to break and split, making hair look damaged and unhealthy. Keep your hair looking radiant with this do-it-yourself Heat Protectant Spray infused with Clary Sage oil and Geranium oil. Clary Sage is known for its ability to promote healthy-looking hair and is a perfect essential oil to keep your strands looking stronger, longer!
  2. During your menstrual cycle, bring relief to your abdomen by using Clary Sage essential oil. Simply apply Clary Sage to the needed area of your abdomen and rub for a soothing massage. The natural chemical components of Clary Sage oil are among the most soothing and calming compounds, making Clary Sage an ideal oil for a soothing abdominal massage during the menstruating time frame.  
  3. After a long day of working, running around with the kids, or studying for an exam, treat yourself to a soothing bath with Clary Sage and Lavender. This bath with essential oils will not only excite your smelling senses, it will also work to relieve stress. With both Clary Sage and Lavender containing linalyl acetate, these two oils are some of the most powerful soothing, relaxing, and calming oils available.
  4. Do you ever feel like you’re breathing in toxic chemicals when you use hairspray? Try this homemade Herbal Hairspray with essential oils, and avoid the thick, overpowering feeling of store bought hairspray. Using Clary Sage, GeraniumLavenderPeppermint, and Rosemary essential oils, this effective spray will hold your hair in place while reducing unwanted chemicals and enhancing your hair’s natural beauty.
  5. Why linger in stress mode when you can easily experience the relaxing and calming aromatic benefits of Clary Sage essential oil. For those off days, apply one to two drops of Clary Sage to the bottom of your feet or to your pulse points. Because Clary Sage has a powerful soothing aroma, applying the oil to these areas will promote feelings of balance and relaxation.
  6. Want to experience soft and silky hair without buying deep hair conditioning products or getting expensive conditioning treatments? Try making your own quality All-Natural Deep Hair Conditioner with this DIY recipe. You can choose a selection of your favorite essential oils to add to this recipe; however, we highly recommend using specific essential oils for hair use, especially Clary Sage due to its natural ability to promote healthy-looking hair. With this homemade conditioner, your locks will look, feel, and smell radiant.
  7. All too often, people get ready for bed, exhausted, ready to sleep the moment their head hits their pillow only to find that their mind wants to stay awake. Their heads suddenly fill with to do lists, activities of the day, or maybe even philosophical questions about the universe that cause them to stay awake or toss and turn all night. Sound familiar? Don’t let your thoughts eat into crucial sleeping time. Instead, relax your mind and body by using Clary Sage oil aromatically. Apply one to two drops of Clary Sage oil to your pillow to create a relaxing environment for a restful night’s sleep.
  8. Enhance your shampoo and conditioner with the addition of Clary Sage. For healthy-looking hair, add three to four drops of Clary Sage essential oil to your shampoo or conditioner. This herbal addition will leave your hair smelling naturally fresh and will help provide benefits that will leave your hair looking strong and beautiful.
  9. Combine the best of citrus and herbs with this uplifting diffuser blend. Add two drops of Clary Sage, two drops of Grapefruit, and 4 drops of Lime essential oils to your diffuser and experience a bright and sweet aroma. The strong citrus scent of Lime will promote feelings of balance and energy while helping lift the mood, while Grapefruit will provide a clarifying effect to the mind. The subtle hints of Clary Sage essential oil will aid in soothing and relaxing. Together, these essential oils provide a mood-boosting aroma that will relax and balance the mind and body.
  10. Clary Sage oil contains linalyl acetate, which is a powerful chemical component that contributes greatly to the oil’s relaxing, balancing, and soothing properties when used aromatically and internally. Try experimenting with Clary Sage to see how this relaxing and balancing oil can best meet your individual and family needs.

Plant Description
Clary Sage is a biennial or perennial herb that is fast growing. In the first year of growth, the base of the plant produces medium-green, course leaves. In its second year of growth, the Clary Sage plant yields flowers from stalks with upright spikes. These flowers are either violet or white in color. Clary Sage essential oil is extracted from the flower. The Clary Sage plant grows best in full sun and well-drained soil.1

Cautions
Possible skin sensitivity. Keep out of reach of children. If you are pregnant, nursing, or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas.

April Showers Bring May Flowers & Detoxing….. What is hiding in your home?

April Showers Bring May Flowers… and Detoxing!

Happy Monday!  I hope you all enjoyed last month’s topic all about Children!  We are switching gears this month, and talking about various methods of detoxing.  I know some of you joined the 30 Day Oil Pulling Challenge, which started this morning!  I am looking forward to the challenge with you all.

It’s that time of year again, where we all need some detoxing!  As some of you know, I do a detox about two times a year, because as you will read in today’s blog, we are surrounded, yes SURROUNDED by toxins on a daily basis.

Today I am just going to talk briefly about what is in your home…  Even before you get out the door!  Because we know that there are toxins we cannot help, like in our environment, maybe a restaurant we eat, electromagnetic frequencies or soap at the public restroom, ect..

That being said, I’m not trying to “scare” you or make you become paranoid, what I do want to to is educate you.  We don’t know what we don’t know right? The goal is for us to control what we CAN control, like things in our home.  What I can tell you is these facts:

  • 1 in 9 women suffer from the condition PCOS
  • Fibroids occur in 3 out of 10 women
  • 1 in 10 have endometriosis
  • 13 million have under active thyroid conditions
  • 1 in 8 couples are infertile
  • fibrocytic breasts affect 20 to 40% menstruating women
  • 7 million women meet the criteria for clinical depression
  • every 10 minutes, 12 hysterectomies are performed in the US
  • in the past 10 years male sperm count has decreased by 50%
Crazy right?!  What is crazy is ALL of these are linked to the over exposure of what are called exogenous hormones and chemicals.  These substances are hormone DISRUPTORS.  So, we can’t be blind fully unaware, when so many of us, and others around us are suffering from these and many other conditions associated with hormone disruption.

What I can tell you is this pearl of wisdom: You can’t “fix” a hormonal issue.. The only way your body can achieve hormonal balance is if ……drum roll…..

Your body does the job!  Only if you safeguard and nurture it with every meal and habit, every day to optimize endocrine function.

This is why throwing birth control or medications at hormonal issues doesn’t work.  Our body isn’t doing the job.  So, are you safeguarding and nurturing your body?  What are triggers or hormone imbalance?  Here are a few.

Triggers:

1.  Pesticides in our food, pesticides in our home ( maybe to ward off insects like bug spray)
2. Home cleaning products/laundry detergent/dryer sheets
3. Trans fats
5. Plastics- BPA and chemicals leak into our food, especially microwaving in plastic
6. The Most toxic food containers- Styrofoam
7. Stress
8. Birth control
9. Body skin products

Let’s talk about a typical day in the life…And what you can be exposed to just in your home.  This might be shocking to you, but the goal is for you to realize the immense need for detoxing and getting these products out.

——

Getting up- One of the first things you do….

  • Brush your teeth- Most toothpastes have Fluoride in them.  (Oil Pulling Challenge pitch here we will talk extensively about this)
    • Fluroide is linked to cancer, Dvelopmental/reproductive toxiticy is a neurotoxin
    • Also contains Triclosan – Raises Testosterone
  • Mouth Wash
    • Artificial Sweeteners like aspartame, or saccharin have been shown to cause depression, anxiety, memory loss and mood swings
    • triclosan- raises testosterone
  • Wash your hands
    • Soap and Sanitizers- Triclosan raises testosterone, also creates resistant bacteria
    • Fragrance- undisclosed mixture of up to 2000 different chemicals listed under the title “fragrance” .  It is protected by companies so they don’t have to tell you what’s in it.
  • Get into the Shower
    • Fragrance in soap.  Associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential side effects on the reproductive system
    • Parabens in shampoo and conditioner preservatives mimic estrogen and can as act hormone disruptors
    • Propane and sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) in shaving cream, registered pesticide.
    • Chlorine in the water
    • Chlorine used in bleaching of paper products like toilet paper
    • Dry off with a towel that has been dried with fabric softener sheets (fragrance) or maybe washed with bleach.  DRYER Sheets are the most dangerous ingredients in your home!  Chemicals, chemicals chemicals in these sheets.
  • Out of the shower
    •  Lather up with lotion, more parabens and fragrance
    • hair products- more parabens and fragracne
    • makeup- women who use makeup absorb almost 5 pounds of chemicals into their bodies each year! Its up to you to read labels, they aren’t approved by FDA
    • put on deodorant that contains aluminum that is a heavy metal and disrupts hormones
    • wash your hands again before you head downstairs or into your kitchen, antibacterial hand soap- triclosan
    • touch up your fingernail polish- which has phylates (DBP, DEHP), EPA classifies as possible carcinogen, found in fragrances and perfumes too.  Think of those poor nail salon workers.

The average women has 12 products she uses every single day... and if they are the run of the mill products, she’s exposed to 168 chemicals, men use 6 products daily exposing them to 85 chemicals per day!  And you haven’t even left the bathroom!

  • Get Dressed
    • residue from dry cleaning chemicals used on your clothes
    • pour yourself a cup of coffee, in your travel mug that has an inner plastic lining and a plastic lid that is leaching BPA.  Then you add your favorite sugar, some still use splenda, which is an organochlorine, in the same class of chemicals as mustard gas! Then maybe soy milk into your coffee, which is an estrogen disruptor and most likely genetically modified
    • Grab a yogurt for the road, if not organic, contains bovine growth hormones
    • apple for a morning snack sounds great!  it’s the most highly sprayed crop in our country and what do pesticides do?  They stop reproduction and kill…  Coffee is number 2 sprayed crop if not organic.
    • Fill up that plastic water bottle you carry around with you and chemicals in the plastic leach into your water.
You still haven’t left the house yet….

You can see how exposure over time, can lead to so many hormone problems!  It’s not wonder we have all of those conditions originally mentioned.  Our bodies are so confused from the exposure.

Here are some consequences of hormone imbalances:

  1. Thin, fragile dry skin
  2. osteoporosis
  3. anxiety
  4. depression
  5. decreased cognitive function
  6. low libido
  7. breast cancer
  8. heart disease
  9. high blood pressure
  10. angina
  11. Acne
  12. Vertigo
  13. Insomnia
  14. Hot Flashes
  15. Foggy Brain
  16. Fatigue
Like I said previously, the only way to balance our endocrine system, is if our body does the job.  So we will be talking about various ways to balance our hormones and detoxing throughout the month, through exercise, meditation, food choices ( we don’t get nutrients enough these days from food alone even eating the cleanest diet), hydration, eliminating, Craniopathy and body work modalities.

Can you see the need?

So, While you are Spring Cleaning, Start Cleaning out your home!  Detoxing can start just purging your home and products of all of these chemicals.  An awesome substitute is using Pure Essential Oils like Doterra, and all their natural products.  If you need help switching over to oils, let me know.. My entire home is now chemical free with Oils, Kangan Water and non toxic beauty products.

I hope this enlightened you this week.

Here are some extra resources:

  • A shoppers guide to safe cosmetics- www.EWG.org/skindeep
  • EWG Healthy Living APP for products and food
  • The dirty dozen shopping guide to avoid pesticides- www.foodnews.org.  Download the app
  • Think Dirty App for scanning products before purchase
  • www.saferchemicals.org
  • www.healthychild.org
  • www.karenrothnutiriton.com
Here is additionally a list of plastics which ones are okay and which ones are harmful and you should avoid:


OIL OF THE WEEK

On the Spotlight this week is DoTerra’s Zendocrine. Zendocrine essential oil blend supports the body’s natural ability to rid itself of unwanted substances.* This powerful blend combines Rosemary, Cilantro, and Juniper Berry, known for their detoxifying properties and ability to support healthy liver and kidney function, while Tangerine and Geranium have purifying effects against unhealthy substances.* Zendocrine helps cleanse the body of toxins and free radicals that can slow the body’s systems down, leaving a heavy, weighted feeling.*

Uses

  • Add 1–2 drops to citrus drinks, teas, or water to support healthy liver function.*
  • Take one drop daily for one week as part of an internal cleansing regimen or to kick-start a New Year’s resolution.*
  • Apply to abdomen or bottoms of feet to support the body’s natural detoxification system.

Directions for Use

Diffusion: Use three to four drops in the diffuser of your choice.
Internal use: Dilute one drop in 4 fl. oz. of liquid.
Topical use: Apply one to two drops to desired area. Dilute with doTERRA Fractionated Coconut Oil to minimize any skin sensitivity.