Stress Fertility and Low Libido

One of the most notable effects of stress on women is that it can lower libido and make you “lose that loving feeling” - and this certainly does not help with conception.

It’s important to feel in the mood for a little romance with your partner, when trying to conceive. Researchers report that the female orgasm can assist the sperm move into the uterus and fallopian tubes therefore increasing your chances of conceiving.
Low libido is a sign of hormone imbalance and often the trigger is stress hormones leading to imbalances in the reproductive hormones as well as emotional strain.

To read the full article click here

Trans Fats are linked to Endometriosis, PCOS, Fibroids and Weight Gain

Dietary choices have a direct impact on your reproductive health and subsequently on your fertility. The type of fat you incorporate in your diet may be a risk factor for disorders such as Endometriosis, Fibroids, PCOS and Fibroids.

A diet rich in tuna, salmon and other foods rich in essential omega -3 oils might mean you will be less likely to develop female reproductive disorders. US researchers have reported there is a strong link between diets loaded with trans fats, and female reproductive disorders such as Endometriosis, Fibroids and PCOS.

Is Your Diet Triggering Hormonal Imbalances? Find out now with my FREE online test.

So what are Trans Fats?

Trans fats are formed when liquid fats are hardened to make something more resembling butter or lard and found in common everyday foods such as processed breakfast cereals and pre-packaged foods.

The type of fat in your diet, rather than the total amount, may be a risk factor for female reproductive disorders according to researchers in a study published online in the journal Human Reproduction.

Within this study of more than 70,000 nurses it was found that women who ate the most omega-3 fatty acids were 22 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with female reproductive disorders such as endometriosis than women who ate the least.

According to Dr. Stacey Missmer of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston who led the study, trans fats increase the body's level of many inflammatory markers. These inflammatory markers have been shown to be associated with the establishment of endometriosis and its progression. Dr Missmer also found that there is a likely increase in risk because of a chronic inflammatory response to the trans fat.

The researchers looked at the diets of 70,709 women followed for 12 years in the US Nurses Health Study. Women who ate the most trans fats had a 48 per cent increased risk of the condition compared with those who ate the least, the study found. Similar studies have been linked to PCOS and Fibroids.

"Many women have been searching for something they can actually do for themselves, or their daughters to reduce the risk of developing the disease, and these findings suggest that dietary changes are something they can do," says Missmer.

Find Out What You Dietary Changes You Can Make To Avoid Female Reproductive Disorders by Clicking Here.

Not Ovulating? Top 5 Tips on How to Conceive Naturally

Is it possible to conceive naturally if you are not ovulating?

Ovulation and conception go hand in hand. To conceive naturally, you need to know when and if you are ovulating. For some women, ovulation may only occur intermittently between cycles, or it may only last one day in the entire reproductive cycle. So, if you are trying to fall pregnant naturally, the first step is to establish when and if you are ovulating.

Fertility preservation and staying fertile longer means it is important to maintain healthy ovulatory cycles. So, if you have been living a lifestyle that is perhaps stressful or have been having too much fun … then it may be time to make a few changes to support healthy ovulation ....and stay fertile longer in your 20's, 30's, 40's and beyond.

At BumpFertility we take ovulation seriously, and we educate you on how to establish if, and when your ovulation peaks. Most women are aware of the presence of cervical mucus. Observing your cervical mucus can be more useful than you may think. If you want to aid or avoid conception, cervical mucus observations are said to be around 98.5% accurate as to the fertile and infertile times in your monthly cycle.

Firstly, it's important to note that there are some situations in which your mucus may be affected by external factors, including:

Conditions such as:

• Stress


• Insomnia


• Medications or drugs (inc. Clomid)


• Illness

• Toxicity


• Excess dieting


• Travel


• Hormonal imbalances

Do You Know How Fertile You Are? Take My FREE Fertility Check to Find Out click here

If you are not ovulating we call this premature ovarian failure – and it is not the same as premature menopause. While menopause is an irreversible condition, premature ovarian failure is characterized by intermittent and temporary ovarian failure with periodic episodes of normal follicular activity or ovarian function. This means you may not ovulate all the time, perhaps even just once a year, or you may not ovulate at all.

Most of the time premature ovarian failure appears to begin spontaneously and its origin is elusive or unknown. Some of the identified causes include:

• Autoimmune disease


• Thyroid Imbalance


• Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder (PCOS)


• Ovarian Cysts
  

• Fibroids


• Endometriosis


• Stress


• Incorrect acid/alkaline balance or PH

Ovulatory disorders are one of the leading causes of female infertility, and affect between 20% and 40% of women experiencing fertility problems. However, with natural support and treatment, a woman's ability to conceive improves dramatically.

My Natural Fertility program supports healthy, regular ovulatory patterns. When you come on board with me I will not only teach you to identify when you are ovulating, but also implement dietary, nutritional and herbal strategies to support healthy regular ovulation cycles.

Over the years I have successfully helped women to regain a normal healthy pattern of ovulation utilizing nutritional support and hormone modulating treatments such as Vitex agnus-castus or Paeonia lactiflora in conjunction with female tonic herbs and the steroidal saponin-containing herbs.

So that's another reason why we are different at BumpFertility - we will choose a treatment protocol especially for you, based on your hormonal profile and fertility requirements.

It is possible to achieve a healthy viable pregnancy once ovulation patterns are established. Read my story

Top 5 Tips on How to Conceive Naturally with Ovulation Problems

Step 1. Identify what's impacting upon your fertility - including hormones so you can conceive naturally in your 20's, 30's, 40's and beyond.

Step 2. Learn what foods are triggering hormonal imbalances causing lowered fertility.

Step 3. Implement a natural and targeted nutritional treatment plan designed to balance hormones and help you to conceive naturally in your 20's, 30's, 40's and beyond.

Step 4. Introduce targeted natural remedies to restart your fertility.

Step 5. Provide access to a professional support network that will guide and help you to change unhealthy lifestyle choices and implement a long term treatment to work towards optimal fertility.

So many women have joined Bump Fertility and been successful. The key is to learn the truth about hormones and the truth about the foods that can work against your fertility efforts.

Give me a call 1300 133 536 to get started!

Download My FREE ebook

20 Everyday Things That Can Dramatically Affect Your Fertility click here

Fall Pregnant with Endometriosis and PCOS

Natural treatment of Endometriosis that every woman should know about.

Research offers us many causes and theories about the cause of endometriosis, but unfortunately, still no cure for this painful and misunderstood disorder. Often, the standard treatment for endometriosis is drastic. Luckily there is natural treatment for endometriosis that work as standard treatment usually involves either a hysterectomy or hormone therapy like Depro Provera, to suppress estrogen and initiate a false menopause. This treatment brings new problems of its own; hot flashes, vaginal dryness and a low libido.

Thankfully natural treatment for endometriosis is available using herbs, dietary changes and nutritional support.

As a naturopath specializing in women’s health and hormones, I have helped many women heal their endometriosis naturally. That’s why it’s important for best results in treating your endometriosis naturally, work with a naturopath who has experience with this disorder and can help you develop a complete natural treatment program that includes dietary changes, herbal support and nutritional therapy for successful natural treatment of endometriosis.

Do you have endometriosis? Do you want to know what everyday changes you can do to heal your endo? Click here

Case study: Sara Frankston Vic - My personal journey with endometriosis
Severe period pain and nausea with endometriosis

One night I arrived home with very severe and terrible shooting pains in my stomach. Little did I know it was endometriosis. The pains were so overwhelming I couldn’t sit up. I felt nauseas and faint. Lucky my friend was with me and she took me to the local hospital.

I was told the excruciating period pain was normal but my friends periods weren’t this bad

The doctor performed a vaginal examination and determined that I had a tampon infection and I was released and an appointment with an OB GYN was made. When I explained my excruciating shooting pains and how I often got them even when I wasn’t having my menstrual cycle, he explained to me that this was normal pain for women.

For the next year I spent many agonizing days and nights, crying because of these terrible pains. Finally, I went to see an OB GYN of a friend and I was explained that I might have endometriosis. This is where my story begins.

Finally I found out I had endometriosis and was scared to death
As I sat in the doctor’s office and was told that I indeed might have endometriosis and would have to have surgery, at the age of 18 I was scared to death!

I was admitted to the hospital to have a Laparoscopy and a Dilatation and Curettage (D and C) administrated. I wasn’t sure what all this meant, and I wasn’t sure what questions I should be asking. All I hoped for was that it would stop this horrifying period pain (that almost 10 doctors had told was “normal”).

After I recovered and was returned to my hospital room, my OB GYN came in and showed me the pictures that they had taken during surgery and informed me I did have endometriosis. It covered all of my female organs, uterus, ovaries, was on my bladder and on my colon. He said he had removed it all and I should be fine.

My endometriosis returned after a Curette

For the next 2 years I experienced the same kind of tremendous pain, but at least I knew what it was. I moved around a lot and had to see various doctors. I saw nearly 20 doctors, most who told me “it was normal”, or “there was nothing physically wrong with me”. I would just cry and cry and even got to the point where I did not want to see any doctors…they didn’t believe me anyway so what was the point!

Every Pap smear I had was so painful that I cried and cried during each procedure. I was prescribed Depro Provera.

Endometriosis caused me to be depressed and I gained weight

About 2 weeks into the Depro Provera treatment I started to feel some mild changes in my moods and weight.

I quickly became severally depressed. I cried and cried for no reason at all. One day I turned up to the GP crying hysterically, the receptionist asked me if I was ok and I just screamed “do I look o.k.? I then saw the DR who prescribed me some Prozac.

Endometriosis ruined my life - I was depressed, tired with debilitating period pain and my life had fallen apart.

My life began to fall apart. I couldn’t hold down a job and my boyfriend dumped me because of my moods. I called my mum in tears and she drove for 8 hours to pick me up. She stayed for a few days and talked me in to coming home again so she could look after me.

I tried natural treatment for endometriosis that worked

It was then that she showed me an article in the Take 5 magazine about a girl named Michelle who had worked with a naturopath called Narelle Stegehuis. I immediately called her and she gave me hope. After working with her and finding out how to trat my endometriosis naturally, I am now drug free and pain free. I feel like myself again.

Do you have endometriosis? Do you want to know what everyday changes you can do to heal your endo? Click here

Do I have endometriosis?

Period pain that becomes so debilitating it renders you unable to go about your normal routine, is not ordinary or typical!

Period Pain is your body's way of signaling that something is wrong. If you are suffering from pelvic pain, you may have endometriosis and should be diagnosed properly.

Endometriosis symptom checklist

Pain may occur in any of the following forms:

• Period pain - immediately before and during the period
• Pain during or after sex
• Abdominal, back and/or pelvic pain
• Pain with opening bowels, passing wind or urinating also frequency
• Ovulation pain, including thigh or leg pain

Bleeding irregularities

• Heavy bleeding, with or without clots
• Irregular bleeding with or without a regular cycle
• Prolonged bleeding
• Premenstrual spotting

Digestive problems:

• Bowel or bladder symptoms, including bleeding from bladder or bowel
• Irregular bowel habits e.g. constipation, diarrhea
• Bloating

Mood Changes

• Premenstrual symptoms
• Tiredness

...WEIGHT GAIN!

If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, you could have Endometriosis. (Endo)

• Are you frustrated by the pain of your endometriosis?
• Do you know in your heart that it's time to make a change?

If so, you have come to the right place.

At MassAttack we can help you overcome any hurdles. With our help, you’ll take control of your endometriosis naturally.

When women with endometriosis join MassAttack they find "their endometriosis healing secret." They feel better, look better, and they are much healthier. And this can happen for you.

PCOS

Continual, stubborn weight gain is something we hear about almost every day here in the MassAttack clinic. After a visit to the GP, so many women are told that they just need to eat less and exercise more. It’s no wonder so many of us get so frustrated with this response and we walk away thinking “Did he/she even listen to any of what I just said?” When healthy diet and lifestyle changes do not initiate weight loss, it might be time to look into an underlying hormonal imbalance such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

PCOS is a condition that affects around 5-10% of Australian women of reproductive age and is the most common endocrine abnormality of women in this age bracket [1]. Before ovulation, hormones signal 100-1000 follicles to start developing in order for one to dominate and go on to rupture and release an egg, ready for fertilisation. When the hormonal signal is disrupted, the dominant follicle does not rupture, hindering ovulation, and forms a cyst[2]. This process is characterised by an increase in androgen (e.g. testosterone) levels and can be assessed via a blood test or ultrasound.

In order to diagnose PCOS, one or several of the following may be present:

• Irregular or absent ovulation
• Irregular or absent menstruation
• Infertility
• Hirsutism (male pattern hair growth)
• Insulin resistance
• Obesity/stubborn weight gain
• Acne [3]

Risk factors:

• Genetics: hereditary link between family members
• Obesity: interferes with hormonal regulation, increases risk of insulin resistance
• Insulin resistance: occurs when normal levels of insulin do not have the desired effect on cells, resulting in constantly elevated glucose and insulin levels. This can lead to diabetes, weight gain and may cause or contribute to androgen excess
• Stress: may interfere with hormonal regulation and increase androgen levels
• Hormonal imbalances[4]

Medical treatment has largely focussed on hormonal treatment (OCP, Clomid), weight loss or insulin resistance (Metformin, Diabex) but it is a mix of the above factors that are needed in order to achieve a positive outcome. Weight loss will be an uphill battle if tackled on its own so let’s look at the bigger picture to get the results you are searching for.

Address hormonal imbalance: It is possable to correct these imbalances via nutrients, dietary and lifestyle modification.

Increase phytoestrogens: foods such as nuts and seeds (especially flaxseeds), soy products, legumes, sprouts and fruits and vegetables all produce oestrogen like effects in the body and can help to balance hormones.

Regular exercise: 2-3 times per week will help with insulin resistance, oxygen transport, weight loss and toxic elimination.

Dietary modification: increase good quality protein (fish, lean meat, nuts, seeds, legumes, yoghurt) eliminate saturated and trans fats, increase fibre to assist elimination and limit hormones re-circulating through the system, limit carbohydrates to one meal per day (oats, brown rice).

Reduce sugar cravings and address insulin resistance: eat small, frequent protein based meals and snacks, which will help regulate appetite and metabolism, limit fruit and sugar intake. Herbs such as Gymnema or nutrients such as Chromium, Lipoic acid and Magnesium may be useful in regulating blood sugar levels.

Avoid coffee and caffeinated drinks: places undue stress on the adrenal system and can also interfere with blood sugar regulation.

Moderate alcohol intake: small amounts can have a protective effect but too much puts strain on the liver, which can disrupt digestion and elimination.

Reduce stress: may reduce adrenal output of androgens, help to improve energy levels, promotes inner harmony. Perhaps try a yoga class, go for a long walk, try some deep breathing exercises or try some retail therapy.

Hair removal: waxing and electrolysis discourages thick hair growth by thinning the hair shaft.

Taking a multifactorial approach to treatment will cover many of the varied aspects of this common health concern. Many of the complications of PCOS can be avoided through adequate nutrition and weight loss and a fully functioning hormonal system will be the result of your efforts. You’ll be amazed at how much better your body functions and how much better you feel. So, let’s get moving…

Emma Scasni is a qualified naturopath at MassAttack Health Clinic and has a keen interest in women’s health. Emma is passionate about all aspects of natural health and is happy to offer support and advice to new and existing MassAttack members. MassAttack specializes in natural treatment programs for women with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis & thyroid imbalance. Narelle Stegehuis, CEO of MassAttack, is the recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award 2006 and can be contacted at narelle@massattack.com.au

[1] http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/187_06_170907/tee10663_fm.pdf
[2] Suzie O’Donohue, Gynaecology: Approaches to Treatment with Natural Therapies, SSNT, 2003 pg 55
[3] Ibid
[4] Suzie O’Donohue, Gynaecology: Approaches to Treatment with Natural Therapies, SSNT, 2003 pg 56