Did you know that there is a strong connection between your gut health and your fertility? That’s right, gut health highly influences our reproductive potential, so working on your gut health is really important preconception.
The role of gut health in fertility Your gut does much more than just digest, absorb, and excrete the food you eat. Your gut influences the health of every system in your body. It is responsible for the proper functioning of your immune system, how you think and feel, how you make and excrete hormones, and it also influences your fertility. Understanding, healing, and supporting your gut is essential, as our gut health highly influences our reproductive potential. Poor gut health affects the absorption of nutrients needed to support egg and sperm health and impacts hormone balance. The gut microbiome, the trillions of bugs that reside in our guts, is responsible for converting bound oestrogen to active oestrogen. Without a healthy microbiome, oestrogen breakdown and function can become impaired and may lead to health issues including endometriosis, PCOS, and infertility. Did you know that 70% of our immune system resides is in our gut? When our immune system is not working optimally, our body may enter a state of chronic inflammation which can cause miscarriages, decrease progesterone, affect implantation and hormone imbalance. Signs that your gut may need some support
There are a number of signs and symptoms of poor gut health, these include:
Bloating
Flatulence or excess gas
Constipation
Diarrhoea
Irregular bowel movements
Stomach pain
There are also non-gut related symptoms that you might notice if your digestive system is not working properly, such as;
Allergies
Catching frequent colds or often feeling run down
Food cravings
Headaches
Brain fog
Skin issues
Joint and muscle pain
Mood symptoms
Fatigue
Unexplained infertility
Ways to support your gut health
The good news is there is lots we can do to support our gut health and digestion, here are some things you can try:
Preparing your own food - Digestion begins even before you eat. Anticipating, smelling, cooking and enjoying food helps us salivate which triggers the release of the chemicals (enzymes) that will break down our food.
Chewing - Chewing your food to baby food consistency, breaks down food and allows chemicals to act on it. We don't have teeth in our stomach so it's really important we do the chewing work before we swallow our food!
Mindful eating - Eating your meals sat down at a table, concentrating and being mindful whilst eating helps your body to divert its efforts to digestion.
Fibre rich foods - Eating plenty of fibre, particularly from vegetables and fruit, and fermented foods encourages the growth of good bacteria i.e. kefir, kombucha, fermented vegetables.
Keep hydrated - drinking plenty of water is important to aid digestion and help us absorb the nutrients from food. But limit fluids whist eating, as drinking water during mealtimes can dilute your digestive juices.
Stress management - Practice stress management techniques so that you are eating in a relaxed state. If we eat on the move or when stressed, our body will not prioritise digestion. Try taking a few deep breaths before you start eating to relax your body.
If you would like some personalised support with your fertility, contact me to find out about my 12 week Boost Your Fertility programme. Book your free discovery call to find out how I can help you.
Julia Young Nutrition T: 0771 589 0894 info@juliayoungnutrition.com www.juliayoungnutrition.com
Disclaimer: Nutritional Therapy is not a replacement for medical advice, practitioners always refer any client with ‘red flag’ signs or symptoms to their medical professional. The information provided here is general and is not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any diseases or conditions.