Supporting Womens' Health Before Conception

Every pregnant woman wants to give her child the gift of great health.  Epigenetics is showing us that our environment and diet help determine which genetic traits we pass on to our offspring. Since it takes about four months for the egg to mature before it is released, changes in the diet and lifestyle is best changed before that time.

Nutrition - Eating right is more than just getting the right amounts of protein, carbohydrate, and fat in the diet. Eating whole foods and as much organic food as possible supplies our bodies with phytonutrients as well as vitamins and minerals.  The standard American diet, full of processed foods, is deficient in all areas.  Even the best diets leave deficiencies in nutrition.  Along with dietary changes, consider a whole food vitamin and mineral supplement to fill in these gaps.

Detoxification - We are exposed to an increasing number of environmental toxins.  Many of the toxins that our bodies cannot get rid of easily get passed down to our offspring.  These have even been shown to be passed along several generation.  Other toxins, called xenobiotics, have hormone like activity in the body and can affect fertility in both men and women. Most people would benefit from learning to avoid toxins and going through a purification program or other cleanse.

Healthy Weight - Both overweight and underweight women have a higher risk of fertility challenges.  Obesity during pregnancy substantially increases the risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia (hypertension) and may set the children up for obesity and hypertension in young adulthood.  If you struggle with your weight, this should be top priority.

Hormone Balancing - Preconception hormone balancing is important to prevent fertility problems and sets the stage for a healthy pregnancy. A well rounded program will support the pituitary, hypothalamus, ovaries and work on balancing estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, and adrenals.

If you're interested in talking about an individualized plan, please call the office to set up a consultation or new patient exam.