pregnancy — writing pieces — Unspoken Nutrition

Fertility is plummeting.

For both men and women, more are facing issues with infertility than ever before. There are various factors that contribute to this decline including testosterone levels decreasing in men, the rise of endometriosis and PCOS in females, strict diets that remove food groups, the rise of insulin sensitivity, increase in autoimmunity and nutrient deficiencies.

I love when I get the chance to work with people who are striving to become parents. It's the most special feeling when one of my clients, who has been wanting to be a new parent, sends me a message to tell me they're expecting.

I want for those that want to be parents, to experience that kind of joy and overwhelming love.

Here are some of the top fertility boosting foods and their benefits in aiding fertility, for both men and women:

BONE BROTH: packed with collagen and ample protein, bone broth supports nearly every system of the body. Make your own at home using bones from grass fed animals or buy ones from brands such as Kettle Fire and Bonafide Organics

LEAFY GREENS: spinach, arugula, chard, kale, dandelion greens, all help increase circulation, support the liver and gallbladder and are beneficial for bone health because of the volume of vitamin K. Add a bed of greens to your lunch or dinner either raw or lightly steamed

WILD PASTURE RAISED MEATS: while I have had a number of vegetarian clients, I really cannot stress enough the importance of eating quality meat. Meat carries with it various nutrients that are otherwise not found abundantly in other foods, especially B12. And B12 is vital for development of the nervous system - for both mom and baby

HEALTHY FATS: monounsaturated fats found in avocado, olive oil, coconut and grass fed dairy contain anti-inflammatory properties that help improve fertility and promote regular ovulation

GRASS FED ORGANIC RAW MILK: IF you can tolerate it, organic raw milk from cows, sheep or goat is one of the most powerful ancient foods. Raw dairy contains essential enzymes, probiotics, vitamins A D and K2 and all 22 essential minerals

If you are trying to conceive or on the journey to one day become a parent, and want to explore ways to do so through nutrition, lifestyle routines and diagnostic testing…

Click this link here to schedule a free 20min call

The pelvic floor is made up of muscles and tissues that support the bladder, bowel and additionally the uterus in women. They are the core muscles at the base of our bodies that stretch between the pubic bone (bottom front of the pelvis) and the tailbone (bottom back of the spine).

“As the floor of your core, the appropriate activation and integration of your pelvic floor muscles is key for optimal core function, continence, and more” says Angela Plaquin, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist based out of Alberta, Canada.

For this reason, the health of the pelvic floor and the health of the gut microbiome go hand in hand. When the pelvic floor is weak, it can lead to issues including incontinence of the bladder and bowel, prolapse, painful sex or vulva pain for women and GI issues such as constipation. The framing of the pelvic floor also helps to stabilize the bladder, intestines and reproductive organs.

What leads to a weakened pelvic floor?

Physical stress and trauma can lead to a weakened pelvic floor.

Causes include:

- Pregnancy, specifically when supporting the weight of the uterus

- Endometriosis, which causes pelvic floor muscle tension and discomfort

- Vaginal childbirth, as that may overstretch the muscles

- Persistent and chronic coughing

- Straining to poop and chronic constipation

- Prostate cancer in men

The vast majority of pelvic floor issues affect women, as women are the ones bearing children and going through hormonal stages such as menopause. However men have also been shown to have weakened pelvic floors that greatly impact the health of their digestive system and elimination process. This makes the topic of pelvic floor health an important topic for all and an area of our healthcare that deserves adequate therapy and support.

“The pelvic floor is more than “peeing, pooping, sex and babies.” Often unknown is its very significant role in our protection response, in safety and security” Angela says. “There is a deep connection in our root to the fight, flight, freeze response. Our pelvic floor responds to stress, trauma, sense of self and much more. This is why a healthy pelvic floor requires a regulated nervous system.”

One of the best methods to downregulate the nervous system is yoga. Yoga has been shown to help reduce chronic pelvic pain, in women specifically. The benefit of practicing yoga includes its role in aiding relaxation and improving balance.

Poses that help include mountain pose (tadasana), chair pose (utkatasana), warrior 2 (virabhadrasana 2), happy baby (ananda balasana), locust pose (salabhasana), cat cow, wide legged forward fold (prasarita padottanasana), wide legged squat (malasana) and reclining cross shin (supta sukasana). You can incorporate these poses into your daily routine, as a short sequence.

On average, most people have a tight pelvic floor - meaning that the muscles are not relaxed. Just as we work to relax other muscles in our body such as rolling our shoulders back and unclenching our jaw, the pelvic floor wants to also be relaxed and softened. Meditation is an accessible way to relax the body overall, including the framework of our sit bones and the muscles around the pelvis.

“For any muscle to function optimally, they must be able to both contract and relax.” Angela continues, “Along with awareness and practice of pelvic floor tightening (such as kegel exercises), must also come the awareness and ability to fully relax it (down train).”

Forms of relaxation such as meditation, breathing exercises, baths and massages, gives your pelvic floor the TLC it needs. “Proper breathing is the most important foundational exercise anyone can do to acquaint and support a well functioning pelvic floor,” Angela says.

Notice the way in which you take in your inhales. Proper breathing means that your inhalations are coming from the bottom of the diaphragm filling the belly, before exhaling the air out completely. In most cases, we are breathing from the top of our chest or sternum, which doesn’t invite the diaphragm to act as the key player, thus robbing the pelvic floor of one of its most important roles in our body. The contraction of the pelvic floor muscles is involved in our breathing pattern and can affect pulmonary function. The combination of our pelvic floor, diaphragm and abdominal muscles help protect our internal organs from the pressure that is experienced when we breath, speak or cough. When these muscles are optimal and thus strengthened, it creates a more supportive environment to experience these normal pressures.

Since the role of the pelvic floor is correlated to the health of our gut microbiome, nutrition also plays a key role. A key to having a healthy digestion and encouraging consistent bowel movements, is focusing on foods that are full of fiber and varying nutrients. This helps to avoid the difficulties around chronic constipation, which as we’ve learned can lead to a weakened pelvic floor. Incorporate more plants into your diet, whole grains, beans and legumes. When our gut health is happy, our bowel movements are happy. And when our bowel movement is happy, our pelvic floor is happy. In addition to the foods we choose to eat, bring attention to the way in which we eat. Sit at each meal, chew thoroughly and avoid large bites that are hard to swallow and do your best to eat in a relaxed state. Eating with intention invites a sense of calm and supports a sense of safety and security in our bodies

Keeping our pelvic floor healthy is important for many important and necessary aspects of our lives. If you’re struggling with pelvic floor pain or digestive issues, seek out a qualified practitioner such as a Pelvic Floor Specialist Or a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist to help address your concerns in a holistic and approachable manner.