The fertility journey has MANY ups and downs and it looks very different for everyone as our journeys are unique! Some may choose a traditional approach, others a combination of traditional approach with reproductive assistance, reproductive assistance alone or possibly surrogacy. One common denominator we all have regardless of the approach we have chosen is the dreadful “two week wait”!

As a refresher, the length of a reproductive cycle is typically: the menstrual phase (3-7 days), follicular phase (7-10 days), ovulation (2-3 days) and luteal phase (12-16 days!).

So in response to the popular request, I thought it might be helpful to share a few tips to keeping the faith in your process during this 12-16 days luteal phase?

1. Keep moving your body. Just because you are or may be pregnant doesn’t mean you stop exercising. Exercising helps keep stress down, moves toxins out of your system, helps to regulate your hormones, brings more oxygen to you and your baby, and when you exercise your body releases endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in the body. *Unless your doctor has advised to stop for a period of time for a specific health reason or just after an embryo transfer, moderate/low intensity (gentle yoga, biking, swimming, walking) exercise is generally appropriate for all. Listen to you body, it knows best! Feel free to visit my yoga classes if you’re unsure! 
2. Keep eating healthfully. Research has shown there is an interaction between our gut and brain called the gut-brain axis.  This is where the nervous system and the GI tract interact so don’t fall off the wagon now! Our healthy habits are paramount for a healthy, happy child.  Learn more about the gut-brain axis here !
3. Reframe your struggle. Instead of thinking you are overwhelmed, tell yourself, you are excited to have the chance to be in this two week wait. You may not be less stressed or anxious, but the mind is powerful, so the more you repeat it to yourself the more you’ll believe and receive the benefits of both cortisol release. 
4. Use a mantra. A mantra is a word, words, or sounds that you repeat to focus your concentration when your mind is going down the rabbit hole of negative thoughts. Try “out of my hands” because it is! Inhale through your nose, exhale, repeat to yourself the words for two minutes and build up to 20 minutes.  

Want to learn more ways you can manage the ups and downs of fertility? Or need more support? Schedule a 20 minute discovery session 

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Be well, 

Diana 

Reiki is one of my many secret weapons to stay emotionally sane on my fertility journey and for some reason I crave it right around my birthday, which just past in August. So, a couple weeks ago I found myself in the hands of Dr. Callista Lay, DC, Reiki Master and owner of Genesis Chiropractic Wellness Center in Chicago’s West Loop. If you’re unfamiliar with Reiki healing check out her blog “You want to Reiki my what?!” HERE, which explains the techniques and research behind Reiki much better than I — sneak peak: it can decrease blood pressure, reduce stress, improve mood and relieves pain in the body. Who doesn’t want to decrease those things?

In my experience, I have noticed those benefits, as well as it acts as a compass to help heal emotional blockages in my Body from past traumas and dramas of the year that hold me back from moving forward. I’m a firm believer that our bodies can hold on to the undigested traumas and dramas and we’re often times unaware of it. For example, since my fertility journey began I’ve started unconsciously grinding my teeth in my sleep causing jaw tension, which took me awhile to figure out the why behind it.

This year so far as been a teeth grinder all right! After a spontaneous pregnancy in March, we unfortunately had learned of a complication with the babies which ended in the loss of our twins. I’ve done my best to be patient with my body after the two invasive D & C procedures and many doctor appointments to be sure I’m healing well physically. But, I find it’s just as important to heal the more subtle bodies which can’t be seen or touched. This is where my yoga practice and meditation helps, but sometime I need a little more which is where Reiki comes in handy!

When you walk into Genesis is it bright, inviting and has intoxicating scents. When I arrived she just finished sage smudging (its used to clear and cleanse negative energy in a space or could be waved over an individual for the same benefits). As you walk into the Reiki space you have beautiful healing stones and plants surrounding you. The room is cozy and quant with soft instrumental and nature music on the playlist along with burbling water sounds from the diffuser to keep my busy mind present. She begins with putting some oils on my feet, wrists and neck, and I gladly close my eyes for the next 45 minutes as she works her healing magic.

In this session, I literally felt pent up emotions in my jaw, solar plexus, and sacral release as she moved over those areas. Callista has a warm gentle presence and touch which makes it very relaxing. After the session, she sits down with you to discuss her findings. In her down to earth approach, she offers suggestions on how to work on opening up the chakra(s) that may be closed or blocked. By the way, we didn’t discuss how I was doing or feeling beforehand, which always amazes me that she addresses just the right topics that need shifting!

After my Reiki session, I felt more clear minded, confident and had more faith in my process (which is the oracle card I pulled that you see in the picture above) Needless to say, after the past few months it was VERY much needed to clear out some heavy feelings I was carrying around! She likely saged the room heavily after I left!

Be well,
Diana

Want to learn more ways to improve your fertility health and experience? Reach out here to sign up for my FREE 8 days of interviews series: Experts in Chicago you Must Consult While Trying to Conceive

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DON’T MISS OUT ON UPCOMING EVENTS!

NEW Yoga for Fertility series starts on October 3rd! Sign up HERE

Interested in learn about your hormones and they are important in trying to conceive? Get on the waiting list for a FREE Yoga for a Balanced Endocrine System on October 6th @ 9:30-10:45 a.m. HERE

I spent most of my life under the impression that my body contents all lived and operated on separate islands: Boy was I mistaken! Let me explain, before my trainings in anatomy and hormone health with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and yoga training programs I assumed if something was going on in my body it was isolated to that particular area in my body. For example, leading up to my menstrual cycle my breasts were almost always tender; therefore, I would assume there was something up with my breasts; when my digestion would fluctuate month-to-month, I would assume it was solely my gut to blame (which was partially the problem, that’s another blog); when I had pelvic pain during my menstrual cycle, I would assume it was isolated in my pelvis; and once I began trying to conceive a child, I assume it was solely my uterus to blame, but learned there was much more to it!

In other words, I had no understanding on how the body functioned and what can trigger these symptoms that I was having. Many years later, I’ve learned how the endocrine system the glands that comprise it and produce the hormones in our bodies play an intricate role in how we feel.

Quick anatomy lesson in just in case you’re unfamiliar with the endocrine system: the endocrine system is a collection of glands and a few glandular organs (pituitary, hypothalamus, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenal, pancreas, ovaries in women, testes in men and pineal – see picture – being a yogini I shared the picture where it shows our 7 main Chakras. It’s said that these energy centers pair with an endocrine gland and govern it’s function) that produce hormones that control our metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep and mood. Woah! These hormones release messages via our bloodstream to carry to our organs and tissues to perform their job.

Our hormones are not loners; instead they work together like the conductor and the orchestra to create a harmony in our bodies. So, if one hormone is out of tune, it throws off your other hormones and even other body systems.

Below I have shared the eight major hormones in the body and a very brief description of their roles:

1. Estrogen – plays an important role in sexual reproductive health – there’s more than 15 forms of it that have been identified!;
2. Progesterone – health of our nervous system, prepares the lining of the uterus for potential pregnancy, protects the brain from damage, breast health and cardiovascular health;
3. Cortisol – mobilizing energy from the body, reduces inflammation and allergies, helps maintain mood and emotional stability to name a few;
4. Thyroid hormones - T3 and T4 work together as a team, T3 is the active form. Together they help regulate metabolism, heart function, digestion, and brain development;
5. Pregnenolone – known as the master hormone because it’s the precursor from which almost all other steroid hormones are made, including progesterone, testosterone, the estrogens, DHEA, and cortisol;
6. Testosterone – known as the male hormone typically, but it plays a critical role in having a healthy libido in women, turns fat into muscle, keeps skin supple, increases bone density to name a few;
7. DHEA – used in the body to make sex hormones; and
8. Androstenedione – is a precursor of testosterone and other androgens, as well as estrogens in the body.

So what’s a gal to do to be sure their hormones are in check so we can feel our best? First, I would recommend speaking with your doctor (a functional medical doctor, if possible) to get your hormones tested. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms I described above, or if you’re not feeling well in your body, which include: lack of energy, not sleeping well majority of the time, not maintaining a desired weight, poor digestion, PMS symptoms, dull hair, problematic skin and a poor sex drive to name a few.

In the meantime, you can benefit from cleaning up your diet a bit. Poor nutrition is often a big culprit to our hormone imbalances which is why I think it’s a great place for most of us to start. I’ve provided four categories of foods that can be beneficial to your hormone health: it’s important to remember that we are all “bio-individuals” so it’s important to adjust to what works best for your digestion. Maybe you’ve heard the saying “One woman’s meat is another woman’s poisson” by Gwen Davis and it can definitely be the case if you’re sensitive or allergic to any particular food group.

Clean protein: grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, Non-GMO fed, organic, cage free free-range eggs (certified humane raised and handled is my preference), organic lentils and beans

Healthy Fats: Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grass-Fed Organic Ghee, Animal fats from grass-fed meats; Avocado, Nuts and Seeds

Organic Fruit: Berries, Pomegranate, Pears and Melons

Organic Vegetables: Greens of all kinds; Cruciferous vegetables , Beets and Carrots.

Want more naturally way to support your hormones?  Schedule a 20-minute consultation at www.cocooncare.com

Be well,
Diana

**Click here for 12 FREE Tips for Optimizing your Fertility Health. 

I am extremely empathetic to those women with endometriosis as I used to suffer from pelvic pain, heavy menstrual flow, and at times vomiting and constipation dating back to the age of 12. Although I haven’t been diagnosed with the disease, I’m pretty sure the rupture of my appendix when I was in 3rd grade paved the way for my discomfort around my menstrual cycle.

For those reading this and are unsure of what endometriosis is exactly, according to Mayo Clinic, “it is often a painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus – the endometrium – grows outside your uterus. Often times it spreads to the fallopian tubes, ovaries and the ligaments that hold the organs in place which may cause trouble when trying to conceive and cause pain.

Many women do not realize that they have it until they are trying to conceive. As it’s hard to diagnose without laparoscopic surgery  which I’ve done and it’s not the greatest experience as you can imagine, but can help clean up scar tissue temporarily which can relieve discomfort and offer a window to try to conceive, but it’s likely to come back if the root cause isn’t found.

Also, I believe because so many women are suffering from pelvic pain and PMS symptoms it’s become seen as a cliché to have these symptoms so they are brushed off as normal.

The symptoms of endometriosis are typically associated with the menstrual cycle and unique to each woman and may include: Pain during sex, extreme cramps that don’t go away with anti-inflammatories or that impede daily life, bowel and urinary disorders, periods that last longer than seven days, heavy cycle (changing pad or tampon every hour) and nauseous or vomiting. YUCK!

Good news! There are ways to decrease symptoms in a non-invasive way FIRST!

• Be mindful. Start to track your symptoms daily: mood, stress levels, diet and exercise to see if there’s a pattern to your pain.
• Try an elimination diet. Certain foods many be triggering inflammation in your body.  See my co-worker Mia Zarlengo, MS, RDN recommendations here. 
• Balancing your hormones. High levels of estrogen is connected to endometriosis. Studies show when estrogen is dominant over progesterone, or progesterone is too low, it can set a woman up for pelvic pain.
• Seek out a pelvic physical therapist or massage therapist specializing in fertility. Listen to my interview series to learn more about my experience with a pelvic physical therapist Dana Sackar here

Do you have or think you have endometriosis and are trying to conceive? Do you want support to help guide you to the root cause of your pain and heal your body?

Reach out for a complementary 20 minutes consultation now!

Be well,

Diana 

This week’s tip is for the men out there trying to get more healthy and fertile. Typically, the fertility path begins with all the focus on the woman’s health and zero talk about the other 50% of the equation, which in my opinion is inefficient. For example, it wasn’t until I got to the reproductive endocrinologist stage in my fertility journey that my husband was addressed, crazy! Which is why I would like to share a few tips I’ve learn from Dr. Susie Gronski for the guys out there who would like to be sure they are doing their role in creating a healthy baby!

Here’s a couple tips to naturally boost your testosterone gentlemen:

1. Establish or maintain a health weight. I’m sure you hear about all the benefits of keeping this in check: improves cardiovascular health and vitality, positively impacts sexual health and function and keeps testosterone levels in check. Excess belly fat can lead to excess estrogen which is said to lower testosterone.
2. Eat testosterone boosting Diet: crowding out fast food, process food, starchy carbohydrates and sugars with lots of veggies, high quality protein, and healthy fats;
3. Regular exercise. She recommends high intensity interval training and I would recommend yoga (of course) which tackles the stress, anxiety as well as the exercise component.

Need help getting started or wanting to learn more natural boosting tips? Reach out to me here! I’d love to help you get healthier!

Be well,

Diana

 
Winter in Chicago is great for hibernating, restoring, and replenishing the body, mind, and spirit after a hot (sorta) summer and fall, but by the time February comes, I’m done with it all and ready to blossom out again! Which is exactly when my husband and I can fortunately leave town and visit one of our favorite countries: Jamaica.

If you haven’t visited I strongly suggest it in the Wintertime; less hot and humid. It’s lush and green with colorful vibrant blooming flowers; it’s what I would describe as alive and fertile. I would describe the people just the same – in fact, so welcoming often you’ll here “welcome home” with a big warm smile. One of my favorite signs I came across this trip was “Jamaica makes the world shake”. I can attest as every where you go there’s Reggae music playing and people dancing and/or singing a bit throughout their day – even if they’re doing a job that seems less than desirable.

I’m sure you’re thinking, of course they’re nice you’re in the resort area and they are paid to be that way; but the truth is we’ve been to Jamaica 5 times (they call you Jamericans after a couple stays) and gone to a few different areas, including where locals live and hang out and it’s the same! Big warm welcoming smile each time.

I don’t know about you, but each time I take a leave I get more clarity about my needs and wants and the world around me. On this visit, I was reminded of my mantras for this year, “Be the Change You Seek” and “Happy, Healthy and Whole”. Which got me thinking, how can Jamaicans be so damn happy, healthy, and whole – when it “appears” they struggle with the basic necessities in certain areas – clean water, sturdy homes, clean clothes, access to vitamins/minerals, doctors, dentists, work long hours, not working at all, lacking variations of healthful foods, certain areas a ton of marijuana smoking, and away from family and friends often.

As someone who struggles to conceive a child, I’ve made it my mission to help others get more fertile and am always curious about all things fertility, I decided I would research a bit about Jamaica’s fertility. I was curious to see if their fertility was being jeopardized by their lifestyles. As it turns out, they too have a decline in their fertility, but not primarily being tied to lifestyle issues.

Records showed the most fertile point in their history thus far was in the 1960’s with 6 children per woman to 2.1 in 2017. USA’s most fertile point was in the 1950’s and was 3.7 per woman to 1.01 currently (2018).

What was interesting to me was their decline was seemingly a purposeful choice versus the USA’s decline rate of fertility is mostly due to lifestyle choices (what we consume, what we don’t consume, exercise [or lack thereof exercise], career choices, sexually transmitted diseases, etc.).

In the 1970’s, Jamaica’s government launched a nationwide campaign “Two is Better Than Too Many” to try to help the community from continuing to have more children than they can manage to take care of monetarily – trying to avoid further poverty in the communities.

According to a 2016 article in The Jamaican Observer … “increased or improved participation of women in the labour force, increased educational attainment of women, these are just some of the factors that contribute to women delaying having children and also reducing the number of children they have." Which is also a reason the USA’s fertility has declined. Basically, more women working on their education and careers before deciding to have children, if at all. Also, over the last year the government has recommended to holding off getting pregnant due to the Zika virus.

As you can probably relate, I love my life and my lifestyle choices currently, but they haven’t always been great. Nevertheless, those choices got me to where I am now and that’s a pretty great place so I wouldn’t change them.

BUT, seeing and reading about how Jamaicans live their lives, I can’t help but think, are we too smart for our own good? Could having too much at our fingertips be a bad thing for our fertility? Too much information? Too many options? Could going back to the simpler ways of living be our ticket back to fertility?

I think in some ways it may help us be more happy, healthy and whole!  

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Reach out to learn more about my mission www.dianazic.com

Be well,
Diana

In honor of Thyroid Awareness Month, I thought I would offer some information I’ve learned in my training about thyroid health as well as provide a helpful article from a trusted source on why you should solve thyroid problems before conceiving, not only for your health but the health of your future baby.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck above the collarbones. Your doctor likely has checked it with their hands from time to time to see if your thyroid is swollen. It’s main jobs are to regulate heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. BUT, when the thyroid is not functioning properly it will impact nearly every other organ in the body because there are receptor sites for thyroid hormones on every single cell in the body.

If these hormones are out of balance it can influence other functions in the body including: weight (loss or gain), fertility, menstruation, skin tone, energy levels, memory, and digestion. Yikes!

Below are some symptoms of hypothyroidism (under active), subclinical hypothyroidism (elevated TSH, but thyroid hormone levels are normal) and hyperthyroidism (over active).*

Hypothyroidism:
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Sensitivity to cold
• Brain fog
• Thinning or straw-like hair
• Memory problems
• Dry skin
• Constipation
• Irregular or heavy periods.

Subclinical Hypothyroidism:

• Feeling tired or sluggish – despite getting enough sleep
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Low mood or depression
• Cognitive issues
• Cold intolerance
• Constipation
• Hair loss
• Weak or brittle nails
• Dry skin.

Hyperthyroidism:

• Rapid heart rate
• Weight loss
• Increased appetite
• Bulging eyes
• Nervousness or anxiety
• Irregular menstruation and infertility.

Check out the article to understand more about the function of the thyroid, importance of a healthy thyroid for you and your baby, and some natural tips to help if you’ve been diagnosed with any of the above listed conditions.

Feeling overwhelmed and need support implementing dietary and lifestyle choices that will help restore balance in your body before conceiving? Or just not sure where to start?

Reach out to me here for your 20 minute complimentary consultant!

Be well,

Diana

*Please keep in mind there are many signs and symptoms associated with thyroid dysfunctions and you should talk with your doctor to discuss getting it checked out rather than self diagnosing.