Okay! I admit it. I’m a fan of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. So there! Haters step off!
Here’s some stuff I just know because – I’m a fan
I know that Kim has talked about having her kids close in age to her sister Courtney. She wants them to be close when they grow up, just like she was with her sisters.
I also know that she has psoriasis. Yes, I watched the episode when she took Courtney’s breast milk and rubbed it on her legs (because she heard it was good for the scaly red rash).
I know that was little gross, but stay with me!
Since I’m such a fan, I was wondering when she would start trying for another child.
I know she wanted to break the Internet with her post baby body, but I thought she would be getting busy trying to have another child right away.
Then came the news…Kim and Kanye have been trying for a second child, but they are struggling. Apparently it will be a new plotline on some upcoming episodes.
This piqued my interest. I’ve struggled with infertility. Hey, I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure at 28. I had both my kids with donor eggs. I know what its like to yearn for a baby and to have your dreams put on hold. I know what it is like to struggle with secondary infertility as you wait for your second baby.
I say kudos to her and Kanye for coming out and being so vocal about such a private matter. Many couples hide in shame and never even tell their close friends about their infertility struggle. They feel their body has failed them. They make excuses to dodge baby showers and take comfort in online chat groups filled with other like- minded people.
Chances are you probably know someone with infertility. It affects one in six couples.
Back to Kim and getting pregnant.
The key to getting pregnant may be her psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes patchy red rashes on the body and thick silvery scales.
Many autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis are a result of inflammation in the body. Normally the immune system will fight off invaders and protect the body, but in the case of an autoimmune disease the body mistakes it’s own healthy cells as invaders and attacks the healthy cells. This causes chronic inflammation.
What does this have to do with infertility?
When there is inflammation in the body this could interfere with ovulation and the ability to get pregnant. The key is to heal the inflammation.
What should Kim do?
Time to figure out if a food intolerance is causing the inflammation.
- Studies have shown the link between diet and psoriasis and other skin diseases http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10651693
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11298023
- Try an elimination diet for at least 10 days, similar to the one in my book Fabulously Fertile – Supercharge Your Fertility Naturally.
- The top allergens are gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, peanuts and sugar. Eliminate these foods for 10 days and then re-challenge the food. Note any symptoms such as gas, bloating, skin rashes and digestive issues
What should Kim add to her diet?
- Eat lots of organic fruits and veggies. Pesticides have been shown to negatively affect fertility.
- Make sure your meat is grass-fed, and organic and your fish is wild and sustainably caught
- Opt for whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa and avoid the white flours that can spike blood sugar and disrupt ovulation.
- Consume Omega 3 fatty acids in, foods such as wild salmon, ground flax seed, chia seed, hemp seed or oil, walnuts. These help to reduce inflammation. I toss hemp hearts and/or ground flax seeds and walnuts on my morning gluten free porridge or in my smoothie.
- Take a probiotic. The probiotic will restore the health of your gut. The probiotic supplies friendly bacteria such as acidophilus and bifidus, which fight inflammation. Make sure you consult with a health professional before taking any supplements.
Many people go their whole lives and don’t realize that a food intolerance is the root cause of their infertility. That was the case for me. I am intolerant to gluten and dairy. This was the underlying cause of my infertility. This could be the underlying cause for Kim too! Knowledge is power. As they say, you are what you eat. Could what you are placing on your fork every day be the cause of your infertility?
When Sarah Clark was 28 years old, she received a diagnosis of premature ovarian failure. She accepted the diagnosis and had both her children through in vitro fertilization. Years later she realized the root cause of her infertility was a food intolerance. She is a graduate from McMaster University, a certified life coach with accreditation from the International Coaches Federation and a health coach with training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is the author of Fabulously Fertile – Supercharge your Fertility Naturally and Fabulously Fertile Cookbook. Her fertility coaching program supports couples to make diet and lifestyle changes to prepare for conception. Download free fertility diet here!
