Could a sluggish liver be holding you back from getting pregnant?

We’re digging into how to improve liver health and what you need to know when you are TTC.

We’ve all heard of a liver cleanse or detox and how important it is to have an optimally functioning liver. Think of cayenne-infused lemon water, consuming apple juice with olive oil and Epsom salts. However, before you start preparing these concoctions, they may not be right for you.

It’s more about supporting your liver rather than cleansing or detoxing it.

If your liver is not functioning properly, it may not be able to remove estrogen from your body. This leads to estrogen reabsorption, which results in hormone imbalance.

Some signs of a sluggish liver include fatigue, headaches, poor digestion, cravings, weight gain around the middle and more.

So how do we get our liver in tip-top shape to balance hormones and get pregnant naturally?

Katy Bradbury is part of my team at Fab Fertile. She is an integral part of our Couples Coaching program - which uses functional lab testing, diet, and lifestyle changes to dramatically improve conception. If you are struggling with infertility...your body is desperately trying to tell you something...focusing on your health will either help you get pregnant naturally or if you do need to go to the fertility clinic it will improve your chances of success.

Katy Bradbury is a registered nurse and nutritional therapist whose mission is to improve women’s chances of having healthy babies and raising happy children. Having experienced her struggles with fertility, a traumatic birth, and bonding issues, Katy knows just how important this support is.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why a healthy liver is important when you are TTC
Which genetic variants are tied to the liver (and how to support those gene variants so you can optimize liver function)
Symptoms of poor liver function and specific blood markers to review to ensure they are in the optimal range
Diet, lifestyle and supplement recommendations for a healthy liver

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HIGHLIGHTS:

03:58 WELCOME KATY BRADBURY

05:01 INTRODUCING TODAY’S TOPIC

05:43 WHY YOU NEED OPTIMAL LIVER MARKERS WHEN TTC

Your liver is intrinsically linked to your reproductive health.
The liver is the primary detox organ in the body
Your liver is critically important to your ability to metabolize fats and absorb fat-soluble nutrients

08:30 GENETIC PROFILE

Understanding detoxification phases
Genetic markers that tell us about liver function

11:07 SYMPTOMS OF COMPROMISED LIVER FUNCTION

Poor liver function can often be linked to mood, digestive, and skin issues
If you have high cholesterol, you need to check your liver markers.

14:52 HORMONE METABOLISM

The liver is responsible for estrogen detoxification.
The hormone metabolism detoxification pathway
We need to ensure that estrogen is being metabolized efficiently.

17:08 CONTRIBUTORS TO POOR LIVER HEALTH

One of the best things you can do for your liver is eliminate alcohol consumption.
Even one glass of wine every so often can negatively impact your fertility.
Processed foods and environmental toxins put considerable strain on the liver.
Our livers need to have enough dietary antioxidants to function optimally.
Dig deeper to figure out the source of your pain rather than relying on NSAIDs.

22:57 FUNCTIONAL REFERENCE RANGES FOR LIVER MARKERS

Why we look at functional ranges versus allopathic reference ranges
The role of these markers in liver function
Medical gaslighting that often happens when markers are in the allopathic range but symptoms continue

Marker	Range (g/dL)
Total protein and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio	6.9 - 7.4 g/dL
Albumin	4 - 5 g/dL or 40-50 g/L
Globulin	2.4 - 2.8 g/dL
Bilirubin	1 mg/dL or 17.1 mmol/L
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)	Females: 10 - 20 IU/L
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)	70 - 100 IU/L
Alanine transaminase (ALT)	10 - 25 IU/L

28:48 NEONATAL JAUNDICE

There are several different causes of jaundice in newborn babies

31:20 OPTIMIZED LIVER FUNCTION

Maximizing liver health is one of the easiest wins to help you feel better.
The numerous benefits you’ll see once your liver function is optimized
The liver is involved in so many body processes that you will experience all-over body improvements by supporting your liver health.

33:34 THE PROBLEM WITH THE SILOED MODEL OF CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE

So much is missed when we don’t take a whole-body approach
All our body systems are intricately connected.

35:31 DIET & LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT YOUR LIVER

Eating the rainbow is the best way to support your liver.
Including something bitter at the start of your meal helps to kickstart your liver enzymes
Foods you can add to your diet to easily support your liver function
You should be pooping 1-3 times per day.
Water is the essence of life, and most of us aren’t getting enough.
Ideally, we want to drink water frequently throughout the day rather than in huge amounts at long intervals.
Episode 144: What You Need To Know About Castor Oil Packs And Fertility with Dr. Marisol Teijerio
Castor oil packs are an excellent way to help the liver do its job
Movement is vital to help the lymphatic system drain out toxins
The types of movement that help lymphatic drainage the most
Supplements and herbs that can be helpful for liver health
So many aspects of fertility come down to B vitamins
A personalized supplementation protocol under the guidance of an experienced provider is essential
How fertility yoga can help to support you in the fertility journey

48:25 FINAL THOUGHTS

You can do more harm than good by self-prescribing supplements and herbs

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RESOURCES:

Fab Fertile Method - https://fabfertile.com/pages/what-we-do

Tracking your hormones is essential but getting bloodwork each month can be time consuming and expensive.

I'm excited to introduce you to the Inito fertility monitor, an easy, at-home fertility tracker that gives accurate results, while cutting down on your time and expenses.

Inito not only tells you when you're the most fertile by measuring estrogen and LH but also confirms if you’ve actually ovulated by measuring progesterone.

If you’re ready to start tracking your fertility easily at home, go to Inito.com and use code FABFERTILE15 to save 15% on your fertility tracker.

Please note when promoting a product we only select products that either Sarah Clark or her team has tried and believe are beneficial for someone who is TTC. We may receive a small commission.

Mentioned in this episode

Get Pregnant Naturally | Related Episodes

Eating for your fertility does not have to suck. It's not about deprivation, it’s eating food that tastes amazing and nourishes your body as you prepare for pregnancy success.

Our Autumn Fertility Recipe Guide is ready for you! Grab your FREE copy at FertilityDietFreebie.com.

Your free guide includes a meal plan, grocery shopping list and everything you need to get started with nourishing foods that improve your chances of pregnancy success.

This is a 5-day challenge where you’ll learn how food impacts your body. You won't be drinking green juice and starving. Start this challenge today with your partner.

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Book your Supercharge Your Fertility Discovery call here with your partner

During our call, we’ll be discussing what you have tried so far and where you’ve faced challenges. This can feel stressful but is designed to help us get to the root cause of your fertility issues and will help me to give you the best possible action plan at the end of the call. However, to reassure you – on this call we won’t be digging into the trauma associated with infertility/miscarriage/loss – rather we are focused on solutions and an ACTION PLAN as to how our Fab Fertile Method can help you get pregnant naturally.

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Got questions? Join the Fab Fertile Support Group for motivation, support, and education so that you can prepare for pregnancy success.

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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahclarkfertilitycoach/

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