How To Know For Certain If You Need To Eliminate Gluten When You Are TTC

We’re digging into why gluten matters if you are TTC.

I get this question all the time, “Should I go gluten free if I’m trying to conceive?”

As you may know, I was diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency at 28 and had both my kids with donor eggs. Years later I discovered food sensitivities, gut infections and chronic stress were the cause of my infertility.

I had no idea that gluten was a problem for my health until years later. Looking back the symptoms were there – bloating, dark circles under my eyes (indicator of food sensitivity), acne, dizziness, mood swings, keratosis pilaris (also known as chicken skin on the back of my arms – exfoliation didn’t help) and of course infertility.

As you may know, we work with complex cases such as low AMH, high FSH, diminished ovarian reserve and premature ovarian insufficiency/failure.

We see a theme of non-celiac gluten sensitivity with food sensitivity tests coming back with gluten off the charts.

I'm excited to welcome Brandy Buskow back to the podcast.

Brandy is part of my team here 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.

She is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and Board Certified Functional Wellness Coach and Master EFT Practitioner. She loves supporting women so they can learn how functional medicine addresses the underlying cause of disease or illness.

In this episode you'll learn:

1. Why it is important to go gluten free when we are TTC.
2. Consuming gluten during pregnancy and the potential risks for the child.
3. Difference between celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
4. Connection between autoimmune diseases and gluten i.e. Hashimoto’s and Irritable Bowel Disease
5. Best test for gluten sensitivity
6. Supplements to help with gluten exposure – visit FabFertileStore.com https://www.fabfertilestore.com/

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HIGHLIGHTS:

6:03 WELCOME BRANDY BUSKOW & INTRO

7:04 MY EXPERIENCE WITH NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY

8:06 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BOTH PARTNERS TO GO GLUTEN FREE WHEN TRYING TO CONCEIVE?

• How gluten consumption can lead to leaky gut
• Every time you eat wheat it causes a reaction.
• What is a leaky gut?
• Research on the effects of gluten on the body

13:07 CELIAC DISEASE AND NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY

• The difference between celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity
• The gold standard for testing your gluten sensitivity
• Should you avoid gluten during pregnancy?
• You want to treat your body the best way you can while you’re pregnant.

16:14 TESTING OPTIONS FOR CELIAC DISEASE AND GLUTEN SENSITIVITY

• How our elimination diet works
• The key markers we look for with our clients

20:23 AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AND GLUTEN

• Success stories of the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet
• The connection between gluten and autoimmune disease
• The top cross-reactors of gluten
• Testing for cross-reactors

24:38 STRATEGIES FOR HEALING

• How long does it take for the gut to heal?
• High levels of stress can cause a leaky gut.
• Factors that go into healing the gut

28:10 GLUTEN’S HIDING SPOTS

• Gluten-free versus gluten-light
• Sauces, vitamins and other surprising gluten hiding spots you might not recognize at first
• Alternatives to try for common gluten-containing foods
• Even if there’s a small amount of wheatgrass, if you’re very sensitive to gluten, you are going to react to that.
• Tips for identifying gluten under other names on labels
• Wheat is like a glue.

33:05 YOUR THYROID AND GLUTEN

• It’s very common for people with thyroid issues to also be extremely sensitive to gluten.
• Why we don’t recommend gluten or dairy for women having thyroid issues

35:08 MINIMIZING YOUR EXPOSURE TO GLUTEN WHEN EATING OUT

• What to do before going out to eat
• How to talk to restaurant staff about your gluten sensitivity
• Why it’s worth it to push past the discomfort and ensure your meal is gluten-free
• How to stay gluten free while travelling
• It can be fun, it’s not about deprivation
• As you start to see how food impacts your body, it’s like wow!

39:32 THEMES THAT WE SEE WITH OUR FERTILITY CLIENTS

• Non-celiac gluten sensitivity in women and their partners
• Why couples should go on the gluten-free journey together
• This is one step that can have a big impact and make a big difference.

40:57 DIGESTIVE ISSUES AND BEYOND

• The wide-ranging issues that gluten can cause in your body
• Not having gas and bloating doesn’t mean you don’t have an issue with gluten.
• The types of issues that can be improved by changing your diet