If You’ve Read It Starts With the Egg, What’s Next?

We’re digging into what to do after you’ve read It Starts With The Egg.

Most people on the fertility journey have read It Starts with the Egg by Rebecca Fett.

It has become the bible for egg health and the fertility community. The well-researched book includes actionable steps for diet, lifestyle, and supplement recommendations. However, the advice does skew towards IVF preparation rather than getting pregnant naturally.

What if you’ve already made all the changes in the book, but it still hasn’t worked?

Let’s break down the generalized guidelines in the book and how to personalize the suggestions to improve pregnancy success.

This episode is for you if:

• You have implemented the suggestions in the book and it still hasn’t worked
• You were so overwhelmed by the book that you didn’t know where to start
• Your partner isn’t making any of the suggested changes - just you! (steps to help his preconception health)
• You haven’t read the book but you want to know how to improve egg quality and fertility naturally

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. Your Vitamin D levels are low. We know that low levels of Vitamin D can increase the risk of miscarriage and infertility. But WHY are your levels low in the first place? We talk about factors that influence your Vitamin D (i.e., infections, autoimmunity, etc.) and what supplement you should be taking (this is regularly missed).
2. Your TSH is normal (or is it?). We see this ALL the time. Thyroid problems are common with premature ovarian failure/insufficiency, unexplained infertility, and ovulatory disorders. Plus subclinical hypothyroidism increased to 15% with ovulatory infertility and 40% with women with POF. Why looking at your TSH is not enough.
3. Food sensitivity – you’ve eliminated gluten and dairy (okay, you still have the odd cheat day). Why digging into the diet is KEY for your fertility. What you can do if you’ve tested negative for celiac (we talk about the frequency of false negatives). And discuss non-celiac gluten sensitivity and what we are seeing with our clients.
4. Environmental Toxins – you’ve tossed out the plastics, eliminated your EMF exposure (or have you – we regularly see people getting this wrong), changed all your personal care (but have you checked for common allergens), and switched to non-toxic cleaning products. Right? What you could be missing.
5. You’re supplementing with melatonin. We see this all the time. It is recommended to supplement if you are going through IVF, but it may impair your ability to produce melatonin. But why is your melatonin low in the first place? Did you have it tested? Higher melatonin is found in those with high AMH counts and higher follicle counts. Do you know how to improve your melatonin?
6. You’re taking DHEA. It is the go-to recommendation for those with diminished ovarian reserve (low AMH) and who are preparing for IVF. Plus, it helps to decrease miscarriage. But have your levels been tested? Why a blood test does NOT tell us the whole picture. Do you know WHY your levels are low in the first place? It is not about taking a reductionist viewpoint of your fertility. It’s about looking at the WHOLE body.
7. We discuss the recommended supplements (i.e. prenatal, B12, CoQ10, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Alpha Lipoic, Myo-inositol, L- Carnitine, and men’s supplement recommendations)

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HIGHLIGHTS:

  

4:10 WELCOME BRANDY BUSKOW

• Rebecca Fett’s Book | It Starts With the Egg: The Science of Egg Quality for Fertility, Miscarriage, and IVF
• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 6: Functional Medicine 101 and Your Fertility
• It takes 90 days for the egg to renew itself, and the life cycle of sperm is 70 to 80 days
• You can make significant changes to both male and female fertility in a short period.

7:52 VITAMIN D

• You can still have low vitamin D levels if you live in a sunny climate
• Vitamin D is considered a pro-hormone, so you need to be careful when supplementing
• Vitamins and minerals work synergistically with other vitamins and minerals in the body
• It’s essential not to take vitamin D in isolation.
• If something is low, you always have to ask the question, “Why is that?”
• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 35: What Vitamin D Levels Mean For Fertility

12:39 THYROID CONDITIONS

• Thyroid problems are common with premature ovarian failure/insufficiency, unexplained infertility, ovulatory disorders, and there’s a link with miscarriages
• Often, thyroid issues are a symptom of a different problem
• We have to step back and address the root cause of the problem.
• Get Pregnant Naturally Episodes
• Episode 44: The Link Between Thyroid Dysfunction And Fertility
• Episode 111: AIP Diet For Hashimoto's And Why This Matters If You Are TTC

17:30 CELIAC DISEASE

• A high percentage of people we work with have a gluten sensitivity
• If you have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten wreaks havoc on your gut and can prevent you from absorbing the nutrients you’re consuming
• With standard celiac testing, false negatives are common
• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 45: Is Gluten Causing Infertility?
• The best way to determine whether you have a gluten sensitivity is to remove it from your diet and slowly add it back
• Our approach to gluten sensitivity testing
• Challenges with going totally gluten-free
• Gluten cross-reactors to avoid
• If you've been gluten and dairy-free for 60 - 90 days and you're not pregnant yet, it's time to dig into testing.

24:23 PERIODONTAL DISEASE

• If you have periodontal disease, it's a sign that your body is not in a state of optimal health.
• It’s best to work with a biological dentist who takes a holistic approach
• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 103: Healthy Sleep, Sleep Apnea And Why It Matters For Fertility

26:00 ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS

• Get Pregnant Naturally Episodes
• Episode 134: How To Reduce Toxins That Impact Fertility
• Episode 90: Are Toxic Personal Care Products Impacting Your Fertility?
• Episode 151: How to Protect Your Fertility from EMF Exposure
• We are inundated with so many toxins in our world that a lot of times our livers are struggling
• Many environmental toxins like BPA and phthalates are endocrine disruptors.

27:27 CARBOHYDRATES

• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 67: Why Balancing Your Blood Sugar Matters for Fertility
• Insulin resistance significantly increases the risk of miscarriage plus it decreases IVF success rates
• Blood sugar imbalance can increase cortisol and our bodies don’t want to reproduce if we're under a large amount of stress

30:57 ELIMINATION DIET

• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 407: The Ultimate Diet For Egg And Sperm Health
• If you know that you're sensitive to gluten, make your entire household gluten-free.

33:40 DAIRY

• Dairy can be very nutrient dense but many people are intolerant.
• Common symptoms of dairy intolerance

38:42 MEDITERRANEAN DIET & AUTOIMMUNE PROTOCOL (AIP) DIET

• There are great parts of the Mediterranean diet, but is that diet right for you?
• With any diet, it’s important to do the elimination diet and testing to ensure it will work well for you and your needs
• Focus on high quality fats and oils
• If you eat too many nuts, it could negatively affect your gut.
• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 333: Can The AIP Diet Help With Low AMH/High FSH?
• The philosophy with the AIP diet is to remove as many inflammatory foods as possible and give your body a chance to reduce inflammation and calm down the immune system
• It’s a very restrictive diet and not generally recommended for the long term

42:28 MALE FACTOR INFERTILITY & SPERM HEALTH

• Switching to an organic diet is key for both partners.
• There is reduced IVF success rate and increased miscarriages when the male partner continues to consume alcohol
• Foundational elements to address to start optimizing sperm health
• Get Pregnant Naturally
• Episode 178: Everything You Need To Know About Male Factor Infertility
• Episode 400: How To Address Men's Reproductive Health (It’s a myth sperm doesn't decline with age!)
• What to look for in a men’s multivitamin

45:14 SUPPLEMENTS

• Ensure your prenatal contains methylfolate instead of folic acid
• Quality matters when it comes to a prenatal.
• High B12 leads to better embryo quality
• It's really hard to get good quality amounts of B12 and iron from non-animal sources
• High-performing mitochondria is the hallmark of egg quality.
• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 50: Why Mitochondria Health Is So Important For Fertility
• Higher oxidative stress correlates to a lower chance of an egg making it to a blastocyst.
• Strategies to improve oxidative stress
• Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant.
• Too much oxidation can damage your cells and DNA and that’s why we need antioxidants
• Common causes of oxidative stress
• If you’re supplementing with DHEA, you need to do regular hormone testing

58:58 THE FAB FERTILE METHOD

• We’re looking at the whole body, not focusing on the symptoms.
• You can’t out-supplement the basics
• Your partner needs to be in this with you.
• Get Pregnant Naturally | Episode 150: How to Optimize Your Fertility by Including Your Partner

 

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RESOURCES:

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

 

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Ultimate Guide to Getting Pregnant This Year If You Have Low AMH/High FSH

 

Top Fertility Supplements You Need To Get Pregnant This Year - Access your free guide at www.suppguideffl.com

 

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Get Pregnant Naturally | Related Episodes

• Episode 407: The Ultimate Diet For Egg And Sperm Health
• Episode 389: Want to get pregnant this year?

 

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Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to decreased ovarian reserve, as indicated by higher serum FSH, low AMH and low antral follicle count. In simpler terms, ensuring adequate vitamin D levels could potentially boost your fertility odds.

We see low vitamin D levels all the time with our clients.

Check out our Fab Vitamin D3/K2 supplement -  https://fabfertile.com/products/vitamin-d3k2-supplement

Use code “GPN15” for 15% off your order at FFLNaturals.com

 

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

I’m excited to announce that our Spring Fertility Recipe Guide is ready! I worked with a chef/nutrition background to prepare these spring recipes. In this 5-day challenge you’ll learn how food impacts your body while enjoying delicious meals - no you will not be drinking green juice and starving! Start this challenge today with your partner.

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.

 

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Join my FREE Facebook group and get my training on How To Improve Pregnancy Success With Your Own Eggs.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/451444518397946

 

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