Justine Altman joins us today as we're digging into how to optimize pregnancy success with POI/POF.
The standard approach for a diagnosis of premature ovarian insufficiency/failure is donor eggs.
What we know from helping women with POI/POF conceive naturally or improve their chances of pregnancy success at the clinic with their own eggs is healing opportunities are regularly missed.
It is not about myopically focusing on the POI/POF diagnosis but looking at the whole body. When we take a personalized targeted action plan we can optimize the chances of pregnancy success with your own eggs.
As you may know I had my own diagnosis with POI/POF at 28. I had both my kids with donor eggs and then years later discovered food sensitivities, gut infections and chronic stress contributed to my infertility.
That’s why we specialize in POI/POF, low AMH, high FSH and diminished ovarian reserve. I don’t want other couples to struggle like we did.
Bottom line I want you to know there is hope.
Justine 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.
Justine is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner. She was diagnosed with POCS and struggled with infertility but after taking a functional approach was able to have both her children naturally.
In this episode you'll learn:
- Mindset around the POI/POF diagnosis and strategies to cope so you can see a path forward.
- Themes we see with POI/POF and what you can do to optimize your chances of pregnancy success.
- Autoimmunity and POI/POF we explore the connection and what you need to know so you don’t waste time.
- When to know if IVF is the right next step for you. We discuss the options.
- Plus we address FAQ’s such as bioidenticals, DHEA, blood sugar balance and mental/emotional stress.
TIMESTAMPS:
06:03- INTRO TO TODAY'S EPISODE AND JUSTINE'S BIO
07:15- SARAH'S PERSONAL STORY WITH PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE
- Understanding that a diagnosis does not have to be forever
10:10- THEME: A PROFESSIONAL'S DIAGNOSIS REDUCING HOPE
- The importance of a mind, body, spirit approach
- "What if you knew it would work? What would you do differently?"
- Addressing the stressors in our day to day lives
- Rewiring your brain through meditation and mindfulness practices
- Having someone to call you out "on your crap"
15:11- THEME: DIETARY ISSUES
- Noncyclic sensitivity and the elimination diet
- "Every bit of food we put into our mouth can either help our health or hinder our health."
- AIP Diet- What is it and when should we try it?
- Dealing with the stress of dietary changes
- Having a support system and not doing it alone
21:48- THEME: AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
- Can we heal autoimmune disease?
- Getting to the root cause of autoimmunity
- "In a lot of cases it starts with the gut."
25:35- WHEN DO WE TRY IVF?
- The many healing opportunities to get pregnant naturally
- Why IVF should be the last tool that we consider to get pregnant
- How this work can improve our chances of getting pregnant if choosing IVF
- How working on your preconception health has NO downside.
31:00- THEME: THYROID DYSFUNCTION
- How common these issues are and how few times we are tested for it
- Understanding the functional ranges and why that is what we need to be looking at
33:18 THEME: HORMONES
- Bioidenticals? Should we use them?
- "There are things we can do."
- What caused the hormones to be low to begin with?
- Using bioidenticals in conjunction with lifestyle and diet changes
36:40- THEME: BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCES
- How blood sugar affects sex hormones
- Using a glucose meter in order to personalize your diet
38:43- THEME: GUT INFECTIONS
- Addressing infections and finding healing opportunities
- The difference the between the test that we use vs. what is used in conventional medicine
- The difference between good bacteria and unfriendly bacteria
- Difficulty absorbing nutrients and how this impacts fertility
- Why it is important to address H-Pylori
45:45- THEME: OVERWORKING AND PERFECTIONISM
- Getting stuck in patterns and rewiring our brain for better habits
- Understanding how everything is connected
- Type A personalities, personal history, and trauma
- "It's okay to reach out for help."
51:42- THEME: TRIGGERS
- Educating those around you about what you need and want
- Dealing with social media and comparison
- "Love yourself no matter what."
54:10- FINAL THOUGHTS
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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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RELATED EPISODES:
Functional Medicine 101 - https://wordpress-471581-2904792.cloudwaysapps.com/blog/functional-medicine-101-and-your-fertility/
Why You Need to Know This if You Have POF/POI and Low AMH - https://wordpress-471581-2904792.cloudwaysapps.com/blog/why-you-need-to-know-this-if-you-have-pof-poi-and-low-amh/
What You Need To Know Before You Decide on IVF: https://wordpress-471581-2904792.cloudwaysapps.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-before-you-decide-on-ivf/
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