About Stress & Fertility
By: Laurie Morse, L.Ac.
Adrenalin is a hormone that is released by the adrenal glands during conditions of stress. Although it helps us to escape from danger, it also inhibits our ability to utilize progesterone, a very important consideration for fertility. Prolactin, a hormone that is released by the pituitary gland, is usually discharged in order to stimulate lactation in preparation for nursing. However, also under times of stress, the pituitary gland emits more prolactin - in order to impair fertility.
Our bodies know that we should not be pregnant when we are under tremendous stress. Its first priority is keeping us out of danger. Taking care of a fetus when we are experiencing a precarious or tense situation is not an optimum physiological response. The optimum physiological response, as far as our bodies’ preservation instinct is concerned, is to flood the skeletal muscles, dilate the pupils, and remain acutely aware of our surroundings. Our bodies know that we shouldn’t be tired and nauseous and accommodating a pregnancy. When the stressor is only one of perception, or when we are responding inappropriately to stress with nervous tension, we must retrain our body and let it know that we are not in immediate danger, regardless of our environmental situation.
If you exhibit a pattern consistent with a hyper-sympathetic nervous system, you are likely supplying less blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, thereby impairing their optimal functioning. If you tend to sweat more than normal, have cold, sweaty or clammy hands and/or feet, especially under stress, or if you sweat when you feel anxious, or have night sweats, these symptoms are stress indicators.
Stress, however, is not the only factor. There are many subtle endocrine and hormonal factors that affect our ability to conceive. Most women with irregular menstrual cycles who are unable to conceive are given the diagnosis of “unexplained infertility” because their laboratory blood analysis still show hormonal levels within the “normal” range. Of course, receiving this diagnosis by itself puts the body into a higher state of stress, because now all we know is that nobody knows what is wrong.
Treating the pattern will begin to resolve the hormonal imbalance! First, alleviate as much external stressors in your life as you are able to control. Then, turn the attention to yourself. What can you take control of to assuage your response to stress (or your perception of stress)? Get your copy of the ""7 Strategies to Fertility Success" e-book now for very specific ways to reduce stress.
Other stress reducers include:
- Exercise (do not over-exercise)
- Get enough sleep
- Meditate
- Breathe deeply regularly throughout the day
- Yoga
- Sit down when you eat
- Eat frequent, small meals, to keep the blood sugar level more stable and inhibit the release of adrenalin
- Chew your food sufficiently, mixing enough saliva with the food to neutralize and make digestion easier
- Drink a lot of water, but don’t drink during a meal
- Do not drink alcohol or caffeine or smoke cigarettes
- Eat foods which move the Qi like peppermint, rosemary, spearmint, turmeric and thyme
- Supplement with herbs which resolve Qi stagnation and support kidney/adrenal function (get this from a licensed practitioner only)
- Have acupuncture to balance your nervous system and support fertility
But, as important as dealing with stress is, remember...
The biggest secret of all to successful conception & pregnancy is the one you are least likely to learn from your primary care provider, conception specialist, or even CAM provider!
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Laurie Morse, L.Ac., is the author of the revolutionary e-book "7 Strategies to Fertility Success," providing skills and exercises to help women turn their fertility switch on by "pulling their weeds," optimizing their terrain and planting pregnancy seeds with their intentionality. She is the director of Holistic Health Services in San Diego CA , where she has successfully treated fertility for the past decade. In addition, she provides workshops and tele-classes on fertility success. For more information go to: http://www.myfertilitysuccess.com