I have had the overwhelming urge to share some of the things that I have learnt in the last two years since having got pregnant and what I have and continue to learn as I further my training in functional and integrative nutrition and health coaching. It mainly centres around gut health and its impact on fertility, motherhood and baby.
This is a very personal episode, and it is perhaps not as succinct as some of my previous more educational episodes.
I talk about my personal experience with my gut health, my healing journey, and what things I have and have not done, which have then had or appear to have had an impact on my little boy. I wanted to share this insight, as it has changed the way I am going about optimising my fertility and managing my Endo compared to the first time around. I suppose it is a lessons learnt and how I would do things differently this time compared to last time.
So in this episode some of the things I talk about:
- The difference between functional and integrative medicine
- My garden analogy with the gut microbiome and health
- Endometriosis being a whole-body disease not a pelvic hormonal disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Gut and pelvic pain connection
- Fear when bringing symptoms to your doctors attention
- My scattergun approach first time round
- Postpartum recovery
- Breastfeeding and baby’s gut health and immunity
- Histamine intolerance and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
- GI stool testing
- Impact of chronic sleep deprivation
- Importance of having a healthy body before pregnancy
- 6 take-aways to improve your gut health
- Strategic functional and integrative approach to supporting the body
I have included some relevant podcast and blog articles that also covered the gut either in their entirety or in part. I have two great upcoming interviews with specialists all about the microbiome, both gut and vaginal in the next month – so definitely subscribe so you don’t miss out!
Abdominal Massage and Gut Health:
If you haven’t already seen, I have a Love Your Pelvis Bundle available to purchase for a reduced price of £15.00, and this includes a tutorial and demonstration on how to massage your abdomen from your diaphragm down to your womb. You also get easy printable instructions on how use castor oil packs, seed cycling, Endo Fertility Affirmations.
There are HUGE BENEFITS with massaging your stomach, pancreas, liver, small and large intestines, which can be done any day of the month, unlike the pelvic area, which is restricted to after your period and before ovulation. Some of these benefits include:
- improves digestion
- increases blood flow, oxygenation and removal of toxins
- increases intestinal villi movement
- breaks down adhesions and scar tissue – especially important if you have adhesions to the bowel
- relaxes the diaphragm – which affects our reproductive organs including your ovaries
Massaging daily for 5 minutes is literally life changing, and if you suffer from constipation, bloating, painful stomach, SIBO, slow digestion, belching, farting or any other GI symptoms, then learning how to massage your abdominal area is a fantastic tool you can do in the comfort of your home.
Relevant podcast episodes
- EF#20: Five Functional Tests for Endo Fertility
- EF#12: Five Things to Increase Stomach Acid (Part 2)
- EF#10: Five Reasons Why Stomach Acid Is So Important (Part 1)
- EF #9 Healing the Gut & CNS Reduces Endo Pain and Infertility with Dr Jessica Drummond
- EF#5: Good Guts, Lively Livers, Fibroids & Endometriosis with Christine Garvin
Relevant blogs:
Further Endo Fertility resources:
- Join my Endo Fertility community! Find us in the Thrive and Conceive with Endometriosis Facebook Group.
- Follow me on Instagram and Facebook
- Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Optimistic Future
This episode is sponsored by the Endo Fertility Resource Library where you can get your 3 amazing freebies: E-Book:
- 5 Things I Learnt to Drop My Pain & Optimise My Fertility,
- Your Guide to Super Sperm
- 88 Ways I Dropped My Pain and Got Pregnant.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any future episodes – which will be out weekly on Wednesdays – ready to download for your commute! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
If you want to be on the podcast or have feedback please email: info@endofertilityspecialist.com
This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.
