Yes, You Can Overcome Infertility!

Infertility Awareness Week is April 24-30. To commemorate and support anyone facing the challenge to have a family, I wanted to share the biggest lessons we learned through our journey to becoming parents and how we finally overcome infertility.

Lesson # 1: Don’t suffer in silence

For more than five years, my husband and I suffered infertility in silence. We never told anyone about our “unexplained infertility” diagnosis. We went through three miscarriages and a few IUI attempts. It was a long, heartbreaking journey, and if you are having fertility challenges, please talk to friends/family or find a support group. Infertility is not an easy process and no one should have to go through it alone.

Lesson # 2: Eat a healthy whole food diet

If you suffer of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), like me, the biggest thing you can do is change your diet. A few months after I changed mine, my regular period returned. And I have never looked back. We still continue to eat minimally processed foods and follow a high protein, low carb diet. Some specific things that helped me overcome infertility:

1. Practice intermittent fasting. I recommend consulting with your medical provider before, but in general, practicing a 12-14 hour fast period is safe for women in child-bearing age.
2. Cut down on sugar and starches. This way, your glucose levels will steady leading to less insulin in your body and improved gut health. Consider healthy swaps like this oat and almond bread, healthy chocolate cookies, or healthy pancakes/waffles.
3. Increase consumption of high quality protein and healthy fat intake. Again, this helps in flattening your glucose levels. Healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocados, salmon, olives, and nuts have also shown to improve mental health.
4. Limit alcohol, because it disturbs your hormones.
5. Exercise. As your muscles use energy, your blood sugar level steadies. The insulin levels in your body drops, and you will experience less PCOS symptoms. It also helps reduce the stress in your body and mind.
6. Get 8 hours of sleep at night. Poor sleep quality is also associated with insulin resistance.

Lesson # 3: Take time to relax

What you think, affects your cells. Meditation is a great way of discovering, acknowledging, and minimizing negative thoughts that affect your body. To help you get started in meditation, listen to fertility guided meditations. You can find some in YouTube and here.

Lesson # 4: Don’t lose hope

One way or another, you can become the parent you’ve always dreamed of. Whether that’s through assisted technology such as IVF, surrogacy, or adoption, you can overcome infertility.

We, the infertility warriors, are strong! And during this National Infertility Week, I celebrate and admire you for doing everything in your power to create a family.