When we started the fertility testing I wasn’t sure what to expect: would they tell me I couldn’t conceive again, would they find out I had a terminal illness, would they say I am totally normal and they have no clue why we have had two miscarriages in a row? I was nervous but excited to take matters into my own hands. I’ve learned a lot over these last three months and so I wanted to share the 5 lifestyle changes I’ve been making as we have been walking our road towards growing our family.

Removing Toxins

Guys, when people used to talk about skincare and haircare, I kind of rolled my eyes. Like yeaaaa, I get it but I didn’t really GET IT. Think about it: doctors prescribe topical solutions for medication. What does that mean? That our skin absorbs what we are putting on it – including allll the toxins found in our skincare, lotion, cleaning products, the whole she-bang. When I started looking at fertility stuff, this was one of the first ways to just help your body out, so I switched to all natural skincare and haircare and we are looking closer at the labels of the cleaning solutions being used in our home (and who am I kidding? Drew does 95% of the cleaning anyway!) If you want help figuring out what in the bottles in your home, download the app “Think Dirty” and prepare to haul a load to the dump… it’s INSANE.

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Removing Stress

Well, this one is easier said than done but I have taken big strides in this area. As someone with major adrenal fatigue, it was important to look at the stressors in my life and start to identify places where I can consciously work towards less stress to keep my cortisol levels down and level. To be honest, since our first miscarriage I haven’t been able to lose any weight and I was getting so frustrated.

I was at my heaviest and nothing would move the needle, but I didn’t understand how much my lifestyle was impacting this. I am taking a little break from CrossFit (not because it’s not awesome but because I am a competitive athlete and I can’t do anything half heartedly!) and waking up slower. I’ve been taking my dogs on long walks in the morning while listening to worship tunes, been cutting back on caffeine consumption, and taking notes on the things that stress me out and how I can start to make changes!

Removing Gluten

Noticing a trend on the “removal” scale? Yeah. I am officially 3 weeks totally and completely gluten-free! No cheating, no nothing. I was nervous about doing it right around my sisters’ wedding and with events and wedding season unfolding but so far, it hasn’t been bad at all. I’m actually enjoying it because I am feeling better, I’m started to crave healthier foods, and I don’t really miss it.

There are some incredible substitutes out there and I’m using them while I transition but my big goal is to ditch the gluten-free breads/pastas/pancake mix and only enjoy them on special occasions so that my diet is a lot cleaner and more paleo like. I think the hardest part about this transition is eating out! There is gluten in EVERYTHING but so far our waitresses have been understanding and knowing that I CAN’T eat it makes it easier than just toeing the line of trying to eat gluten-free. I am surprised at how well I am doing on it (ahem, mac and cheese gal over here!)

Taking Supplements

I will be the first to admit that I am terrible at taking pills. My entire life, I’ve never been on a daily prescription and thank heavens for that because I suck at doing it but now I am taking a handful of supplements to help with the deficiencies we found during my blood work. I even bought a little pill box with the AM and PM compartments to help me stay on track and make sure I am getting all the vitamins and nutrients as we heal my body from the inside out.

One of the things I love most about what we are doing is we aren’t turning to medication or hormone therapy, we are working to get my body back to being able to do it all on its own and so I am excited and hopeful in how we are working through the lower optimal spots and the places where I was truly deficient with both diet AND supplements.

Getting to Know My Body

It’s safe to say that before all of this I was the queen at ignoring my body. I couldn’t tell ya how many hours a night I was sleeping, how often I was using the restroom, or how I was feeling after each meal. To be honest, I was just really tired (I still am but it’s getting better!) I felt like I was a walking case of mono, exhausted every single day to the point where I had major anxiety about making plans or commitments because I was afraid that I would be too tired when the day came (and no one likes a flake!)

So this process has been so incredibly eye-opening not just in seeing the test results of what is going on inside of my body but in paying attention to the way different things make me feel like sleep, exercise, and of course diet. One big tool that’s been helpful navigating the diet changes it a food tracking journal! One of my amazing followers created The Food Diary Co. and it’s awesome to help not just track food but how it’s making you feel. I am so thankful I hired a naturopathic doctor who was willing to dive deep into not just our fertility issues but into how my body is handling everything has been the best part of this adventure. So, so thankful for Dr. Lauren Noel and the journey she is taking me on! 

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