Seeds of Wellness - Fertility
Infertility affects one in every six couples. This number has doubled since 1980, which may be why it seems like people have to work harder to get pregnant.
This month in our Seeds of Wellness program, we spoke with Dr. Laura Rues of Kansas City Integrative Health. We spoke about the fertility issues that many people face, and what Dr Rues does to help them on their journey to health. Her passion is to help couples struggling with fertility, by promoting overall wellness. “Fertility,” she tells us, “Is a sign of a healthy body.” Dr. Rues is a naturopathic doctor who works with her patients’ bodies to support health and in turn, a healthy pregnancy.
You might have had well-meaning friends or family members to tell you to relax. “It will happen once you stop worrying about it” is a phrase lots of people working to get pregnant are familiar with. Everyone has a friend who was only able to get pregnant once they stopped trying. Unfortunately, this advice is almost impossible to take when you’re struggling with conceiving. However, while stress can impair a person’s ability to get pregnant, it’s rarely the only cause.
When it comes to fertility issues, many couples feel helpless, trying month after month with no success. The first step is understanding what exactly you’re dealing with. “Impaired fertility” is the inability to conceive in a set period of time. If you are under the age of 35 and cannot get pregnant after one year of trying, you are dealing with impaired fertility. The time range drops to six months if you are over the age of 35, or if you’ve had two or more miscarriages.
Oftentimes, fertility specialists won’t see someone that has not met the parameters of impaired fertility. Dr. Rues does not subscribe to that philosophy. Her goal is to teach lifestyle changes and natural ways to improve your health. Successful conception is much easier when your body is healthy. However, there are many causes of impaired fertility. Some are easier to fix than others, which is why Dr. Rues always starts from a premise of building overall health. If improving wellness doesn’t help, it’s time to start looking at other possible causes. Hormonal imbalances cause changes to the ovulation cycle or even stop ovulation altogether. Nutritional deficits can also cause problems; without the right nutrition, our bodies can’t create the right environment for making a baby. Furthermore, infertility is not just an issue for mothers. When looking at what may be causing impaired fertility, both parents should be evaluated.
If you are having troubles with conceiving or know someone who is, please ask us for more information. Naturopathic medicine, like Dr. Rues practices, can help your fertility journey, but chiropractic and acupuncture have also been shown to help as well. Come into the office today and see what we can do to help you in your wellness goals for the WHOLE family!
This month’s special is FemGuard: a supplement for women that contains vitamin B complex and black cocosh. It helps to even out hormonal irregularities and improve PMS and menopause symptoms. 20% off, for the month of April!
