Before we dive into the beneficial ways you can support this vital window of your female physiology, let's have a quick look at what it means to ovulate and why it can sometimes go astray.
Ovulation 101: Ovulation is when the ovaries release an egg from the dominant follicle, and after which a mass of cells called the corpus
luteum forms in the ovaries. This corpus luteum produces the majority of our progesterone making ovulation vital to both women wanting to fall pregnant as well as those that don't as sufficient progesterone's not produced without it. We need progesterone to support a healthy pregnancy, we also need progesterone to stimlate our GABA receptors which keeps us super chilled, to help our cells use thyroid hormones, to raise our libido, and to keep our oestrogen levels in check so we don't progress into oestrogen dominance. The latter is increasingly common today due to other diet, lifestyle and environmental factors.
How do you know if you are ovulating?.... visit my previous post for some pretty great vital signs EVERY women should know about, https://www.lifebenatural.com/post/fertility-awareness
So here are the common reasons women don't ovulate with some helpful tips alongside....
1) Postpartum ~ nutrient deficiencies coupled with increased stress and pressures can result in postnatal depletion which can negatively effect your hormone balance. It is paramount you go for a six months check up and full blood test and work with a nutritionist to get your nutrient stores and therefore your health back on track!
2) PCOS ~ rises in androgens, specifically testosterone, can result in decreased progesterone and overall hormone irregularities.You are likely going to want to get to the bottom of your triggers and work on a very tailored health plan.
3) Peri-menopause & menopause ~ when you physiologically stop ovulating and is an appropriate reason given it is at the right time in your life.
4) High stress ~ during stress your body preferentially makes cortisol over progesterone and oestrogen giving your complex hormone imbalances. This pathway starts in the brain which has a major role in the signalling of your bodies hormone production and is not tuned to real our perceived stress. ie. you brain doesn't differentiate between famine and harsh dieting OR a dangerous wild animal or a cranky boss. Even excess exercise, in particular HIIT, can cause detrimental stress to the body. Whilst restorative exercise like Yin yoga can really support stress relief. Meditation and mindfulness have a super important role here too as does improving your self worth and internal dialogue (often the most debilitating part of stress is actually the way we perceive it!)
5) Eating disorders ~ as well as the above mentioned stress that harsh dieting - aka famine- puts on your body and communicates to your brain, we need health fats in and on our body to build our hormones (cholesterol is the starting molecule to "mama hormone" pregnenolone), our cells and to keep our blood sugar in check which can also be detrimental. On the flip side obesity and excess fatty tissue means the body has a greater ability to convert androgens into oestrogen and encourage dysbiosis, altogether causing oestrogen dominance and hormone imbalance. You want to optimise your weight to be within a healthy BMI ~ too low or too high are equally detrimental, if in doubt talk to your nutritionist.
6) Stopping birth control ~ birth control can cause long term hormone issue due to its use of synthetic forms of hormones and in particular progestin which is not the same as progesterone and therefore over time (as long as you take the pill) progestin interrupts and changes the natural physiological role of progesterone with super detrimental effects - we are talking shrinking ovaries and a list of systemic issues. Again, you are likely going to want a very tailored health plan to get you back on track.
7) Disrupted sleep ~ whilst our menstrual cycle can be appreciated for it's infradian - monthly- rhythm, we also rely on a well tuned circadian rhythm which is further linked to cortisol and hormonal balance, and this simply isn't possible without good sleep. The hours before 10pm are often the most beneficial!
8) Hypothyroidism ~ becoming more and more the dirty word, this condition is the result of decreased levels of thyroid hormone and thyroid hormones are vital in signalling the brain to do it's job (the hypothalamus in the brain then signals the body to make relevant hormones). Thyroid hormone is also vital in your bodies production of the "mother hormone" pregnenolone which then give birth to all your other sex hormones. You need to get to the root cause of this imbalance - whether nutrient deficiency related or more complex.
9) Poor gut health and liver health ~ not only can poor gut health and dysbiosis be a source of stress and inflammation for the body, but both gut and liver are vital in detoxifying and eliminating hormones without which there is excess and imbalance. It may take some time to find the drivers of your dysbiosis and poor gut function and also to make relevant diet changes and heal, depending on the amount of the impact and detriment. But a healthy and happy gut makes the body go round in harmony and is worth the trouble of healing!
10) Excessive toxins exposure ~ such a wide variety of toxins in our environment and diet these days ranging from a low grade food intolerance, which undetected and persistent can have detriment to our gut health and over burden our liver. To endocrine disrupters, xeno-oestrogens, which mimic oestrogen, bind to oestrogen receptors and cause an excess in our bodies not to mention further overload to the liver. These are ubiquitous in our environment, commonly found in plastic, packaging, furniture, personal care products, fragrances and much more. You simply need to clean up you diet and your lifestyle - choose a low tox life. Its super available these days!!
There are some great diet inclusions you can think about to balance your hormones and support your body....
Leafy greens ~ excellent source of B vitamins like folate
Orange pigment vegetables ~ for beta carotene which is important for egg health
Cold water fish ~ an excellent source of essential fatty acids and vitamin D ~ Vitamin D can help in creating healthy estrogen levels and essential fats acids for brain health and proper inflammatory response
Capsicum and oranges, kiwi, tomatoes for vitamin C ~ which is important for hormone production, it can increase and intensify effects of progesterone, and as an antioxidant it protects your ovaries
Healthy fats like avocado, cold water fish, olive oil, grass fed butter, chicken fat/broth fat ~ help your body build hormones, keep blood sugar in check and are used to build cells
Green tea ~ helps with estrogen metabolism
Oysters, pumpkin seeds, red meat, avocados, chicken thighs (aka dark meat), legumes and cashews are high in zinc ~ which increases follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) which supports healthy ovulation which triggers ovaries to produce progesterone
Whole grains (if tolerated), green leafy vegetables, nuts and cacao are a great source of magnesium ~ supportive of adrenal health which is essential for hormone production, as well as being involved in many reactions in the body
Cold water fish, poultry, bananas, legumes and nuts are a great source of vitamin B6 ~ involved in oestrogen metabolism and can become depleted if oestrogen dominance is a problem, this vitamin also has a progesterone like effects and has been shown to reduce oestrogen and increase progesterone
You could also consider seed cycling, visit https://www.lifebenatural.com/post/seed-cycling for full details, or include 1 tablespoon of freshly ground flaxseed each day which has shown to increase ovulation rates and lengthen the luteal phase in women with normal menstrual cycles as well as increase the luteal phase levels of progesterone relative to oestradiol.
By far the most important message and the foundation to my belief system of health is that to be in harmony and for the body to be abundant in wellness, you need to understand the root cause of your imbalances and work hard to fix it!
References
Trickey, R., (2003). Women, hormones, the menstrual cycle. Allen & Unwin Brighten, J., (2019). Beyond the pill. Harper One.
Brighten, J., (2016). 9 Ways to Improve Low Progesterone & Boost Fertility. Retrieved from https://drbrighten.com/boost-low-progesterone/
Hill, M., (2020). Explaining cycle-related changes. Retrieved from https://www.maisiehill.com/blog/explain-your-cycle
Brighten, J., (2019). Seed Cycling for Hormone Balance. Retrieved from
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