A few years ago, I froze my eggs. I didn’t do it because I was told I couldn’t have kids. I did it so I could buy myself some time. During the process, I learned a lot about my body, fertility, and holistic medicine and nutrition as a means to encourage and support pregnancy.
I also learned that there is still a misconception that the woman is usually to blame when a pregnancy fails. This is not the case. Many experts will say it’s 50/50.
There is often a story of a couple who are desperately trying to get pregnant. They try for years until finally, they give up and choose to adopt. And then wouldn’t you know it – they get pregnant and end up with 2 kids! Some might call this a coincidence, but in my world, it’s called stress! And stress happens to everyone, which is why reproductive function can fail in both women and men.
When your body is under stress, it thinks your life is at risk, so it reacts by protecting you. The body is amazing that way…automatically adjusting so that you can live a longer life. The response (‘stress response’) starts in the brain, which immediately releases hormones that cause a number of reactions in the body. Amongst other things, your heart starts to pound and blood pressure increases (to send oxygen and blood to your muscles so you can fight or flee from your threat), pupils dilate (so you can see your threat clearer), and various tissues are broken down into glucose, increasing blood sugar levels (so your body has energy to fight or flee).
But numerous processes are also compromised or halted when you’re under stress, 3 of which are:
- Digestion
- Immune System
- Reproduction
One of the reasons these systems are compromised is because if you’re fighting for your life, your body is not going to care if you’re eating (digestion), if your tissues are healing (immune system) or if you can ovulate, have an erection or have a baby (umm, that’s the reproduction side in case that wasn’t clear!). In women, reproduction is a huge energy expense so this naturally gets shut down when your body is in fight or flight mode. In men, stress reduces testosterone levels and although stress doesn’t often reduce testosterone to the point of infertility, it can result in erectile dysfunction. Keep in mind though, that if you are eating junk food, the quality of sperm is going to reflect that. If you want to read more about this, check out this book: The Tao of Fertility.
So to the future moms and dads out there who want to have a family, consider the stress factor. BUT…make sure you understand the different types of stress that can have an impact on your body. Without a doubt, emotional stress plays a huge role in our health, but remember, poor diet, lack of sleep, dehydration, too much screen time, the wrong exercise program, too much travel, and other factors can also cause that same stress response in your body.
Want to reduce stress on your body? Check out our Private Coaching Programs, Workplace Wellness Programs or The 8 Weeks to Awesome Wellness Challenge. We’d love to help.
As always, be well 💕