Trying to Conceive Your Functional Fertility Guidebook

TRYING TO CONCEIVE

YourFunctional FertilityGuidebook

Writtenby:KristenDeAngelis,RD,IFNCP,RYT

About the Author Kristen DeAngelis, RD, IFNCP, RYT

Kristen DeAngelis is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Board Certified Functional Practitioner, and Health Coach specializing in women’s health, hormones and fertility She is the Director of Health Coaching and Education at Vidal, formerly known as Nutrition Dynamic, one of the top health coaching companies in the United States Her expertise is additionally sought after by emerging coaches in the field of Functional Nutrition through her work with Metabolic Mentor University

Kristen holds a Bachelor's degree in Dietetics and Exercise Science from Virginia Tech and completed her dietetic internship at Ingalls Hospital in Chicago. She completed her functional training through Nutrition Dynamic systems (now Metabolic Mentor University), and the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy (IFNA). Additionally, Kristen has 15 years of experience as a seasoned yoga instructor, certified in Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga and Yin modalities She recently has become a Doula at UVM hospital helping empower women in their birthing experience

Driven by the mission to create lasting impact, Kristen is dedicated to the well-being of her clients, coaches, and the global community, by helping them achieve optimal health, vitality, and above all empowerment through holistic solutions.

She currently lives in Burlington VT, with her husband, dog and newborn daughter. She loves being outdoors and staying active through Crossfit, yoga, skiing, hiking, and being in nature As a Human Design, “reflector” , and astrological sun sign Sagittarius, she has a contagious positive energ d fi d h lf th i i g h i community with others

A note from the author...

If this book is in your hands, there’s a good chance you’re feeling excited, nervous, maybe even apprehensive on your Trying to Conceive journey.

You may be thinking… is this book going to really help me?!

Let me start with, above the credentials I hold, the most important is that I am what we call “certified by life” Meaning, I was in your shoes

I was there too I KNOW how you feel

I was frustrated and fed up with the lack of support I was getting in the conventional medical system. I went to SO many specialists who left me with no answers other than “we’re not sure why you don’t have a period… don’t worry, when you want to get pregnant we’ll just give you hormones”. I felt lost. Hopeless I wanted to desperately have a family but with gut issues, anxiety, and ZERO period in sight I was worried if it would even be possible

That is how I found myself in this field of functional nutrition. I was able to not only get my period and ovulation back (and resolve other issues along the way), but the best gift of all… I was able to get pregnant naturally and easily through this process. And this is exactly what I want for you too.

I’m obsessed with helping women feel EMPOWERED, confident, and achieve their health and fertility goals We’re all given gifts I believe mine is to educate, inspire and empower those to the highest version of themselves I believe it is every single woman’s right to have the opportunity to move through their health journey with ALL the tools available to succeed not only in their fertility journey but in the years that follow.

I hope you enjoy this book. I can’t wait to hear from you.

- Kristen

Thecontentofthisguideisforinformationalpurposesonly.Allinformationprovidedisaresultofyearsofpracticeandresearch byKristenDeAngelis,NutritionDynamic,andthedesiretoseewomenbecomemoreempoweredintheirknowledgeoftheir bodies.Assuch,thisinformationisnotintendedasasubstituteformedicaladvicebyamedicaldoctor.

Chapter Outline

CHAPTER 1

“The How”: 5 Factors that affect Fertility

QUIZ: *Female Preconception Assessment

CHAPTER 2

Sex hormones: Menstrual Cycle 101

◊ The 4 Phases

◊ The main event: Ovulation and The 3 Primary Fertility Signs

◊ Birth Control & Ovulation FAQ

◊ Girl, get to know yourself! Cycle Tracking

◊ Progesterone’s Importance on Fertility

CHAPTER 3

Importance of detoxification & Establishing Toxic Load

◊ Common Environmental Toxins that Impact Fertility

◊ QUIZ: Establishing your toxic load

◊ How to remove toxic chemicals prior to conception

◊ Your 4 Action Steps for Liver Detoxification

CHAPTER 4

Nutrition Goals for Fertility Preparation & Hormone Balance

◊ 10 Food Guiding Principles for Hormone Balance + Fertility

◊ Having a Healthy Mindset around Food

CHAPTER 5

Digestive & Thyroid Health

◊ The Gut Microbiome and 5R Gut Protocol

◊ Thyroid Health, Symptoms, Labs and Actions steps to support

CHAPTER 6

What to Eat! The Micronutrients, Phytonutrients and Antioxidants to support Fertility, Egg Health, & Mitochondria when Trying to Conceive

◊ Vitamin D

◊ B Vitamins and Folate

◊ Choline

◊ Iron

◊ Minerals (Zinc, Selenium, Iodine, Magnesium)

CHAPTER 7

◊ Antioxidants (Melatonin, Vitamin E, Glutathione, Vitamin C)

◊ CoQ10

◊ L Carnitine

◊ Omega 3 Fatty Acids

◊ Inositol

Stress, Adrenal Function, Circadian Rhythm + Impact on Baby Making

◊ What is Stress and the effects of maternal stress on pregnancy

◊ Stress Responses

◊ What to do about it - Your Health Programming Toolbox

◊ Lifestyle Shifts to Make Space for a Baby

◊ Sleep Circadian Rhythm + Recovery Days

CHAPTER 8

Training + Movement to Prep for Baby

◊ Benefits of Exercise when TTC

◊ What kind of exercise to do and reminder of the season you’re in!

CHAPTER 9

Laboratory to Consider: Female Preconception Screening

CHAPTER 10

Male Fertility

◊ Male Infertility

◊ Principles for Male Fertility - Stress, Nutrition, Lifestyle

◊ Supplementation for Male Fertility

◊ Male Labwork when TTC

CHAPTER 11

Fertility Core Supplementation

◊ Choosing a Prenatal - what you should look for and why

◊ Your Core Supplementation “STACK”

◊ Additional Supplement Considerations

◊ Supplementation Quality

CHAPTER 12

Mindset when Trying to Conceive

◊ Mindset Keys - The game changing tools in your TTC Journey

◊ Pregnancy Propaganda – Don’t let them scare you while you’re trying to Conceive!

The Mental Load of Motherhood + Communal Support.

What do you believe to be true?

What about your career and professional goals?!

It’s not about you anymore”?!

CHAPTER 13

Our 3 Phase Dynamic System: Flush, Feed, Function

**Your Resource Guidebook**

◊ 12 Week Meal Plan – Flush, Feed, Cycle Sync

◊ Toxin guidebook

Using this process

Hundreds of women have healed their hormones & had success on their fertility journey and you can too!

HOW TO USE THIS COURSE

If you are just starting out and have no reason to expect fertility challenges, you may not need to adopt every single recommendation we discuss. By simply following the basic plan, supplements, nutrition recommendations and starting to reduce some of the worst offenders of toxins, you may be able to get pregnant faster and reduce risk of miscarriage.

If you are worried you might be having difficulty conceiving due to family history or personal history, you may want to implement most of the recommendations while also working 1-1 with a Coach.

We especially recommend working with a practitioner alongside this course if:

You have been diagnosed with Endometriosis, PCOS, POI, Recurrent cysts or Fibroids, PMDD

Have failed rounds of IVF or IUI

Have a history of recurrent miscarriage

If time is of the essence and you’re trying to be as efficient as possible

As you move through these chapters, remember, it takes approximately 3 months for an egg to mature and be released for ovulation - giving yourself 3-6 months to implement what we are discussing here will impact your future ovulation, fertilization and beyond!

OUTLINE OF THIS COURSE:

“TheHow”:Theactual “Steps”we’regoingtotake toprepyouforFertility!

Step 1

Step 2

Understand your body, menstrual cycle, ovulation signs & we’ll start tracking cyclical rhythms

Understand how to eat, live, and move to balance all the systems that influence hormones and fertility

Step

3

Step 4

Step

5

Step

6

Look at labs & supplementation to optimize YOUR personal fertility journey

Get hormonal systems integrated & on board for baby making!

Get your partner involved - it takes two to make a baby!

Integrate it all together & make it individualized to YOU with biofeedback!

Chapter

1“The How”: Factors that affect Fertility that we will give you the ACTION steps through this course.

What does Infertility mean and what are the causes and factors YOU can impact?

We are going to give you all the ACTION steps you need to THRIVE in your preconception journey. Let’s first address some misconceptions about the big scary word “infertility”... what does it really mean, what are the causes, and what are the modifiable factors– the stuff you can actually DO–to reduce your time to conceive in an enjoyable and empowering way?

Infertility is defined as for 1 year without pregnancy

“actively trying”

(keep in mind, many women don’t know the steps of how to effectively “actively try” which is exactly why we are all here to set you up for SUCCESS!)

Infertility is common in about 1 in 5 (19%) of Women in the US aged 15-49 years with no prior births.

About 1 in 4 (26%) women of those experiencing infertility, have difficulty carrying a pregnancy to term.

Infertility has significant health consequences, including psychological distress, social stigmatization, financial and time cost burden, and later onset of disease in both men and women

Nearly 41% of infertile women have depression and 87% of infertile women have anxiety

12% of women have used an infertility service in the U.S. (CDC, 2017)

Average IVF total cost estimates between $12,000 - $30,000. If there are multiple cycles needed, this cost could indeed be much higher and also is dictated based on where you live. The excessive financial burden is from medications ($3,500-$5,500), bloodwork and ultrasound monitoring, egg retrieval ($2,000-$3,000), anesthesia, laboratory fees ($2,000-$4,000), genetic testing ($1,500-$3,000), egg storage ($1000), Consultation ($500-750), embryo transfer ($1,500-$5,000)

https://fertilityspace io/blog/the-cost-of-ivf-in-2022

https://www.who.int/publications/item/978920068315

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21546616/

https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/index.htm

https://pubmed ncbi nlm nih gov/17580298/

https://pubmed ncbi nlm nih gov/23315066/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19635736/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23454007/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC534113/

Female Infertility may be caused by:

◊ Ovulatory Dysfunction, which can result from:

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Premature or primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)

Hyperprolactinemia

Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA)

HPA-dysfunction (dysfunction of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland

◊ Uterine or cervical abnormalities, fallopian tube damage

◊ Uterine fibroids

◊ Endometriosis

◊ Early menopause

◊ Pelvic scar tissue

◊ Severe psychological distress (HPA-axis)

◊ Increased maternal age (>35 fertility starts to decline and significantly declines after age 42)

Many of these can be supported by working with a trained practitioner to addresstherootcause!! Whilewewillnotbegoingintotoomuchdetailabout each of these complex conditions, we’ve provided you with the essential tools you need in order to get started. These tools alone can absolutely provide positiveresults!

Utilizing our 1-1 programming alongside can be beneficial in cases where personalized programming is necessary, and this will absolutely help in cases where some of the more complex conditions listed above need to be addressed.

Miscarriage may be caused by certain modifiable factors:

◊ Chronic NSAID use

◊ Excess Caffeine intake greater than 300-500mg

◊ Hyperprolactinemia

◊ Poorly controlled blood sugars and insulin resistance

◊ PCOS

◊ Infections

◊ Thyroid issues - hypo/hyper

◊ Uterine abnormalities

◊ Low Progesterone

◊ Smoking

◊ Prolonged Ovulation implantation (PCOS, Luteal phase defect)

◊ Alcohol > 3 drinks/week in the first trimester

https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/infertility-statistics/

Iwanttoreiterate,whilethesestatisticscanbe abitshocking,thereIS.SO.MUCH.WE.CAN.DO!

We’llbeworkingtosupport healthyconceptionand reduceriskofmiscarriage throughdiet,lifestyle,nutrition, supplementation,laboratory, andoptimizingyourhormonal systems Let’sdiveintothe maintopicsthroughoutthis guidebook.

The 5 Integrated Body Systems that impact your Fertility…

andthatyoucanmodifythrough diet,nutrition,movement, mindsetandlifestyle!

Here, we will describe the different body systems that have a HUGE impact on fertility. In future chapters, you can look forward to learning how you can actually optimize and nourish these different systems through simple lifestyle change!

1.

Stress, Adrenals + HPA Axis

Making a baby starts in your brain (hypothalamus and pituitary to be exact) which are the message centers for your entire body.

Your body is always trying to protect you and will shuttle its resources to the areas of the body that need it most.. If you’re in an acute or chronically stressed-out situation (whether it’s physical stressors like being underfed, overworked, malnourished, in toxic overload, or under major mental/emotional stressors from work, family, finances, or body image) these will signal the brain to slow down messages to areas like digestion, hair, skin and in our case – hormones and fertility!

The analogy of our “fight or flight’ response, is that if we’re running from a bear it wouldn’t be a great time to make a baby. If we were in a famine, it wouldn’t be a time to conceive. These are all threats to life - so the body will shut that shit down.

Women whose saliva had high levels of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that marks stress, took 29% longer to get pregnant compared to those who had less.

https://www pubmed ncbi nlm nih gov/24664130/

Caroline’s testimonial

When I first started with Kristen I felt like I didn’t know where to start I had just suffered from my second miscarriage and felt like my body wasn’t my own My hair was falling out, I was swollen, I couldn’t sleep, and I had horrible headaches

Kristen took the time to listen to me and make a clear plan She also took the time to explain everything! She was always available to answer my concerns and questions

After working with Kristen I began to see significant changes:

Decrease in swelling

Clear skin/no more hair falling out

Good quality sleep

No more headaches

My cycle regulated

The biggest change was the ability to slow down and enjoy exercise again. I’d gotten into the rhythm of constantly killing myself at the gym and I found myself sore/hurt more often than healthy. She helped me become more in tune with my body and understand what my body needs for the day.

And the most exciting news was finding out I was pregnant! After 2 miscarriages I was terrified to find out I was pregnant (worried I would lose the baby), but she celebrated with me and encouraged me. I’m now 26 weeks pregnant and so happy Kristen helped me make life changes!

Liver Detoxification + Healthy Hormone pathways

The question is not “if” we are toxic -the question is just how much? From our food, water, and air supply to everyday things we use in our environment from opening a box of new shoes, to using an air freshener, and washing our face and clothes - these all carry chemicals, of which are known as “neuroendocrine disruptors” (aka they impact your hormones!).

These “neuroendocrine disruptors” can lead to inflammatory pathways of how hormones get excreted from our body, which is often a root cause of painful, long, or heavy periods and the symptoms of PMS associated Remember it’s not just how much hormone you have, it’s how it moves through and also exits your body - all of which impact a healthy menstrual cycle and fertility!

Maternal toxin exposure (things like lead, arsenic, phthalates and plastics) has been found to decrease follicle and oocyte count increase risk of miscarriage, infertility, preterm birth, and can negative impact hormone levels like testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen.

While this may seem scary at first, I promise this is the first of many empowering steps to improve not only getting pregnant, and delivering a healthy baby, but also the health of your child later in life! We will dive into exactly what you can do to reduce your toxic load and how to effectively clear and excrete their buildup.

3.

Gut & Thyroid Health

Gut Health

The body is intimately connected and our gut is often known as our “second brain”, with more bacteria than cells in our body housed in the gastrointestinal tract. All paths lead back to the gut, it’s where our immune system resides, where we produce neurotransmitters, and it’s also where hormone metabolism and excretion takes place. When our gut and microbiome is off balance, our reproductive system will also suffer Just like your menstrual cycle is a monthly vital sign or “report card” - your gut health and daily digestion and bowel movements are like a daily report card The goal is to have a strong GI lining, a healthy immune system, daily bowel movements, and the absence of chronic reflux, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating and major food sensitivities. If you experience these issues you may need further gut health support!

For those who have been on long term use of hormonal birth control, this can negatively impact your gut microbiome.

Thyroid Health

Did you know we have thyroid receptors on every cell and organ on your body? Thyroid conditions are a common condition affecting those experiencing infertility, and it’s definitely something we like to look at in your comprehensive prenatal lab work up to optimize your outcomes!

For those with hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid function: we see decreased fertility, increased miscarriage, increased maternal anemia, preeclampsia, and increased fetal abnormalities, brain development and preterm birth

For those with hyper hypothyroidism, or overactive thyroid function: we see increased risk of congenital malformations, and increased risk of maternal placental abruptions, preterm birth, preeclampsia and increase risk for the fetus to be born small for gestational age

We will get more into the incredible ways to support your microbiome, gut and thyroid health through food, nutrition, lifestyle practices and supplementation later in this guidebook.

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5.

Nutrient Status & Methylation activity

I’m not sure if you’ve heard yet – but nutrients like folate, B vitamins, Vitamin D, Choline are extremely important when it comes to Fertility and here's why. They play a KEY role in methylation, a ubiquitous metabolic process responsible for DNA repair, and critical for detoxification, hormone balance, neurotransmitter balance, circadian rhythm, antioxidant function and more - all critical for fertility.

Infertility (male and female) and spontaneous miscarriage are connected to poor methylation, not to mention it also contributes to neural tube defects in the baby once you are pregnant.

Unfortunately, most name brand prenatals and multivitamins have folic acid (the metabolically inactive form of folate that needs to get converted to its usable form), synthetic poorly absorbed form of B vitamins, and most lack choline altogether.

One study looked at 30 couples who had previous fertility issues, numerous miscarriages and were unsuccessful in IVF and when they were supplemented with methyl support for 4 months prior to getting pregnant, there was an 85% success rate to conceive!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6086798/

Our goal is to educate you on what to look for in your prenatal, what to eat and to ensure you’ve got adequate methyl support at least 3-6 months prior to conception!

*Ournutrition,movement,stress,lifestyle,labswecheckareallpartofwhatyouwill learnaboutandstartapplyingwhenitcomestooptimizingthesefactors!

QUIZ:

*FEMALEPRECONCEPTIONASSESSMENT

Part1: Tallyifyouanswer(Yes)toanyofthebelow

YES

YES

YES

Are you overweight or obese?

HEALTH

Have you been diagnosed or do you suspect you have any of the following:

Thyroid Disease (Hypothyroid/Hyperthyroid/Graves)

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Menstrual Cycle Conditions - PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), Endometriosis, Amenorrhea

Metabolic Syndrome

Diabetes

Do you experience any of the following?

Heavy Periods

Very light or non existent periods

Irregular Periods

YES

Hyper/Hypoglycemia

IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease)

Autoimmune conditions

Adrenal Dysfunction

Insomnia

Nutrient deficiencies Anemia

Very Short (Less than 21 days)

Very long cycle > 40 days

Do you have absent periods for more than 6 months?

Vaginal Dryness

Excessive irritability/mood swings around period

Excessive/extreme PMS symptoms and cramps

Stress dysregulation (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep)

YES

YES NO

YES

YES

NO NO NO

Do you work night shifts or experience jet lag frequently?

Do you have a weak immune system (allergies, recurrent infections, catch colds easily)

Do you know if you have any of the following Gene Variants: COMT, MTHFR, BDNF, CBS, PEMT

Are you currently taking birth control or have you been on birth control in the past?

LIFESTYLE

YES NO

YES NO

YES

YES

YES

Does your diet follow any of the following:

Drink less than 64 oz water/day

Consume processed food/added sugar on a daily basis

Struggle to consume at least 5-10 servings of fruits/veggies daily

Eat fish less than 1-2 days/week

Do you smoke?

NO NO NO

YES NO

Do you drink more than 1 serving/alcohol per day or more than 3 drinks in a sitting on the weekends (social/binge drinking)?

Do you consume THC/CBD regularly (more than 2-3x/month)?

Do you consume more than 500 mg caffeine/day? (See sample caffeine chart here)

Are you exposed to chemicals or environmental hazards in your current work environment? (Hair dressing, outside lawn/fertilizers, manufacturing plants, etc.)

YES NO

Do you have a history of PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitors) use?

Do you have a history of NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs) use?

YES YES

NO NO

Do you have difficulty falling asleep, getting to sleep, or difficulty waking up?

Do you sleep less than 7 hours per night?

SLEEP STRESS

Would you rate your stress levels above 5 on average (on a scale from 1-10)?

Do you often find yourself worrying, easy to get irritated or pressed for time, or difficulty making decisions?

Do you find yourself either anxious or depressed more often?

Do you have a family history of infertility?

Do you have a history of miscarriage?

Total Score YES

Part2: Tallyifyouanswer(No)toanyofthebelow

YES NO

Are you taking a Prenatal?

Does your prenatal contain… Methylated B vitamins (B12, B6, Folate)? Choline? Vitamin D? EPA/DHA?

Do you walk at least 30 minutes everyday?

Do you consume filtered water?

Do you consume organic produce when possible?

Do you actively engage in parasympathetic forms of movement? (ex. walking, yoga, tai chi, meditation, easy hiking)

Do you know when you currently ovulate?

Are you currently tracking your menstrual cycles?

Is your partner on board with making changes and being part of this process?

Total Score NO

Score:IfyouansweredYEStomorethan5questionsinPart1andifyouansweredNO to more than 2 questions in Part 2. This manual is absolutely going to change your fertilitytrajectory!Makesuretohoneinontheareasyoumarkedaswemovethrough theeducationandactionstepsprovided!

Chapter

Our 3 Phase Dynamic System: Flush, Feed, Function

Over the past 15 years we have perfected our proprietary 3F™ Process for fertility and have had incredible outcomes in thousands of women.

At Nutrition Dynamic, we’re focused on creating customized protocols for our one-on-one clients, and now we’re here to share that process with YOU! We aim to give you the tools for a FULL ROUNDED, proactive approach to healing your hormone concerns and achieving conception and a healthy pregnancy!

Our multi-faceted approach looks beyond just “how much you eat”, or what your “macros are” (protein, carbs, and fats), but incorporates all aspects of what functional health should benutrition, lifestyle, movement, mindset, laboratory review, and supplementation strategies for optimal health, vitality, and function. Our protocols throughout each phase are focused on an anti-inflammatory, mediterranean style of living that supports balanced nutrition, therapeutic movement, and a process to support optimal blood sugar/insulin response, thyroid function, gut microbiome, mitochondrial function and of course aligns with the cyclical phases of a woman’s menstrualcycle.

*At Nutrition Dynamic we have a “4th F” called hour fasting for years, but we will not be discussing that in this fertility guidebook here.

A NOTE ON HORMESIS

You see, our bodies adapt to our environments every day, if they did not, we would die. That’s the principle of hormesis, which tells us that a stimulus of any kind stimulates a pro-adaptive response in the body This stimulus can lead to positive outcomes, but when it is abused for too long (i.e. over training, undereating, too much stress, etc.), we fall into mal-adaptation…. Think of it like a bell curve, where too much training/eating/stress and not any stimulus/movement/lack of nutrition both create problems.

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Hormesis-like-benefits-of-physical-exercises-dueto-Papageorgiou-Stamatopoulos/17cb29e1285bb888bb24160b9fe7cebf13f9670f

This is where the 3F™ process comes in.

We’re not going to chase symptoms, we're going to understand the adaptive process of the environment and provide a different stimulus to get a different (and better) result! Using the sample plans provided for your nutrition, diet, lifestyle, movement, supplementation and even homework for each step, you’re going to have the tools to put in place to set you up for a successful fertility journey!

What is this 3F™ Process?

With the thousands of women we’ve been able to help heal their hormone imbalances and support fertility, we’re going to explain the basics of each step, which ties in all the education you’ve learned in your earlier chapters of this manual

Step1

STEP

The Flush Method combines over 40 years of research with 15+ years of case-studies and clinical results. The Flush is designed to upregulate liver function by supporting Phase 1 and Phase 2 detox pathways, allowing you to discover what it feels like to undergo a true reset on a cellular level. This is going to be the biggest shift to support the endocrine system (thyroid, adrenals, gut, detox/liver)

THE FOCUS

We will focus on calming the adrenals, nourishing the thyroid, up regulating liver detoxification processes and powering up the mitochondria in the cell. We do this by drastically calming the parasympathetic system while pulling out inflammatory foods (for a brief food elimination trial period), and upregulating pathways with tons of micronutrient dense fruits, veggies, vegetable/fruit juices, omega 3 rich fats, easily digestible proteins, and a nourishing balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats

START TRACKING

This is when you can start tracking your cycle and other markers of ovulation

*You may decide you want to get lab work right off the bat as you begin this journey

*See the lab chapter for recommendations and head to our Fertility Lab Bundles on our website

MOVEMENT

This stage focuses on slowing down and shifting into an intentional “De-load” for at least 2-4 weeks (or more) while we help upregulate detoxification and thyroid and calm the adrenal system to balance out hormones and put us in an optimal state for fertility. Walking, yoga, hiking, meditation and mindfulness practices are the focus.

SUPPLEMENTATION

In addition to your core prenatal nutrition, we recommend additional products for liver and methylation support all which can be found on our website in the Flush Bundle

Liver support

Thyroid health

Gut Health

Adrenal function

Optipure, NuEthix

Thyroboost Essentials, NuEthix

Gut Defender, NuEthix or Candibactin Br

Herbal Adrenal Plus, NuEthix

This is where our Flush Plan Course will guide you through a specific protocol for you, or we would recommend 1-1 coaching as the supplementation in this category is tailored based on the individual.

Phase1:FertilityCoreSupplementsHERE+FlushBundleHERE

STEP 2

The “Feed Phase”

In order to get fertility in a really healthy place, we want to ensure your metabolism is fed up! The Feed Phase is all about potentially eating MORE than what you’re used to, optimizing blood sugar balance, and supporting gut health. Most women are unknowingly undereating and this is terrible for our hormone health, so the goal here is to gently ensure we’re nourishing our body for hormone balance, egg quality, a productive ovulation and optimal fertility outcome.

In this stage, you’ll slowly start to reintegrate food groups we had pulled out during the flush phase and identify any potential food sensitivities, and incorporate more pre and probiotic foods for microbiome health. For those who have chronic gut concerns, you’ll want to utilize the gut health guidelines in this manual, but may need more custom support with our 5R Gut Protocol for 1-1 Coaching during this stage. For those who have been perhaps unknowingly undernourishing their body, this can be the most powerful step in the process. While it can be a little scary, embrace the consistent rhythm of providing fuel for your hormones and future baby - you’re doing amazing work taking this step!

THE FOCUS

We focus on supporting metabolism, optimizing blood sugar and insulin, and supporting gut health while building on the previous systems from The Flush (liver, thyroid, and adrenal health). We recommend gently increasing food intake eating every 3 hours with adequate protein, carbs and fats, to ensure you are meeting your estimated caloric needs for healthy hormone production.

You can find your Daily Energy Expenditure HERE (and don’t be surprised if it’s a higher estimated number than you think… for example, a 5’5” 30yo female going to pilates 2x/week, has estimated needs of 1850-1900 calories). Remember, everyone’s metabolic engine is different so some women in this same scenario may need much more than this “estimation”. Most women are concerned they will gain weight, however when we are eating what our body actually needs to function, weight will either stay the same or you might even lose weight in the process Remember the goal right now is NOT about weight loss, the goal is on supporting the integrated body systems to improve your fertility outcomes If you’re nervous about feeding up to your daily needs or have been perhaps undereating and overtraining for a significant period of time, we recommend working 1-1 with a practitioner for individualized support.

Glucose Balance

During the Feed Phase, we recommend monitoring glucose levels using a glucometer or CGM to learn how your body responds to different foods and lifestyle factors like sleep, stress and water intake!

We recommend testing fasted in the morning and then again 2 hours post meals throughout the day for one day per week. The goal is to aim for stability around mid 80’s throughout the day If sugars are outside the range of 70-100, it may be a good idea to work with a practitioner to hone in on specific adjustments needed.

Gut Health

In this process, having proper digestion, regular daily, productive bowel movements, is essential.

If you’re experiencing bloating, constipation/diarrhea, reflux or inconsistent stools, you may need further digestive enzyme support for bloating (I recommend Betaine HCL or pancreatic enzymes) or Magnesium Glycinate for improved motility if dealing with constipation

If your GI symptoms seem more severe or chronic, it may be best to work 1-1 with a practitioner to work through a 5R Gut Protocol as part of your preconception work

MOVEMENT

In The Feed Phase, you may start adding in a bit more gentle training/workouts, of course always listen to your body and what it needs while finding “balance”. And what does “balance” even look like? It’s different for everyone but in general we recommend 2, 20 minute daily, getting in nature as often as possible, practicing yoga 1-2x/week (or some form of meditative/parasympathetic practice like tai chi, qi gong, or forest bathing), and some form of resistance training 2-3x/week! Also, don’t underestimate the power of finding joyful movement, whether it be dance, mini golf, heck jumping on a trampoline or playing with your dog If you’re someone who loves running, HIIT (high intensity interval training), or high intensity “Bootcamp style” classes, this is a time we recommend to slowly pull back and be mindful of how hard your body is working - giving more time to slow down to create “balance” in your week

At this stage focus on your prenatal core support with additional add ons for:

depending on your case. Phase2:FertilityFeedPhaseBundleonourwebsite

STEP 3

The Function Phase

Now that we’ve built upon foundations of adrenal and thyroid health, liver detoxification, gut microbiome support, glucose/insulin regulation, and feeding up the metabolism, it’s time to pull it all together with the optimization of sex hormones.

In this stage we’ll provide more cyclical approaches to your nutrition, training, and lifestyle while continuing the fertility foundations we’ve built thus far for ovulation, egg quality, and mitochondrial function. In our 1-1 coaching, we dial in on further lab work up which you can see in the labs chapter and shift supplementation for any lingering issues based on your unique situation.

With your nutrition, you’ve started to incorporate food groups back in and been working on balancing your blood sugars, so at this stage you can either utilize food exchanges, macro tracking, or intuitive principles to create a supportive meal plan moving forward and adjusting activity based on biofeedback throughout the month.

THE FOCUS MOVEMENT

The Function Phase is all about optimizing hormonal rhythms and balance between your sex and steroid hormones of estrogen, progesterone, and androgens alongside your thyroid, adrenal and additional systems we’ve built upon thus far. With the sample meal plan and outlines provided, this is where you’re going to lean into tools you’ve learned thus far and create cyclical rhythms in your month with nutrition, diet, movement and maintaining good quality supplementation. You’ll want to continue to track your menstrual cycle, ovulation symptoms month to month.

This is where you’re workouts may have a cyclical rhythm For example, 2 weeks (Follicular Phase), of stronger workouts/movement such as 2-4 strength workouts/week or more strength yoga classes, followed by 2 weeks (Luteal Phase), of more parasympathetic focus, emphasizing walking/yoga and slow movement, and reducing frequency and intensity of strength workouts.

SUPPLEMENTATION

Function phase is where we start to optimize based on what your labs, biofeedback and ovulation/cycle tracking is showing See our Lab bundles based on the feedback you’ve been seeing in your labs and biofeedback.

WEEK MEAL PLAN 12

Howtousethesemealplans:

Checkout the full book for 200+ pages of Functional Fertility Action steps when

Do I eat the same thing everyday?

You can follow the meal plan exactly or you can swap out food examples using the food exchanges listed.

What do “Food Exchanges” mean?

A food exchange provides examples for an equivalent food group of a similar macronutrient breakdown of carbohydrate, fiber, protein and/or fat. You can use the Food Exchange Sheet listed below.

Can I switch the order of meals?

Yes, switch up based on what works for you. If you prefer a smoothie for lunch and want a savory meal for breakfast, swap the meals. Do not SKIP meals, but you can absolutely swap things around to work into your schedule.

What should be my timing of meals?

Aim to eat within the first 1-2 hours of waking and stop eating within 1-2 hours before going to bed. Eat every 2-4 hours focusing on keeping blood sugar stable.

Ready to take it to the next level? Fertility-FocusedHealthandWellness

ServicesatVidal

At Vidal, we offer specialized fertility-focused health coaching, leveraging our expertise in functional integrative health to support your journey toward starting or expanding your family. Our dedicated team understands the complexities of fertility challenges and is committed to providing personalized guidance and support.

Personalized Approach for Your Fertility Journey

Our approach is rooted in a deep understanding of your unique fertility story, encompassing any health conditions or obstacles you've faced By recognizing patterns and managing priorities, we develop a customized program tailored to enhance your fertility.

Empowering Nutrition and Lifestyle Changes

Our approach goes beyond short-term goals; it's about instilling lasting habits that nurture reproductive health. We empower you with personalized nutrition and lifestyle changes, essential for optimizing your fertility.

Leading One-on-One Health Coaching

As the leading one-on-one health coaching company in the U.S., Vidal stands at the forefront of functional integrative health coaching. Our focus is not merely on addressing symptoms but on uncovering and tackling the root causes of fertility issues.

Evidence-Based Strategies for Lasting Results

Our evidence-based coaching encompasses personalized nutrition plans, lifestyle adjustments, and comprehensive education. We equip you with the tools and knowledge necessary to take control of your fertility journey, aiming to support you in achieving your goals.

THANK YOU!

This e-book was designed to empower you every step of the way on your journey when trying to conceive. My hope is this material will give you the tools you need to get started in making impactful changes to lead to a healthy pregnancy and baby for you and your family and beyond!

I wish you the best on your fertility journey and beyond. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this incredible experience!

- Kristen