By Amanda Roe
The right amount of stress can be motivational, energising and give you the confidence to preform at your best. However when you move over that threshold and the balance is no longer there, stress can effect your health and your fertility levels. Interestingly stress is accumulative and your bodies response to stress is the same regardless of where that stress comes from.
Most people think of stress as being work or life-related but there are a number of other stresses that affect you:
Environmental stress – Is an external chemical stress from exposure to harmful chemicals at work or in the environment. It is also caused when the natural circadian rhythms and the natural sleep cycle are disturbed and not in line with the sun and moon.
Nutritional Stress – Is an internal chemical stress from eating a diet lacking in nutrients or that is toxic and causing inflammation.
Physical stress – Can come from an illness or injury, chronic pain and excessive physical stress from a punishing exercise regime or physical labour. People involved in manual labour may be suffering from this form of stress and even those who are doing little or no exercise.
Emotional stress – from a traumatic past experience, fear, stress, anxiety or bullying at work, relationships, memories, childhood conditioning, low self esteem, emotional issues, mental or physical abuse, and negative self beliefs can all affect your mental and emotional wellbeing
The body is designed to manage stress by producing the stress response hormone cortisol. Cortisol is produced by our adrenal glands and is designed to heal inflammation caused to the body by stress. However when stress increases beyond the ability of the adrenals to maintain cortisol levels then the adrenals steal and transform other hormones into cortisol. Sex hormones and particularly progesterone are commonly converted by the body into cortisol.
Progestrone is a male and female hormone that affects every tissue in your body including the uterus, cervix, prostate, endocrine system, brain cells, fat metabolism, thyroid function, water balance, nerves, bone cells, energy production, the immune system, libido and the survival, development and growth of the foetus.
So as you can imagine the longer you are stressed the greater the impact on your fertility and general health. Resetting stress levels gives your body an opportunity to re-establish normal cortisol and progesterone levels and increase sperm count.
I support clients with a range of holistic therapies that supports them to reduce or clear environmental, nutritional, physical and emotional stress, balance hormones and prepare the body physically and mentally for conception and childbirth. Each session is tailored to your unique situation, helping you to get back in touch with your body, resolve emotions, reduce pain, fears and subconscious blocks.
You will also gain knowledge and techniques to use at home in preparation of natural conception or IVF that will increase fertility, prepare you for a calm birth and positive post-natal mental health.
Amanda Roe is a Trauma therapist and mind coach who helps women to naturally balance their hormones for conception, postnatal mental health, pre-menopause (from 30-50years) and menopause. If you would like to find out more information or make an appointment call or text Amanda on 087 6331898.
