The Overlooked Connection Between Fertility and Blood Sugar 

Planning a family? The overlooked connection between fertility and blood sugar
Diabetes Digital Podcast by Food Heaven
0:00
Welcome back to another episode of the Diabetes Digital Podcast.
We are thrilled to have a dietitian guest with us today.
We have one of our colleagues, Ayla Barmer, who is the founder and CEO of Full Well, the only nutritionist founded and formulated reproductive health supplement brand, delivering comprehensive nutrition designed to safely and effectively protect your fertility, nourish your body and support your needs before, during and after pregnancy.
0:28
Ayla has over 20 years years of experience in fertility nutrition and has been enhancing the health and empowerment of thousands of her clients, patients, peers and mentees at the intersection of nutritional science, functional medicine and evidence based holistic solutions.
0:45
We actually had Ayla on our podcast in 2019.
Time flies.
It feels like it was yesterday.
We’re so excited to have her back to talk about fertility and specifically how it intersects with pre diabetes and diabetes care.
1:01
Ayla, welcome to the podcast.
Welcome to the Diabetes digital podcast.
I’m Wendy.
And I’m Jess, and we’re best friends, registered dietitians and diabetes educators.
Through our telehealth platform, Diabetes digital.co, we offer accessible and personalized virtual nutrition counseling for people with diabetes.
1:19
And pre diabetes, visit diabetesdigital.co that’s Co to book your first appointment.
We accept insurance and offer affordable self pay options.
Now let’s get into today’s episode.
This podcast is brought to you by Hero Bread is dietitians.
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That’s Hero HE ro.co.co.
Now on to the episode.
Oh, thanks for so much for having me on.
I can’t believe that was five years ago.
I know, I know.
Feels like yesterday.
Time flies.
Well, I’m just going to jump right in with questions and I know there’s a lot of people who may not understand that there is a relationship between fertility and diabetes and pre diabetes.
3:51
So can you start by explaining how pre diabetes and diabetes impact fertility?
Yes, absolutely.
So very high level, just to start, you know, the metabolic system, which includes blood sugar regulation is interconnected, you know, with the reproductive system in many ways.
4:09
I usually describe it as reciprocally regulated to be exact.
But really what that means is that they talk to each other, they influence each other.
So both pre diabetes and diabetes can have a significant impact on fertility for both women and men, primarily due to hormonal and metabolic issues that can come from blood sugar imbalances.
4:31
So for women, pre diabetes or diabetes can exist alongside polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Maybe some of your audience does have PCOS that that can be common.
You know that condition in particular will cause irregular menstrual cycles due to irregular ovulation, which does make it harder to conceive for everyone else.
4:51
You know, high blood sugar levels can also interfere with the ovaries ability to function properly.
So potentially affecting egg quality.
How the follicle develops, which is what carries and kind of nourishes and is what supports the egg as it’s as it’s developing over the course of the cycle.
5:09
That can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
And then on the men’s side, I always really like to include, and I will throughout this, as long as that works for you guys, you know, a little bit about men too on this side because, you know, women tend to bear the entire brunt of the responsibility for fertility.
5:27
But really it’s not just a Women’s Health issue.
You know, it’s, it’s men too.
And so on the men’s side, you know, diabetes can lead to lower testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, even reduce sperm quality.
And then high glucose levels can contribute really for both sexes to what’s called oxidative stress, something that antioxidants in our diet could be really helpful and effective at helping to combat.
5:52
And I’m sure we’ll talk about that.
Oxidative stress can really damage sperm DNA.
Sperm are really sensitive.
Eggs are too, but sperm a little more so sensitive to damage and they can’t repair themselves.
So that can have an effect on fertility too.
And then, you know, additionally, both pre diabetes and diabetes can cause inflammation, you know, due to insulin resistance, which can really throw the reproductive system off balance.
6:19
But I mean, on a positive side, you know, all of this can be controlled with managing blood sugar levels, whether through nutrition, physical activity, medication, supplements, you know, all of these things can kind of work together to help really manage the effects that they have on fertility outcomes.
6:38
I’m so happy that you mentioned men and their role because I feel like with fertility, it usually just all falls on women.
Yeah, I would definitely love to explore just different ways that both, whether you’re a man or a woman, like different ways that you can improve your fertility outcomes if you have pre diabetes or diabetes.
6:58
So let’s definitely weave that into the episode when it comes to nutrition, what are some of the general recommendations that you provide for people that want to support their fertility and it, you know, especially if they’re struggling with like insulin resistance?
7:14
You you mentioned PCOS, pre diabetes, diabetes.
Yeah.
So I mean, for individuals who have insulin resistance and they’re aiming to really support their fertility, you know, a balanced, really nutrient dense diet that focuses on stabilizing blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity can make a really meaningful difference.
7:34
You know, a good starting point is the lower glycemic diet, you know, carbohydrates that cause slower, more gradual increases in blood sugar.
You know, whole grains or even for some people, depending on how sensitive you are, really focusing more on like the starchy vegetables is kind of a carbohydrate source.
7:52
And fruits, berries are fantastic for fertility.
They don’t have a significant impact on blood sugars, but they’ve got loads of antioxidants in them and a good amount of fiber That’s great for, for both, you know, things that are gonna prevent, you know, sudden and, and extreme blood sugar spikes are really important and help keep insulin in a more regulated level is gonna it’s gonna prevent stress on the body that can impact fertility.
8:21
So, you know, focusing on protein sources like fish, poultry.
I am a fan of red meat when it comes to fertility because it is so nutrient dense and so uniquely packed with vitamins and minerals that really do help support fertility like B vitamins, collagen, peptides.
8:40
Big fan of those for fertility and also for blood sugar management and satiety like goons for all their fiber and minerals, right?
You know fat, you know, from avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, things that I’m sure real butter, you know, not margarine, right?
8:58
Trans fats from more of your really processed fats and oils like butter substitutes, right?
Those are going to have a negative impact on fertility.
We’ve got really clear data on that.
So go for the go for the real thing.
You know, if you’re going to include that Omega-3 fatty acids are huge and so important.
9:14
Nobody is getting in enough of these.
And when it comes to fertility, I think, you know, you go right to the the source like fatty fish or fish oil versus relying solely on like chia seeds or flax seeds, which your body has to convert.
9:30
It is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, but it’s a kind of an inefficient source because you’ve got to convert those.
So at this stage of life, you know, I think it’s important to consider if you don’t like fish, you know, a fish oil supplement or, or using, you know, including enough fish in your diet.
9:45
And, and this is where I kind of like to point out to you that there is a lot of conflicting messaging around heavy metals and contaminants and fish.
And I’ve had clients in practice who were told to completely avoid seafood because of this.
And I, I don’t agree with that.
10:02
I think that often in the context of whole seafood, first of all, you’re going to get so much beneficial stuff, right?
But you also get things like selenium, which is an antioxidant, a nutrient that helps your body process and detoxify some of those like heavy metals, for example, in fish.
10:18
So I don’t get overly concerned, you know, about it.
I think a variety of different kinds of fish is good.
You can use things like like safe catch, like canned tuna, you know, which they’ll test for it if you are, you know, if you are really concerned, antioxidant rich foods, like I said, berries, leafy greens, colorful vegetables.
10:39
I love, you know, telling people that include citrus zest, which is just like, you know, zesting the skin of your citrus, which we often just like throw away.
And it’s such a powerhouse of bioflavonoids.
Plus it adds tons of flavor and deliciousness to like salads or you know, dressings or you know, really has the final touch on anything.
10:58
I really like, you know, broccoli, things like nuts and seeds.
You get your magnesium, you get potent antioxidants and broccoli and cruciferous vegetables like sulforaphane, which is just so supportive for, for hormone metabolism and hormone balance.
11:16
So those are kind of the things to focus on.
And, and really with fertility, it’s, it’s like an additive approach, right?
I got into fertility work because I was being referred, this is years ago, but referred a bunch of clients from a local IVF clinic who were, I might have talked about this in the first interview, but you know, who were just being told to restrict, restrict, you know, and it was like, this cannot be the way to support your health, right?
11:41
You need a ton of nutrients to support fertility.
So by focusing on the right things and kind of like balancing each meal, I, I think that could be an empowering way to sort of crowd out the stuff that isn’t as supportive and, you know, make it a positive experience, you know?
11:58
Yes, I love all that.
And I do remember you saying that it was something that you were getting clients and kind of transitioned into.
And these are all really helpful tips and also practical, which we love.
I’m wondering, can you give us some examples of maybe like a couple breakfast ideas, a couple snack ideas and a couple lunch slash dinner ideas?
12:21
I know that, you know, it’s not one-size-fits-all.
And of course, like there’s so many different cultures that listen to this podcast, but just like as a place to kind of start some examples.
Yeah, well, when it comes to fertility and definitely also blood sugar management, I mean, I love eggs with the yolk.
12:37
So we’re not talking just egg whites, right?
The yolk is packed with vitamins and minerals and one in particular is choline. 95 plus percent of women are not even getting the adequate intake level of choline.
And it is so important to have on board before you start trying to conceive because it contributes to the development of the neural tube, which closes before you probably even know you’re pregnant.
12:59
So it’s one that I like to really highlight and egg yolks are a nice source of that.
So I think you know it not just one egg.
Get yourself 2-3 right?
You gotta, you know, it’s only got about 7 grams of protein in there and not sure how specific you guys get with clients, but I mean, a lot of women I work with do best with like 2535 grams of protein.
13:21
I think at least to feel satisfied, you know, in the morning and then pair that with something like like scramble it with some veggies.
This is where like I really would lean on.
So I’m a mom of two.
I am so I am so busy.
Like I don’t have breakfast looked different at one point in my life right now.
It’s going to be easy.
13:36
So, you know, it’s like two or three eggs scrambled with some frozen vegetables.
That’s where I, I like broccoli and getting it in.
Just keep it frozen or a big handful of fresh greens if you have it.
Broccoli sprouts are actually even more concentrated in that sulphurophane and the glucorophinin that I was talking about.
13:53
And so if you have that, they can be expensive, although they’re very inexpensive and easy to grow yourself if you ever get into that.
But you could do a handful of those.
And then that’s where like berries, you know, that’s a great place to have berries on the side that could be like your carbohydrate energy source, but also tons of antioxidants, right?
14:11
And that’s pretty valid, you know, I mean, I wouldn’t be afraid to add some avocado, like some cheese, you know, get some fat in there, cook it with some fat.
And I think that’s a that’s a pretty good breakfast for snacks.
You know, one thing that clients myself have liked a lot in recent times here is like like cottage cheese, you know, with like a little bit of fruit mixed in, maybe some chia seed, like the good cup even has ones where it’s like already kind of mixed in there, but that’s got a bunch of protein, which is great for blood sugar stabilization, right?
14:46
And then I might do like a handful of nuts, a couple include a couple of Brazil nuts for lots of selenium walnuts for, you know, Omega threes that can be a nice combo or a few like clementines, you know.
So I think, I think those are a couple, couple ideas.
15:02
Yes, love it.
Yeah, so good.
It’s always good to hear like what other people are doing ’cause I’m like, oh, I need to incorporate those suggestions myself.
For eggs, I have a question cause a lot of people are concerned about the cholesterol content and they’re just like, well, can I have three eggs every single day?
15:22
What are your thoughts on that ’cause I feel like it’s, I know it’s, it just depends on like someone’s health history and maybe if they’re like sensitive to dietary cholesterol, but what do you recommend?
Yeah, You know what, I, I’m trying to call on the exact stat, but when I’ve looked into this, I mean, it is such a small percentage, tiny, tiny percentage of the population that has kind of a genetic predisposition to having dietary cholesterol and saturated fats really affect their their cholesterol and their lipids, right.
15:53
Most people are fine with that.
And the things that influence lipid cardiovascular health and all of that more so would be some of the more like ultra process like, you know, trans fats, right, That those are of course, like our man made, you know, fats that aren’t as prevalent in the diet, but they’re still, you know, you still find them around and it can be tricky to figure it out on the label.
16:16
It’s often times more that it’s more like inflammation driven.
So like all the strategies we’re talking about and even this idea of including eggs in a balanced diet is going to help to really reduce inflammation, you know, which is supportive for cardiovascular disease.
So I mean, in all my years, like in practice, never really had, I mean, I can think of maybe one client, right?
16:39
Like over the decades who it was like, OK, you very clearly.
And we have, we have tested and we know this like genetically you do a lot better on a vegan diet.
And we are just going to fill in the gaps where we need to and this is where it what it’s going to look like, right?
And we’re going to be OK.
But that’s a situation where you do want to work with a dietitian, that’s for sure.
16:56
Right?
Especially for fertility, it’s not really that common.
And I think generally speaking, I wouldn’t worry.
OK, good to know.
Are there any supplements you recommend?
And I know you have your own supplement line, so very curious to hear about that.
17:13
But yeah, I know there’s so many people who say you have to take a prenatal vitamin or you have to, you know, make sure you’re getting enough of XY and Z.
What do you recommend?
Yeah.
I mean, really it was working with my fertility clients that led me to start full.
17:31
Well, there’s a lot that could be said about dietary supplements.
I mean, one thing I will point out before I mention any in particular, any things to look for in supplements is that you really want to make sure that what you’re choosing is quality.
And that that can take a little bit of work, unfortunately, to try to discern because you can’t necessarily trust just what you see on the label.
17:53
You know, one of the reasons I started full well was because I was looking at labels, looking at products for my clients.
And I’m like, you know, this clearly was designed by a marketing professional.
Like I can tell by the way, the by the way, the nutrients, the forms were chosen, the amounts that we’re using.
18:08
There’s often this thing called like Pixie dusting, right, where you’ll see a nutrient or some ingredient on a label, but it’s not an enough quantity.
That’s not going to do anything, right?
That’s really important.
And also making sure that the product is doing sufficient testing, right to ensure that what it says on the label is what’s in it, that it’s testing for contaminants and allergens, you know, things that we don’t want in there at at dangerous levels.
18:34
These are really important and it should be done through a third party ISO certified lab.
And ideally speaking, and this is where I’m really trying to push like everybody in the industry, like we do this is to share those results.
The results themselves can be a little complicated, confusing.
18:49
And it, it took me as a dietitian a while to really fully understand like certificate of analysis, the different testing requirements, limits and all that.
So, but we, we actually translate it.
We always make that available, but we translate it to like a more consumer friendly version on our site.
So you know, you just want transparency with any brand that you’re working with.
19:08
But to get back to the question specifically, yes, I think if you’re in the window of like, you know, I, I, I typically say three to six months out from trying to conceive.
But if you’ve got something like pre diabetes, diabetes, PCOS, any other kind of health issues going on that you’re kind of working on, there isn’t really too soon to start, you know, supporting with dietary supplements strategically because you know, your body it goes through and requires a lot of nutrients and antioxidants and things just to kind of manage and deal with some of the stressors on the body.
19:45
And we’re in a time right now in our modern environments where, you know, food processing depletes nutrients, but also we’re under a lot of stress.
So we just kind of need more.
So all that to say, I think dietary, we always want to get everything we can from food, but dietary supplements can be so helpful.
20:03
I think a prenatal multivitamin.
In a fish oil should be thought of as like your foundation.
That’s how I think about it for everybody like this is going to cut a well designed prenatal multivitamin in a in a well tested, you know, and designed fish oil is going to give you a lot of what you need now specifically though, for more pre diabetes, diabetes blood sugar management.
20:26
Other things that I really like, especially when it comes to fertility is anositol.
You know, inositol is a vitamin like compound, in particular myo inositol with a little bit of decyro.
Inositol has been found to really help with insulin sensitivity and it can actually lower blood sugar levels and promote like a more balanced hormonal profile with PCOSI see inositol really playing a huge role in the research and also just in practice, I’ve seen it really help regulate cycles as part of an overall plan.
20:58
And then the nostril for for men too can be helpful, you know, for men who have diabetes related, you know, fertility challenges that can help support blood sugar regulation in a a similar way, which then helps promote normal testosterone levels and sperm quality.
21:17
Inositol has actually been LinkedIn the research to egg quality.
So inositol is a really a really good one.
And you’re really looking for like, you know, 1.8 to up to like 4G of it a day.
So in my prenatal for the general population, you know, I included about 150 milligrams.
21:33
But you know, if you’ve got blood sugar stuff going on, certainly pre diabetes or diabetes or PCOS, I would consider taking additional inositol separately.
And there’s other things we can talk about but and things to consider supplementing with but.
21:49
I’ll stop there.
Okay, that’s helpful with the percentages because sometimes I look at these labels especially for the prenatal supplements, but also just for regular supplements and it’s like 30,000% daily value of, you know, whatever it is.
22:06
So, so you have guidelines on like what is safe for prenatals?
Like should it be close to 100% or like are there certain nutrients where it should be a lot higher?
And you also mentioned like with the fish oil, like the EPA and DHA, sometimes I see that those are included within the prenatal.
22:22
Is that OK or should you take it separately?
Yeah.
Oh, I love this question because it’s one that we we get a lot at full well because if you look at the full well label, the prenatal label, you’ll see that most of the nutrients are well exceed the percent daily value.
22:39
And this is, this is by design.
Each nutrient, what was considered is the whole body of clinical evidence.
So first I should say the percent daily value maybe and often is based on outdated information, especially when it comes to women and especially when it comes to pregnant women.
22:57
Really what the the levels were based on most of the time were men studies with men and they weren’t considering some of the increased needs of the pregnant population.
Now, we do have some daily values specifically for pregnancy, but you know, when I look at those and the most current research, what we see is there’s a big disparity between like, you know, what is just needed at a basic level and what really helps mom and baby thrive.
23:23
You know, what really influences long term health of baby, right?
And then we consider how much in supplement form, in the form that we’re using, are you even capable of absorbing right at any given time, you know, because there is only a certain amount, right?
And we know that your body is going to excrete a certain percentage.
23:41
That doesn’t mean it’s a waste.
It just means the formula has to be designed in a way that it’s going to get you close to what you actually need.
And knowing that certain vitamins and minerals are very easy for your body to excrete and they won’t cause a problem.
You know, if they’re in higher levels, like a lot of the B vitamins are that way, as long as they’re in the appropriate form.
24:02
And that matters.
And we can definitely talk about that if you want to.
But you know, as long as they’re in the right form, then they, they don’t cause a a problem.
Your body will get rid of what what it doesn’t need.
Those are all kind of considerations.
And then the other thing is I looked at in terms of formulate formulation is what are what do we know is the upper tolerance level like upper tolerable limit, you know, what do we know is not safe?
24:26
Let’s not go anywhere close to that, you know, and considering what, so the current evidence, what your body will really absorb at any given time, the risk of going too high and the risk of not getting in enough, conversely, right.
24:42
So that’s how I landed on the formula that I have.
And also considering what you are most likely, most people are most likely to get in through their diet versus not.
Yeah.
And then for the fish oil, like is it okay if it’s part of the supplement or should it be taken separately?
24:58
Oh yes.
So I, I still really, even though there’s been some innovations and fatty acids and stability and that sort of thing, I still feel very strongly that you want your fish oil, your fatty acids to be taken separately outside of your prenatal multivitamin.
That may not always be the case.
If we could figure out a way to like really make sure that these fatty acids are stable when putting a multivitamin.
25:18
But as far as I can tell, none of that has been tested ever, you know, and I just really worry, you know, the fatty acids, those Omega threes are only as good as how stable they are and that they’re not oxidized, that they’re staying intact, right?
And they are sensitive.
They’re sensitive to that, which means if you’re including them in a multivitamin, they’re essentially getting mixed in and exposed to more light, heat, air or humidity than they would otherwise, you know, and we really don’t want that with with, you know, delicate oils.
25:50
And often times you see in a prenatal, like if they do include it, they’re only include DHA.
And DHA is, is the fatty acid that in pregnancy kind of like does all the things that supports babies brain development.
But EPA is needed as well to help that pull that DHA across the placenta, you know, so that gets missed, I think, by a lot of formulators.
26:13
And I think we’re giving people like this false assurance that everything, you know, they’re getting in what they need when they may really not be.
And it might not even be enough.
So taking it separately is is not as convenient, but it’s what I’d I’d recommend, yeah.
OK.
26:28
I have a personal question.
So, and I think I messaged you like a couple years ago, if like for example, somebody has premature ovarian failure like myself, but you’re not looking to get pregnant per SE.
Like do you recommend taking these supplements just in general for helping to balance any hormones?
26:51
That’s number one.
And also as a follow up, maybe there are people who also have premature ovarian failure who are looking to get pregnant.
Like can they get?
I know it’s like a very small chance, but do these things help in that case as well?
They, they absolutely do.
And I’m a big proponent of, you know, fertility and reproductive health matters regardless of whether or not you want to have children, right?
27:11
Like you matter.
Your reproductive health matters because it influences your overall health, you know, And so whether or not you think pregnancies in the future, for anyone listening, you know, it’s like it’s still worth it to support your reproductive health in this way.
27:30
You know, when you’re nourishing the follicle development, you know, you’re, you’re helping support the whole cascade of hormones.
You know, when you’re nourishing your body, I should say, and kind of focusing on fertility nutrition, it’s like it’s nourishing the entire hormone balance.
It’s helping to, I mean, nutrients, nutrition is needed for proper detoxification of hormones so that your body can get rid of what it doesn’t need, like excess estrogen.
27:55
It helps keep things in balance in that way.
You know, we make sure with proper blood sugar regulation that androgens like testosterone get, don’t get too high and inhibit ovulation, right?
So just for you to feel your best and to prolong, you know, your reproductive health, it’s that’s important for, I mean, bone health, right?
28:16
And cardiovascular health like we want to, we want to prolong how well we’re or how long we are producing these important hormones and keeping them in balance.
That’s helpful.
Thank you so much.
I think I’m gonna buy your supplements.
28:34
They were sold out last time though.
So we we did, we did have a period where that was a little rough.
We’re in much better shape now.
OK, good.
Yeah, yeah.
Now in terms of stress management, sleep, like just thinking about lifestyle approaches, also alcohol, what role does that play when it comes to fertility?
28:55
And like, what are some things that people can do to to improve upon these things so that they can improve their fertility?
Yeah, you know, sleep, sleep and stress both have a really significant impact on, on fertility in a number of different ways.
29:13
And, you know, so I’ll go through what they are and then we’ll make sure that I give you kind of the positive, right?
Like what you could do.
Because that’s the thing about fertility, right?
It could be feel kind of like a little doom and gloom, but there’s so much that’s in our control.
And I think that’s what I hope will be the, the end message, you know, here.
29:28
But in terms of stress, ’cause I think that’s an important one to maybe start with.
Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels and that can worsen insulin resistance and blood sugar levels.
Sometimes you can feel that, I think, you know, on days you’re more stressed, kind of the roller coaster that you can can be on, it feels all like heightened.
29:50
That can really disrupt reproductive function.
So elevated cortisol can interfere specifically with the production of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone, making ovulation more regular in men.
High stress is really linked to, again, lower testosterone levels and decreased sperm quality.
30:09
And then when it comes to sleep, you know, sleep really plays a crucial role in maintaining stable blood sugar levels and supporting reproductive health.
I mean, you do see, and, and I’ve worked with so many people over the years that have worked night shifts and have had challenging schedules or very irregular schedules.
30:28
Healthcare workers like all over the map, right?
We’ve had to really incorporate things like, you know, blue light blocking and melatonin strategically to really help support them.
And it it that can have, and by the way, that can be a strategy, right, is to use some melatonin.
30:45
And I’m a big fan of phytomelatonin, which is a plant based kind of melatonin.
Symphony Natural Health actually makes 1 and that’s a really interesting one because it’s got extra antioxidant kind of capabilities and that’s great for fertility.
So you know, sleep and stress are huge and really trying to prioritize or maintain as consistent a sleep schedule as you possibly can will help significantly.
31:11
You know, we just wanted to keep the, the body loves predictability between like meal time, it could sound really boring, but between meal times, sleep, physical activity, stress, it’s the more predictable our schedule is, the better regulated really everything is.
31:28
And when things do get out of that normal kind of routine, that’s when you want to like call on those extra strategies that work for you around stress management.
That’s when you may want to take like, I mean, you know, times of the year where there’s daylight savings, right?
Or changes in in the clock, right?
31:44
Like that’s when you might want to utilize some melatonin to help your body shift or when you’re working odd hours, something like that.
All of this will make a big difference, you know, in terms of how much stress your body is really under.
And I mentioned alcohol, like should people be reducing the amount of alcohol that they’re consuming if they are planning on having a family?
32:10
Does it have a big impact on fertility?
Yeah, I mean, never the never the one that’s the most fun or makes me everyone’s favorite.
But I mean, alcohol definitely is a like a straw on the camel’s back, so to speak, right?
And it, it kind of does come down to how many or how many straws are on the camel’s back, right.
32:31
And I’ve, I’ve used that analogy for years because it’s it’s, you know, it’s a stressor no matter which way you frame it, alcohol’s a stressor in the body.
It requires nutrients to detoxify it.
It requires the same pathways and the same kind of nutrients and resources that are needed for hormone balance that are needed for, you know, other functions of the body, right?
32:53
And so when you’re drinking alcohol, you’re kind of your body’s prioritizing that over other things, you know, and so, and everybody’s different in terms of how much that’s going to impact them, right?
It’s sort of like, what does this look like in the context of your overall diet and lifestyle?
33:09
You know, what does your, your genetic kind of predisposition look like, right?
All these things have an impact.
But you know, if you’ve got a lot going on, you know, you’re struggling with pre diabetes, diabetes or you’ve got PCOS or you’ve got you’ve got you’ve got things that you’re seeing in your menstrual cycle, like a dis irregular cycles and you think you you want to try to conceive.
33:33
You know, let’s say even within the next year, I would start really looking at the alcohol because that’s a that’s a big one that’s going to have it is going to have a huge impact.
Yeah.
Do you recommend cycle tracking for women?
Yes, but I don’t think it has to get super intense and complicated unless you want to.
33:54
You know, I know some people love love, and I can appreciate it as like a data person, you know, love all the data that you can get from cycle tracking and what it’s telling you about your body.
But I think at a minimum, the thing that is most important is to start measuring the total length of your cycle.
34:11
So day one is the first day that you start bleeding, that’s your day one.
And then the next, you know, day, day, you know, up until you start playing again, right?
And then you’ve got your total cycle length and there’s apps for that, right?
So I would definitely measure that because that can tell you one, if you’re having a regular kind of cycles that you might, you sort of know, but it’ll give you some hard data on OK, what, what does it really look like?
34:38
And a normal cycle is very variable for between people, right?
It’s usually 25 to like 30-4 days.
The problem is like if you consistently have 25 day cycles, that could be very normal and indicate no issue, right?
But if you go from 25 to 33 to 22 to, you know, if you’re all over the map, then that that tells us there’s something, something is up and needs to be looked at.
35:03
So that could be a really great data point for you.
The other thing that I would track is not actually ovulation.
I, I, I don’t think that’s necessary.
And that gets into having to do strips And all you’re really measuring there is whether or not you’re kind of getting an LH surge that doesn’t really actually measure ovulation.
35:19
Instead, I would look at cervical mucus.
So just paying attention to that.
Are you noticing any?
Are you producing it?
People are all different from in this way.
It’s that like egg white consistency, type of cervical mucus that you should see.
35:36
And if you aren’t, that can be an indication of like hydration status, needing more fatty acids and acetylcysteine can be helpful.
It could be, it can be, it can be related to not enough estrogen production or not enough hormone production in general.
35:52
So that cervical mucus is absolutely key for protecting and kind of ushering sperm where they need to go.
And it also gives us a good indication of your hormonal balance.
So that’s what I would, those are the the key measures that I would look for in a cycle.
36:08
Anything else is kind of bonus and what what you want to look at specifically.
OK, so in wrapping, are there any lesser known or emerging integrative therapies that show kind of promise and supporting fertility for people who have blood sugar regulation issues folks with diabetes, pre diabetes PCOS?
36:27
Yeah, that, you know, the top one that comes to mind is not necessarily new, but I would say the growing body of evidence and recognition by even more conventional practitioners around acupuncture specifically is one that I would highlight because there’s more research, you know, around it now.
36:44
And it really acupuncture works by targeting specific points associated with reproductive and metabolic health.
And in that way it can it can kind of help regulate hormones.
One of the things I love about acupuncture and fertility is that it stimulates blood flow to the reproductive organs.
37:02
And, and really we want good blood flow between the brain, the pituitary and our reproductive organs because that’s, that’s a signaling that’s going to help with overall balance and follicle development.
And in that way, it can actually help with insulin sensitivity too, because it’s really influencing hormones circulation.
37:21
I mean, these are things that are just great for metabolism and then also reproductive health because again, those two systems really talk to each other.
And you know, there’s been studies that suggest that when combined, you know, it’s part of an overall plan with lifestyle and diet, acupuncture can really increase conception rates and improve fertility outcomes in IVF.
37:42
So we’ve got some good fertility research from more IVF types of interventions and acupuncture is now not really being looked at as like a not like a fringe thing to do, but really important and helpful.
That’s a really good one.
We actually know someone who did acupuncture to help with fertility, and it worked really well, and I think that’s something that a lot of people overlook.
38:08
So thank you for mentioning that, and thank you for joining us.
It’s always a treat talking to you.
You’re so knowledgeable.
For our listeners who want to learn more about your work, where can they find you?
Yes.
So these days I’m really spending most of my time over at full well.
38:26
So, you know, on Instagram we’re at, we’re full well fertility and then full well fertility.com is where you can find the products.
But we’ve also got a couple resources that I think are really helpful.
I mean, one is our knowledge.
Well, we spend so much time, I think there’s 70 in depth articles that can help you navigate various things around fertility and diet with, with through the lens of really practical strategies.
38:49
Because again, I come at this from working with people in practice for many years and so do the other dietitians on my team.
And then we’ve got a practitioner directory too.
So, you know, that’s an option if you’re looking for a specialist specifically in fertility and perinatal health.
39:06
That can be difficult to find sometimes because it is a specialty.
So we, we created and invested a lot of time into a practitioner directory to help you just as a, as a give, you know, to help people find the care that they need Full.
Well, 20 gets you 20% off your first order, you know, if, if you want to do that.
39:26
And yeah.
And I think if there’s any health practitioners listening, I do run the Women’s Health Nutrition Academy too, with Lily Nichols.
That’s WHN academy.com and that’s continuing education around reproductive health, Women’s Health in particular.
39:42
Yeah.
And so credible.
I’m on the directory now, I love it.
Your website is so great.
Yeah.
Thank you I’ve.
I’ve been on it too.
It’s amazing.
And thank you so much again for joining us.
This was awesome.
Thanks for having me.
Thanks for joining us for today’s episode.
39:59
If you’re interested in nutrition counseling with one of our expert dietitians to help improve your pre diabetes or diabetes, visit us at diabetesdigital.co.
Also, if you found our conversation helpful, do us a favor and rate and review this podcast on iTunes, plus share with someone who might find this helpful.
40:18
You can also connect with us on Instagram at Diabetes Digital dot.
Co and TuneIn every Wednesday for tactical, inclusive and culturally humble diabetes insights.
We’ll catch you later.
Bye.
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