Gut health and Fertility – How are they connected?

With the gut commonly referred to as our ‘second brain’, it does far more than just break down the foods that we eat. The gut also plays a huge role in the functions of your immune system, your mood, hormones and fertility. When your gut isn’t working properly, other body systems will suffer immensely. We take a look at how your gut health is connected to fertility, and ways to aid your gut functions.

How Does Poor Gut Health Affect Fertility?

Poor gut health can cause an estrogen imbalance, which may lead to infertility issues including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. This imbalance can also cause leaky gut syndrome and immune system failure which are linked to infertility and miscarriages. 

Additionally, as mentioned before, a healthy gut microbiome includes an extensive range of different beneficial bacteria and is vital for a healthy immune system. When our gut is unhappy it can lead to problems with our immune function causing chronic inflammation, which in turn can result in recurrent pregnancy loss. Chronic inflammation may also cause decreased progesterone levels leading to implantation failure.

How Can You Heal the Gut?

It’s essential to live a healthy lifestyle in order to heal the gut, with diet and exercise playing a huge role. For your diet, it’s recommended to remove inflammatory foods such as refined grains, sugar, dairy products and processed foods. Replace these foods with gut friendly ones, such as probiotics, broth, fermented foods, fruit and vegetables. You can even undergo a test which finds out specific foods your gut may be sensitive to. 

Moderate exercise also helps to enhance gut function as it improves blood flow and intestinal motility. Incorporate activities into your life such as yoga, walking and meditation. Moreover, fertility acupuncture helps to reduce stress, which in turn improves digestive functions.

At Source Acupuncture

If you suffer with any of the following then it’s time to fix your gut health and optimise your fertility. Anna has over 12 years of experience working in Women’s health, and has helped many couples with successful pregnancies through fertility acupuncture. If you’d like some more information about fertility acupuncture, Anna offers a free 15 minute consultation where you can discuss any issues you may be experiencing. Give Anna a call today on 07540 353137. Moreover, you can fill out an online enquiry form where Anna will be in touch shortly.

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