(In)fertility
I’ve wanted to address this topic for a while but it feels so big and sensitive that I’ve not known where to start! With that being said, it’s such a timely and relevant one I feel I can’t put it off any longer. What you’ll find below is an introduction to the topic from a holistic health perspective. I hope you find it insightful, useful, eye-opening and worthy of further inquiry.
What we know
↗️ Infertility rates have been steadily increasing around the globe since the 1990s
👩❤️👨 1 in 6 couples experience infertility in their lifetime
🥚PCOS is the leading cause of infertility in females
⬇️ Male sperm counts have declined by over 50% globally in the past 50 years
🗓️ Couples are waiting to conceive later in life than in previous decades
Why is infertility on the rise?
The points mentioned above are the main factors contributing to infertility. But why do so many women have PCOS and why have male sperm counts decreased by so much? It mostly comes down to modern diet and lifestyle. The Standard American Diet (SAD), or Western pattern diet, is primarily comprised of processed and inflammatory foods: refined grains, gluten 🍞, sugar 🍬, dairy 🥛, caffeine ☕️ and alcohol 🍷. Consequently there is a low intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
As you may recall from the post about PCOS, it’s an inflammatory condition often associated with blood sugar dysregulation that causes delayed or absent ovulation. If you’re not ovulating, you can’t get pregnant!
The SAD or Western pattern diet is also to blame for low male sperm quality. The above dietary factors combined with sedentary lifestyles 🪑, chronic stress 😩 and exposure to environmental toxins ☣️ are taking a heavy toll on fertility.
If you’re interested in diving deeper into this topic let me know and I’d be happy to explore in future posts.
Warm regards,
Donelle