3 Ways a Healthy Heart Improves Fertility

When speaking to audiences about fertility I often ask how many people in the room believe that their heart health is directly correlated to their diet. Nearly every hand in the room goes up without hesitation. Then, I ask how many believe fertility is directly correlated to diet. Generally, a few hands go up while the others in the room look around timidly.

While both heart health and fertility are very directly affected by diet the real truth is that a healthy heart means a much more fertile body. Here are 3 ways the health of your heart directly affects your fertility.

A healthy heart means balanced estrogen levels. One of the biggest reasons we have so much heart disease is because of estrogen dominance. Too much of a good thing (estrogen) can get ugly. Estrogen dominance is also a primary cause of infertility. Conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, and several other infertility diagnoses are caused largely by estrogen dominance. Some estrogen is oxidized in the body and become “bad” estrogen. Consuming very high-quality olive oil on a regular basis can stop this oxidation process and keep your estrogen healthy while reducing phytoestrogenic foods such as soy and flax, as well as checking your personal care products for xenoestrogens can lower estrogen levels.
Your heart is protected by progesterone. Progesterone is a really cool little hormone that many women with infertility don’t have enough of. The biggest reason we don’t have enough progesterone? Stress! Both progesterone and the stress hormone cortisol are made from the same “mother” hormone. If there isn’t enough of that “mother” hormone to make both your body will sacrifice progesterone and make more cortisol. Then, the cortisol makes its home in your progesterone receptors so even the progesterone you do have is unable to do its job. To raise progesterone to make sure you’re consuming healthy fats, and also try adding Camu Camu berry to break up the cortisol and maca to help your body make more progesterone, to your diet.
Your heart must be healthy and very strong to be able to accommodate the huge increase in blood volume that happens during pregnancy. Eat plenty of heart-healthy foods—especially those rich in magnesium and folate, such as leafy greens, and focus on moderate cardio exercise to strengthen your heart.

A healthy heart not only means you have a much higher chance of having a baby, it also means a much higher quality of life. And since heart disease is still the #1 killer of women it makes sense to start paying more attention to this sacred organ now.