How to Support Ovulation
Ovulation is the sole purpose of our menstrual cycle and is the predominant time where a woman produces enough progesterone during the menstrual cycle. Progesterone serves to calm our nervous system, relieves stress, thickens the uterine lining, helps the body use fat for energy, protects against estrogen-related cancers, increases metabolism and basal body temperature, and promotes a healthy sex drive. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to support ovulation as best you can and to identify any reason why you may not be ovulating.
Reasons Why you Might Not Be Ovulating
Hormonal Birth Control
You are not ovulating on hormonal birth control. Even after coming off of it, you will likely not ovulate right away. This is due to the fact that your brain and reproductive system have stopped communicating and it could take months before we get the gang back together again. And as much as this is normalized in our society, we are meant to have periods, we are meant to ovulate, we are meant to live by our cycles. Learn how to come off birth control safely or support your body if you’ve recently come off, here.
Stress
Stress hormones and the stress response in general can prevent the hypothalamus from properly doing it’s job and sending out messengers to the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is responsible for the secretion of FSH and LH, both crucial for ovulation. Stress also prioritizes the production of cortisol over progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. When we experience chronic stress, processes like reproduction gets put on the back burner.
Over Exercising or Under Nourishment
Excessive exercise and undernourishment are both major stressors on our body and therefore prevents ovulation much like normal stress would. If you’ve ever heard about female athletes losing their periods, this is similar. Let’s break it down a little: when your body is in starvation mode, it is simply focusing on keeping you alive. It’s not trying to keep up with your energy needs AND grow a human at the same time, so needless to say ovulation is pushed to the side so your body can deal with the crisis at hand.
High Prolactin
Prolactin is often produced after giving birth while breastfeeding. However, high prolactin can also be caused by stress, excess alcohol, and under eating. High prolactin can inhibit the production of FSH, which is responsible for supporting the dominant follicle and egg to be released during ovulation. Needless to say, you’ll want to reduce and manage stress effectively as it can play a huge role in preventing ovulation.
Not Eating Enough Fats
Healthy fats are used to support normal hormone levels, because we need fat for hormone production. It also supports reproductive processes such as adequate blood flow to the uterus and ensuring that the follicle opens to release the egg during ovulation. See tips below for some great sources of healthy fats.
PCOS
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a common cause of infertility in women. Although you still have follicles that contain eggs if you have PCOS, follicles are not able to properly develop throughout your cycle and there is no dominant follicle to release a viable egg for fertilization. It is not impossible to ovulate or get pregnant if you have PCOS, but you will need to work with a healthcare professional to manage the syndrome.
How to Support Ovulation
1) Eating Enough Healthy Fats & Calories
Making sure to get a good source of healthy fats at each meal will help with proper hormone production and supports reproductive processes. Sources of healthy fats include ghee, avocados, olive oil, coconut oil or coconut by-products, olives, nuts/seeds, fatty-fish, and full-fat dairy (organic recommended). Fat is not something to be feared, but just make sure you are getting good quality fats. Eating enough calories also regulates your nervous system, knowing it doesn’t have to stress about conserving energy and resources.
2) Reduce Stress
Stress is one of the biggest factors that can make or break your health. If you are constantly a bundle of nerves or allow the smallest things to ruin your day, recognize that within yourself and take steps to change your mindset. Not to say it’s easy, but finding activities that help you goes along way in mental health and reducing stress levels. Activities such as meditation, a yoga practice, a kickboxing class, or painting. Anything that helps you to unwind and relax.
Stay tuned, because I’ll be doing a post all about how I completely shifted my mindset from being riddled with anxiety to not letting anything phase me.
3) Omega-3’s
Omega 3’s and other essential fatty acids promotes blood flow to the uterus and aids in the the opening of the follicle that releases the egg. Good sources of omega 3’s include fatty or cold water fish (mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies) oysters, flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. The minimum recommendation for adults is between 250-500mg daily.
4) Vitamin C
Vitamin C promotes healthy levels of progesterone. It also is an antioxidant that helps alleviate free radical damage and inflammation. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruit, red bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. If you decide to supplement, try and avoid ascorbic acid and find a supplement that is sourced directly from fruits and vegetables (Vitamin Code has a good one).
5) Balanced Blood Sugar
It all comes back to stress. If your blood sugar is out of whack, it’s just another form of stress on the body and causes inflammation. To help balance blood sugar: cut down on refined carbohydrates, optimal fiber intake, prioritize protein and fat, and leave 3-4 hours between meals.
Ovulation is a crucial part of our health as women, because it is the only time that we are able to produce adequate amounts of progesterone, which improves mood and sleep, regulates blood pressure, helps regulate our cycle and maintain pregnancy. It’s also the only time we can become pregnant, if that’s your goal. There are quite a few ways that our dietary and lifestyle habits as well as our environment can impact ovulation. The good news, however, is that through a few simple changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can support healthy ovulation and fertility. Thanks for stopping by for a little balanced buzz and I hope you’ll stick around for all things women’s health, wellness, and good eats!
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