Does Hormone Imbalance Cause Infertility? 4 Ways to Balance Your Hormones Naturally
If you’re struggling with infertility, I see you.
There is nothing quite like anticipating a baby—only to realize your body is letting you down without explanation.
You don’t know what to say to your friends and family anymore.
The heartache you feel when you’re alone is unbearable.
Maybe you’re even dealing with unwelcome jealousy at your friends’ pregnancy announcements.
Infertility is on the rise. More and more women are facing this unique struggle (about 1 in 6).
You’re not alone. Your complicated feelings are welcome here. And I firmly believe that this doesn’t have to be your story forever.
There are resources out there to help you manage (and yes, even overcome) infertility.
In this blog, we’ll discuss a root cause that could be behind your infertility struggles: hormone imbalance.
Does Hormone Imbalance Cause Infertility?
Yes, hormone imbalances are one of the leading causes of infertility.
Consider this good news. If your infertility is caused by hormone problems, then it’s totally possible to reverse the damage and boost your chances of pregnancy.
There is hope for your future family. You just need to look in the right places.
When we talk about hormones and infertility, we aren’t just talking about reproductive hormones like progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone.
We need to look at all hormones—the entire system of chemical messengers that regulate blood sugar, sleep, stress, hunger cues, the nervous system, and more.
There are over 50 known hormones working behind the scenes in the body—and each one needs love and attention.
Symptoms of Imbalanced Hormones
It’s estimated that almost 50% of women struggle with hormone imbalance today. Are you one of them?
Uncover sneaky hormone issues by reviewing these symptoms of hormone imbalance:
· Unnatural weight gain or weight loss
· Trouble sleeping
· Hormonal or cystic acne
· Changes in heartbeat
· Fatigue
· Gut issues
· Anxiety, depression, or other mental health struggles
· Brittle fingernails and toenails
· Heavy periods with clotting
· Missing or irregular periods
· Brain fog
· Low libido
How to Boost Fertility by Balancing Your Hormones in Four Easy Steps
Honestly, there are so many ways to naturally increase your chances of getting pregnant—and they’re probably easier than you think (no expensive tools required). Nature provides us dozens of resources to promote homeostasis in the body, like sunshine, grounding, fresh air, and herbal remedies.
In addition to living alongside nature’s rhythms, here are some more aggressive ways you can take charge of your fertility:
1) Remove Toxins from Your Environment
From plasticware and nonstick cookware to toxic cleaners, endocrine-disrupting body products, and microplastics—environmental toxins are interrupting homeostasis everywhere.
Hormone disruptors, specifically, have the ability to throw off our entire endocrine system. They mimic estrogen in the body, promoting estrogen dominance and eventually liver overload.
When your body can’t properly clear synthetic hormones, they recirculate through the bloodstream—and might send the wrong signals to your body and to other hormones. Think of it as a domino effect.
So many women dismiss environmental stressors as the root of their infertility because chemicals are normalized. The microscopic ingredients in our products couldn’t possibly throw off our entire reproductive system, could they?
I believe there’s a huge connection between the rapid decline of fertility and the introduction of chemicals to our environment. One product may not kill you. But the compilation of chemicals in our food, water, personal care products, kitchen gadgets, and bedrooms is too much for our bodies to realistically handle.
2) Calm Your Nervous System
Did you know? Cortisol is the stress hormone—and it sends all kinds of confusing signals to the body. Remember, humans are wired to survive in a wild and primal environment. We’ve only had a few hundred years to adapt to this new industrial era—which is just the blink of an eye in the grand scheme of time.
Our bodies still react to stress as if we’re in a life-or-death situation (think: getting chased by a lion). Our nervous system struggles to differentiate a nail-biting work meeting from something genuinely life-threatening.
Since we’re wired for survival, our bodies are unlikely to reproduce under these conditions. Instead, we crave a safe space where energy, emotions, and wellness flow freely.
It’s common for women struggling with infertility to hear sentiments like “just relax and let it happen.” Calming your nervous system after years of unregulated stress and trauma is far more complicated than simply “relaxing.” It requires a deep dive into somatics, breathing exercises, brain rewiring, and normalcy.
3) Look at Your Sleep Habits
If you’re trying to have a baby, you have to make sleep part of the equation. Our culture values work above all else—and when we promote ideas like “time is money,” we are dramatically devaluing vital habits, like sleep and recreation.
Sleep is a totally free resource that can help you increase energy levels, reduce brain fog, eliminate toxins from the brain, and yes, balance your hormones. In fact, the hormone melatonin is directly involved with your sleep and wake patterns, and its antioxidant properties are more powerful than vitamin C.
4) Increase Mineral Intake
Minerals are the building blocks behind healthy hormones and healthy cells. Due to low-quality foods, heavily processed ingredients, and soil that’s depleted in nutrients, almost none of us are getting the proper amount of minerals in our diet (especially the mineral magnesium).
Your body is extremely intuitive—and much smarter than you think. It may decide not to conceive simply because there aren’t enough minerals and other nutritional resources available. If it’s already struggling to manage basic organ function for you, it may feel intimidated at the idea of growing another entire human.
If you’re trying to conceive, give your body a little extra mineral love. You can check on your mineral levels with something called a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) and directly target deficiencies.
How to Boost Fertility with Nutrition
Nutrition is my specialty—especially nutrition for fertility. My clients prove again and again just how important food is to overcoming infertility. Food is not only medicine—but a way to fuel our bodies and supply them with much-needed vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. These resources quite literally keep our hormones functioning.
Here’s the issue, though. So many women are encouraged culturally to eat as little as possible. When we are eating, we’re cutting out food groups with extreme diets—or relying on processed foods alone.
None of this is sustainable for healthy hormones. In fact, it’s detrimental to our health.
We have to understand that women’s bodies need food—and a lot of it, especially during the reproductive years.
The catch? Our food needs to be high-quality and rich in minerals and vitamins, which is very unlike most of what we find at the grocery store.
If you’re wondering how to boost fertility with nutrition, here are some of my top tips:
· Make sure you’re eating enough. Track your calories and aim for nutrient-dense foods like bone broth, organ meats, farm fresh eggs, grass-fed beef, raw milk, and organic fruits and veggies.
· Lean on animal products. We’re taught to avoid animal fats and particularly red meat because it’s “unhealthy.” But when chemical-free and properly fed, these are superfoods for fertility. Seriously, a grass-fed steak has more nutrient density than a salad.
· Start a preconception diet. I recommend that my preconception clients start focusing on nutrients like choline, folate, healthy fats, and magnesium. Filling up these nutrient stores can give your body a buffer—and make it feel safe to conceive.
When Overcoming Infertility, You Have to Cultivate a Safe Environment for Your Body to Exist In
… And this may feel like the exact opposite of what you want to do.
You want to cry a lot. Blame your body for its trouble conceiving. Or find a fix-it-all pill you can take to make everything better.
If only it were this easy.
The key to optimizing fertility (I’ve seen it work for so many clients) is cultivating a safe environment for your brain, body, and soul to thrive.
Practice positive self-talk.
Be present with your emotions.
Eat enough food to fuel you every day.
Hug your partner.
Practice active rest.
Find hobbies you enjoy.
Trust your body to bring a baby into a world it feels good about.
Looking for 1-on-1 support to build your preconception diet, calm your nervous system, and learn more ancestral keys to fertility? My preconception group course opens for eight weeks starting January 17th.
You’ll connect with other mamas-to-be and have access to individualized testing, resources, supplements, and weekly group calls with me.
Get the Tools and Resources You Need to Balance Your Hormones for Life