Jacintha Gunasekera - Fertility Naturopath

16/03/2023

Have you been seeing a lot about egg freezing lately?

I have & I love it!
I'm ALL FOR any REAL conversation about our fertility & how best to support it. That includes fertility preservation measures like egg freezing.

REAL conversations about fertility include discussion about our fertility window.

While more women than ever are having their first or subsequent babies at 40+ (this is 100% reflected in my practice), it's important to remember that female fertility starts to decline at 35 (& by the way, male fertility declines at 40).

If you're not in the position to start your family by 35, freezing your eggs is a fantastic way to be proactive about your future fertility.

But...it's not as simple as that (of course it isn't!)

❄️ Freezing your eggs at < 38 yrs has the greatest likelihood of a live birth, with most specialists suggesting freezing at < 35 yrs.

❄️ A woman > 35 yrs with 8 frozen eggs, has a 20% chance of proceeding to a live birth.

❄️ That same woman with 20 frozen eggs has a 60% chance of success.

→ In all likelihood, this represents going through multiple stimulated cycles and egg collections.

And that's the next bit...💰This isn't a cheap exercise!

Unless you have a medical reason for freezing your eggs (in which case you may be eligible for a subsidised cycle), each cycle is $7K+ with an additional monthly fee for storing your frosties.

On balance, freezing your eggs might not be a perfect plan, but it does give you a greater chance of using your own eggs down the track.

If you ARE considering freezing your eggs, make them as healthy as possible! This is even more important for 'older' eggs.

🥚It takes 90 days for an egg cell to mature...wanna get started with me now? Book in for a chat.

01/12/2022

I know it seems like a really simple question, but clinical experience tells me it's open to a great deal of interpretation.​​​​​​​​
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🩸 Cycle Day 1 is...​​​​​​​​..the very first day of full flow bleeding​​​​​​​​
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→ This means FULL FLOW​​​​​​​​
→ Any spotting you might get before your full flow bleeding doesn't count.​​​​​​​​
→ 'Full flow' means you need to use a pad / tampon / cup. ​​​​​​​​
A panty liner won't do.​​​​​​​​
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🩸 Cycle Day 1 means...​​​​​​​​..your full flow bleeding started before lunch that day.​​​​​​​​
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→ IVF peeps are really familiar with this 😅!​​​​​​​​
When you phone the IVF clinic as instructed on 'Day 1' you always get asked the question: 'What time did your bleeding start? Was it before 12pm?' ​​​​​​​​
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→ If your full flow bleeding begins later in the afternoon or evening, you actually count Day 1 as the NEXT day.​​​​​​​​
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♡ It's really important to chart / diarise your Day 1.​​​​​​​​
→ It helps to determine cycle length and any changes to it.​​​​​​​​
→ You can more easily pinpoint when to get certain hormonal testing done.​​​​​​​​
→ It's valuable information for your health care practitioner.​​​​​​​​
→ You can more easily track bleeding and spotting.​​​​​​​​
→ You can more easily determine when to expect your next period.​​​​​​​​
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Have you been making Day 1 counting errors...?​​​​​​​​
Now you know!​​​​​​​​
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🩸 Book in if you'd like to learn more about your menstrual cycle and cycle charting.​​​​​​​​
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14/11/2022

Supplements are an incredible and targeted way to support your hormone balance, fertility and wellness.

🙌🏽 LOVE them!

But they're not everything...

✴︎ It's the daily small practices that really add-up to good health...
what you eat & drink
how you spend your time
the people you surround yourself with
the social media you consume
how much sleep you get
what you do that brings you pleasure
how you move your body
how much sunshine you get
your mindset
how often you brush your teeth
your chemical & environmental exposures
how much you laugh
your personal relationships...

Would you agree the little things add up?
Can you add to the list?

11/11/2022

⏳ 74 days.​​
That's the time it takes for s***m cell formation and maturation.​​​​​​​​
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⏳ 74 days.​​​​​​​​
The period of time s***m cells are affected by​​​​​​​​
- what a man eats​​​​​​​​
- what he drinks​​​​​​​​
- infections he has​​​​​​​​
- endocrine disruption​​​​​​​​
- drugs or medications he takes​​​​​​​​
- nutrient sufficiency, insufficiency or deficiency​​​​​​​​
all affecting s***m health​​​​​​​​
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⏳ 74 days​​​​​​​​
The time a man can invest in making positive changes to improve s***m health and fertility.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
November is , and it's worth remembering that infertility is not (just) a female issue. ​​​​​​​​
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👉🏽 It's estimated that 40% of fertility issues are due to male factor.​​​​​​​​
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❤️‍🩹 The stress and heartache of fertility treatments, disappointing outcomes, and miscarriage affect men as well.​​​​​​​​
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♡ It's important to include them in all conversations and investigations around fertility.​​​​​​​​
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→ Reach out if you'd like to start that conversation about how a naturopathic approach can support male fertility.​​​​​​​​
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***mhealth

27/10/2022

The luteal phase of our menstrual cycle mirrors the season of Autumn.

🌿 For I've already introduced you to Ginger to support your menstrual phase, Nettle leaf to support your follicular phase, and Rose to support your ovulation phase

🌿 Using herbs as medicine can be a supportive way to nourish the inner seasons of your menstrual cycle.

🌿 Herbs can support your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, as you move through each phase of your cycle.

It’s been done since…forever…☾

👉🏽 Meet our last herbal ally, and learn how Withania, or Ashwagandha, can support you in your luteal phase...

✴︎ Menstrual phase | Inner Winter
✴︎ Follicular phase | Inner Spring
✴︎ Ovulation | Inner Summer
✴︎ Luteal phase | Inner Autumn

👉🏽 Click into my website above to read more about the Inner seasons of your menstrual cycle.
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26/10/2022

The Ovulation phase of our menstrual cycle mirrors the season of Summer.

🌿 Using herbs as medicine can be a supportive way to nourish the inner seasons of your menstrual cycle.

🌿 For I've already introduced you to Ginger to support your menstrual phase, and Nettle leaf to support your follicular phase

🌿 Herbs can support your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, as you move through each phase of your cycle.

It’s been done since…forever…☾

👉🏽 See how the beautiful Rose can support your Ovulation phase...

✴︎ Menstrual phase | Inner Winter
✴︎ Follicular phase | Inner Spring
✴︎ Ovulation | Inner Summer
✴︎ Luteal phase | Inner Autumn

🌿 Make sure to follow me to discover more plant friends for the next phase of your menstrual cycle...
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25/10/2022

The follicular or pre-ovulation phase of our menstrual cycle mirrors the season of Spring.

🌿 Using herbs as medicine can be a supportive way to nourish the inner seasons of your menstrual cycle.

🌿 Herbs can support your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, as you move through each phase of your cycle.

It’s been done since…forever…☾

🌿 For I've already introduced you to Ginger to support your menstrual phase.

👉🏽 Now see how Nettle leaf can support your follicular phase...

✴︎ Menstrual phase | Inner Winter
✴︎ Follicular phase | Inner Spring
✴︎ Ovulation | Inner Summer
✴︎ Luteal phase | Inner Autumn

🌿 Make sure to follow me to discover more plant friends for the other phases of your menstrual cycle...
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24/10/2022

Using herbs as medicine can be a supportive way to nourish each phase of your menstrual cycle ☾​​​​​​​​​

🌿 Herbs can support your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, as you move through your cycle.

It’s been done since…forever…☾

🌿 During this , I'll be introducing you to a special herb to make friends with in each phase of your menstrual cycle:
✴︎ Menstrual phase | Inner Winter
✴︎ Follicular phase | Inner Spring
✴︎ Ovulation | Inner Summer
✴︎ Luteal phase | Inner Autumn

👉🏽 See how Ginger can support your menstrual phase...

🌿 Make sure to follow me to discover more plant friends for the rest of your cycle...

Naturopaths & Herbalists Association of Australia

21/10/2022

This study published by JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute followed 34000 women and found an association between regular use of chemical hair straighteners and an increased risk of developing uterine cancer.

The authors discuss like formaldehyde, parabens and phthalates, and the role they might play, as well as highlighting that the scalp is a highly absorptive surface.

'Association' doesn't equal 'cause' - there's more research to do.

Our personal care products matter. The effects endocrine disrupting chemicals have on the way we use, make, transport & excrete our hormones are real.

Critical windows of exposure are considered to be preconception, pregnancy, breastfeeding, babies, children & adolescents.

Click on my website above to read blog posts about how endocrine disruptors might be affecting your fertility.

Scientists are uncovering new details in the connection between using certain hair straightening products, such as chemical relaxers and pressing products, and an increased risk of cancer in women.

07/10/2022

Those are All The Reasons Why each and every egg collection experience is unique...​​​​​​​​
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☼ Your experience is unique to you, and your next collection might be very different to your last, and certainly different from your friend / sister / colleague.​​​​​​​​
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☼ IVF is a magic collaboration between you, your partner, maybe a donor, your specialist, the nurses, the embryologists, the support staff.​​​​​​​​
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☼ An experienced naturopath can absolutely be part of this IVF Squad, and will always make sure treatment is safe and appropriate for each stage.​​​​​​​​
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☼ Your naturopath can work to safely support you through your IVF cycle preparation, egg collection, embryo transfer or donor cycle.​​​​​​​​
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👉🏽 Book a complimentary chat to discuss your case.​​​​​​​​
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👉🏽 Read my journal entry '7 ways to prepare for your egg collection'​​​​​​​​
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♡ Share this with someone that might benefit x​​​​​​​​
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04/10/2022

Does it ever feel as though your body is working against you?
Or that you're working against it?
Your menstrual cycle in particular?

Would you be intrigued to know there's a way you can work with your menstrual cycle?

That by understanding its ebb and flow, we can live more in alignment with our biology?

Viewing our menstrual cycle as a reflection of Nature’s seasons is one way to do this. It’s a way to understand and interpret the inner workings of your cycle, and how they affect your day-to-day experiences.

In this way of thinking, our menstrual cycle is divided into four phases, which correlate with the seasons:
❄️ The menstrual phase mirrors Winter
🌱 The follicular phase mirrors Spring
🌺 Ovulation becomes a phase, and mirrors Summer
🍁 The luteal phase mirrors Autumn

☾ You can even explore a Nature-based cycle-awareness approach if you’re not menstruating regularly.

☾ You carry the Universe inside you

Work with your cycle. Learn how your menstrual cycle mirrors the seasons of Nature, and how this might help guide your day-to-day experiences.

15/09/2022

If you have an IVF egg retrieval coming up, read my new journal post...

🥚 7 ways to prepare for your egg collection 🥚

These 7 practical tips might make your pick-up just a bit easier and cover:

🥚 Creating space for rest
🥚 Supporting pelvic circulation
🥚 Fertile thoughts & the mind-body connection
🥚 Ways to be organised for less stress
🥚 Your 'egg collection outfit'
🥚 Dealing with the cramping & bloating
🥚 Keeping calm

And if you've got time up your sleeve, a sneaky 8th tip
🥚 Preconception care

♡ IVF can be hard
These tips might make part of the process a bit easier

Good luck! x

Learn 7 tips to make your IVF egg retrieval a bit easier

05/09/2022

If you're thinking of getting ready to have a baby in the next 3 - 6 months, it's time to head to your GP for a preconception check!​​​​​​​​
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🩺 Your GP will most likely assess the following:​​​​​​​​
- your menstrual cycle​​​​​​​​
- a full blood count & iron studies, to look out for anaemia​​​​​​​​
- infection & STI check for things like Hep B/C, HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, CMV, toxoplasmosis​​​​​​​​
- your immunity against infections like rubella & chicken pox​​​​​​​​
- a cervical screening test​​​​​​​​
- vitamin D levels​​​​​​​​
- thyroid function​​​​​​​​
- a medication review​​​​​​​​
- your weight & blood pressure​​​​​​​​
- a review of any underlying health conditions you might have, such as asthma, hypo/hyperthyroidism, depression, diabetes​​​​​​​​
- discuss any genetic disorders in your family such as cystic fibrosis, or any birth defects​​​​​​​​
- discuss any previous pregnancies, miscarriages, terminations​​​​​​​​
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🩺 Depending on your story, your GP might also organise a pelvic ultrasound (to investigate ovarian cysts, fibroids), check your blood sugar, check your AMH (for ovarian reserve), or baseline hormones (FSH, LH, oestrogen on Day 2/3 of your cycle; progesterone 7-days post-ovulation).​​​​​​​​
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🩺 The preconception check is suggested 3 - 6 months before conception:​​​​​​​​
👉🏽 to take into consideration the 90-days of egg-cell maturation, where YOU can influence your preconception health​​​​​​​​
👉🏽 AND the time that might be required to build up iron stores, update any vaccinations, adjust to any new medications, & make sure underlying health conditions are under control.​​​​​​​​
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🤰🏽Go get checked! x​​​​​​​​
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🙌🏽 This post was inspired by Jean Hailes for Women's Health . Today their focus is on for women!​​​​​​​​
reminds us to set aside time for our health & wellbeing, and to make good health a priority.

05/09/2022

Health checks for women at every age...
Jean Hailes for Women's Health

https://assets.jeanhailes.org.au/Fact_sheets/whw22_health_checks_poster_A3_WEB.pdf

05/09/2022

It's Jean Hailes for Women's Health !

01/09/2022

How will YOU blossom this Spring...

♡ Daily movement, stretching, walking...meditation...crafting...walking barefoot on the grass...eating more vegetables...drinking more water...having a herbal tea each day...writing...dry skin brushing...gardening...bird watching...eating the rainbow...going to bed early...watching the sun rise...meal planning...sticking to your health plan...taking your supplements...reading a book...doing a digital detox...decluttering...drawing...charting your menstrual cycle...starting a gratitude practice...♡

Unfurl...
Stretch out...
Bloom...🌸
Happy Spring x

Share the ways you plan to blossom this Spring.

25/08/2022

The recently released national birth statistics show a continued increase in women giving birth over the ages of 35 and 40.

🤰🏽 One quarter (25.5%) of all births in 2020 were to women 35+ years old
→ 61 253 women (21%) aged 35-39 years gave birth
→ 13 163 women (4.5%) 40+ years gave birth

Do these numbers feel motivating and empowering to you?
Or daunting?

👉🏽 I look at it like this - someone has to be in that 25%, why not YOU!

🤰🏻Conceiving over the ages of 35 and 40 is harder. There’s no dressing that up. Egg quality does start to decline after this age.

👉🏽 It’s not just our eggs…
→ The toll of our environmental and chemical exposures has been longer.
→ The toll of underlying health conditions has been longer (😅lol, the chance to even develop them has been longer)
→ AND if our partners are 40+years, their s***m quality is also in age-related decline!…FERTILITY IS NOT (JUST) A FEMALE ISSUE, and not enough people are saying it (loudly!)

🤰 But, there’s also lots more research into optimising egg quality precisely because more women of ‘advanced maternal age’ ARE trying to conceive.

👉🏽 There are things you can do to optimise your fertility if you are over 35 and over 40!

It’s not always easy, but the reward might just make up for it.

🤱🏻 If you are ready to make some dietary and lifestyle changes, take some herbs and supplements, and be supported along the way by ME…then stop thinking...don't wait...make an appointment!

I can't wait to work with you!

16/08/2022

“Public service announcement"...Period pain is not normal.​​​​​​​​
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🩸 You’ve heard me say it before...​​​​​​​​
Period pain might be common, but it absolutely isn’t normal. Especially pain that limits your day-to-day experiences.​​​​​​​​
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🩸 MILD period-related discomfort IS normal, and looks like:​​​​​​​​
- Pain experienced only on 1 -2 days of your period​​​​​​​​
- Pain that goes away when you take painkillers​​​​​​​​
- Pain that doesn’t affect your day-to-day commitments​​​​​​​​
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⚠️ Abnormal period pain looks like:​​​​​​​​
- Pain that lasts more than 2 days of your period​​​​​​​​
- Pain that doesn’t go away with over-the-counter painkillers​​​​​​​​
- Pain that limits your ability to carry on with work and play, or that wakes you up​​​​​​​​
- Pain that makes you vomit​​​​​​​​
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👉🏽 See your GP or gynaecologist if you are experiencing pain like this. It’s not normal and underlying causes might be:​​​​​​​​
Endometriosis​​​​​​​​
Adenomyosis​​​​​​​​
Fibroids​​​​​​​​
Pelvic inflammatory disease​​​​​​​​
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A formal diagnosis will help target the best treatment options for you.​​​​​​​​
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🙌🏽 And of course, naturopathy (herbs, nutrients, diet, lifestyle), can play a big role too!​​​​​​​​
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📸 Tina Maria Elena