FERTILITY COUNSELINGDo you want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, or preserve your fertility for as long as possible?
These days, there is a lot of anxiety among women about whether or not we will be able to get pregnant and carry a healthy baby to term. We worry about everything from age to environmental toxins to the impact of stress on our egg reserve. I know, because when I was childless in my late thirties, I started to feel a lot of fear around this issue, but then everything changed for me. WHAT’S AYURVEDA?
Fortunately, I discovered Ayurveda, a holistic approach to wellness practiced in India for at least 5,000 years. Based on the early Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, Ayurveda is a sophisticated system of healing that examines the physical constitution, emotional health and spiritual disposition of an individual based on the three different energies, or doshas, we all possess– vata, pitta and kapha. Ayurveda is about cultivating balance, syncing with Mother Nature, and eating seasonally and according to one’s unique tridoshic constitution. Diet, lifestyle, belief systems, emotional and mental health – all these factors influence your fertility. |
Photo by: Oriana Ingber
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THE PROBLEM WITH THE WESTERN APPROACH
We often want a quick fix when it comes to our fertility. We dutifully kick the coffee beans, order more wild salmon, consume endless amounts of esoteric herbs and get religiously poked with needles twice a week. Even if acupuncture is Chinese, we often treat it as one of the countless items on our lists of things to do that we are rushing through, a box we must tick. We double up on our greens, start using castor oil packs and download mindfulness apps with the hopes of relaxing ourselves into pregnancy. Some of us skip natural remedies altogether and make a bee-line for IVF—a costly and physically taxing route—but after a certain age, we stop believing in our bodies. If something doesn’t happen overnight, instead of taking some deep breaths, we panic and start to do more.
In Ayurveda, on the other hand, slowing down is not only integral to overall well-being but also to preventing aging. This applies to fertility of course. When we are trying to conceive, especially later in life, it is easy to become anxious and rush things, but the most meaningful gift we can give ourselves is to be patient and to start taking care of our whole selves – spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. Arguably the only way we can authentically do this is by slowing down.
There is a whole focus in Ayurveda on preconception care—pregnancy begins months before conception where both man and woman actively harness the body's natural ability to cleanse and renew. Diet is one of the main areas of concentration in both couples or individuals trying to conceive in Ayurveda. Ojas, or life force-building foods such as dates and figs, okra and sweet potatoes and healthy fats and oils such as ghee are consumed. Herbs like amla, ashwagandha, ginger, turmeric, and shatavari are incorporated into one’s diet as are practices like self-massage with sesame or coconut oils, as part of a set of daily self-care rituals called “dinacharya.”
For more information, check out the Ayurveda FAQs
We often want a quick fix when it comes to our fertility. We dutifully kick the coffee beans, order more wild salmon, consume endless amounts of esoteric herbs and get religiously poked with needles twice a week. Even if acupuncture is Chinese, we often treat it as one of the countless items on our lists of things to do that we are rushing through, a box we must tick. We double up on our greens, start using castor oil packs and download mindfulness apps with the hopes of relaxing ourselves into pregnancy. Some of us skip natural remedies altogether and make a bee-line for IVF—a costly and physically taxing route—but after a certain age, we stop believing in our bodies. If something doesn’t happen overnight, instead of taking some deep breaths, we panic and start to do more.
In Ayurveda, on the other hand, slowing down is not only integral to overall well-being but also to preventing aging. This applies to fertility of course. When we are trying to conceive, especially later in life, it is easy to become anxious and rush things, but the most meaningful gift we can give ourselves is to be patient and to start taking care of our whole selves – spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally. Arguably the only way we can authentically do this is by slowing down.
There is a whole focus in Ayurveda on preconception care—pregnancy begins months before conception where both man and woman actively harness the body's natural ability to cleanse and renew. Diet is one of the main areas of concentration in both couples or individuals trying to conceive in Ayurveda. Ojas, or life force-building foods such as dates and figs, okra and sweet potatoes and healthy fats and oils such as ghee are consumed. Herbs like amla, ashwagandha, ginger, turmeric, and shatavari are incorporated into one’s diet as are practices like self-massage with sesame or coconut oils, as part of a set of daily self-care rituals called “dinacharya.”
For more information, check out the Ayurveda FAQs
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MY HEALTH COACH QUALIFICATIONS
In 2019, I became a certified health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). I am also certified in Ayurveda Foundations from the California College of Ayurveda and have studied the Ayurvedic Art of Health and Healing with Dr. Vasant Lad, founder of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. STAY POSITIVE
I want you to reach your dreams of bringing a baby into the world as much as you do. If you’ve waited a little longer to embark on the journey of motherhood, don’t be discouraged by the statistics. Look at my happy ending! In fact, stop reading anything negative right now. Even if you decide not to work with me, the most important thing you can do right now is believe in your body. Think of all the ways it has served you in your life, how much it has been through, and how resilient it is. Honor it by believing in its biological power and realizing how strong you are. I hope to join you on this exciting journey. I am currently offering the first one-hour session at a reduced rate of $60. Click here to book an appointment this week! |
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SESSION ONE
This is your first step towards beginning your spiritual journey of enhancing your body, mind and spirit in preparation for a healthy pregnancy. In this session, Natasha will do a Health History Assessment, review your overall eating habits and lifestyle and determine your “dosha”. She will then design a specific Ayurveda-inspired fertility-enhancing program for you based on your unique constitution. This will include guidance on nutrition, exercise, herbs and supplements as well as fertility-enhancing Ayurvedic elixirs and teas. She will also discuss lifestyle modifications and answer any questions you may have. |
SESSION TWO
Natasha will help you go deeper to see if there is something ‘blocking’ you from getting pregnant, including exploring your relationship with yourself and with your partner. In this session, she will impart Ayurvedic wisdom to cultivate more harmony in your life and share daily self-care rituals called “dinacharya” as well personalized tips and strategies to stay calm, confident and positive on your fertility journey. |
SESSION THREE
In this follow-up session, generally scheduled several weeks after the first session, Natasha will review progress made on your journey and provide additional guidance on diet, exercise and daily practices where needed. Here she will explore whether panchakarma is the right next step for you as well as other detoxifying Ayurvedic treatments to enhance fertility and re-boost the body’s innate healing mechanisms. The follow-up emails following all three sessions, include personalized weekly meal plan suggestions, shopping lists, and healthy Ayurvedic Indian recipes.
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MY STORY
I discovered Ayurveda in my late twenties, but didn’t start deeply exploring it until I went on a 9-month detox from dating, which I call a spiritual MAN FAST, in my late 30s. I was single when I embarked upon this journey of self-discovery—I left New York City and spent time in the lush, jungle-like environment of Kerala, the birthplace of Ayurveda, studying and submitting myself to various aspects of this ancient health system – which is gaining more popularity in the United States. At the time, I knew I wanted to have a child, and I wanted to preserve my fertility for as long as possible. I changed in countless ways during this period—not only was my approach to food and overall health entirely transformed, but I learned to slow down and take better care of myself. In fact, even though I didn’t have a boyfriend at the time, I started to take care of myself as if I was expecting – eating according to my dosha and living more mindfully, among other things (I describe this entire journey in my book MAN FAST).
I was feeling so healthy and whole after this experience that at 41, I unexpectedly met someone special and we got pregnant the first time we were together. We now have a beautiful baby girl, Layla.
I discovered Ayurveda in my late twenties, but didn’t start deeply exploring it until I went on a 9-month detox from dating, which I call a spiritual MAN FAST, in my late 30s. I was single when I embarked upon this journey of self-discovery—I left New York City and spent time in the lush, jungle-like environment of Kerala, the birthplace of Ayurveda, studying and submitting myself to various aspects of this ancient health system – which is gaining more popularity in the United States. At the time, I knew I wanted to have a child, and I wanted to preserve my fertility for as long as possible. I changed in countless ways during this period—not only was my approach to food and overall health entirely transformed, but I learned to slow down and take better care of myself. In fact, even though I didn’t have a boyfriend at the time, I started to take care of myself as if I was expecting – eating according to my dosha and living more mindfully, among other things (I describe this entire journey in my book MAN FAST).
I was feeling so healthy and whole after this experience that at 41, I unexpectedly met someone special and we got pregnant the first time we were together. We now have a beautiful baby girl, Layla.