More from Our Blog
Read articles, tips and resources from the natural fertility experts at Conceive Health.
Why Do Some Genetically Normal Embryos Fail to Implant?
Statistically, about 1/3 of genetically normal embryos don’t implant into the uterus. Why? A big research review in May 2022 tried to answer this question. The possible issues come down to 3 different categories: embryonic, uterine, and systemic. Of all the things I’m...
What Beauty Products are Safe When Trying to Conceive?
There was another recall of aerosolized products recently. We've already seen recalls for aerosol body sprays, deodorants, and sunscreens in the past year and this time it's dry shampoo sprays. In this recent product recall, aerosol propellants were contaminated with...
Is it Safe to Whiten Your Teeth When Trying to Conceive?
One question I get quite commonly is “can I whiten or bleach my teeth while I'm trying to conceive?” The short answer is: we don't have enough information, so it's best to avoid it. The two main chemicals used to whiten teeth are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide...
Is a Low Carb Diet Safe While Trying to Conceive?
Low-carb diets have become very popular over recent years. Many people use a low-carb diet to help them lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, improve energy levels, manage diabetes and much more. There is also a lot of talk about using a low-carb diet to improve...
Is There a Link Between Toxins and Miscarriages?
Miscarriages are devastating and more often than not, it's difficult to determine why they happened. The best approach for multiple miscarriages (1 or more) is to rule out each possible cause, one at a time. Depending on when the miscarriage occurs, it can give us a...
Does a High BMI Affect Fertility?
"I have a high BMI and my fertility doc is telling me I need to lose weight. Am I being fat shamed, or is there actual evidence that this could affect my chances of getting pregnant?” I’m hearing this more and more. People are being turned away (or delayed) from...
Hormone Balancing Breakfast – Chia Seed Pudding
Hormone Balancing Breakfast - Chia Seed Pudding Dr. Morgan Ramsay, ND One of the most daunting tasks in the morning is figuring out what to eat for breakfast! This is especially true when trying to focus on a fertility-friendly morning routine, and unfortunately, the...
How Do I Use Temperatures to Track Ovulation?
There are a few different ways you can naturally track your cycles and find out when you might be ovulating. These methods help you track down: When you’re most fertile (cervical mucus) When you’re about to ovulate (LH urine test strips) When you’ve likely just...
What is AMH and Why Is it Important?
You have likely heard of AMH — and maybe have even had your levels tested. But what is it exactly, and what does it have to do with your fertility? In this article, Dr. Sarah Zadek, ND, breaks it down. AMH Origin Story To understand AMH, it helps to understand where...
The Complete Guide to Insulin Resistance and Fertility
The team of Naturopathic Doctors at Conceive Health tests for insulin resistance with every single patient. The main tests we want to see are: fasting insulin fasting glucose These 2 numbers are used to calculate a ratio called a HOMA-IR score, which is used in the...
Magnesium & Fertility: Everything You Need to Know
The magnesium in your body (or lack thereof), affects just about how every one of your cells functions — including those that play a role in your fertility. As the fourth most common mineral in the human body, it is no surprise that magnesium is a critical cofactor in...
Fertility Challenges and Getting Emotional Support
“We all have emotional needs, and the fertility journey is one of the hardest and most trying on our hearts and our heads.” - Dr. Sarah Zadek, ND There are many ways that humans organize themselves in social communities. The other day I stopped and realized that I’d...
Can Golfing Impact Male Factor Fertility?
As we gear up for golf season, there are some unforeseen health hazards that this may have for the men out there. As it turns out, sperm is highly sensitive to environmental changes. This includes changes in temperature and exposure to environmental chemicals,...
My Endometriosis Journey
Many people assume that endometriosis (endo) means infertility; that if you have endometriosis, it automatically means you’ll struggle to get pregnant. The truth is that endo comes with a lot of challenges for reproduction, but you can still have a healthy pregnancy —...
Can Too Much Processed, Fast Food Affect Fertility?
It’s not a surprise that eating a “standard Western diet” isn’t good for our health. We’re referring to a diet that includes a lot of fast food and processed and packaged foods. Short term, a diet like this can cause gas and bloating, or feelings of still being hungry...
Does Being Overweight Affect Sperm Quality?
When couples are attempting to conceive, it’s often the person who will carry the pregnancy who feels the pressure and responsibility to be healthy and fertile. This is often because the womb provides the energy, sustenance, blood supply, and nutrition for the growing...
How to Know if You Have Endometriosis
Endometriosis may be an underlying cause in up to 50% of “unexplained infertility” cases. (1) So how do I know if I have endometriosis? Research shows we can lean towards a “yes” if you answer these 2 questions: Do you have pain with periods? (cramping pain in the...
Can Genetic Testing Improve Your Fertility Plan?
As medicine is evolving, there are more technologies at our disposal to help investigate health and the underlying cause of symptoms, including infertility. Lifestyle genetic testing has recently hit the market, providing doctors and patients with a unique look into...
3 Foods to Avoid for More Fertile, Healthier Sperm
Most men are aware of the issues that alcohol and smoking can have on sperm quality, but they probably never thought about how their diet could damage their sperm and contribute to male factor infertility. Here are The Big 3 items to remove from your diet if you want...
Why Staying Active in Winter Helps Your Fertility
The changing of weather and seasons can be tough on many of us. Depending on where you live, you might experience frigid cold temperatures, snowfalls and freezing rain, or for our friends in the south, the temperature shifts might only include transitioning to...
Fertility & DNA Testing: Everything You Need to know
The global rates of infertility have steadily climbed over the past few decades to affect up to 15% of all couples. While there are many causes and factors, approximately 50% of cases are estimated to be because of genetic factors. Many couples experience ‘idiopathic...
Why Didn’t My Embryos Make it to Day 5?
Undergoing fertility treatment can be stressful — especially when you hear your embryos didn’t “make it to day 5.” But what does that mean, and why did it happen? And is there anything you can do to prevent it or improve your odds? Dr. Yash, ND at Conceive Health,...
What You Need to Know About Vitamin D & Fertility
Vitamin D is an incredibly supportive fat-soluble vitamin for fertility — and beyond. It’s considered a hormone when it is made by the body. Humans make vitamin D upon exposure to the sun, which is why many Canadians are deficient (less ultraviolet light and therefore...
Does Alcohol Affect Fertility?
Alcohol is a contentious topic in the world of infertility. Why? Because most of us really enjoy a glass of wine at the end of a tough day, and infertility is tough! We are also living in a wine culture, whereby drinking is glorified. But alcohol and fertility aren’t...
What You Need to Know About Vitamin C and Fertility
When you think of vitamin C, you probably think about colds, oranges and chicken noodle soup. It’s certainly important for immunity, but did you know it also plays a role in fertility? In the following article, Dr. Camille Krause, ND at Conceive Health @ TRIO KW...
How Vitamin A Impacts Your Thyroid & Fertility
When you think of vitamin A, hormones aren’t necessarily the first indication that comes to mind. While it's well known for its impact on immunity and eye health, vitamin A does much more. It binds the retinoid X nuclear receptors (RXR), which is responsible for the...
Fertility Friendly Household Cleaning Recipes
Replacing your household cleaners can be a great idea when you are trying to conceive. Why? Because we are learning more and more about the impacts that toxins can have on hormone balance, as well as the quality of eggs and sperm. Certain chemicals like phthalates...
Giveaway: Win a Fertility Treatment Prize Pack!
Conceive Health is giving away a fertility treatment prize pack— complete with prenatals, transfer day comfort socks, and good-luck pineapple swag to help you keep thinking warm thoughts (the pineapple is a symbol of fertility — and our unofficial mascot). It’s...
How Bicycling Impacts Sperm Quality
We know that what we do and what we eat affects our overall health — and that means it also impacts the quality of our sperm and eggs. When we think of healthy living, we almost always think of exercise. Exercise is an important part of our lives that can help us...
Why Ovulation is Important for Healthy Hormones
In an interview with Dr. Camille Krause, she discussed why ovulation is important and how to get your hormones back on track. Dr. Camille Krause: Hi, it's Dr. Camille Krause, naturopathic doctor. I have changed my angle slightly so that we don't feel like we're stuck...
How to Improve Your Egg Health for Better Fertility
In an interview with Dr. Tracy Malone, she discussed how to improve egg health for better fertility - including what chemicals, pesticides, and toxins to avoid. Dr. Tracy Malone ND: Eggs start to develop about 100 days prior to ovulation. That 100 days, it's the...
Your Biological Age & Why it Affects Fertility
In an interview with Dr. Tracy Malone, she discussed how and why age (biological and chronological) affects fertility levels. Dr. Tracy Malone ND: When a woman turns 35, it's thought that her fertility really starts to take a sharp decline, which in all sense and...
Can the Birth Control Pill Impact Fertility?
In an interview with Dr. Tracy Malone, she discussed whether the birth control pill can impact fertility or contribute to infertility or menstrual disorders. Dr. Tracy Malone ND: One of the most common scenarios that I see come in is a woman in her adolescence or...
What Happens During Your 1st Fertility Acupuncture Appointment
Are you booked for your first fertility acupuncture treatment, or thinking about booking fertility acupuncture with Conceive Health? You probably have a lot of questions, or might be unsure about what to expect (especially during COVID-19 times). Well, you’ve come to...
What Are Progesterone Receptors (and How Do They Impact Fertility)?
There was a recent study that showed people with Neanderthal genes are more fertile. The reason why? They had more progesterone receptors. "In a cohort of present-day Britons, these carriers have more siblings, fewer miscarriages, and less bleeding during early...
Healing After Miscarriage & Pregnancy Loss
Having a miscarriage can be devastating, especially if your journey to get to that point has been particularly long or difficult. It’s important to give yourself time to grieve, but also a chance for the body to heal before trying to conceive again. This means healing...
High Estrogen? What it Means for Your Fertility
Estrogen has a bad reputation when it comes to women’s health. We hear a lot about how too much estrogen can put our hormones out of balance, but the truth is that it’s a bit of a Goldilocks hormone. We need just the right amount at different times of our monthly...
Getting a Semen Analysis? What You Need to Know
What is a Semen Analysis (And Why Have One)? Oftentimes, a couple’s fertility journey will begin with the woman getting a referral to a reproductive endocrinologist after failing to conceive, or suffering pregnancy loss. Since women carry the pregnancy, it’s a common...
The Essential Guide to Fertility Tracking Apps
The abundance of fertility tracking apps is pretty incredible these days. Imagine even just a decade ago, we didn’t have the same level of access to applications like this, meaning the average woman wasn’t able to get in touch with her cycle as easily as you can these...
How Genetics Can Impact Your Fertility
We’re starting to see more DNA testing kits hit the market. Each one tests a unique set of genes and is able to present ways in which your personal health can be affected by the variants of those genes. All too often I hear patients say “I want to know if I have the...
Does Vaping Affect Sperm & Male Fertility?
What effect does vaping have on male infertility, if any? This is a newer question being asked, with research hurrying to catch up with a global trend. We know that smoking (cigarettes) affects male fertility, largely due to 4000+ chemicals in the cigarette...
How Hormone Imbalances Affect Your Fertility
Many women understand that feeling of something being off. Some of us may ignore the signs, thinking that our painful periods are normal, or there’s nothing to be done about cyclical acne. But both of these and more are signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance....
Fertility Friendly Recipes: Perfectly Peachy Popsicles
summer. It’s hot. And peach season is coming up! Are you totally craving something cool and refreshing? Sadly, many of the popsicle options out there in the grocery store aren’t so great, even if they claim to be on the healthier side. I’ve taken a look at many of...
Fertility Friendly Recipes: Sweet Gua-Kale-Mole Dip
How about a little twist on guacamole that’ll get you some praise at your summer BBQs. It’ll also give you a taste of the tropics and I’m sure we can all use some of that right about now. INGREDIENTS 2 avocados 1/2 cup pineapple or mango, chopped 1/2 onion, diced 1-2...
Can You Get Enough Vitamin D From the Sun?
Vitamin D, our “sunshine” vitamin is so much more than a nutrient. Vitamin D is a steroid hormone with receptors located in almost every tissue in the body. Although many of us associate vitamin D with bone health or preventing seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this...
How to Take Your Temperature for Fertility
Taking your basal body temperature (BBT) while trying to conceive is an important step to understanding what is going on with your menstrual cycle hormones. What is basal body temperature? This is the temperature of your body when you are at rest. What happens to...
COVID-19 Screening & Safety at Conceive Health
Fertility Recipes: Avocado Devilled Eggs
Are you ready for a delicious and easy to make recipe for Summer (which is preconception and fertility-friendly)? Here is a recipe from the naturopathic kitchen of Dr. Rachel Corradetti- Sargeant. INGREDIENTS 12 large eggs 1 avocado, skin removed, pitted and diced 1...
Can Melatonin Impact Fertility?
Have you heard of melatonin? We usually hear of it as a way to induce sleep, however, did you know melatonin can be used to treat infertility? Yes, indeed, melatonin is an antioxidant that can assist in reversing oxidative damage to oocytes therefore improving egg...
Secondary Infertility: What is it and What to Do About It
So you already have one (or more) kids, and want to grow your family. Secondary infertility is defined as difficulty in conceiving or carrying a child to term, following the birth of a previous child. It can have an incredible emotional toll, no matter how much or how...
The Ultimate Guide to Conception Planning for Newlyweds
So you got married, and you’re looking forward to kids – but maybe not quite yet. Awesome! Time to start planning your conception – just like you planned your wedding. I want to put it into perspective. We spent a year (or more?) planning our weddings. We knew we...
Natural Cycle Monitoring at Home
Cycle monitoring is a process that follows the development of the ovarian follicles. This can be used to determine the health of a menstrual cycle and as a tool in preconception and fertility care. During the COVID-19 pandemic when we may not have access to...
Should You Worry About Pesticides & Fertility?
Before the 1940s all foods could have been considered “organic,” but since the 1950s the amount of pesticides used agriculturally has more than tripled. These pesticides are found in our fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and fish. There are two main categories of...
Is Your Thyroid Health Impacting Your Fertility?
Your thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped organ that sits at the base of the neck. It is part of the body’s hormone system, called the hypothalamus pituitary axis (HPA Axis), or simplistically the endocrine system. The thyroid makes two main hormones: triiodothyronine...
Can Healthy Fats Boost Your Fertility?
Healthy fats are extremely important for a fertility diet. Why? Not only for the nutrients fat provides, but for its effect on hormones. However, it is a bit of a “Goldilocks” situation, where we need a certain balance and too much or too little (known as...
Signs That You Need to Boost Your Sperm or Egg Quality
Maybe you were told you may have poor egg or sperm quality. Or maybe you saw one of Conceive Health’s posts about it. But how do you know if your egg or sperm quality need help? The below factors may provide a hint... Do you ovulate LATE in your cycle, after day 16? ...
IVF Cycle Postponed? Start Virtual Preconception Care with Conceive Health
Whether you have just started treatment at TRIO Fertility, or you are on a temporary pause due to COVID-19 precautions, there is still a lot you can do during this time to improve your fertility outcomes — beginning with preconception healthcare. You have waited. You...
Should You Try to Conceive During COVID-19?
As of writing (March 23, 2020) this is what we know. More information comes to light as the global situation evolves, and the team at Conceive Health will continue to share it with you. Currently, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology recommends...
Improving Fertility with Acupuncture
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture is known for its therapeutic effects in fertility, and it is widely used as an adjunctive therapy during Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) — ranging from preconception to fertility treatment support....
Holiday Healthy Recipe: Almond Gingerbread Cookies
Need a healthy holiday recipe without sacrificing taste? When you're following a fertility boosting diet, the holidays can be a challenge. Conceive Health's Dr. Rachel has your back. The smell of delicious gingerbread cookies during the holiday season warms my...
WHAT IS “LEAN” PCOS?
Not all PCOS cases are the same. A significant number of women I see in my office fit a description of something called "Lean PCOS.” In fact between 20-50% of women who fall into the PCOS category are normal weight or considered “thin” (Nestler 1997). These women have...
How Your Home Impacts Male Fertility – And What To Do About It
If you’ve had fertility on your mind – you may have heard of EDC’s (or Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals). But what the heck are they and what do you need to know about them? ECDs can play a big role in fertility – especially when it comes to men. Dr.Cara MacMullin,...
Preparing for IUI or IVF with Naturopathic Medicine
We know that taking the next step on your fertility journey can be a hard decision to make. It may feel scary, frustrating, tiresome, never-ending and any other number of emotions – but you’ve overcome them and are moving forward. And we’re here to support you every...
The Story of My Ectopic Pregnancy
On the morning of May 9, 2015, I found out I was pregnant. I had just returned from a lush vacation in Turks & Caicos basking in the sun with my husband. I had had my IUD removed a few weeks prior and had no intention of conceiving, however, I ovulated extremely...
How Cosmetics & Cleaning Products Can Impact Your Fertility
Your household items are affecting your hormones. Plastics, fragrances, lotions, pesticides — through your skin, air, and food — and science is showing us undeniable proof of the connection. Read on to find out what to do about it. What are Endocrine Disruptors?...
Contest: Win a Preconception Prep Pack in July
It’s Giveaway time! Conceive Health is giving away a Preconception Prep Pack — perfect for any woman thinking about getting pregnant, currently trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatments. The pack includes: NFH Prenatal SAP Multivitamin (180 capsules) — A...
What are Fertility Superfoods?
“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates Food is the foundation of a healthy body and healthy reproduction. There is a ton of information out there – it’s hard to know what to eat or where to start – especially when it comes to...
Super Smoothie Recipe (Good Fats + Protein!)
There are so many reasons to get on the smoothie-train! They are versatile, nutritious, portable, fast to make, and so delicious (they can taste like drinking a dessert). Protein smoothies are great for mornings, post-workout, or when you just need a snack and know...
Fertility Nutrition: Are You Eating Enough Protein?
What a mother-to-be eats preconception, pre-implantation, during pregnancy, and throughout breastfeeding have each been linked to health outcomes in the development of the embryo, fetus, and the growing child. It’s been recently reported that dietary choices,...
What is PCOS and How Does it Impact our Fertility?
PCOS has become a hot topic in online communities lately, and chances are you’ve come across the term in social circles, on social media, or maybe you or someone who is close to you has been diagnosed with the condition. With all of the information out there, it can...
Faces of Fertility: Interview with Dr. Fitzgerald ND
Listen to the podcast above, or check out the transcript of Dr. Fitzgerald ND's interview below. Joanna: I'm Joanna. Katherine: And I'm Katherine. Joanna: And you're listening to Faces of Fertility, by Knix Katherine: So Joanna, our next guest is Dr. Jennifer...
Conceive Health Launches New Clinics in Time for Infertility Awareness Week
TORONTO, ON, April 23, 2019 — Each year, 1 in 6 Canadians have difficulty getting or staying pregnant. Many will require In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Intrauterine insemination (IUI) to grow their families — yet, only 25 percent of transferred embryos go on to...
Fertility Boosting Recipe: Nut-Free, Grain-Free Granola
With a history of digestive issues, it took me a long time to figure out how to make a decent “low gut-reactive” granola. Over time and with many modifications, this one became my favourite. It’s chock-full of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, is school-safe, and is great...
The Ultimate Guide: How to Tell When You’re Ovulating
One of my favourite parts of fertility education is teaching women how to really know their cycles and how to read their bodies. Some of us may not have cared before; we get a period once a month – that’s good enough, right? But when you’re trying to get pregnant,...
Miscarriage: Searching for Answers
Any woman/couple who has experienced miscarriage knows how devastating they can be. When recurrent miscarriages are experienced, it can leave women feeling very helpless about their fertility, and lead to fear and anxiety during subsequent pregnancy. Although in many...
Fertility Can Be Trying
Who knew that trying to get pregnant could be so difficult? Approximately 1 in 5 couples in Canada will have trouble conceiving, and evidence is showing that conventional fertility treatments are not very effective. In fact, in a study published in the New England...
The Scoop on Sperm Health
After reading various articles speculating on the decline of male fertility in the past 50 years, it is certainly cause for concern. It has been documented that sperm counts are declining worldwide, at a moderate but steady pace. A French study found that between 1989...
Fertility Tests for Women – Part Two
Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) What is it? AMH is a hormone secreted by immature ovarian follicles (eggs), and indicates ovarian reserve. AMH declines as we age, so women over 35 will naturally have lower levels. Although AMH is considered a good indicator of ovarian...
Fertility Tests for Women – Part One
FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) – What is it? FSH is a hormone which is released from the pituitary gland to stimulate the ovaries. The higher the level of FSH, the harder the pituitary is working to get the ovaries to respond, indicating poor egg quality or low...
Top 5 Herbs and Supplements for PCOS
Diet, exercise and lifestyle modification are the cornerstones of treatment for PCOS, showing successes above and beyond any form of medication(s) available. Research continuously shows improvement in all of the major characteristics of PCOS when diet, exercise and...
One IVF Cycle? Make it Count!
It's exciting times for couples in Ontario who are having trouble conceiving. The announcement a couple years ago of one funded cycle of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) for all couples who need it puts the expensive treatment into the hands of many who may not have had...
Call Us
Headquarters
655 Bay St 18th Floor, Toronto, ON M5G 2K4