HOW I AM HOLISTICALLY PREPARING MY MIND, BODY & SOUL FOR EGG FREEZING
This article is written in partnership with Needed, the leader in perinatal nutrition, empowering optimal nourishment for women before, during, and after their fertility journey — egg freezing, IVF, pregnancy & beyond.
After 5 rounds of chemotherapy & 36 rounds of radiation, I froze my eggs.
It was spring 2018, I was 24 years old and I was physically & mentally depleted. This was one of the last checks off of my post-treatment care list.
In retrospect I would’ve done a lot of things differently.
First being, freezing my eggs pre-cancer treatment. As noted by Needed, a company changing the perinatal nutrition paradigm, the health of your eggs does matter at the time of your freezing. Alas, I have accepted my timing as a part of my personal journey. To help me make more intentional, informed decisions & be an advocate for my body, I’m super grateful to be connected to Needed’s collective of women's health and fertility experts. The second thing I would’ve changed, would’ve been to mentally, physically & spiritually prepare my body to optimize preparation, minimize symptoms & heal swiftly. I was vegan (coming out of being raw vegan for 4 months), sober 99% of the time & meditating regularly, but today, my conscious lifestyle is more embodied and all-encompassing. I have spent over 5 years experimenting and expanding my knowledge of clean & conscious products, rituals & modalities to become the modern, mindful living expert I am today.
I’m excited to synthesize the lessons I learned from my past, my current knowledge of spiritual health & wellbeing, and what products, supplements and medical information I found via Needed to support my mind, body & soul in my second round of egg freezing.
MY SYMPTOMS FROM EGG FREEZING #1
I’m not a doctor, but may I preface and say that when you are injecting your body with any type of hormones, side effects are pretty much inevitable. The three symptoms I experienced most prominently were migraines, optical migraines & post-retrieval bloating — for about 1.5 months after retrieval. So, given my unique journey, I would suggest a fall or winter retrieval if you can.
How I am preparing my MIND for Egg Freezing #2
REFLECT
As a young twenty-something I wasn’t necessarily thinking about children the way I am now as I approach 30. It was more a check off of my post-cancer treatment to-do list whereas now, I want to ensure I’m genuinely connecting with myself & my partner on what I want my future to look like. Questions I’m asking myself include:
When do I ideally want to get pregnant? What about my partner?
How many kids do I/we want?
What is my current stress level like? How am I releasing & finding balance?
How am I taking care & treating my body right now? Does this align with how I would treat my body if I were to get pregnant?
*remember, even if you aren’t trying to get pregnant at this moment, your eggs are still retrieved during this “snapshot” in time so your present health is paramount. These kinds of conscious conversations help connect deeper to your wants & needs, as well as your partners.
RESEARCH
I have been deep in the weeds of womb research and it’s no doubt overwhelming, but Needed makes it easy. They have a wealth of science-backed data, guides & even recipes that have helped me harness a holistic understanding of every step of the egg freezing process — from pre-retrieval to post-rebalancing. Here are a few relevant, scroll-stopping facts I recently learned: May I reiterate my intention is to inform here, not instill fear
You can support egg health and sperm health quality at any age, but on average fertility begins to decline at age 35
A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages a day during the weeks leading up to conception.
Due to nutrient deficient diets, current soil health & ubiquitous environmental toxins & electromagnetic fields (EMFs), your partner may want to consider a male prenatal.
How I am preparing my BODY for Egg Freezing #2
ANTIOXIDANTS & NOURISHING FOODS
“The health and quality of a woman’s eggs (which translates into the quality of resulting embryos) are highly influenced by the level of blood flow surrounding the ovaries and the amount of antioxidants available for protection against the damaging effects of oxidation,” says the Needed team.
Focus on nutrient-dense whole foods, fermented foods (ie. I love this kraut) to support the microbiome, leafy greens, healthy fats, fiber & antioxidants. Specifically, beans, broccoli, pumpkin & spinach are ideal for Pdg — what I recently learned is a pregnancy hormone that supports ovulation. If you’re interested in herbs like me, you can check out red raspberry leaf tea (said to strengthen uterine walls and decrease labor time) & Needed’s Stress Support product, which is safe in preconception and postpartum. It is a clinical-strength blend of 6 pure and potent adaptogenic and nervine botanicals that support mood, energy, hormone balance, and overall well-being.
PRENATAL
I’m currently taking Needed’s Prenatal Multi Powder which contains 24 vitamins and minerals including 24500mg vitamin c and an antioxidant blend. I’m not a big fan of multivitamin drinks, but this one is honestly really good. It has a refreshing orange vanilla taste to it, that I actually crave mid-morning now. I love mixing it with Needed’s Collagen Protein for an extra protein boost. I have been raw vegan and vegan before, and now embrace an intuitive plant-forward nutrition plan. It’s great to note that collagen is supportive even for those that prefer a plant-based diet. Read more here on why all prenatal multivitamins are not created equal.
OMEGA 3
Studies show that Omega-3 Fatty Acids improve egg quality & can increase success rate. This is the one I’m taking.
PRE & PROBIOTIC
Research shows that the health of your microbiome impacts fertility outcomes, and I’m not just talking about gut health. The ovaries, endometrium, and vagina are populated with bacteria, and the health of these biomes impacts fertility. Needed’s Pre/Probiotic contains targeted strains that support the female reproductive biomes in addition to gut health.
MINDFUL DETOX & STRESS MANAGEMENT
No, I’m not talking about a green juice cleanse here, but a mind & body detox to support your body's natural ability to support egg health & stabilize stress pre-retrieval and detox from excess hormones post-retrieval. Here are a few guidelines I’ll be following a few months before egg freezing —
Reduce anxiety inducers: alcohol, caffeine & refined carbs. I’m considering cutting the bean entirely… to be continued.
Evaluate toxin exposure & plastic consumption: I use all clean & natural beauty/home products, but a label check is always a good idea! Especially in this case. EWG is a great clean beauty, home & personal care database that ensures the products you are using are safe & nontoxic. Do your best to consume less single-use plastics as recent studies have shown appearance of microplastics in baby placentas.
Practice good sleep hygiene: Your sleep enables two hormones, cortisol & melatonin, to cycle daily. Try waking up at the same time every day, avoiding the snooze button & limiting blue light exposure to regulate and balance these hormones. Needed has a Sleep & Relaxation Support chamomile powder with 3 types of Magnesium for optimal absorption, L-Theanine to promote alpha wave brain activity & Chamomile that tastes divine — this has been the perfect pm treat for me.
How I am preparing my SOUL for Egg Freezing #2
VISUALIZATIONS
Visualization exercises can help create & reinforce new neural pathways by means of neuroplasticity (how your brain can grow & change). In other words, you can essentially rewire your brain using visualization techniques — a great first start in manifesting a successful fertility journey… or anything for that matter!
Kiele-Jael Stanton, certified Health-Supportive Chef, Wellness Culinary Coach, and the founder of Kiele Jael Wellness, recommends to, “Visualize the quality of your eggs by thinking about how they look, what they feel like, and how precious they are. High-profile athletes and CEOs practice visualization daily.”
INNER CHILD & WOMB-HEALING RITUALS
Akashic Record readings. I recently experienced a womb energy healing session with Alyse Breathes. If you’re unfamiliar with the Akashic Records, read about them here.
If you’re in NYC, check out Press Massage’s period, pregnancy & moon cycle massages
Get outside into nature. Mother Nature is the most divine healer of all.
Play, dance, draw & sing! Let your inner child run wild!
For more education, insight, recipes & resources, check out Needed. Keep in touch & follow along my personal journey connecting modern mindfulness to the masses @karaladd.