Ticking the right boxes

Diagnosed more than 12 years ago with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in her first year of university, she was prescribed the birth control pill to manage her symptoms, along with the dire news that it would be nearly impossible to have children.

Melanie Mambo, today a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach Candidate, decided to explore possible alternatives and began to study holistic health and the ways she could harness these principles to truly heal.

It became her passion in life, and over a decade later, Melanie has gained a wealth of knowledge which has not only been valuable to her, but also to the women she works with as a coach.

It all came full circle when she found out she was expecting her first child.

“Although I was overjoyed, I was also nervous as I hadn’t intentionally planned for pregnancy. I was still questioning my ability to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy despite my extensive experience and understanding of holistic health,” says Melanie.

She realised many women, just like her, are faced with gynaecological disorders and chronic diseases, uncertain about how to overcome these challenges, yet with a strong desire to not only start a family, but to live life optimally.



Conceptualisation

This realisation propelled Melanie to conceptualise the Holistic Fertility Preparedness Program (HFP), a course that brings together all the tools that women need to be in the best mental, physical and spiritual position to naturally conceive and reduce potential risks during this sensitive time.

The course is not only for women who have been diagnosed with a chronic or gynaecologic illness, but also for those who may be perfectly healthy according to medical standards and would simply like to ensure they have “ticked all the boxes” before they get pregnant.

The goal of the HFP program is to provide women with the necessary support and resources to holistically prepare for pregnancy, explains Melanie.

“We delve into the root causes of hormonal imbalance and infertility, and provide actionable solutions for women to improve their well-being”.

When it comes to fertility, most women will initially go to their obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB-GYN) who will educate them on reproductive health from a conventional medicine perspective, with limited, if any, information being shared on nutrition, movement, and the mental and spiritual aspects of fertility.



Filling a gap

This gap is filled by the HFP programme, where holistic health principles are employed to help women identify the “blind spots” in their health that they may have missed.

“I can confidently assert that the programme will equip women with the foundation they need to work on their overall health, completion of which will better position them for pregnancy. I believe that progress is better than perfection, so whilst we may never reach our perceived state of ‘perfect health’, we can be proactive and set ourselves up for the best possible health outcomes,” says Melanie.

The reality is that not everyone will conceive immediately after taking part in the programme, however, all the women will have the information they need to make well-informed decisions as far as how to move forward and continue to apply the wisdom they have gained in their lives.

Preparation is essential for a positive outcome, says Melanie and whilst it cannot guarantee pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes, preconception preparation can significantly improve pregnancy outcomes by allowing women to address modifiable health risks before conception, potentially reducing the likelihood of complications such as low birth weight, preterm birth, neural tube defects, preeclampsia and postpartum depression to name a few of the common challenges women and children face during and after pregnancy.



Preconception

Improving preconception health can ultimately improve both fetal and maternal outcomes, says Melanie, with research showing that promoting health before conception has several beneficial effects, including a 39% increase in seeking antenatal care and a 17% reduction in neonatal mortality. It can also improve women's chances of achieving their prenatal goals, which may include natural delivery and fewer medical interventions. Another benefit is a notable reduction in stress for women, she explains, a key factor that contributes towards well-being during the pre- and postnatal period.

“Holistic preparedness allows women to get ahead of any potential challenges and put a plan in place that empowers them to tackle potential concerns from a preventative standpoint, contrary to the reactive approach adopted in conventional medicine.”

Crucial for fertility optimisation is detoxification, says Melanie.

Due to environmental toxin exposure in our air, food, water, personal care and household products, medications, and synthetic clothing, various systems in our body are overburdened, with the exposure compounding and leading to dysfunction in areas such as the endocrine and immune systems. This ultimately results in diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and reproductive problems.



Detoxing

“What is most alarming is that the maternal toxin load is subsequently transferred to the foetus during pregnancy, leading to an array of long-term health consequences for both mother and child.”

Carefully monitored detox protocols, part of the programme, remove bacteria, viruses, parasites, microplastics, heavy metals and other undesirable substances from the body.

“We use a carefully formulated and tested herbal womb cleanse with the option of a fertility enema with women after ensuring they have consulted with their care provider. One of the resources is a list of recommended products and service providers, including medications, fertility and lymphatic drainage massage, acupuncture, sauna, reflexology, cupping, chiropractic, pelvic floor therapy and more.”

Additional services are provided, such as complete home detoxification and indigenous food education.

In this way it is no longer a disease, but a more complex chronic condition which is usually caused by lifestyle and environmental factors, says Melanie.

“This is cause for concern, and the result of this is generations being born who are unhealthier than the preceding ones. We often think of creating generational wealth for our future descendants and forget that generational health is perhaps more important.”



Physical aspects

Although time is taken on the program to address the physical aspects of health, the mental and spiritual elements of well-being are not ignored, with the areas of health also cleansed.

"As women, we have a divine assignment to bring forth life into the world," says Melanie, and it is therefore vital to nurture this responsibility.

Nutrition is one of the simplest ways of boosting your fertility and is vastly more important for women who are currently trying to conceive. This provides her body with the essential nutrients that support healthy reproductive function, more specifically for hormone production, egg quality and ovulation.

Nutrients include Folate, Zinc, Iron, Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin D & C and antioxidants. Comprehensive testing is worthwhile to uncover any deficiencies and to allow for a tailored diet and supplement protocol per the results. Supplementation should be complementary to a balanced diet.

“It is not recommended to purchase supplements from health shops themselves unless they are working with a professional healthcare provider and they have carried out personalised testing. Not all supplements are made equally, and as we are seeing growing concern over regulation within this industry, research on the company is important.”



Fertility-friendly diet

Although it is commonly recommended that three months is enough time to build up adequate levels of amino acids, minerals and vitamins such as folate (B9), Melanie advises a fertility-friendly diet at least 6 months in advance due to the depleted nature of the soil that most foods are grown in and the potential of limited absorption in the gut.

Gut health is essential before starting the fertility diet to ensure nutrients are sufficiently absorbed, while it is encouraged for food to be organic, nutrient dense, wild growing and indigenous to them, says Melanie.

Processed foods containing wheat, sugar, iodized salt, hydrogenated seed oils, artificial flavourings and colours should be avoided when at all possible.

Some examples of her foods for fertility are wild fruits such as baobab and marula, bambara beans, oyster nuts, tigernuts, teff, millet, yams (different to sweet potatoes), indigenous spices, and wild green vegetables.

“I would also incorporate proteins such as liver, fish and guinea fowl eggs, fermented, probiotic-rich dairy products and vegetables, to further increase nutrient density.”



Fundamentals

According to Melanie's movement, sleep and stress management are all fundamental for hormonal balance, which in turn directly affects fertility. Movement and exercise have several benefits, including that they promote detoxification through sweating, which allows for toxins to be removed from the body. Exercise also helps to regulate estrogen and progesterone, which are crucial for ovulation. It also encourages circulation to the reproductive organs, enhancing blood flow to the pelvic area, which can enhance a woman’s ability to conceive.

“Movement as a form of stress management can lower stress hormones like cortisol. Sleep quantity, quality and timing regulate estrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which contribute to regulating the menstrual cycle and ovulation,” explains Melanie.

Sleep positively impacts not just egg quality, but the number of eggs available for fertilisation, while cortisol is influenced by rest and can be elevated in cases where there is sleep deprivation or even sleep occurring outside of the ideal sleep window.

“Adopting a movement and sleep plan that addresses hormone balance and stress management is non-negotiable when formulating a fertility plan.”

Support is essential for any woman embarking on a fertility journey, says Melanie, ranging from close family and friends, or even from licensed specialists that are equipped to provide the required resources and care women need during this time.



Lose the stress

She suggests planning at least six months, ideally a year, to allow for flexibility, calmness, and to avoid feeling under pressure when starting your fertility journey.

Taking small, manageable steps in nutrition and movement like daily walks, adding superfood powders into water, juices and smoothies to up your micronutrient intake and including your partner in the process.

She refers to a revival of the ancestral approach to living in a way that complements where we are now as a society as well as the emerging phenomenon of ‘Microbiome Diversity Loss’ where modern city dwellers have lost about half of their gut microbes due to factors such as antibiotic overuse, changes in diet and lifestyle factors.

Traditional food and medicine overtaken by ‘fast’, processed foods and medicine, our circadian rhythm thrown off by exposure to lights and frequencies from electronics and appliances, clothing laden with microplastics and synthetic fibres and homes furnished with flame-retardant furniture, coated in hazardous varnishes and paints, and cleaned with toxic cleaning products.

“To live a purpose-driven life where we can serve our homes and communities, I wholeheartedly believe that we should take a step back, reflect, and chart a course forward with our values at the core. Recalibration is needed for all of us.” – @wellnesswithmel.ke; [email protected]