Did you know you don’t always have to go to the doctor to get a referral for pathology? Instant script https://www.instantscripts.com.au offers pathology referrals for a range of things from semen analysis, hormones, iron, and so much more. Most of the pathology costs around $24 and you are sent the results without having to book in multiple appointments with your GP. If anything is out of range you can always reach out to your referred practitioner to discuss. I often send clients here especially if we need results quickly as it is usually a very fast turn around (sometimes you even get the results the same day!) Have you ever used instant script? How did you find it?

Hey everyone! This month’s deep dive I go into testing for male fertility. Just a short recording this time. Most of these tests can be ordered by you GP of through instant script. If you’ve got any questions feel free to reach out x

One of the most important things to understand when you’re trying to conceive is when you ovulate. And no, it’s not necessarily the day your app tells you. knowing when you ovulate helps you understand: - When your fertile window is (the time in your cycle you can fall pregnant) - Whether you’re ovulating regularly. - When to test progesterone (This needs to be tested after ovulation has occurred) - How long your luteal phase is: The time between ovulation and your period. A short luteal phase can result in low progesterone which leads to fertility issues. Period tracking apps can be really useful for helping you understand your cycle and identifying patterns over time but your app doesn’t actually know when you ovulate. It makes a prediction based on your previous cycle data. And because ovulation can shift from cycle to cycle, that prediction may not always be accurate. Although you can only fall pregnant the day of ovulation (24 hours) sperm can survive in the productive track for up to 5 days meaning you have 5-6 days of the month when you can fall pregnant (fertile window). Your chances of conceiving are at the highest 1-2 days before ovulation so understanding when you are about to ovulate is just as important as understanding when you have ovulated. Signs of ovulation - Cervical mucus - this is one of the most useful signs that ovulation is approaching (or already happening) fertile cervical mucus will be similar to raw egg white and be slippery, clear and stretchy. Sometime it is so slippery it may just be a wet patch in your underwear. - Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) - detect the LH surge, which usually happens before ovulation. A positive OPK can help you identify that ovulation is likely approaching, but it doesn’t confirm that ovulation actually happened. - Basal body temperature (BBT) - After ovulation, progesterone rises and causes a small increase in your resting body temperature. By tracking your BBT over time, you can look for a sustained temperature rise, which can help confirm that ovulation has occurred.

Swapping out plastic Tupperware for glass or stainless steel is a great place to start when reducing toxic load. Plastic can leach chemicals and microplastics into food/liquid contained in it especially when heated. Many of these chemicals are known as endocrine disrupting chemicals which mimic hormones causing imbalances in turn affect fertility. It doesn’t have to be expensive to swap either. Affordable containers can be found at ikea, target and Kmart. A lot of the more affordable ones will still have a plastic lead so just ensure you don’t fill the container too high so the contents don’t come in contact with it. If you’d like to learn more about reducing toxic load I go into this further in the lifestyle for fertility module available through the premium membership.