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#37 Am I ovulating? Signs, causes of anovulation and how to fix it naturally Part 1
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The Bean Talk - Episode 37: Am I ovulating? Signs, causes of anovulation and how to fix it naturally Part 1
In this solo episode, Riannon dives into one of the most common yet misunderstood topics in women’s health: ovulation and why so many women experience cycles where they don’t ovulate. After sharing some personal updates, she breaks down: what ovulation actually is, how to know if you're ovulating and why ovulation may not be happening
She shares how to identify if you're ovulating, the hormonal and lifestyle factors that can disrupt it, and what your body may be trying to tell you when ovulation goes missing.
Riannon emphasises that anovulation is your body communicating that it doesn’t feel safe, nourished, or supported, and that it’s always worth investigating the underlying cause.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Temp Drop Fertility Tracker - 15% off code: AFMUNGBEAN
Connect with us on Instagram & Tik Tok @mungbean_health or visit mungbeanhealth.com for expert support
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Transcript
Introduction to The Bean Talk Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to The Bean Talk with me, Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother, joined by my trusted partner in life and in the mission of Mungbean Health, Jeremy. Here at Mungbean Health, we're on a mission to unlock the secrets of fertility and natural wellbeing one episode at a time.
00:00:24
Speaker
Hi guys, and welcome back to The Bean Talk. normally with Rhiannon and Jeremy, but just with me today. This week has been a big one and it's honestly only Tuesday.
00:00:39
Speaker
i feel like the last couple of weeks have just been ah lot going on. Everything's running smoothly though, which is fabulous. Just ticking off a lot of boxes. Obviously, pregnancy is progressing for me as well.
Personal Updates and Achievements
00:00:53
Speaker
So having like my checkups and scans and everything and midwife appointments, scheduling that in and also Evie, our daughter, starts school next year. So she's been doing some orientation, which has been so sweet to see her thrive and grow in this new big girl persona. We also had a little mini sweep of gastro run through the house, thanks daycare and Children with germs.
00:01:23
Speaker
Honestly, it's been a long time since we've had it and it didn't go through all of us, thankfully. Evie and Jeremy, unfortunately, copped it. And then also my poor mother-in-law and her daughter. So unfortunately, germs do spread. And I heard about Daycare sent out a message yesterday saying there was like another four kids. This was like last week.
00:01:44
Speaker
Another four kids that in the morning yesterday that were sick with gastro. So not good. If you've got gastro symptoms, there's so much that we can do to support you and help the recovery to be so much better. Obviously, we're really supporting Jeremy and Evie's gut health. And I've also been doing the boys as well. And obviously mine being pregnant.
00:02:03
Speaker
But I'm so thankful because if you have ever had gastro in pregnancy, Horrible, absolutely horrible. But yes, my little bean and big bean, my little bean is definitely getting some nuts in. So what I recommend in pregnancy and what I love to do is having a handful of nuts.
00:02:24
Speaker
raw or roasted just trying to minimize any sugars and flavors and not too much salt in there and good quality if you can get the activated ones fabulous they always taste better as well just a handful a day there's so much benefit to it so many beautiful nutrients and vitamins and minerals in there that you really just don't think about also protein as well I've been doing that and Big Bean would be actually more to come on this, but I've teamed up with a couple of very amazing brands that I have loved for a long time, which is so exciting and some beautiful brands that really align with Mung Bean and what we do.
00:03:05
Speaker
So I'm excited to share more on that. And also we won in the Australian Ladies in Business Awards. We won the Rising Star Award, which I'm just waiting on my trophy. And then I will share with everyone on social media.
00:03:24
Speaker
So please give us a follow if you're not already, which is mungbean underscore health. And, yeah, amazing. i It honestly is just exactly what's to come for Mungveen. We are only just getting started.
00:03:40
Speaker
There's so many things on the horizon which will come to fruition in the new year, but good things take time. It's very hard to be patient when you've been working on it for two years, but we're getting so close now. i don't want to wish my life away, but I definitely want the rest of the year to hurry up so that then in the new year this comes. But no, I love this time of year as it starts to get warmer, even though today is like 17 degrees, but normally warmer and Christmas and Halloween and all of those things that the kids just love to get involved with.
00:04:10
Speaker
But yes, so exciting. So I'm so thankful for that. It has been a huge year in wins. So can't wait to share more of
Understanding Ovulation's Role
00:04:19
Speaker
that with you. But today, what I wanted to talk about is actually one of my favorite topics alongside vaginal microbiome is ovulation and some reasons as to why you might not be ovulating. I have actually shared a fair bit about this on my TikTok website.
00:04:38
Speaker
So if you aren't following, please give us a follow. It is mungbean underscore health as well, because I do share as many videos and information as I can. I have been a little slack over the last couple of weeks, but there's heaps of information on there. So if you haven't checked it out, go and check it out.
00:04:54
Speaker
And I will continue to get on there today. The plan is to get some content up for you all. So yes, it is a very big topic when we're talking about ovulation, but I feel like so many people don't know enough about it.
00:05:08
Speaker
And especially being ah clinic that works so closely with fertility and infertility, the conversation around ovulation can at times be super sensitive given the fact it's so essential for not only planning a family, but just women's health in general.
00:05:27
Speaker
It's very important that we are ovulating. And to be honest, we're very uneducated in the realm of ovulation. They're definitely not teaching us about ovulation in school. Let's just put it that way. But not only about what it is and what ovulation is and why it's so important, but also what factors can stop a female from ovulating regularly because we need it to happen monthly for us to have that beautiful hormonal cascade for us to feel our best.
00:05:56
Speaker
So let's firstly discuss what is ovulation. Most of us only hear the word ovulation when we are deciding to try for a baby and wanting to fall pregnant.
00:06:07
Speaker
However, outside of fertility, ovulation is an essential part of our monthly menstrual cycle. Ovulation occurs in the mid part of our cycle, usually around days 13 to 16, but everyone is different.
00:06:22
Speaker
But most typically, and they put it down as a textbook number, is day 14. However, so many people don't ovulate on that day. So if you're not ovulating on day 14, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you.
00:06:33
Speaker
means that we might need to get you back into a bit more balance, but you could always be a 13 day or a 16 day or simply put though. It is the part of our cycle where the egg is released from the ovary and you're most fertile. Then that is our most fertile time without ovulation. We can't conceive like you will not conceive if you're not ovulating, obviously, because we need that egg to turn into an embryo and become a baby.
00:07:00
Speaker
However, as I've mentioned earlier, it is more important than just fertility. Ovulating monthly is essential for that beautiful hormone balancing because when we do actually ovulate, our body produces my favorite hormone, progesterone, from the follicle that released the egg.
00:07:19
Speaker
So without ovulation, we don't make enough progesterone. This leads to estrogen dominance, and a magnitude of symptoms that go hand in hand with this, including decreased bone health, higher cholesterol levels, insulin sensitivity, mood dysregulation, so big one irregular periods, and PMS.
00:07:45
Speaker
Also, it can go down PMDD as well, which we obviously don't want. And then obviously it can cause major issues when we don't have enough progesterone for not only conceiving, but also for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. So before we discuss why you may not be ovulating, let's quickly point out some simple ways you can track if you are ovulating. So our cycle is the telltale. It is the monthly report card and it tells us a lot about what's going on in our body.
00:08:16
Speaker
So regular cycle length with minimal and manageable symptoms is a green tick, clear, stretchy cervical mucus, which is like egg whites.
00:08:26
Speaker
And don't be afraid, girlies, to have a feel around ovulation time and feel it between your fingers. Because unfortunately, you can't really tell if you don't feel it between your fingers. And we have creamy texture, we have thick, we have thin, we have watery.
00:08:44
Speaker
So yeah, the main one that we want around ovulation is that nice, clear, egg white, stretchy, because it's like a beautiful, super high way for the sperm to swim up and nourish the sperm as well.
00:08:56
Speaker
Also, a slight increase in your basal body temperature. you can track this through basal body temperature tracking or BBT temperature tracking. I absolutely love the temp drop for the most accurate readings.
00:09:11
Speaker
It tells us so much about our cycle and sleep. And this is great if you want to conceive or you don't want to conceive. You can also save 15% off the temp drop with our code, which is AF for Fred Mungbean, M-U-N-G-B-E-A-N. So A for Apple, F for Fred Mungbean.
00:09:33
Speaker
And that'll give you 15% off. If they're having a sale, you can use that extra 15% so it stacks on top. And it is honestly amazing. It connects with your phone and gives lots of data there. I'm going a bit off cycle. of Sorry, I'm going a little bit off track, not off cycle, even though we're talking about the cycle. But yes, it's an amazing way to get those accurate readings. And it's just a cool little arm band you put on your arm. So definitely check out the TempDrop.
00:09:59
Speaker
And don't forget the code because you'll save. Also around ovulation time, mild pelvic twinges. Not everyone notices this, so don't worry if you don't, but a lot of women do.
00:10:09
Speaker
And I actually noticed lots of women do postpartum or once they've had a baby and they start to ovulate, they'll notice it around that time. It can be painful or you can get pain around ovulation, but that's not good. If you're getting pain, then it's time to invest. Also, my favorite is increased libido or and energy around mid-cycle, which is what we want. We want that nice, clear, stretchy cervical mucus and that increase in energy and stamina and libido.
00:10:39
Speaker
You should be feeling amazing around ovulation. And if you're not, then we can definitely help you with that. Also, breast tenderness or mood changes, again, they should be mild. If you're experiencing debilitating breast tenderness or mood swings, PMDD, PMS, or really bad mood shifts, this can be linked to hormonal imbalances. So keep
Challenges in Ovulation and Solutions
00:10:59
Speaker
that in mind. Now that we know why Ovulation is essential and what to look out for. Let's discuss why you may not be ovulating or an ovulation.
00:11:10
Speaker
That's what it's called. So there are a couple of different reasons why, but definitely hormonal or endocrine issues are first on the list. A major one we see very often is hormonal or endocrine issues. This is when the body's network of glands that produce and release hormones are not playing properly.
00:11:31
Speaker
together or communicating properly. So conditions like PCOS, thyroid imbalances, or high prolactin, which is another hormone, actually a breastfeeding hormone, but it can be high even when you've never breastfed or when you breastfed long ago and you've stopped a while ago. They can all interfere with the signals between your brain and your ovaries.
00:11:49
Speaker
If your thyroid is very sluggish or your prolactin is too high, that little message to release an egg never, ever happens and just gets missed and missed and missed. Also high stress hormones like cortisol can override that signal as well. Then we've got lifestyle factors, which this is a big one because things like under eating can affect your ovulation, intense exercise, rapid weight loss.
00:12:13
Speaker
Even if you think it's healthy, it can actually suppress our ovulation. I can actually think of one client that I saw years ago and she was on her weight loss journey, but she was also trying to conceive, which Amazing. She wanted to lose some weight before she was trying to conceive or around the same time, getting in her best shape.
00:12:31
Speaker
And she went on to a paleo or keto or fasting, some type of diet that was quite extreme. And she lost her period because she wasn't ovulating.
00:12:43
Speaker
We obviously did bring it back and got her back into balance and she did actually conceive, which is amazing. But it is something to consider when we are looking at dieting or changing our dietary approach.
00:12:56
Speaker
And just keep remembering that cycle is a monthly report card. So listen to the signals that your body's telling you. If what you think is healthy is impacting your hormones, then it's not necessarily healthy. On the flip side, carrying excess weight or having insulin resistance can absolutely disrupt ovulation too.
00:13:14
Speaker
because insulin and estrogen levels go hand in hand. So you really want to consider, we want to get you to a healthy weight and we want to do it in a healthy way. We don't want you to be really overweight because that can affect it because obviously hormones like estrogen and insulin can play a role.
00:13:31
Speaker
We also don't want you to be under eating not have enough fat on your body to sustain a healthy cycle. Chronic stress is a big one. Poor sleep or shift work, even immune system issues.
00:13:42
Speaker
can all impact your natural rhythm and ovulation. When someone says to me, I didn't ovulate this month or I ovulated really late, I'll always ask them, have you been sick? Did you guys have gastro running through the house and it's been so stressful?
00:13:56
Speaker
Have you had a lot going on with like work or a move or something? And if they say yes, it's usually down to one of those. Also consider that medications can play a role too, especially, obviously, hormonal birth control, because it's designed to stop ovulation.
00:14:12
Speaker
That is how it works. But sometimes your body takes a little while to restart the process when you come off it. So studies actually show women under the age of 21 years where an ovulatory cycles happen nearly twice as frequently as older women.
00:14:30
Speaker
after they stop using the combined oral contraceptives. There's also for consideration certain antidepressants, seizure medications as well, and long-term steroids.
00:14:45
Speaker
They can all play a major role there as well. Also deeper health issues, so things like premature ovarian insufficiency or POI, where your ovaries start to slow down earlier than expected, or pituitary or hypothalamic dysfunctions can cause that same issue. Even chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, or nutrient deficiencies can play a big role here. Low zinc.
00:15:11
Speaker
Low iodine, low vitamin D, or even healthy fats. Those little micronutrients are key for healthy hormone production and really important for your thyroid, which is telling everything how fast and slow to move.
00:15:23
Speaker
Now we tried to look up some studies of statistics on anovulation, but I need to point out two things. It's so hard to find accurate studies on women, unfortunately, because we're so diverse in our drivers and causes, but also Women are not studied enough in detail. Very frustrating. I know I've spoken about this before on the podcast, but it's super frustrating. Why?
00:15:48
Speaker
Why are we not good enough to get studied on? Honestly. Anyway, that is changing slowly and surely. And I actually feel so passionate that... I am lucky enough to be a part of the change.
00:16:02
Speaker
Sharing information like this at one point would have been so taboo. Like you can't be talking about ovulation. One, I guess they didn't know a lot about it, but also two, you can't talk about periods in public.
00:16:12
Speaker
What are you talking about? So I'm so glad to be a part of that change. And that's definitely a passion and a drive for me. But here are some of the key things that we have found.
00:16:23
Speaker
Definitely an ovulation and not ovulating due to PCOS impacts 12 to 18% of women in Australia. Very common. And it's actually the number one cause of infertility that's reversible.
00:16:38
Speaker
Lots you can do. Please reach out. We'd love to help. Premature ovarian insufficiency or POI affects approximately 1% of women under 40 years of age.
00:16:49
Speaker
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, which is stress-induced anovulation, is the leading cause of secondary anovulation. That was a prospect prospective cohort study that found that for each unit increase in daily stress levels, women had 70% higher odds of experiencing an ovulatory episode, which is just, yeah, 70% huge.
00:17:19
Speaker
huge We need to remember that regular ovulation is considered a vital sign, like a heart rate or a body temperature. And this is because it reflects our nutritional status, our stress levels, our thyroid and adrenal function, our overall metabolic health, and so much more.
00:17:38
Speaker
So yes, it is so much more than just trying to conceive. But if we want to conceive, then it's also equally as important and needed. So if you're not ovulating or you think you're not ovulating, it's often a signal your body doesn't feel safe or nourished enough for reproduction, which is a sign of underlying stress or illness or imbalance.
00:18:00
Speaker
So I want you to remember that it doesn't mean that it's forever, but it is your body telling you something's going on and it's time to investigate. So what we normally do in clinic and how naturopathic medicine can really help We like to find the driver or the cause of what's going on, the root cause you've probably heard before.
00:18:18
Speaker
So we need to find out why are you not ovulating? If it's stress, we're going to support your stress levels. We're going to use herbs and nutrients and lifestyle changes. If it's low progesterone, you're not ovulating and then you're not getting enough progesterone, that's how you can't maintain a healthy pregnancy. If it is for fertility, we're going to help you with that, boost up that progesterone.
00:18:35
Speaker
If it is estrogen dominance, we're going help you clear out the estrogen dominance metabolism or support estrogen metabolism and support you from that avenue and detoxification. Make sure those pathways are working. If there is an underlying illness or something going on, we're going to help you with that. If you've been post-pill, going to help you recycle again and get that cycle back, which is super exciting. And it's just so amazing being able to support healthy women's hormones, get rid of all of those nasty symptoms. Natural health is really beautiful in this space, naturopathy especially, because we use herbs that are tailored to you.
00:19:10
Speaker
There is four to six herbs in each bottle, all specifically picked at the right dosage and the right herbs for you and your case. No two herbs are the same. We also compound with nutrients to make sure that the nutrient dosages that we're giving you are correct and also the forms of vitamins that we're using is correct.
00:19:30
Speaker
to best suit you and your
Getting Support from Mungbean Health
00:19:32
Speaker
case. So if you are looking for support, please reach out. You can find us on www.mungbeanhealth.com. You can find us on our Instagram, mungbean underscore health, our TikTok, mungbean underscore health.
00:19:46
Speaker
And obviously we've got a number of other podcasts you can listen to on here, but please tune in into our next episode because we're going to discuss a bit more about how we can best support you and a healthy ovulation.
00:19:59
Speaker
And we cannot wait to hear from you. If you need anything, please reach out and thank you for listening.
00:20:10
Speaker
And that's a wrap on today's dose of wellness. I'm Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother. Thank you for joining us. Stay connected with us on Instagram at mungbin underscore health.