It all matters, and none of it at the same time. At the end of the day, the practice is: S U R R E N D E R.
Is this going to help you with a successful IVF cycle? I have no idea. I am not a doctor. I read a lot of articles and books, and tried as hard as I could to validate the internet information and quality brands vs. garbage.
The book It Starts With The Egg — recommended by my Parsley Health doc and many friends — is the best place to start.
Take from below what feels right for you. No one knows your body better than you do.
The Mindset First
I firmly believe in the significance of intention and mindset. Taking care of yourself — not only because they say "keep stress levels down," but because each act of kindness toward yourself is a declaration that you are deserving. It's an affirmation of self-worth.
Meditate. Talk to your eggs. Love yourself. Positive affirmations. And not in a toxic, inauthentic way — this is also hard. Feel your sadness and pain. Don't let challenging emotions fester.
What I Did
This is not a prescription. It's what I tried, based on my own research:
- Eliminated plastics from food storage and cooking as much as possible
- Switched to clean personal care products (EWG database was my guide)
- Cut alcohol entirely
- Cut caffeine down to one cup of quality coffee in the morning
- Added CoQ10 (600–800mg), DHEA (under doctor supervision), Vitamin D, Omega-3s, and a quality prenatal
- Prioritized sleep above almost everything else
- Kept movement gentle — walking, yoga, nothing high-intensity
- Ate more protein, more fat, fewer processed foods
- Got acupuncture once a week
What I Believe
Your intuition is your power. There were some days I didn't take any supplements — I just didn't want to. I call it intuition. I just did what felt right.
This stuff is hard. It's expensive, it's uncertain, and it asks so much of your body and your heart. Be gentle with yourself through it.
And if you're reading this deep in the process: you are not doing anything wrong. You are doing everything right. Keep going.