Dr. Thomas Heath of Heath Wellness Center offers functionally integrative wellness techniques, including advanced technologies to reduce stress, nutritional testing and counseling, applied kinesiology, chiropractic care and more. In looking for the root cause of disease or dysfunction, Heath has helped many couples dealing with infertility issues.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 13.1 percent of women ages 15 to 49 have impaired fecundity, and multiple hormonal and genetic disruptors can cause infertility in men. Heath says many of these issues can be traced to foundational health.

 

“There are a number of things that have a huge effect on fertility,” Heath emphasizes. “Body mass index, or weight, plays a role in fertility, and a lot of people have issues with that. Also, we live in a world of stress and fear right now, so psychological stress—even the anxiety that goes along with social media—plays a huge role in infertility.”

 

Heath adds that lifestyle factors such as a poor diet or lack of sleep also affect fertility. A traditional Standard American Diet is filled with genetically-modified (GMO) food and toxic chemicals. Eating organically grown, non-GMO and grass-fed foods can make a big change in health. “We make people aware of how those things can play a role in their health and fertility, so they can make the appropriate lifestyle choices,” he explains.

 

Menstrual problems such as irregular periods, mild to severe cramps, migraines or structural trauma can indicate loss of health in women. If Heath finds they’ve experienced head trauma during their history and intake, he will do treatments such as cranial adjustments to align the skull. “Accidents and trauma affect the ability of the brain—and the pituitary gland in particular—to communicate to the rest of the body and regulate the cycle. There are very specific chiropractic and cranial adjustments we use to correct that.”

 

Heath states that 40 percent of infertility cases trace back to men. “It can be tied to medications. We also live in a toxic world of poisonous chemicals, so if somebody is a farmer, or if they work in an industry where they’re exposed to solvents, those things all play a role in that.”

 

Living near a cell phone tower, sleeping with a router next to the bed or carrying a cell phone in one’s pocket can lead to Wi-Fi exposure, affecting the viability of sperm cells, Heath states. While some people might dismiss occasional or limited Wi-Fi exposure, Heath emphasizes that when it’s combined with other environmental toxins, it all accumulates and affects sperm count.

 

Heath looks at patients from both a structural and a chemical point of view. “Do you have the nutrients you need to be healthy and vital, and to maintain the pregnancy all the way through? Are your hormones balanced? Sometimes hormones are not balanced because of improper microbiome, which can disrupt hormones throughout the rest of the body. That makes them estrogen-dominant, which can disrupt a pregnancy and cause miscarriage.”

 

Addressing autoimmunity plays a role in the health and vitality of the mother and the father, Heath concludes. Some couples spend thousands of dollars on intensive infertility interventions, but these basic lifestyle changes can make some very significant changes and ultimately lead to a positive pregnancy test.

 

“Foundational health doesn’t replace traditional medicine, which is needed, but it’s important to make sure baseline health, biochemistry and emotions are not interfering. Our end goal is to have our patients reach their desired goals, which is achieving pregnancy and giving birth to a healthy baby,” Heath concludes. “We understand that the whole process works together, and we’re going to look at it from another perspective to help patients become healthy and well.”