Heal Your Body and Prepare for Pregnancy
with our ART Recovery/Prep Nutrition Program.

The ART Recovery/Prep program is a healing hybrid of cleansing diet and healing nutrition program specially designed for women who have:

• Recently failed an ART cycle*
• Experienced a miscarriage
• Received a difficult diagnosis from your fertility doctor
• Are taking a break from medical fertility treatment

It is important to acknowledge that medical fertility treatment can take a toll on more than our minds and emotions. Repeated exposure to the stress, hormone medications and medical procedures can impact our body’s ability to heal itself. There is also increasing evidence that nutrition-related conditions such as chronic inflammation, poor gut health and poor blood sugar balance can negatively impact our ability to conceive. These conditions are exacerbated by stress, as well as the rigors of treatment.

At Pulling Down the Moon, we believe that good nutrition – in particular a deeply healing anti-inflammatory/hypoallergenic diet supported with adequate nutrients through supplementation – can go a long way in preparing your body to continue on the journey towards motherhood. Whether your next steps are another ART cycle, or you plan to take some time to try naturally, it is important to honor and address the impact that treatment, disappointment or losses can have on our next fertility cycle.

The ART Recovery/Preparation Program is a hybrid program: half healing diet, half cleansing diet. In many women’s minds “cleansing” is equated with fasting, the voluntary abstention from food. There are numerous kinds of fasts – juice fasts, water fasts and even chocolate fasts, and none of these is appropriate for fertility. But when you are trying to conceive, it is very important that you get enough calories and vital nutrients to support optimal hormone metabolism as well as heal your body. Eating only one food or family of foods is counter-productive. Harsh “cleanse” products, which often contain stool softeners and laxitives, can also be problematic and unsafe with medical fertility treatment.

Our approach to “cleansing” is actually deeply healing. During the ART Recovery/Prep Program you will eat a mixed diet of whole foods, organic fruits and vegetables as recommended by your practitioner. This diet regimen will be supported with supplementation of specific nutrients essential to support the liver, decrease inflammation, promote healthy gut function and create optimal blood sugar balance for good hormonal health. The diet eliminates common allergens like dairy, soy, eggs and gluten from the diet. After a minimum of two weeks, you will work with your practitioner to re-introduce foods while closely monitoring your body’s response.

Pulling Down the Moon’s IVF Recovery/Preparation Program is a four-part equation:

Liver support – The liver is “epicenter” of hormone metabolism and detoxification in our body. When the liver gets over-loaded with environmental toxins and excess hormone metabolites, it loses the ability to efficiently clear hormones and other toxins from the body. In addition, from a Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic perspective, the liver is closely tied to our emotional well-being as well as our fertility. In these teachings, by supporting the liver’s function we support the spirit, lessen anger and frustration, and create emotional balance. The ART Recovery/Prep program uses specially-formulated medical foods to support the liver and promote clearance of metabolic toxins.

Hypoallergenic/anti-inflammatory diet – Eliminate potential allergens and lower the intake of inflammation-promoting foods while rebuilding a fertility-promoting diet of whole grains, lean proteins, fresh fruit and specific fertility-friendly cooking methods. The elimination portion of the diet lasts a minimum of two weeks, after which you will work with your nutritionist to reintroduce foods as desired/appropriate. This healing diet is designed to be continued through the first trimester – although we think you will feel so good you will want to continue it for life!

Restore Optimal Gut Function – Many women do not know that the gut is an important organ for the removal of estrogen metabolites. After estrogen is prepared for excretion in the liver, it continues to the gut. If gut flora is healthy, and elimination is regular, these metabolites are swiftly removed from the system. If gut flora is compromised, and the gut is overrun with “bad bugs,” the estrogen metabolites can be re-released into circulation. Our program improves the function of intestinal microflora through optimal food choices and probiotics supplementation. In addition, studies show that women who have undergone multiple IVFs are at higher risk of bacterial vaginosis. This condition is linked to both miscarriage and failed IVF. Researchers in this field are recommending probiotics as a way to improve the ecology of our reproductive tract as well as the gut in hopes this will limit vaginosis and improve outcomes.

Promote Good Blood Sugar Balance – There is more and more evidence that blood sugar management is related to infertility. We know that hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can impair ovarian function and may negatively impact egg quality. New evidence suggests that low caloric intake (prolonged low blood sugar) may stimulate the release of chemical messengers that block ovulation. This program will help you beat your sweet tooth once and for all, manage cravings, mood swings and insulin-hormone balance with low-glycemic eating.

More information about the program:

• This program is available in-person or via phone to anywhere in the U.S.
• The program can be started at any point during your treatment, during a break, etc.
• Your nutritionist will determine your appropriate supplement regimen, medical foods, etc. at the time of consultation. They will change according to your medical protocol, therapeutic conditions (PCOS, endometriosis,etc.)
• Presence of chronic disease, prior history of eating disorder and other contraindicated conditions may require physician’s clearance for participation.

Cost of the program is $210 (supplements not included). For more information about this program, click here or call our Centers at 312-321-0004 (Chicago Metro) or 301-610-7755 (DC Metro).

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