Fertility Friendly Zucchini Soup

4 to 6 servings.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

zucchini, (about 7 cups diced)

2 teaspoons curry powder

6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

1/4 cup basmati rice

Salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper

Pinch of cayenne

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For garnish:

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the zucchini and stir for about a minute, until the garlic smells fragrant.
2. Add the curry powder, stir together, and add the stock or water, the rice and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
3. Purée the soup with blender.
4. Return to the pot, heat through, add pepper and cayenne to taste and stir in the lemon juice. Serve, garnishing with chopped chives.

Narelle Stegehuis, is a practicing medical herbalist and naturopath specializing in restorative endocrinology for women, with over 14 years clinical experience.  She is both an accomplished writer, editor and technical training advisor for the Complementary Health Care Council.  A recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award, Narelle adopts an integrated approach of both medical science and traditional complementary health care principles. 

Her services can be accessed at www.bumpfertility.com.au

Discover Your NEW Fertility Path

Fertility profiling and conception mapping are the first steps towards falling pregnant and maintaining a healthy pregnancy, as Kathryn*, 42 years of Melbourne discovered.

Kathryn’s Story

After I started my new job, my health changed.  For starters, I always felt bloated and my periods had become painful.  To top it off, a family trauma left my immune system so low that I was constantly run down.  In spite of several courses of antibiotics, I just couldn’t get well again and now I was suffering from thrush!

It was when my periods stopped that I knew I was really unhealthy and that my chances of conceiving were low. 

Over the next 12 months we tried to conceive naturally, with no luck and my symptoms worsened; (weight gain, poor immunity, bloating) and I was also constantly fatigued.  I was no longer ovulating so I had a scan.  Although I had ovarian cysts, I didn’t have enough to be diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Disorder.  At least I had an explanation, but with no answer, I was rapidly giving up hope. 

There had to be a reason why I could not fall pregnant and was so unwell –  I knew I had to find it. I had tried Chaste Tree, Evening Primrose Oil and Acupuncture and although they were helping a little, I felt they were not enough. 

We tried IVF but could not achieve a healthy implantation.  I cried for days when I was told that our chances of conceiving were slim.  But I just could not give up hope.

Narelle’s Comments

Kathryn’s story is a perfect example of how important fertility profiling and conception mapping is.  We see all too often the effects of ‘blanket treatments’ that treat the symptom rather than the cause. It is important to remember that to restore fertility and long term health, you need to identify the initial cause and this takes time and expertise.  Investing time into getting to the ‘root’ cause of Kathryn’s health challenges is what made the difference.  This is what Kathryn’s ‘conception’ map looked like:

After chatting to Kathryn, I established her fertility profile and a conception map that was not only going to restore ovulation and implantation, but also improve egg quality.  These three factors, combined would not only improve her fertility, but also her energy and overall health.   

Kathryn’s  treatment strategy included a personalized tonic using traditional medicinal herbs such Golden Seal and Gentian to restore  digestive infection and Withania combined with Albizzia and Rehmannia to restore adrenal health, lower inflammation and improve immunity.  Other herbs such as Paeonia, Angelica and Pasque flower were included throughout her treatment  to support hormonal balance and improve glucose control. 

Targeted dietary changes to support fertility health according to her personalized profile including limiting broccoli and eating more blueberries were provided in an easy to understand format, that fitted well with Kathryn’s busy life. 

Personalized orthomolecular therapy and nutritional therapy, formed part of Kathryn’s long term plan.  These changes, combined with gentle detoxification techniques; gently guided her fertility health to new levels.  Her new conception plan was a must for overcoming her symptoms of period pain, fatigue, bloating, lowered immunity, hormonal imbalance, weight gain and unexplained infertility.

Outcome:

Today, Kathryn has restored energy levels and is no longer bloated.  Her immune system is healthy and she has lost weight.  She feels healthy again and has conceived naturally.

Discover your conception map.  Start by completing your Assessment online at: www.bumpfertility.com.au/f_form.php