System Biology

Better System. Better Balance.

Better Health.

Systems biology uses algorithms to measure body system balance in a holistic “real-life” forecast. We measure six Systems key to fertility health.

The goal for women with Flow PFPs is improving the balance and flow of their hormones and body substances, rather than boosting egg or energy reserves. Balance involves improving “homeostasis” (the optimal conditions) of the body, because imbalances make it challenging for the sequences of events needed for conception to all follow each other smoothly.

All living things try to keep themselves at optimal conditions, and sensors and control mechanisms work hard to measure and control pH, temperature, hydration etc. In mammals, our hormones and nervous systems are the main ways we monitor and maintain our health, and if these go out of balance, it affects our health and fertility.

For most Flow PFP women, the issue that disrupts their balance most is stress, and when “stress” becomes “distress” it affects hormone balance, which affects how we feel, and crucially it disrupts the health of menstrual cycles. Stress can be relatively trivial when things aren’t “right” or running smoothly, and daily events (like the traffic) cause frustration, or bigger, more important “life plans” feel blocked. Either way, stress is often an issue for Flow PFP women and their fertility levels.

However, this PFP isn’t about just people who feel a bit “stuck”; it also includes conditions that physically block conception, and changes in the circulation of blood, fluids, or hormones affect how we feel and create distinct symptoms:

Feeling heavy and achy is usually due to fluids gathering in tissues and is a big issue for Fluids PFPs
Hormonal and nervous system issues generally cause cramps or pains that come and go or create irritability and moodiness
Problems with blood circulation usually cause fixed pains (or physical masses)

The last two examples affect Flow PFPs most. We function best when we have order and stability in the body, so the goal for Flow PFPs is to improve system management issues or resolve obstructions.

The ANS and Flow PFP

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) quietly regulates essential body functions and plays many crucial roles in homeostasis. There are two sides to the Autonomic Nervous System that act against each other to maintain a healthy balance in the body:

The Sympathetic is mainly concerned with stimulating “fight or flight” responses in the body, and it’s also continuously active at a low level to maintain essential organ functions. This side of the ANS increases heart rate, lung function, sweating and triggers orgasms.
The Parasympathetic generally works to promote the health of the body at rest, and it’s said to stimulate our “rest-and-digest” or “feed and breed” activities. This side of the ANS is crucial for digestive and fertility health, and parasympathetic nerves are involved in sexual arousal and a man’s ability to get erections.

The relative balance of the ANS has a significant impact on hormone levels. When the Sympathetic side is elevated, there are higher levels of adrenaline which affect the hypothalamus gland function, altering how the ovaries work.

The balance of the ANS and responses to stress have a mutual relationship, with one affecting the balance of the other. The ANS is where the body’s physical, emotional, and hormonal balance is connected, and this directly impacts fertility.

Stress and Flow

How we feel and function has a lot to do with how smoothly life flows, and while some level of stress is healthy, stress can become “distress” if we’re not coping well. It can have an invisible impact on our function as we adapt and come to accept it as “the norm”.

Extreme stress quickly changes our breathing, heart and digestion
Long-term stress can cause conditions like asthma, bowel disease, angina, erectile dysfunction and a loss of libido
Stress affects the hypothalamus, the gland that connects the nervous and hormonal systems
The hypothalamus ultimately dictates adrenal, thyroid and sex hormone levels and controls blood pressure, temperature, and blood sugar level
The ANS is intricately involved in our immune state and function, including the development of chronic diseases
Long-term stress continuously activates the Sympathetic without the normal counterbalance of the Parasympathetic. The release of adrenal hormones raises the immune system’s pro-inflammatory chemicals (cytokines)
High levels of inflammatory cytokines make the brain susceptible to depression and increase the chances of immune-related causes of infertility

Balancing the two sides of the ANS is crucial for our physical and emotional well-being and a growing feature of “wellness health”. It isn’t easy to understand as much of the science is relatively new; however, we can provide tools that can:

Measure and inform you of your daily ANS balance and trends
Tell you how much stress you should expose yourself to each day
Give real-time feedback on how events and stimuli (food, people, events) affect your ANS
Empower you to learn what specific lifestyle changes will match your needs

Circulation and Flow

Emotional constraint and an unbalanced ANS aren’t the only ways women can become Flow PFPs, as physical restrictions are also part of the pattern. Irregular cycles and menstrual flow can be connected to other PFPs, or triggered by:

Physical trauma damage to the womb lining, cervix, tubes or ovaries, including from surgeries
High fevers or extended inflammations can alter the immune state and encourage it to clot (including anti-sperm antibodies or STIs) (Hot)
Extreme cold can slow down blood movement and affect periods (Cold)
Low energy reduces circulation, and heart disease (and the medication) and diabetes are examples (Energy)
Low blood reserves (often from blood loss) reduce blood flow and can encourage it to stagnate (Blood)
Accumulations of fluids can encourage blood to accumulate, and varicoceles are a classic example (Fluids)

The movement of blood is essential for the health and rhythm of menstrual cycles, and poor blood circulation causes problems for the ovaries and womb because blood carries hormones and the nutrients essential for growth:

Pituitary hormones stimulate the ovaries less
Follicles in ovaries develop less
Ovarian hormones stimulate the uterus less
Womb linings grow less in the follicular phase
Womb lings are less receptive in the luteal phase

ANS and circulation issues make Flow PFP women more prone to:

Mood swings
Painful periods and irregular cycles
Heavy or clotted periods
Fibroids, polyps and other blocks to pregnancy

Morefertile and Flow PFP Women

Premium morefertile® membership gives you access to:

Your secondary PFP (if you have one)
A rating for each profile and what the combination means for you
Natural treatment options for PCOS, endometriosis and more
Clear dietary advice and recipes
Lifestyle changes to raise energy
Discounts on supplements
Access to cutting-edge testing

We also outline the best ways for Flow PFPs to adjust their weight and manage stress to improve monthly conception rates.

The different profiles have different challenges and needs, which is all part of the PFP discussion, along with personalised ways to improve fertility health, and the tests and treatments most likely to be appropriate for you. The morefertile approach: