Ep 389 How to Improve Egg Quality in 90 Days (Science Meets Ancient Wisdom)

The egg that will ovulate three months from now is starting to mature right now. In this solo episode, Michelle dives into one of the most hopeful conversations in fertility: the 90 day window of egg development. Both ancient wisdom and modern science agree that what you do during this window can directly influence the quality of the egg that eventually releases.

Michelle walks you through what’s actually happening inside your ovaries during those three months, bridges the modern research on mitochondria with the Chinese medicine concepts of Jing and Blood, and shares the five practical pillars she uses with her patients to support egg quality from the inside out.

Whether you’re trying to conceive naturally, preparing for IVF, or thinking about your fertility for the future, this episode is a foundational one. You have far more influence over your fertility than you’ve ever been told, and this episode shows you exactly how to work with your body during the window that matters most.

Key Takeaways:

• Egg development spans roughly a 90 day window, and the environment of your body during those three months directly shapes the quality of the egg that ovulates.
• Eggs are the most mitochondria-rich cells in the body, which is why mitochondrial health is the foundation of egg quality.
• The Chinese medicine concepts of Jing (essence) and Blood are describing the same phenomenon modern research calls mitochondrial health and ovarian blood flow.
• Pillar 1 — Nourish with real food: prioritize protein, healthy fats, antioxidant-rich vegetables, iron-rich foods, and warming cooked meals.
• Pillar 2 — Protect your mitochondria: CoQ10 (ideally Ubiquinol), omega 3s, consistent 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and personalized supplementation under a practitioner’s guidance.
• Pillar 3 — Support blood flow: acupuncture, gentle movement, abdominal massage (like Mayan or Arvigo), warmth over the lower belly and back, and no ice water around your cycle.

• Pillar 4 — Regulate your nervous system: extended exhale breath work, time in nature, reduced screen time, pockets of silence. You cannot out-supplement a dysregulated nervous system.
• Pillar 5 — Reduce your toxic load: swap plastic for glass, upgrade skincare and cleaning products, eat organic from the dirty dozen, filter water, and skip handling receipts.
• Your body is asking for partnership, not perfection. One day does not make or break an egg; a pattern of loving care over 90 days is what shapes the environment.

Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or fertility care.

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• Transcript

  Michelle Oravitz (00:00) Welcome back to the Wholesome Fertility Podcast. I'm your host, Michelle Orovitz. And today we're diving into one of the most hopeful conversations I get to have in my practice. Because here's something that both ancient wisdom and modern science agree on. You have a 90 day window where you can actually shape the quality of your eggs. That's not hype, it's biology. And once you understand what's happening inside your body during those three months, you realize you have so much more influence over your fertility than anyone has ever told you. So let's get to The egg that you will ovulate three months from now is starting to mature right now. Right now Inside your body a small group of follicles are beginning a 90 day journey toward ovulation And the environment they develop in during that window is shaping the quality of the egg that eventually releases, which means if you give your body even a little bit of intentional care over the next three months, you can actually support the health of that egg. I work with women who are trying to conceive naturally with women preparing for IVF. And I'll tell you, some of the most beautiful shifts I've witnessed happened when women stopped fighting against their bodies and start partnering with this 90-day window. So here's what we're going to walk through today. First, I'll explain what's actually happening inside your ovaries during those 90 days, because most of us were never taught this. And once you understand it, everything else makes sense. Then I'll bridge the modern research on mitochondria with the ancient Chinese medicine concepts of Jing and blood. These two worlds are describing the same thing in different languages. And I love showing that to people. And then I'll give you five practical pillars you can start working with today. Whether you're trying naturally, preparing for IVF, or just thinking about fertility down the road, this is foundational. So let me start with what's actually happening in your ovaries because again, most of us were never taught this in school it's kind of wild when you hear it. Your ovaries contain what are called primordial follicles. These are tiny resting excels that have been sitting quietly in your ovaries since before you were born. were literally born with all of them. Every single month, a small group of follicles get recruited to start developing. In reproductive biology, we call this folliculogenesis. It's the waking up of the eggs that will potentially ovulate in the coming months. And from the moment a follicle starts developing, approximately 90 days for that egg to reach the point where it can actually be ovulated. That's a big deal. Research suggests that the most sensitive window of development is the final 90 to 100 days, though earlier stages matter too. And during those 90 days, that egg is not just sitting there waiting, it's going through massive change. It's building its cellular machinery. It's developing mitochondria, which are the energy powerhouses of the cell. It's essentially getting ready to do one of the most extraordinary things a cell can do, which is support the beginning of new life. And here's the part that I really want you to hear. That egg is deeply affected by the environment it's developing in. The blood flow to the ovaries, the nutrients in your bloodstream, the hormones circulating through you, level of inflammation in your tissues, your sleep, your stress, everything in your body is feeding into the quality of that egg. This is exactly why the fertility specialist who are really paying attention will tell you to start preparing three months before you tried to conceive or three months before an IVF cycle because that window actually matches your biology. Okay, let me go a little bit deeper into the science because once you get this, else I'm going to say will make more sense. Eggs are actually the most mitochondria rich cells in the entire human body. A single mature egg contains hundreds of thousands of mitochondria. Most cells in your body may contain a few hundred to maybe a few thousand Eggs have hundreds of thousands. And the reason is because the egg is carrying the energy supply for the very beginning of embryonic life. After fertilization, the embryo depends entirely on the mitochondria that came from the egg. So in a very real way, the health of your mitochondria is the foundation of your future embryo's energy. Now here's where it gets important. Mitochondria can get damaged by something called oxidative stress. This is what happens when you have too many free radicals in the body and not enough antioxidants to balance them out. and oxidative stress in the ovaries is directly linked to lower egg quality. It tends to go up with age and with chronic inflammation and environmental toxins and with long-term stress as well, which is a lot to hold, I know, But here's the good news. this is really the whole point of this conversation. Mitochondrial health can be supported with the right nutrients, with sleep, with movement, with reducing your toxic load. You have real tools I'm going to get into them in a minute. Now I want to bring in the Chinese medicine lens because this is where it gets really beautiful for me. ancient system describes the same exact phenomenon we just talked about, just in a different language. In Chinese medicine, the foundation of your fertility is something called Jing. Jing is usually translated as essence. the deep reserve vitality you inherited from your parents and it's the substance your reproductive potential is built from. It governs growth, it governs development, and it governs the quality of your reproductive material. Jing is considered it's also something you can either deplete or preserve. Overwork depletes it. Chronic stress depletes it. Not enough sleep depletes it. Constant stimulation depletes it. Rest, nourishment, stillness, warmth, these preserve and support it. And alongside Jing, Chinese medicine really emphasizes blood, not just blood in Western medicine sense, but blood as a substance that nourishes all of your organs, including your ovaries and your uterus. When your blood is strong and abundant, your reproductive tissues are well fed. When your blood is weak or deficient, your ovaries aren't getting what they need. So here's what I love. When you read the ancient Chinese texts on fertility, they talk about nourishing jing and building blood. When you read modern fertility research, they talk about mitochondrial health and ovarian flow. These are the same ideas. One is the body's deep essence. The other is cellular energy. They're both describing the quality of your reproductive material. The ancients understood through observation and lineage what modern science is now confirming with microscopes and metabolic studies. The 90-day window isn't a new idea. The Chinese have been working with this timeline for centuries. Okay, so now let me get practical. These are the five pillars I use with my patients to support egg quality during a 90 day window. This isn't a quick fix. It's a way of living into your fertility for three months that matters most. Pillar one, nourish with real food. I'm not going to give you a complicated diet, but I will say this. Prioritize protein at every meal because protein is what your body uses include healthy fats from wild fish, olive oil, avocado, and nuts because your hormones are literally built from fat. Lean into leafy greens and colorful vegetables because they carry antioxidants that protect your eggs from oxidative stress. Including iron rich foods like grass fed red meat, lentils, beets, Iron is essential for building blood. And please eat warming cooked foods more than raw, especially if you tend to run cold. In Chinese medicine, we say the uterus likes warmth. That is not a metaphor. It's a real thing. And stay away from extremes, extreme dieting, extreme fasting, highly processed foods. They all disrupt the hormonal environment that your eggs depend Pillar two, protect your mitochondria. CoQ10 is probably the most well-researched supplements for egg quality. Multiple studies have shown it supports mitochondrial function in the eggs. Ubiquinol is a more bioavailable form of CoQ10. Now, I always recommend working with a practitioner on dosing, but about 200 to 600 milligrams a day is what is commonly used in fertility protocols. But again, always talk to your doctor. before starting anything. Other helpful mitochondrial supporters include omega-3 fatty acids, NAC, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamin E. But please, please don't start taking everything. These really do need be to you and your situation. So again, speak to your doctor before starting any supplements. And honestly, sleep is mitochondrial work, 7-9 hours in a dark room with consistent timing will do more for your egg quality than most supplements on the shelf. Pillar 3. Support blood flow. Your eggs cannot thrive without good circulation to your reproductive organs. Without blood flow, they don't get the nutrients or oxygen that they need. Acupuncture has been shown to improve blood flow to the reproductive organs. Gentle movements like walking, yoga, swimming, all support circulation. Also self-abdominal massage like Mayan or Arvigo abdominal therapy works amazing. What I want you to avoid is over-exercising during this window. High intensity training can actually pull blood flow away from reproduction and warmth really does matter. Keep your lower belly and your lower back warm, especially during your luteal phase and your period. oil packs on the lower abdomen are a beautiful traditional practice with a long lineage and definitely, definitely if you are trying to conceive, avoid the luteal phase. So if you want to do castor oil packs and you're actively trying to conceive, the best time to do this is after the bleed and right before ovulation. And skip ice water, especially around your cycle. I know it's not a trendy thing to say, but your body will thank you. Pillar four, regulate your nervous system. I cannot say this enough. Your eggs are developing inside a body that's either in a state of safety or a state of When your body feels safe, it prioritizes reproduction and growth. When your body is in a sustained threat state, it suppresses reproduction. This isn't psychological, it's physiological. So practices that really help during this window are things like breath work, especially with long extended exhale, gentle movements, time in nature, reducing screen time, especially first thing in the morning, especially the news. and right before bed. finding pockets of silence throughout the day. And if you're carrying stored stress or trauma, working with a practitioner on that. This pillar is often the most important and it's the one most people skip. If you do all the food and all the supplements but you stay in chronic fight or flight, you're swimming upstream, You cannot out supplement a dysregulated nervous system. Pillar five, reduce your toxic load. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are everywhere in modern life. They're in plastic containers, conventional personal care products, pesticides on your food, certain cleaning products, and some of them specifically affect your ovaries. You don't have to do this perfectly because it literally is impossible. But during a 90 day window, it's worth making some intentional shifts. Switch from plastic to glass storage, upgrade your skincare to clean products, eat organic whenever you can, especially for the produce with the highest pesticide load. So look for the dirty dozen and avoid those. filter your water and skip handling receipts at the register because they do contain little consistent shifts really do add up. Before you go and try to do all this perfectly, I do want to say something really important. Please hear me on this. The point of this window is not to add more pressure to your already full plate. If you approach these 90 days with rigid perfectionism and anxiety, you're actually working against yourself. Your nervous system is reading your effort as a form of and your body will respond accordingly. What we're really going for is presence, nourishment, Showing up for your body the way you would for someone you love deeply. Not with punishment, not with shame, but with care. Some days you'll do all of these things and it'll feel so aligned. Other days, you'll eat pizza and stay up too late watching a show. And that is also completely okay. One day doesn't make or break an egg. A pattern of loving care over 90 days is what shapes the environment. Your body isn't asking for perfection. It's asking for partnership. Okay, let me leave you with a practical way to begin. I actually created something called the fertility detox. It's a free ebook that walks you through how to reduce your toxic load in a way that's realistic and sustainable. It's one of the clearest starting points for this work. And you can grab it at michelleorbits.com forward slash fertility dash detox. If you want to go deeper with me over time, You can also look at the Wholesome Fertility Journey, and that is where you can find all of my memberships. meant to support you exactly where you are. calls with me. You'll find all of the information if you go to www.michellorbits.com forward slash the dash wholesome dash fertility Journey. And you can find all of the information in the episode If this episode resonated with you, would so appreciate it if you took a moment to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Reviews are what helps the show reach the women who need to hear these conversations. if you haven't subscribed yet, go ahead and hit follow so you don't miss an episode. Remember that the egg that matters most for you right now is developing this very moment. You have 90 days to shape its environment and you have more influence over this than you have ever been told. Thank you so much for being here. and I'll see you next time.