Reclaiming Our Place in the Ecosystem: Why Ancestral Living Supports Fertility and Vitality
There’s something I’ve come to believe deeply, not just from my studies, but from observing nature, the human body, and how modern life disconnects us from both: human beings are not above the natural world, we’re a part of it. And when we try to remove ourselves from the ecosystem, whether by altering our diets unnaturally or ignoring biological rhythms, our health and fertility suffer.
In recent years, vegan and vegetarian diets have gained cultural momentum, often framed as the more “ethical,” “clean,” or “conscious” way to live. But what if our very consciousness is leading us away from the wisdom of our bodies and the earth? What if the healthiest thing we can do, for ourselves, future generations, and the planet, is to remember that we are nature?
We Are Part of the Food Cycle
Unlike other animals, we have the ability to rationalise our choices. But sometimes, that thinking gets in the way of truth. Consciousness doesn’t mean we’re separate from the ecosystem. It means we have a greater responsibility to live in harmony with it. In nature, life feeds life. A gazelle nourishes the lion. Fallen leaves feed the soil. We too are part of that cycle.
The idea that we can remove ourselves from the food chain, stop eating animal products, rely solely on cultivated crops, or replace whole foods with lab-made alternatives, is deeply modern. But it’s also deeply flawed. We evolved eating animals, and the nutrients they provide have shaped our biology. When we remove those building blocks from our diets, we risk long-term consequences, especially when it comes to reproductive health.
The Hidden Risks of Vegan and Vegetarian Diets for Fertility
There’s no denying that a plant-forward diet can be beneficial when done consciously. But completely eliminating animal products, especially over months or years, often leads to deficiencies that directly impact fertility. These include:
Vitamin B12: Crucial for methylation, DNA synthesis, and nervous system health. Deficiency can affect egg quality and fetal development.
Heme iron: The most bioavailable form, found only in animal foods, vital for ovulation and oxygen delivery to tissues.
Choline: Essential for brain development and placental health, found in egg yolks and liver.
Preformed vitamin A (retinol): Important for egg maturation, implantation, and embryonic development.
Omega-3 DHA: Key for hormone balance and brain development, almost exclusively found in animal sources like fish and eggs.
Zinc: Needed for egg quality, ovulation, and hormone production. Often lower in plant-based diets due to absorption inhibitors like phytates.
Many of these nutrients are either absent or poorly absorbed from plant foods. Supplementation can help, but it’s not a substitute for the synergistic benefits of whole, traditional foods.
Ancestral Eating: The Original Fertility Diet
Long before we had prenatal vitamins or fertility clinics, our ancestors intuitively knew how to nourish future generations. They consumed high-fat animal products, organ meats, broths, raw dairy, and fermented foods. These were not luxuries. They were sacred. In many traditional cultures, certain foods were given to women preconception to prepare their bodies for pregnancy and ensure robust offspring.
Dr. Weston A. Price studied indigenous communities around the world who remained untouched by industrialized foods. What he found was remarkably consistent: in every culture, couples preparing to conceive were given specific nutrient-dense animal foods. In the Swiss Alps, they consumed raw dairy from cows grazing on rapidly growing spring grass. Among the Inuit in Alaska, women were given fish eggs, while men ate salmon milt (fish testes). Organ meats were prioritised for fertility, while lean muscle meats were reserved for the dogs. In parts of Africa, conception was often delayed until after the rains arrived, when cows could graze on green grass and produce rich, nourishing milk.
These traditions were not accidental. The foods chosen were rich in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2, as well as essential fertility nutrients like DHA, choline, iodine, and selenium. These nutrients play a critical role in building strong bodies, healthy brains, and resilient babies.
This wasn’t guesswork. It was wisdom passed down through generations. Today, we call it “ancestral eating,” but it’s really just remembering what we’ve forgotten. When we reintroduce these nutrient-dense, bioavailable foods, we see improvements in ovulation, hormonal resilience, energy, libido, and long-term reproductive health.
The Circadian Rhythm Connection
Our disconnection from nature isn’t just about food. It’s also about time. Artificial light, screens, stress, and 24/7 lifestyles trick our bodies into thinking it’s always daytime. This constant stimulation throws off our circadian rhythms, which regulate everything from hormone production to digestion to sleep.
For women, circadian misalignment can be particularly harmful. Disrupted rhythms alter cortisol and melatonin cycles, which in turn interfere with ovulation, progesterone production, and thyroid function, all critical for fertility.
Living ancestrally means honoring the cycles we were designed to follow. This includes:
Waking with the sun and getting early morning light
Eating meals with the daylight (not late at night)
Prioritizing deep sleep after sunset
Minimizing screen exposure after dark
Syncing work and rest with natural energy patterns
When we live in alignment with these cues, we reduce stress, balance hormones, and create the optimal environment for conception.
Coming Home to Our Bodies
We’ve spent generations trying to outsmart nature. Manipulating food, replacing real light with blue light, chasing productivity over rest. But nature always wins. And if we want true vitality—not just the absence of disease, but the presence of energy, fertility, and joy, we must return to it.
This isn’t about judgment. It’s about biology. It’s about reclaiming our rightful place in the ecosystem. Not above it, but within it. By choosing real food, living in rhythm with the sun, and respecting the body’s ancient needs, we unlock the vitality that modern life has buried.
Health isn’t something we can engineer in a lab. It’s something we remember when we start living as we were designed to: wild, whole, and part of the cycle.
Ready to reconnect with your body and support your fertility in a way that’s aligned with nature? I offer 1:1 support that weaves together nervous system nutrition, ancestral wisdom, and mind-body nourishment.
Book a session or message me to start your journey. Your body is wise. Let’s help it feel safe, supported, and ready.