What If It Still Worked? Science Can’t Explain It, But You Know It Helped - Fertility Beyond Science

Not everything has a study, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real. This blog explores the space where science and alternative, holistic care meet.

Let’s Start With a Truth You Already Know

You’ve probably heard some version of this:

“If it hasn’t been scientifically proven, it didn’t really work.”

But if you've ever done something: acupuncture, breathwork, listening to singing bowls in your car, even just talking to someone who really got you, and felt your body shift in a way you couldn’t quite name, then this blog is for you.

Because sometimes?

It works.

Even if science can’t explain why.

Even if someone side-eyes you for trying it.

Even if your doctor raised an eyebrow.

The Problem With Either/Or Thinking

The medical world often likes neat boxes.

“If there’s a study, we trust it.” “If it’s been trialled and tested, we’ll recommend it.”

And honestly? That’s not all bad.

Science has brought us some incredible stuff.

But here's the thing: we’re not lab rats.

We’re not made in neat lines or perfect studies.

We’re complex. Emotional. Cultural. Spiritual.

We come from different parts of the world.

We eat different foods — not just different cuisines, but different qualities of food.

Are you vegan?

Do you live at a higher altitude?

Do you eat more red meat than the guidelines say you “should”?

All of that shapes your biology.

We carry trauma, joy, fear, trust, sometimes all at once.

And yes, it all matters.

Your cells are listening.

Your body responds to the world you live in.

So when someone says, “that’s not real because we don’t have enough data,” it kind of erases the real people who’ve already lived the experience.

Wait, So What Counts as “Real”?

If you’ve ever been told:

“That’s just the placebo effect.” “That hasn’t been proven.” “You should focus on what actually helps…”

...you might’ve walked away questioning yourself. But what if we flipped the question?

What if your body knowing is valid?

What if your nervous system shifting is the evidence?

What if the absence of proof isn’t the absence of truth?

Your Body Is Smarter Than You Think

There’s a lot science can’t explain yet, but your body isn’t waiting on a peer-reviewed journal to respond.

Whether you’re trying to conceive, navigating birth, or figuring out what’s going on with your cycles postpartum, your body is constantly scanning for safety, support, connection, and nourishment.

And when it finds it - even in an “unscientific” source - your whole system responds.

Let’s Talk About Acupuncture, Ayurveda, Ancestral Teachings... and That One Thing That Just Felt Right

Ever tried something “woo” and didn’t tell anyone in case they judged you?

Here’s the truth: Eastern, Indigenous, and traditional practices have been around for thousands of years. Longer than most things in your pharmacy cabinet. Longer than most Western medical models.

Are they studied the same way?

Not always.

But does that make them invalid?

Nope.

In fact, a lot of us are walking around with this quiet wisdom inside us: we know what helps. We know what feels like a yes. We just haven’t always been taught to trust it.

Fertility Doesn’t Live in a Lab

If you’ve ever felt like you’re straddling two worlds — one foot in science, the other in spirit — welcome. You’re not broken, conflicted, or lost, you’re human.

Because fertility isn’t just hormones.

It’s your thoughts, your blood, your trauma, your food, your past, your fears, your joy, your nervous system, your energy, your relationships, your rest, your rage...all of it.

You are not just a cycle chart.

You’re not just an FSH number or a protocol.

And if something helps you feel more like yourself, that matters.

Even if no one can prove it yet.

So, What If It All Belongs? Pairing Western Treatments with Whole-Body Support

Let’s be honest...we’re often told to pick a lane:

• “Are you going the science route or the spiritual one?”

• “Are you trusting medicine or trusting your gut?”

But what if you don’t have to choose?

What if both can live side by side — and actually work better together?

You can take IVF seriously and go to acupuncture. You can track your meds and drink warm bone broth every night. You can listen to your OB and meet with a traditional healer.

And no, that doesn’t make you "woo."

It makes you wise.

Here are some real-world pairings that people (myself included) have explored, always with the understanding that you should check in with your care team, because your body, your medical history, and your path are unique.

Western + Holistic Pairings That Might Work Well Together

(These are ideas, not medical advice.)

1. IVF or IUI + Acupuncture + TCM

Improves blood flow, calms the nervous system, and supports egg quality. I did this after stopping Clomid. And yes, I got pregnant. Can I prove it was the acupuncture? Can I prove it was the herbs? Nope. But it did something; I was able to reconnect to my body and my spiritual self. That’s enough for me.

2. Clomid or Letrozole + Castor Oil Packs or Fertility Massage

Gently supports circulation and inflammation in the uterus.

3. Bloodwork + Cycle/Nervous System Awareness

Your chart might say "normal," but how you feel tells another story. Nervous system tracking can bridge the gap.

4. Prenatal Vitamins + Food as Ritual (or Supplements if Food Is a Challenge)

Especially helpful for folks with food-based struggles like ARFID. Supplements are support, not shortcuts.

5. Ultrasound Monitoring + Guided Meditation or Breathwork

Stress sticks around. Breathwork and mindfulness can help your body process appointments and procedures.

6. Surgery Recovery + Reiki or Somatic Bodywork

Post-op care doesn’t stop at stitches. Emotional and energetic recovery matters too.

7. Antidepressants + Sound Therapy or Creative Expression

If meds help regulate brain chemistry, creativity can help you reconnect with your full self.

8. Fertility Preservation + Ancestral Ritual or Spiritual Counselling

Making meaning out of clinical choices can feel empowering and connective.

9. High-Risk Birth Plans + Traditional Teachings or Ceremonies

Both safety and sacredness can co-exist.

10. Postpartum Follow-Up + Womb Care or Closing Ceremonies

Healing is more than physical. Honouring this stage can be transformative.

Can We Talk About Medical Gatekeeping for a Second?

Sometimes, even well-meaning doctors use scare tactics.

They might say things like:

• “You’re wasting your time.”

• “You should’ve come to us sooner.”

• “This isn’t the place for crystals, okay?”

And yeah, some of them are tired. Burnt out. Working in broken systems.

But you deserve care that respects all of you, not just your chart or your blood panels.

That’s why doulas, bodyworkers, cultural practitioners, and folks in the holistic space shouldn’t be seen as a threat: we’re here to fill in the gaps, not fight for control.

What If You Let It Be a Little Messy?

There doesn’t have to be a right way or a wrong way.

There’s your way.

There’s what feels like it fits.

There’s what you try once and toss.

There’s what you circle back to later.

There’s room for both supplements and ceremony, both midwives and medications, both homeopathy and hospital care.

There’s no prize for doing it “right.”But there is peace in doing it in a way that feels true to you.

You Don’t Have to Explain Yourself to Anyone

Seriously. If something helped you feel calmer, more grounded, more connected to your body, you don’t owe anyone a spreadsheet to prove it.

You get to trust your own experience.

Because while science is incredible and evolving, you are already the expert of your body. You live in it. You hear it. You respond to it.

And sometimes, that alone is enough.

Want to Talk About What Might Work for You?

If you’re curious about:

• Trying something outside the standard path

• Feeling heard without being dismissed

• Building a support system that’s more “you” and less “should”

• Understanding how your body responds to more than just a protocol

Then I’d love to chat.

Book a no-pressure, 15 or 30-minute Chat with me.

I’ll bring the knowledge and the heart.

You bring your questions, your story, your nervous system, your whole self.

There’s room here for everything that hasn’t fit in other places.