Many women assume something is wrong with their body when their cycle shifts, symptoms appear, or fertility feels unpredictable. But the more closely I look at the women’s physiology, the more I see that these experiences aren’t evidence of a broken body. They’re reflections of a biology doing its best in a world that has changed faster than it can adapt.
We live with physiology shaped over thousands of years, yet our daily environment has transformed within a few generations. Longer work hours, constant stimulation, processed food, disrupted sleep rhythm, halides in the water supply, and a significant decline in soil minerals have all changed the baseline our body has to work with. And none of us were taught how these modern factors influence the way our body functions.
A Quiet Shift That Changed Everything
One of the most overlooked realities is how much our mineral landscape has changed. Research over the last several decades shows that:
- Magnesium in vegetables has dropped ~30–40% since the 1950s.
- Copper content in soil is now a fraction of what it was even 80 years ago.
- Iodine intake has dropped by nearly 50% since the 1970s due to farming changes and water chlorination.
- Chronic stress dramatically increases mineral burn rate, reducing what’s available for metabolic and reproductive function.
These aren’t small changes. Minerals fuel nearly every function tied to fertility — energy production, thyroid conversion, hormone creation, and ovulation itself. And while mineral access has decreased, demands on the body have increased.
So the question becomes:
What happens when the body has fewer resources, but is asked to do more?
You see exactly what we see now:
- irregular cycles
- PMS intensification
- thyroid fluctuations
- low libido
- low energy
- anxiety spikes
- difficulty interpreting fertility signs
- increased anxiety during phase transitions
Not because our body is failing — but because our body is responding honestly to its reality.
What many women interpret as a “problem” is often their body reallocating resources, choosing what needs support first, and expressing the effects of modern living. These changes aren’t random. They’re often the deeper root cause behind hormonal shifts, inconsistent fertile signs, low energy, or challenges with cycle interpretation.
Fertility as a Reflection, Not a Verdict
I’ve always found it helpful to view fertility as an outcome of a healthy, well-supported body — not something we force, chase, or achieve through pressure. Fertility isn’t a rare prize that only a few women qualify for. It’s the natural result of a body whose foundational systems are nourished, resourced, and able to spare the energy for reproduction.
In that sense, fertility is more of an indicator than a destination. When the body has what it needs — minerals, energy, rhythm, nourishment, safety — fertility often rises naturally from that foundation.
Ovulation requires steady energy.
Progesterone relies on mineral-dependent enzymes.
Thyroid hormones depend on iodine, selenium, and healthy metabolism.
Stress shifts the entire endocrine system within minutes.
When foundational systems are strained, your cycle simply reflects that state with remarkable honesty. It’s not an attack; it’s information.
Understanding this removes so much of the shame and fear women carry around their fertility. You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You’re not missing something everyone else seems to know. You are living through the complexity of a world your physiology was never prepared for — and doing your best within it.
We Were Never Taught How to Navigate This World
We learned about calories, villanizing fats, hormones, and “staying healthy.” But we never talk about:
- minerals depleted by chronic stress
- environmental load on the endocrine system
- circadian rhythm disruption
- fluoride/halides affecting iodine pathways
- nutrient decline in soil
- mitochondrial burden unique to modern life
These weren’t covered in school. Not only that, they’re not even discussed in standard medical settings. And yet they shape everything from energy to mood to ovulation to fertility.
This isn’t a reason to feel powerless — it’s a reason to finally understand the body you live in. When we stop assuming we’re supposed to thrive effortlessly in a world our physiology didn’t evolve for, we can begin to work with our body instead of judging it.
Clarity is empowering. Awareness doesn’t create fear; it creates options. And when you understand what your body is responding to, its patterns start to make sense, not as flaws or something to be fearful of.
Something to Observe This Month
Notice how your fertility signs, energy, or mood shift during calmer weeks, better sleep, or steadier nourishment. These patterns often reveal more than any tests or apps can.