Virtus Fertility Care, LLC

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Houston, TX
Virtus Fertility Care, LLC

Fertility awareness education for infertility assessment, PCOS and endometriosis management, family Hi!

I'm Melissa Buchan, CFCP (Certified FertilityCare Practitioner). Over the past ten years I have helped numerous women and couples better understand their fertility and manage their reproductive health. I am certified through the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals. In 2017 I launched a new affiliate, Virtus FertiltyCare, to empower, educate, and serve. Virtus FertilityCare is an educational service program providing professional instruction in the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. This system teaches women to confidently and accurately chart their menstrual cycles. Empowering women to monitor and evaluate their reproductive health is central to the goal and mission of Virtus.

09/14/2023

Hello September! It’s hard to believe this month we transition into fall...the thought makes me laugh out loud. Here in Texas the summer heat will last well into October. 🍁

Whether it’s the beginning of a new month or the beginning of a new cycle, I encourage you to take time to acknowledge the transition you are experiencing and check in with yourself to see how you’re doing. What goals do you have for this coming month? What memories did you make over the summer that you want to engrain in gratitude on your heart?

I already miss the relaxed days of summer and carefree travel. Life around here is much more structured these days. Early to bed and early to rise. School drop off and pick up set the schedule for the day and the evenings are full of taxiing kids soccer practice, youth group, and piano.

Managing a household and running a coaching business takes finesse and flexibility. I remember a time where it all felt like too much and I was constantly fighting the tension building in my body.

But, I gotta say...I am a girl who practices what she preaches. Keeping my health and wellbeing at the top of my list is the secret ingredient to being present to my family and my clients without compromising my sanity.

As the ol’ adage goes...If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy…

The guiding principles that keep me going day after day (when in the past PMS or menstrual migraines would sideline me and my energy was nowhere to be found)

☀️ Early to bed and early to rise
☀️ Eat wisely
☀️ Move daily
☀️ Give thanks

Where are you in your health and wellness journey? Are you struggling with PMS, menstrual migraines, irregular cycles? I’d love to help you get to the bottom of these symptoms. You deserve to feel your best!

Hit me in the DM with your questions.

🍁

11/02/2022

THIS OR THAT?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's the day after Halloween which means...
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's time to eat all of our kids’ Halloween candy, go into a sugar coma, and lie to our kids about where it went!

Just kidding 😆 (kinda)

The constant presence of candy and sweets, which is a real thing this time of year (hello holidays!), is a constant temptation for women who are struggling to manage hormonal and gut balance.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here’s a little hack to help you navigate temptation: keep your favorite fruit🍎 and dark chocolate🍫 on hand. Rather than grabbing that kit kat or smartie from the grab bag, serve up a plate of fruit, nuts, and dark chocolate.

A little strategy goes a long way.

And also, p.s. if you want a piece of candy this Halloween, please just do it and don't feel guilty about it for one second. 🍭 You are in control.

10/07/2022

What’s all the fuss about Grass Fed & Finished Meat?!?
❤️🐄 🦌 🐏 🐐❤️
Grass-fed meat is an incredibly nutrient-dense protein.

Compared to grain-fed meat, it contains:
✅ 2x the amount of lutein and beta-carotene
✅ 3x the amount of Conjugated linoleic acid (which helps reduce body fat and improve immune function)
✅ 3x the amount of omega–3 fats

Grass Fed & Finished beef 🥩 also helps support healthy blood sugar levels and when eaten with a balanced diet according to your unique metabolic needs can help prevent diseases and balance hormones.

It feels like🎁 Christmas🎁 each time I open a box of goodness from

09/13/2022

Hormones. Love ’em 🥰 or hate ’em 😡, you can’t live without them.

If you are in touch with your cycle, you probably already know about the two key players that set the stage for menstrual and reproductive health:
✅estrogen and
✅progesterone

The menstrual cycle is a balancing act ⚖️ between the two ovarian hormones.

During the first half of your cycle, 🌸ESTROGEN🌸 is the dominant hormone and is responsible for follicular maturation and thickening the inner lining of the uterus. This is known as the follicular phase.

If you struggle with cycle-related mood swings, infertility , fatigue, and low libido there’s a chance your ovarian hormones are not in balance.

A well-charted cycle helps you and your healthcare provider determine when to cycle-target tests for a thorough evaluation of your hormone levels--the first steps to the path of healing and well-being. 👩‍⚕️

If you are interested in learning more about cycle health and cycle-targeting testing, send me an DM and we can connect to get you the support you are looking for.

08/19/2022

If you’re dealing with the lifelong battle of managing PCOS, “chilling” during your luteal phase might not be so easy.

Premenstrual tension is REAL, especially for those whose metabolic composition is on the sensitive side. 🙋‍♀️

If you are feeling the angst build and tension rise as you await Aunt Flo…💥RELEASE that energy.💥

You can do it in a couple of ways…

❎ Yell at your husband or the next person who sets you off ( I DO NOT recommend this option)

OR

✅ Get Physical! Move intuitively. For some, this might be restorative yoga. For others, it might be beating the crap out of a punching bag. 🙋‍♀️

I can swing it both ways. The important take home message is to listen to your body and do the things that she’s asking for. Show up for your beautiful self! You deserve it. Often the hardest part is getting started with that luteal phase workout. Show up for yourself. Get on that bike. Roll out that yoga mat. Put on those boxing gloves. Take that first step, and then the next, and then the next.

Your body will thank you. Trust me. ❤️

06/27/2022

Inflammation... what a topic!

Inflammation is an immune response to fight off threats and foreign invaders such as infections, injuries, and toxins. An inflammatory response is your body’s way of trying to heal itself. If you cut yourself or sprain an ankle, specialized immune cells rush to the site of the injury, causing redness and swelling. A fantastic strategy to heal an acute injury--your body is one smart cookie.

Chronic inflammation is what we are concerned with when it comes to balancing hormones and optimizing fertility. Chronic inflammation is the slow, long-term inflammation that can wreak havoc on our overall health.

So how do you fight inflammation?

🥦 Snack well. Replace your favorite sugary snack with two large handfuls of organic chopped veggies and hummus. Eat the rainbow: carrots, cucumbers, radishes, sugar snap peas, celery, the list goes on...

🌳 Clean your air. Change the air filter in your home. Set a reminder in your calendar to change the filters every 3 months. If you have pets in the home or suffer from allergies, set that reminder for every month.

❤️ Chart your cycle. This is your most basic stat. Use your cycle as a barometer of your overall health. The more you work to combat chronic inflammation and restore your body’s equilibrium, the more normal your cycle will become.

Make the commitment to fight off inflammation today. Which step are you going to take 🥦, 🌳, or ❤️? Drop your emoji in the comments below!

05/27/2022

PMS is SO hard for so many women 😵
But it shouldn't be! 🤯
‼️ Headaches, pelvic pain and breast tenderness are "common" but not "normal."
If you're feeling these things every time your period starts, it's time to figure out your hormones aren't happy. 🤔
Taking back control of your symptoms starts by balancing your hormones. ⚖️ Taking care of your body during your entire cycle is important in hormonal balance, not just the week before your period!
I'm here to help! Shoot me a DM for any pointers or if there's hormone imbalance questions you'd like me to dive into more deeply! 💖

05/03/2022

‼️ Ready for some cycle syncing tips during the luteal phase?

Appetite and calorie intake is typically slightly higher for women during the luteal phase. 🤤🥖🍦

Progesterone, which increases after ovulation, is the culprit. In addition to wanting to eat everything in sight, food cravings for chocolate🍫, sweet🍩, or salty foods🍿 are often too real to resist.

✅ Tip #1: Feed your body! 🍽 The luteal phase is not the time for calorie restriction, tread lightly with intermittent fasting. Most importantly, listen to your body. If you are hungry, eat. This leads to…

✅ Tip #2: Eat wisely. 🥑 Choose foods high in protein and healthy fat. Consuming adequate protein and fat along with the right amount (for you) of high fiber carbs will curb sugar cravings so you’re not finding yourself making out with a gallon of Ben & Jerry’s (I’m the first to admit to be guilty of this...the hormonal consequences ain’t pretty!)

✅Tip #3: Quality matters. 💯 Love a tasty cheesy bacon omelette? Who doesn’t, right?!? Using farm raised, free range eggs and well sourced bacon and cheese from grass fed and finished animals makes all the difference in the inflammatory load of this luteal phase favorite breakfast dish. Well sourced animal proteins are nutrient dense and provide healthy fatty acids that are essential for balancing hormones.

✅ Tip #4: Consider food sensitivities.🤔 If you have known food sensitivities to eggs or milk, unfortunately this delightful concoction isn’t for you. That’s okay. Knowing how to eat according to your body’s needs is fundamental to building an anti-inflammatory lifestyle to balance hormones, manage PMS, and feel your best. The key to this tip is to test, don’t guess. We often encourage women struggling with PCOS, endo, and hormonal imbalances to cut out dairy, gluten, and eggs. Why? Well, these are the top foods that can cause inflammation. When women remove these foods from their diets, many see progress. However, this can be quite restrictive. Working from a list of known food sensitivities takes the uncertainty out of health building.

04/13/2022

Podcast alert! 🎙🚨

If you haven't heard of Natalie Cuadra - girl, you need to!!! Her podcast "Not A Mama Yet" is a must listen if you are journeying toward parenthood.

🎧Click here to listen to the full episode (along with other podcasts I guested in):
https://www.melissabuchan.com/featured-in-podcasts

Here's a little excerpt from our conversation:
“If you are the provider of information to your child, the initial source of information, you become the expert on that. In the area of human sexuality, that’s very important.“
-Melissa Buchan

Listen in to our conversation about cycle tracking and natural birth control, period education, managing stress, and so much more!

04/03/2022

Let's talk about the elephant in the room... 😶
𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬
It truly takes two to tango 💃 🕺
A study published in 2015 states that approximately 40-50% of all cases are due to male factor infertility. This is likely a combination of low s***m concentration, poor s***m motility, or abnormal morphology.
Semen analysis is essential to navigating infertility!!
Here’s the super exciting news - has partnered with Fellow, the only peer-reviewed, clinical semen analysis that you can do from home!
If you're interested in trying this out for yourself AND getting a discount, click the link below or send me a DM with any questions!
👇Get Discounted Kits: 👇
https://www.melissabuchan.com/meet-fellow

03/20/2022

Podcast alert! 🎙🚨

I recently was a guest on an episode on The Hormone Genius Podcast, which I think you will all love!🥰 We talked about the connection between 🤓 and a strong marital relationship👩‍❤️‍👨.

Here’s a quick blurb about the podcast:

“Fifteen years in the arena, her passion for coaching and advocating for women and couples paved the path to her new program . Chart Your Cycle is an online coaching platform empowering women around the world to know their bodies, confidently practice , and advocate for their own reproductive healthcare.

Melissa is married to her best friend and biggest supporter, Kris. The couple’s journey into NFP is a story of physical and spiritual healing and a central aspect of their relationship. They truly believe that living a is so much more than . It is a prayer of their bodies.”

To listen in to the podcast, head on over to https://soundcloud.com/thehormonegenius or www.hormonegenius.com! Thank you for having me on the show!

03/15/2022

I can’t contain my excitement over ALL the incredible steps you’re making towards charting your cycle and taking control of your hormonal health. 🎉 🥰💜

A well charted cycle provides a roadmap for women who are sick of Googling how-to’s, giving them insight on where to focus their energy to reclaim hormonal harmony in the lives...while ALSO creating a MASSIVE impact on their self-confidence and self-awareness. 📈

That’s why I put together The Chart Your Cycle Guide To The 5 Most Common Cycle Patterns!

Connect with your unique cycle pattern and learn:
💜 What’s normal (and what’s not)
💜 When to call your doctor
💜 The most overlooked pattern in infertility
💜 The classic PCOS cycle pattern

Grab this MUST HAVE guide: “The 5 Most Common Cycle Patterns”
https://www.melissabuchan.com/cycleguide
https://www.melissabuchan.com/cycleguide
https://www.melissabuchan.com/cycleguide

Address

Houston, TX
77345

Telephone

+19033269627

Website

http://www.melissabuchan.com/

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Our Story

Hi! I'm Melissa Buchan, CFCP (Certified FertilityCare Practitioner) and Neo Fertility Advisor. Over the past 13 years I have helped numerous women and couples better understand their fertility and manage their reproductive health. I am a FertilityCare Practitioner certified through the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals and the first Neo Fertility Advisor in the US. In 2018 I launched Virtus Fertility Care, LLC to empower, educate, and serve. Virtus Fertility Care, LLC is an educational service organization providing professional online instruction in cycle charting. This approach teaches women to confidently and accurately chart their menstrual cycles. Empowering women to monitor and evaluate their reproductive health is central to the goal and mission of Virtus.

visit: www.melissabuchan.com to learn more.