(April 19, 2011) Want motivation to put down that bowl of sugary cereal?

An updated edition of a popular book shows you how eating right and using vitamins can help you conceive.

A book recommended to all who are struggling with infertility is Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition, by Marilyn Shannon, 58, a sleek redhead from Fort Wayne, Ind., who is the mother of nine.

Shannon, who holds a master’s degree in human physiology with a minor in biochemistry, has been a Natural Family Planning (NFP) Teaching Couple with her husband, Ron, for the Couple to Couple League (CCL) for nearly 30 years. Early on in their involvement, she recognized a need for more emphasis on women’s holistic care when it came to reproductive health.

“Even back then it seemed like so many women had irregular cycles and if you’re a natural family planning user, you know it doesn’t make the effectiveness of NFP go down, but the abstinence go up,” she said.

Research Expanded Into Book

What began as a request for some research on poor mucus, PMS, long cycles and short luteal phases for a brief pamphlet quickly took on a new life.

“As I researched these topics, I could see there was some very helpful information,” she said. “It grew and it became the first edition of Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition. It was a book that was intended to help women and their reproductive health through better nutritional choices.”

And help women it has.

Page after page, Shannon offers practical advice for couples struggling with irregular cycles and an inability to conceive.

For Amy Kubelka, a CCL member from Conroe, Texas, whose story is shared on “Sweeter Than Honey,” a blog of a CCL friend, the information gleaned from Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition has helped her and her husband, Gerard, focus more on spontaneity and less on charts.

“It helps in your relationship, it helps in everything to have consistent cycles,” Kubelka said. “It just gave us a sense of peace.”

Vitamin Helped

Kubelka and her husband have five living children. Prior to taking the multivitamin Optivite, recommended by Shannon, the former Teaching Couple was faced with unpredictable cycles and often worried about becoming pregnant at difficult times. The difference in Amy’s health has been remarkable.

“Between that and lots of obedience, we’ve received lots of grace,” she said.

Shannon’s book brings a burst of grace to many women hoping to become moms, exposing them for the first time to natural family planning.

“I found this to be a very eye-opening book,” a Kansas woman identified as “MrsLisaG” wrote on www.thebump.com,  a website maintained by the creators of www.theknot.com.  ”I am not Catholic,” she added, “but it didn’t bother me. I found the Bible passages to be inspiring and relevant and the information on the church to be more for informative purposes than preachy.”

This is the first half of a slightly-adapted article by Meghan Miller. The article appeared in the March/April 2011 issue of CCL’s Family Foundations. Read part II.

Chicago-Area Natural Family Planning Classes Taught

Classes in Natural Family Planning sponsored by the Couple to Couple League (CCL) are taught in 17 locations in the Chicago metro area, including southeast Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. Each series is taught in three classes. The beginning dates are below. Go to our map page.

• Sun., May 1st, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. at Resurrection Medical Center, 7435 West Talcott Ave., Chicago IL. Classes will be taught by Dave and Mona Cattapan.
• Sun., June 12, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. at Holy Family Hall, Holy Trinity Catholic Church
  111 S. Cass Ave., Westmont IL. Classes will be taught by Christopher and Debbie Lillig.
• Sun., July 24th, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. at Resurrection Medical Center, 7435 West Talcott Ave., Chicago IL. Classes will be taught by Dave and Mona Cattapan.

To register, and for a list of classes throughout the U.S., go to the CCL registration (800) 745-8252.

The method taught is the Sympto-Thermal Method, which is also taught via CylePRO software. Sign up for a membership with the Couple to Couple League International at www.ccli.org, and receive “Family Foundations.”