After 15 years living in Ireland, balancing my roots between Brazil and Dublin, I often reflect on how science continues to reshape our understanding of women’s health.

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2025) went to Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their discoveries about regulatory T cells (Tregs) , the immune cells that keep our body from attacking itself.

At first, this might sound far from fertility, but in truth, it’s deeply connected.

Immune Tolerance and Fertility

One of the most fascinating things about conception is that the embryo is genetically “foreign”, yet the mother’s body must welcome it. That requires a fine-tuned immune balance, especially within the uterus.

When immune regulation is disrupted, it can contribute to:

• Recurrent miscarriage or implantation failure

• Endometriosis and local inflammation

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with chronic low-grade inflammation

Tregs play a central role in these processes, promoting the immune tolerance needed for implantation and pregnancy to continue.

Nutrition as an Immune Modulator

From my perspective in nutrition and dietetics, diet helps create the right environment for immune balance. Certain nutrients and compounds can support Treg cell function, improving immune tolerance and overall reproductive health.

Some key ones include:

• Vitamin D –  encourages Treg formation and helps maintain immune calm.

• Omega-3 fats (EPA/DHA) – reduce inflammation and may support the FOXP3 gene linked to Treg activity.

• Short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate) – produced by gut bacteria from fiber; they naturally enhance Treg development.

• Polyphenols (green tea, turmeric, berries, olive oil) – gentle modulators of inflammation.

• Zinc and Selenium – essential for immune resilience and antioxidant defense.

• Probiotics – certain strains like Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium longum promote immune tolerance in the gut and reproductive tract.

It’s not about supplements alone, but a nutrient-rich lifestyle: balanced meals, colourful plants, omega-3s, amino acids, fermented foods, and fibre that nourishes the gut microbiome, the foundation of immune and hormonal balance.

The Role of Medicinal Mushrooms

Medicinal mushrooms such as Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Cordyceps, and Lion’s Mane are gaining attention for their gentle immunomodulatory effects.

These mushrooms contain beta-glucans and polysaccharides that help the immune system maintain balance – not overactive, not underactive – much like Treg cells do.

Reishi, in particular, has been studied for its potential to reduce inflammation, improve stress resilience, and support hormonal harmony through the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis.
For some women, these can be a supportive complement alongside diet, acupuncture, and lifestyle changes , always chosen carefully and individually.

Acupuncture and the Holistic Lens

In my clinical work, I often see how emotional stress, digestive imbalance, and inflammation can quietly influence fertility.

Acupuncture plays a valuable role here, helping regulate both the nervous system and the gut–brain–ovary axis.

Research shows that acupuncture can:

• Support the microbiota–gut–brain axis, improving gut motility and microbial balance.

• Regulate the HPA axis, reducing cortisol and supporting progesterone and ovulation.

• Enhance blood flow to the uterus and ovaries, improving endometrial receptivity.

• Modulate immune and inflammatory markers, fostering a more balanced environment for conception.

When combined with personalised nutrition and mindful lifestyle choices, acupuncture can help the body return to its natural rhythm, easing stress, regulating hormones, supporting digestion, and enhancing fertility potential.

This is what holistic care truly means to me: connecting the immune, hormonal, digestive, and emotional systems so the body can communicate and heal more effectively.

With warmth,

References on Nutrients & Treg / Immune Tolerance

1. Fisher SA, et al. The role of vitamin D in increasing circulating T regulatory cells. (PMC)

   • Vitamin D supplementation was associated with increased Treg/CD3 ratios in several trials. PMC

2. Issazadeh-Navikas S, Teimer R, Bockermann R. Influence of Dietary Components on Regulatory T Cells (2012)

   • Review summarizing how vitamins A & D, omega-3, probiotics, fatty acids influence Treg homeostasis. BioMed Central

3. Daryabor G, et al. A review of the critical role of vitamin D axis on the immune system (2023)

   • Discusses how vitamin D shifts Th1/Th17 toward Th2, and induces Treg cells, limiting inflammatory responses. ScienceDirect

4. Srichomchey P, et al. Vitamin D3 Supplementation Promotes Regulatory T-Cells

   • Data suggesting that vitamin D3 supports Treg function in immune contexts. PMC

5. Su ST, et al. High-dose Vitamin D supplementation for immune… (Frontiers in Immunology, 2025)

   • High-dose vitamin D may rebalance Th1/Th17 vs Treg activity and reduce inflammatory flares. Frontiers

References on Medicinal Mushrooms & Immunomodulation

1. Guggenheim AG, et al. Immune Modulation From Five Major Mushrooms (PMC)

   • Covers Agaricus, Cordyceps, Ganoderma, others and their immunological roles (innate & adaptive). PMC

2. Zhao S, et al. Immunomodulatory Effects of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms (PMC)

   • Shows how mushroom-derived compounds can stimulate and regulate immune responses. PMC

3. Priori EC, et al. Hericium erinaceus Extract Exerts Beneficial Effects on Gut Microbiota

   • Shows that the edible medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus promotes beneficial gut bacteria and reduces markers of inflammation. MDPI

4. Overview of Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharides on Various Diseases

   • Describes how Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides modulate gut microbiota and immune cell function to suppress inflammation. Herald Open Access

References on Acupuncture, Microbiota, Hormones & Immune Modulation

1. Acupuncture and Immune System (WholisticMatters)

   • Describes how acupuncture may regulate cytokines, influence T cell subsets, modulate inflammation, affect gut-brain / HPA axis, and influence microbiome balance. WholisticMatters

2. The Gut-Immune Connection: How Acupuncture and Functional Medicine Can Improve Your Health

   • Discusses how acupuncture modulates the gut-immune axis, immune cell activity, and microbiome diversity. Thriving Wellbeing

3. Feng W, et al. Gut microbiota: A new target of traditional Chinese medicine (2023)

   • Many TCM treatments (including herbal / acupuncture approaches) can alter gut microbiota, promoting beneficial bacteria and improving immune balance. ScienceDirect

4. Feng X, et al. The effects of traditional Chinese medicine and dietary compounds on microbiota and immunity (Frontiers in Immunology, 2023)

   • Dietary compounds and TCMs can modulate microbiota metabolic pathways and improve immune environment. Frontiers