EPISODE 97 | GUT ISSUES AND SUBFERTILITY w/ Dr. Jennifer Horton

Gut Issues & Subfertility- A Functional Medicine Approach

Gut health isn't where your brain would normally go when trying to solve the problem of fertility challenges, but it is thought to be one of the root causes of subfertility. Did you know that low microbe diversity in your intestines can lead to issues like endometriosis, pcos, metabolic syndrome and even obesity? Functional medicine specialist Dr. Jen Horton and I talk all things poo and how and why it should be a part of your fertility workup.

EPISODE 94 | DAY 5 #NIAW MEDITATION CHALLENGE | New Moon Intentions

Day 5 of our meditation challenge happens to fall on a new moon in Taurus and Earth day. What an auspicious day for setting intentions! We will examine the 5 realms of life (Physical, Mental/Emotional, Relationship, Material and Spiritual) and how our fertility is interfacing with these different parts that make up our lives. We will then set some intentions that we would like to see unfold and seal it with a mantra in celebration of the Earth- Om Shri Gaia Ma Purnatva Gaia Ma.


EPISODE 93 | DAY 4 #NIAW MEDITATION CHALLENGE | Archytpal Journey

Today's guided journey can be super helpful anytime you feel that you need a healthy "time out." Often when we are feeling the most constricted, it is because we are wrestling with questions. Today you go on a journey to get answers from the Archetypal women you carry inside. After it is over you will know how to find more space when you are feeling pinned in or couped up. After you practice it a few times, you won't even need my voice.


EPISODE 91 | DAY 2 #NIAW MEDITATION CHALLENGE | Conscious Conceptions

Need a little help turning down the volume inside? Join me for the annual meditation challenge that I host every spring to honor National Infertility Awareness Week.

This year I have decided to publish the recordings not only in the classroom area for the people participating in live time, but on the podcast for you the listener. All 7 days will be here for your listening enjoyment, but if you want the extra recordings that I placed in the class room area for a total of 14 meditations, you’ll have to sign up.

Day 2 we explore the concept of a conscious conception and we practice building awareness so that we may be engaged in our conception process from a spiritual point of mind.

Meditation begins at about min 14:00


EPISODE 90 | DAY 1 #NIAW MEDITATION CHALLENGE | Breath Connection

Need a little help turning down the volume inside? Join me for the annual meditation challenge that I host every spring to honor National Infertility Awareness Week.

This year I have decided to publish the recordings not only in the classroom area for the people participating in live time, but on the podcast for you the listener. All 7 days will be here for your listening enjoyment, but if you want the extra recordings that I placed in the class room area for a total of 14 meditations, you’ll have to sign up.

EPISODE 88 | MANAGING CHAOS IN UNCERTAIN TIMES | Elizabeth Markie

Heart Math and Meta meditation techniques to help you reel in your nervous system throughout your day.

These techniques are extremely powerful to bring into your day when you are trying to stay calm or make a heart based decision.

Our guest today, Elizabeth Markie, founder of Tri Brain Coaching and Heart Math Facilitator is here to help us understand the most recent neuroscience discoveries and why it is now more important than ever to continually ground ourselves into the seat of our hearts.

EPISODE 89 | Coping with the C-word w/ Erin Gray

As if fertility challenges weren't hard enough, now we are dealing with the ramifications of COVID-19. Today we bring you some sound advice for coping emotionally and the beautiful insight as to why you may be better equipped to handle this than you think.

EPISODE 87 | MINI MINDFUL MOMENT | A Mantra For Overcoming Anxiety

I’m sure you’ve heard time and time again, stress negatively affects fertility and pregnancy. Maybe you been told, Just RELAX and it will happen more times than you care to count, which really makes you stress out and maybe want to punch said person. Now you can’t exactly go about cutting all of the stress out of your life, I mean, fertility challenges alone are stressful. What are you supposed to do? Give up? Quit? Not a chance. You make a game out of making friends with your stress response. Acknowledge it, know it’s going to happen, get good at catching it before it becomes a freight train careening out of control, AND then see how fast you can change your stress response into a relaxation response by trying on one of these little beauties from our mini mindful moments installments. Meditation & mindfulness techniques and their ability to turn on our parasympathetic nervous system, or what’s known as breed and feed, are evidence based practices that not only enhance your fertility, but they can also help you hold a pregnancy, even if it’s high risk. Remember, it’s not stress that’s the enemy, it’s how fast we can get back into a relaxed state that really matters. These mini relaxation techniques are quick, easy to apply throughout your day and restore your relaxation response in moments, keeping your mind broadcasting the message to your body, "It’s a safe time and place to create life,” helping you to feel back in control of your stress and ready to conceive. 


Photo by Afrah on Unsplash


EPISODE 86 | EVERYONE IS PREGNANT BUT ME | with Erin Gray

We all have something that we want that sometimes is a struggle to see other people around us getting or having the feeling like you’re the only person that doesn’t have the thing. But, what should you do when everyone around you is pregnant, and you are having a meltdown? Our guest, Erin Gray LMHT, LMT takes us through a four-step approach that you could apply to avoid a meltdown or at the very least lessen the blow.

Listen in as we explore the four quadrants and how we should handle life in each quadrant until we get to a sweet spot. 

 

Key Talking Points of the Episode: 

  • Balancing a message of truth with a message of hope and not being Pollyanna 

  • The difference between a goal, desire, and intentions 

  • Engagement and attachment 

  • Low engagement with low attachment 

  • Low engagement with high attachment 

  • High engagement with high attachment 

  • The sweet spot: High engagement with low attachment 

self coaching for attachment.png

 

Key Milestones of the Episode: 

[00:46] Introducing the episode guest 

[08:01] The difference between a goal, desire, and an intention 

[08:20] What is a goal? 

[12:22] How do we define an intention? 

[21:42] engagement and attachment 

[26:05] Low engagement with high attachment 

[27:50] High engagement with high attachment 

[31:39] The sweet spot: High engagement and low attachment 

[43:33] How do you stay in the sweet spot? 


EPISODE 85 | THE TOTAL ECOLOGY OF HEALTH & HOW IT PERTAINS TO YOUR FERTILITY

In today’s episode we dissect the concept of Total Ecology of Health. It’s a term coined by one of my mentors, Dr. Aviva Romm. It has to do with our body’s ability to detox itself in relation to the toxic burden we place on it and our interconnectedness to the planet. We discuss what toxic burden is, the concepts of stress and terrain and what you can do eliminate your toxic burden and super charge your natural detox abilities.

I wanted to empower you with ways to take control of your total ecology of fertility so here are my top 6 suggestions for reducing your toxic body burden and improving your fertility

  1. Eat Organic- This prevents exposure to pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and a myriad of other chemicals found in the US food supply. It also prevents you from being exposed to other chemicals that are banned in the US, but not in others as many fruits and veggies are imported from other countries. If eating organic fruits and veggies is too expensive, at the very least make sure you diary and meats are organic as fat is where all the toxins in any mammals body is deposited.Remember I said that  breast milk is another way we pass on toxicity- this is because breast milk is comprised primarily of fat. So if we are taking in toxic chemicals we are passing them right along.  You want to void the #EWGorg dirty dozen or always buy always organic and go towards their Clean 15 when it comes to fruits and veggies. We talk about this in all my seasonal cleanses and many of the recipes are comprised of the clean 15 so you start to develop a repertoire of recipes with foods you don’t have to consume organic incase price is an issue.

  2. Use environmentally friendly cosmetics and body products. Lead, heavy metals, urine from animals are just a few things that regularly test positive in women’s beauty products. Because the beauty act hasn’t been touched since the 30’s it’s the Wild West when it comes to what can be included in your beauty products. This seems suspect in so many ways that I won’t rant about at the moment. You have power as a consumer though to be informed and stop lathering your body with products that are full of known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors (hormone killers). Check out the campaign for safe cosmetics @safecosmeticshq for more info on what to avoid or consider buying from some of my favorite clean beauty warriors like @thedetoxmarket or @organicbunny and @citrinebeautyaz. If you are looking for convenient and cheap, most targets now carry the honest beauty brand. I use their tinted primer instead of foundation most days of the week and I love it. I did two entire episodes on clean beauty products a while back so if you want specific recommendations you can tune into those or check out their show notes. I’ll have links to those episodes in todays show notes. 

  3. Avoid plastic beverage bottles at all costs. Most plastic bottle leach endocrine disrupting chemicals into your water and other beverages. Switch to a glass bottle or hydro flask and carry it with you. It’s a little work, but way less work than enduring fertility treatments or fighting cancer. No, I’m not over reacting here! And yes, my teenager totally thinks I am a viscogirl but one day he will thank me for my wisdom.

  4. Filter your water. Flash back to chemistry class; water is the ultimate solvent meaning it has the ability to take on the properties easily of what it is exposed to because it breaks down other organics easily. I highly encourage you to consider getting a @berkey_filters for your home and office if at all possible. They filter out endocrine disrupting chemicals like chlorine, fluoride, pesticides and even pharmaceuticals in our water supply which are fertility killers.  Check out the interactive water map on EWG.org to see what your potential exposure to harmful chemicals is based on your zip code. 

  5. Green up your home. Fabric protectant chemicals and flame retardants are just two classes of seriously harmful toxins that are built into beds, sofas, carpeting and other building materials. Nearly all of these toxic are known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. You can minimize your exposure by emphasizing wood, metals, and untreated fibers. Avoid foams and plastics whenever possible when sourcing furniture. When cleaning be sure to avoid chlorine, bleach, and antibacterial products whenever possible they are known endocrine disruptors. What you clean your home with leaves a residue that is then inhaled and or soaked up through the skin of all of its inhabitants- you, pets, babies and all who enter. You can make your own through a little effort for super inexpensive, check out a refillable environmentally safe place in the bur like @sans.market or at the very least check out the EWG.org for a constantly updated grading system on household cleaners. One of my favorite environmentally friendly cleaning products that allows me to stay on top of everything are norwex towels and mop heads. I don’t have an account with them so I  am not telling you this so I make money off them or anything like that but I love them and use them in my home and office. 

  6. Manage your terrain with stress reducing practices like meditation and thought management. The more you practice mindfulness, the less reactive you are. When we are less reactive, we are less likely to harbor negative biochemical responses. In other words, be mindful of what you put in your mind, not just your body because it has a real effect on your biochemistry. It’s all connected. 

I hope this episode has helped you to gain a better understanding of just how connected all the parts of internal and external environment are when it comes to health and our total ecology of fertility. I truly hope that it has inspired you to go on a life long learning quest to tend to your own terrain by what you allow in as a stressor whether that’s a chemical or an onslaught of negative thinking. You absolutely have the power to change your own ecology and enhance your fertility and the health of your one day child and our planet. Thank you for taking the time to learn about your fertility and how it relates to the planet at large, because we owe it to our first mother, Mother Earth to teach our offspring how to take care of her and reverse the damage that’s already been done. 

Links to take you further

https://www.ladypotions.com/fmradio/2018/12/11/episode-51-

https://www.ladypotions.com/fmradio/2018/11/24/episode-48-natural-beauty-products-that-wont-wreck-your-fertility-pt1

EWG.org

https://www.ewg.org/news/news-releases/2009/12/02/toxic-chemicals-found-minority-cord-blood

Disclaimer * 

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.

EPISODE 84 | UNDERSTANDING ACUPUNCTURE & FERTILITY | with Heidi Brockmyre

Can Acupuncture boost your fertility and help you get pregnant?

In today’s episode, we are joined by Heidi Brockmyre. She will be helping us understand how acupuncture can help boost fertility and help you conceive.

Heidi is a licensed practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and she has a decade of experience helping women grow their families. She’s supported hundreds of women in her clinic in San Diego and now thousands of women around the world and her online community. She teaches women how to get pregnant, have a faster, healthier, easier and more affordable way in her online program Fertility activation method. She loves teaching women how to renew their faith and their ability to conceive and how to take back control of their health and their bodies.

Stay tuned and learn how Chinese medicine can help boost your fertility and increase your chances to conceive.

It is important to note that the benefits of acupuncture and Chinese medicine don’t end at conceiving; it helps even after childbirth.

Key Talking Points:

• Getting to know Heidi

• How did Heidi start practising acupuncture and Chinese medicine?

• Words of wisdom about traditional Chinese medicine

• Healthy menstrual cycle

• Why is there a disconnect between traditional Chinese medicine and convectional medicine?

• Detoxes and fertility treatment

• Heidi’s program

Key Milestones of the Episode:

(01:20): Introducing our guest, Heidi Brockmeyer

(05:17): How Heidi started practising acupuncture and Chinese medicine

(08:02): How I got into Chinese medicine

(10:14): Words of wisdom about TCM

(18:13) what is the purpose behind a healthy menstrual cycle, and what does that look like?

(25:42): The disconnect between Chinese medicine and Western medicine

(38:26): Detoxifying before getting into fertility treatment

(43:19): Heidi’s Program

(50:00): Words of wisdom from Heidi to women with fertility challenges

(51:02) Connect with Heidi

Links or Mentions to take leader further. 

Earseeds.com

http://heidibrockmyre.com/fam-invite

http://heidibrockmyre.com/fertility-reset-webinar

Disclaimer * 

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.



EPISODE 83 | THE POWER OF SELF COACHING | Postpartum Depression with Liz Langston

Dealing with Postpartum Depression

Are you a new mom struggling to keep up? Do you feel like taking care of your child is way more work than you anticipated leaving you constantly overwhelmed? Or are you finding yourself in a constant emotional funk, while telling yourself you should feel happy? You could be suffering from postpartum depression.

Many women suffer from postpartum depression, and even more go undiagnosed with postpartum anxiety. The magnitude of the depression and/or anxiety can vary from one woman to the other. Some women suffer from severe postpartum depression including suicidal ideation, while others have a mild version constantly feeling like something just isn’t right.

When you are stuck in the thick of negative postpartum takedown, it can feel like it’s going to last forever. The good news is, it doesn’t have to, and there is a way out.

In today’s episode, we are honored to have Liz Langston join us. Liz is a postpartum coach and a postpartum depression survivor. She shares with us how she made it out of the depression and how she realized her mission to lift up other moms that are suffering like she did.

Listen in, learn, and get inspired.



Key Talking Points:

  • Liz’s postpartum experience

  • How Liz became a coach

  • Understanding the ladder model

  • Dealing with negative emotions

  • What causes postpartum depression?

  • Chinese medicine for depression

  • Believing in something bigger than yourself

  • The 50-50 rule

  • Can depression be inherited?

  • How the mind communicates with the body

Key Milestones of the Episode:

(04:02): Getting to know Liz

(06:01): How Liz fought and got out of depression

(08:51): How Liz became a coach

(12:19): Understanding the model… What Liz calls a ladder

(20:35): Dealing with negative emotions

(22:27): Emotional adulthood

(23:51): Emotional vomit

(26:18): What causes postpartum depression?

(31:38): Chinese medicine view on depression

(34:11): Believing in something bigger than yourself

(38:58): The 50/50 rule

(43:13): Can depression be inherited?

(45:12): How your mind communicates with the body

If you think you or someone you know are affected here are the key points to understand how and when to get help with a professional and what the difference is between the baby blues and PPD.

Signs and Symptoms of PPD can include any of the following and last for 2 weeks to 12 months.

Postpartum Depression Onset & Frequency of Occurrence

In the US, estimates of new mothers identified with PPD each year vary by state from 8% to 20%, with an overall average of 11.5%. 11

Expert opinions vary as to the timing of the onset of PPD. For example, symptoms of PPD can begin:

• During pregnancy or following childbirth up to 4 weeks Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) definition2

• During pregnancy or following childbirth up to 12 months The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) definition8

• Without treatment, symptoms may persist for months or up to a year.9

Symptoms include

EMOTIONAL • Feeling sad, hopeless, empty, or overwhelmed • Crying more often than usual or for no apparent reason • Feeling worried or overly anxious • Moodiness, restlessness, or irritability • Anger or rage • Persistent doubt about your ability to care for your baby • Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

PHYSICAL • Physical aches and pains • Changes in appetite • Lack of sleep or oversleeping • Difficulty concentrating

BEHAVIORAL• Loss of interest in things that are usually enjoyable • Avoiding friends and family • Having trouble bonding or forming an emotional attachment with your baby

The Baby Blues Onset & Frequency of Occurrence

Generally peaks within the first few days post delivery and resolves without treatment within 2 weeks. 3,7

Estimated to affect 80% of mothers. 3,12

Symptoms include 3,12

• Sadness • Frequent crying • Anxiety • Mood swings • Irritability • Insomnia • Anger • Fatigue

IF YOU ARE WORRIED YOU ARE EXPERIENCING PPD OR THAT YOU WILL VISIT https://www.postpartumdepression.com/ TO MAKE A PLAN AND GATHER TIPS ON HOW TO SPEAK TO YOUR PROVIDER WITHOUT BEING DISMISSED.

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS CLICK HERE TO FIND THE HOTLINE THAT BEST FITS YOUR SITUATION https://afsp.org/find-support/im-having-thoughts-of-suicide/

Key Quotes from the Episode:

“It’s always an option for us to open ourselves up to whatever the universe has to offer us.”

“As we take more responsibility, we have more power.”

“Your thoughts precisely create your exact experience of whatever circumstance you are facing right now.”

“The most profound thing about the model is that it truly can solve any problem for any human being.”

“The more decisions you have to make in a day, the less willpower you have as the day goes on.”

“Your feeling will create your actions.”

“We have the ability with our human brain to attribute thoughts to a circumstance and, therefore, feel something.”

“One of my gifts is just being able to do it in a way that’s not heavy, and it’s not draining, and it’s not shaming.”

Connect with Liz Langston:

Instagram

Website

Listen to her podcast: The Postpartum Coach Podcast

Related Episodes on Coaching

https://www.ladypotions.com/fmradio/2019/11/19/episode-82-the-1-tool-to-stay-sane-while-ttc

https://www.ladypotions.com/fmradio/2019/3/24/episode-48-how-to-manage-your-fertility-thoughts

https://www.ladypotions.com/fmradio/2019/6/2/episode-52-mindful-moment-creating-certainty-when-you-are-anything-but?rq=certainty

References: 1. FAQ091 Labor, Delivery, and Postpartum Care. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol. 2013:1-3. 2. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2013. 3. Earls MF; Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health American Academy of Pediatrics. Incorporating recognition and management of perinatal and postpartum depression into pediatric practice. Pediatrics. 2010;126(5):1032-1039. 4. Prevalence of Self-Reported Postpartum Depressive Symptoms–17 States, 2004-2005. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwR/ preview/mmwrhtml/mm5714a1.htm. Accessed November 2, 2017. 5. Robertson E, Celasun N, Stewart DE. Risk factors for postpartum depression. In: Stewart DE, Robertson E, Dennis CL, Grace SL, Wallington T. Postpartum Depression: Literature Review of Risk Factors and Interventions. Toronto, Canada: University Health Network Women’s Health Program; 2003. 6. Depression Among Women. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc. gov/reproductivehealth/depression/index.htm. Accessed May 3, 2018. 7. Postpartum Depression Facts. National Institute of Mental Health website. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/ postpartum-depression-facts/index.shtml. Accessed July 12, 2018. 8. Screening for Perinatal Depression. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 757. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;132:e208-212. 9. Vliegen N, Casalin S, Luyten P. The course of postpartum depression: a review of longitudinal studies. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2014;22(1):1-22. 10. Moses-Kolko EL, Roth EK. Antepartum and postpartum depression: healthy mom, healthy baby. J Am Med Womens Assoc. 2004;59(3):181-191. 11. Ko JY, Rockhill KM, Tong VT, Morrow B, Farr SL. Trends in postpartum depressive symptoms—27 states, 2004, 2008, and 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(6):153-158. 12. As reviewed in Thurgood S, Avery DM, Williamson L. Postpartum depression (PPD). Am J Clin Med. 2009;6(2):17-22. 13. Abramowitz JS, Meltzer-Brody S, Leserman J, et al. Obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviors in a sample of women with postpartum mood symptoms. Arch Womens Ment Health. 2010;13(6):523-530



EPISODE 82 | THE #1 TOOL TO STAY SANE WHILE #TTC

Understanding the Self Coaching Model

WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER

  • How our thinking about our past serves or doesn’t serve us.

  • The importance of understanding that the past has no control over us until we have a thought about it.

  • Why recognizing the difference between a thought and a circumstance is crucial to understanding how your brain works.

  • How using the Self Coaching Model will allow you to obtain full control over your life.

  • How you can move away from a completely negative thought to a place where you think positive, nurturing thoughts.

  • How to run a self coaching model C-T-F-A-R

Overview

You may have heard me talk about the MODEL on episodes 48 and 54 when I talked about certainty and thought management, but truly you need to hear it again. These are concepts you can’t hear enough to really understand them. this is because most of us were not taught how to manage our minds. Even fewer of us were taught exercises to really understand our minds, not just how to conceptualize how the mind works. This exercise of using the self coaching model is something I have been working with for two and a half years now in Self Coaching Scholars with Brooke Castillo. It’s been instrumental in me reclaiming my health and my sanity as a step parent. I know this can handle any situation and I want to teach it to you. I truly believe if you work with it and actually write down the models that you run, it can be the #1 tool to help you keep your cool while you are patiently waiting to conceive!

A-H positive feelings list.png
Copy of I-Z positive feelings list.png
A_F Negative Feelings  List .png
G-R Negative Feelings  List .png
S-Z Negative Feelings  List .png
fertility coaching.png

Hey, If you enjoy listening to this podcast, I invite you to sign up for my fall into fertility cleanse. It’s a led cleanse for 5 days with an emphasis on healthy food choices and mind work to get control of your mind when it comes to diet and your fertility journey. You’ll enjoy a week’s worth of super easy and nutritious meal recommendations with shopping lists and daily live coaching with me to help you get ahold of buffering patterns that are holding you back from your most fertile self body, mind and soul. We start Monday, December 2nd. Head over to https://www.fertilemindsradio.com/ and click the work with me tab to sign up.

Disclaimer *

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.


EPISODE 81 | THE OVULATION CALCULATOR YOU WEAR ON YOUR WRIST with Lindsay Meisel of Ava Women

Our guest today, Lindsay Meisel, is the chief science editor at Ava Fertility Tracker with over a decade of experience educating and writing about reproductive health. I got to geek out with her over the science behind this wearable piece of tech and how exactly the Ava bracelet is different from other ovulation predictors. If you have wondered about using the Ava, have tracked your basal body temps (BBT) and are totally over buying ovulation kits, are unsure of your ovulation signs & symptoms, or your just starting out and trying to figure out when your fertile window actually occurs this episode is for you.

If you are tired of trying to interpret your own ovulation calendar, you might want to let AVA do the work for you. Click here for you $20 discount.*

Listen in, learn, and get inspired.




Key Talking Points of the Episode:

• What is an Ava Bracelet?

• How does the Ava bracelet work?

• How people micro analyze data

• Can Ava detect a miscarriage?

• Wearing the bracelet during pregnancy

• The differences between Ava and other wearable technologies

• How secure is your data with Ava?

• The launch of the digital contraceptive product

• Purchasing the Ava bracelet


Key Milestones of the Episode:

(01:50): What is an Ava bracelet?

(02:40): How does the wearable tech work?

(06:13): The machine learning algorithm of the Ava bracelet

(17:28): How are people micro analyzing data?

(18:43): Ava’s unique feature (you can sync data after five days)

(20:12): Can Ava help detect a possible miscarriage?

(21:19): Is there value in wearing the bracelet during pregnancy?

(25:28): Differences between Ava and other wearable technologies

(29:05): How secure is your data with Ava?

(30:51): How accurate is Ava?

(34:53): Purchasing the bracelet

(36:12): Lindsay’s fertility journey



Key Quotes from the Episode:

“How we get rid of shame is by telling our stories.”

“…the whole point of Ava is to be able to give you these real-time predictions.”

“Understanding your body is not a machine. It’s not going to be the same every month.”

“If you’re getting an eight-day fertile window at a bare minimum, two of those eight days are not fertile.”

“If you want to predict progesterone, you need to look at signs that are correlated with estrogen or estradiol or luteinizing hormone.”

“There’s a horrible stigma that caring about the journey to getting pregnant makes you this like desperate, weird woman or something.”

“Women already do enough work when it comes to domestic matters.”

“Machine learning is basically a way to; it’s a way for algorithms to make decisions where the reasons aren’t obvious.”If you are tired of trying to interpret your own ovulation calendar, you might want to let AVA do the work for you. Click here for you $20 discount.*

EPISODE 80 | THE WHAT & HOW OF A FERTILITY GRANT with Tedi Palmer

There is Hope for Infertility


Infertility is becoming an epidemic in the modern world. According to a statistic carried out in the US, 10-12 out of 100 couples in the US struggle with infertility. In today’s episode, we are joined by Tedi Palmer fertility activist who has been through the infertility journey and is now a mother. She’s a wife, a mom and an infertility survivor, and a fur mama of two. She’s active in the fertility community by running an infertility-related blog. She also runs an Etsy shop selling infertility awareness apparel. And, she runs a non-profit called Hope for Fertility that provides fertility grants once a year to couples TTC. We talk about how Infertility can be isolating and at times brings with it a sense of hopelessness especially when it comes to the financial aspect when you are facing intervention or adoption.


Key Points of discussion:

• Getting to know Tedi

• Tedi's infertility journey

• The various fertility treatments

• The Hope for Fertility foundation

• Starting a non- profit

• Tedi’s business


Key Milestones of the Episode:

(00:06): Getting to know Tedi

(01:26): Tedi’s infertility journey

(02:32): Trying out intrauterine insemination (IUI)

(04:29): The first IVF

(08:24): Starting a fundraiser for the second IVF

(09:30): Second failed IVF

(10:33): Pregnant at last

(13:03): Hope for Fertility foundation

(13:58): The amazing fertility tribe on Instagram

(19:19): Walking by faith

(27:02): Hope for fertility fundraiser

(31:28): Criteria for receiving a grant

(35:47): Adoption

(38:29): What it takes to start a non-profit

(43:53): Giving back to the society


Key Quotes from the Episode:


“It’s a blessing and an honor for sure to be able to guide tiny humans on our planet for sure.”

“Nothing much harder than IVF except maybe parenting.”

“Even small amounts make a big difference.”

“God was really with us when creating this foundation because things went a lot quicker than what they would have normally taken.”

“When the mind is occupied and thinks like, okay, I have a plan B or plan C, it takes a little bit of that stress and pressure off.”

“He knows what I’m feeling, and all I need to do is just give it to Him.”

“Everyone has a hard something that they’re going to have to deal through in life.”


Links to Checkout:

Resolve

Hope for fertility IG

www.hopeforfertility.org

Running with Infertility

Etsy Store

Financial planning overview for fertility challenges


Disclaimer * You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.

EPISODE 79 | HAPPY HOME BIRTH with Katelyn Fusco

Is Home Birth Safe?

Are you considering having a home birth? This episode is for you. Our guest today loves talking about home birth.

Today, we are joined by Katelyn Fusco. She is the host and creator of Happy Home Birth. As a wife, mother and homebirth advocate, she has a passion for presenting positive, encouraging stories and reliable resources for homebirth mothers. Before becoming a mother, Katelyn worked as a student midwife. She has had two empowering home births, the second of which, she considers to be the birth she wishes for every interested mother: mindful, peaceful and powerful at home.

Key Talking Points

• Katelyn’s introduction

• How Katelyn joined the midwifery journey

• Advantages of having a home birth

• The differences between the two home births that Katelyn has had

• The differences between a midwife and an obstetrician

• Emergency red flags

• Common emergent issues

• How to find a certified professional midwife

• Questions to ask a midwife during an interview

Key milestones of the episode:

(00:00): Katelyn’s Introduction

 (01:02): Katelyn’s journey to midwifery and the birth of her podcast

 (06:35): Advantages of having a home birth

 (13:08): Obstetrician Vs midwife

 (20:00): The difference between Katelyn’s first and the second home birth

 (25:31): Midwives’ special skills

 (30:05): Emergency red flags

 (31:50): Common emergent issues

 (33:49): Finding a certified professional wife

 (34:53): Questions to ask a midwife during an interview

 (36:28): How to find out if you are a good fit for a home birth

Key Quotes from the Episode:

• “People think that we live in an all or nothing society.”

• “If we can just be mindful and let nature happen it, it’s beautiful, and it works wonderfully, and it’s something to be enjoyed, not something to be feared.”

• “So often in our culture see birth as this medical event, and it’s heartbreaking when it could be so much more, and we don’t realize it.”

• “A lot of moms are low risk and don’t even realize that home birth is an option on the table.”

• “Home birth isn’t for everybody.”

• “We live in a society often driven by fear.”

• “If I can help pregnant women learn to eat better and take care of themselves, then I’m not only setting them up for success, but also the future generation.”

Connect with Katelyn:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

  

Disclaimer *

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider.If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.

EPISODE 78 | TREATING RECURRENT PREGNANCY LOSS | Dr. Zev Williams

Description: Today’s refurbished episode features Zev Williams, M.D., Ph.D. He is the Chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center and is a nationally-recognized clinician and researcher in the area of recurrent pregnancy loss and infertility. Not only is he one of the most brilliant minds I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing, he is incredibly humble, gracious, and passionate about his work. His intentions to help couples overcome recurrent pregnancy loss by building healthy happy families came through so clearly during this chat.

We touched on why miscarriage rates are so high and why the public has false perceptions about it being a rare event. He spoke about how his research has even uncovered a way to find out if the cause of a miscarriage was chromosomal even years after the fact in some cases. He explained the differences in PGD and PGS testing when using IVF and when and for whom it might be highly beneficial. We also spoke about MTHFR gene mutation, and what it really means in regards to treatment strategy and further testing. We even touched on his work with stem cells and the potential they have for one day helping women who experience premature ovarian failure to overcome this devastating diagnosis. He explained new ways to treat endometriosis and preserve fertility and new ways to diagnose PCOS.

Takeaway:

[1:15] Dr. Williams completed his M.D. and Ph.D. training in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine before continuing to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital for his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. After completing his fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Weill Cornell, Dr. Williams then did a post-doctoral fellowship in RNA biology in the laboratory of Dr. Thomas Tuschl at Rockefeller University.

[1:45] Dr. Williams has also achieved success in federally-funded research projects in several different areas of study, having received numerous NIH grants to support his work. Currently, as part of an NIH R01 grant, Dr. Williams is engaged with a research project intended to use placental RNA as a screening tool for diseases and complications of pregnancy, to enable early intervention, and to provide insights into disease pathogenesis for things like pre-eclampsia.

[4:35] Dr. Williams works with couples and doctors all over the world, and the research that he and his colleagues find benefits those all over looking for answers on fertility.

[5:16] The PEARL Program that Dr. Williams started stands for Program for Early and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss. It is one of the only centers in the world that is both clinically focused, and a basic/translational research program dedicated trying to understand what causes unexplained miscarriages and trying to find ways methods to prevent them in the future.

[12:22] One of the realities of human reproduction is that is a very inefficient process. Of the eggs that get fertilized, very few result in a live birth.

[19:22] Dr. Williams explains the difference between PGD and PGS testing when using IVF, and who may benefit from these tests.

[26:54] We cover the MTHFR gene mutation, and what it really means in regards to treatment, strategy, and further testing.

[32:45] Dr. Williams explains the work on helping the brain to produce its own FSH (follicle stimulating hormones) which is the bodies own version of that hormone compared to traditional injections.

[41:23] Dr. Williams shares the new ways to treat endometriosis and preserve fertility and new ways to diagnose PCOS.

[45:27] Diet is, of course, important to overall health, but also very important to pregnancy success. There are some factors that lead to Dr. Williams’ recommending a diet low in carbs and sugar.

[46:12] Egg freezing has become successful, but the challenge is that women are freezing their eggs in their 40’s when the eggs have already lowered in quality.

[49:58] Once you are trying to conceive (and of course through all of the process), make sure to support each other. It’s a tough journey and you want to be going through it together.

If you have experienced a miscarriage and are afraid of the anxiety that it may bring up with your next pregnancy I suggest you invest in a Fetal Doppler so you can check your baby’s heart rate from the comfort of your own home anytime.

 

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine

Dr. Zev Williams

Dr. Zev Williams Bio

Columbia University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 

Efficient Differentiation of Steroidogenic and Germ-Like Cells from Epigenetically Related iPSCs Derived from Ovarian Granulosa Cells

FMR1 targets distinct mRNA sequence elements to regulate protein expression

Nytimes.com/2015/11/26/health/progesterone-may-not-help-women-with-history-of-miscarriages-study-finds

Huffingtonpost.com/science-of-us/miscarriage_b_8000760.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Wsj.com/articles/solving-the-mystery-of-miscarriages-1434389396

Columbiaobgyn.org/profile/s-zev-williams-md

Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26000502

Nyp.org/enewsletters/advances/2018/gynecology/2018-Advances-Gynecology-Issue1.html

 

Continue Your Journey:

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram


 

Disclaimer *

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.

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