Laura is a veteran sexual and reproductive health advocate who has worked for and volunteered with Planned Parenthood-affiliated organizations in Canada since 1986. She was a Columnist for Troy Health Media, and she is the new editor-in-chief for Re: Cycling, the blog of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research. As many of you know, I recently interviewed Holly-Grigg Spall, and in that interview, we spoke about her book Sweetening the Pill or how we got hooked on hormonal birth control. Laura actually wrote the forward to this book, and she has also publicly shown her support for the upcoming documentary that Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein are doing based on the book. And she has also charted her cycles for 27 years.
Today we will be talking about the health implications of using the Fertility Awareness Method that go beyond the practical aspects of having a hormone-free method of birth control, why rejecting the pill is actually not "anti-feminist" and why it is important for women to have access to accurate information about all forms of birth control regardless of what method they eventually decide to rely on.
Topics discussed in today's episode
In this podcast episode, Laura described the hormonal changes that a woman experiences naturally throughout her menstrual cycle, and how that changes when a woman is taking hormonal contraceptives. For reference, here is an image of the hormonal cycle during a healthy menstrual cycle. You'll notice that a woman has high levels of estrogen in the first half of her menstrual cycle before ovulation, and high levels of progesterone in the second half of her cycle after she ovulates.
Connect with Laura
You can connect with Laura on the Re: Cycling Blog for The Society for Menstrual Cycle Research and on Facebook and Twitter!
Resources mentioned
Join the community! Find us on the Fertility Friday Facebook Fan Page
Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)
Aisha has been using the Fertility Awareness Method for almost 3 years, and she, like most of us who discover fertility awareness, had to share it and give other women the opportunity to learn about it as well, so she started a Facebook Group - Fertility Awareness Method of Birth Control which now has over 1500 members and counting!
In today’s show, we’ll be talking about all about the Fertility Awareness Method, what Aisha’s experience has been like, and what prompted her to start using FAM in the first place!
Topics discussed in today's episode
Connect with Aisha
You can connect with Aisha on the Fertility Awareness Method of Birth Control Facebook Group!
Resources mentioned
Join the community! Find us on the Fertility Friday Facebook Fan Page
Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)
Kim and her sister Amy are the Red Tent Sisters! The Sisters have created a family business that not only helps women learn holistically (nonhormonal) birth control using the Fertility Awareness Method, but have also been raising awareness about healthy sexuality, and providing women with healthy, environmentally-friendly sex products through their website ecosex.ca. I had Amy on the show a few months ago and we talked all about the Fertility Awareness Method and the effects of long-term birth control use. If you haven't had a chance you can tune into my interview with Amy here.
Kim specializes in the area of healthy sexuality and she has been educating women and men for years on all things sex from gaining confidence in the bedroom to sex toys and everything in between! In today's show, we talk about sexuality, orgasms, female pleasure, and we get into some of the reasons that prevent women from having a truly satisfying sex life.
Topics discussed in today's episode
Connect with Kim
You can connect with Kim on the Red Tent Sister's Website, on ecosex.ca, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube!
Resources mentioned
Join the community! Find us on the Fertility Friday Facebook Fan Page
Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)
You may be familiar with Katie’s extensive work in the Fertility Awareness world. She is the author of several books about Fertility Awareness including The Garden of Fertility, Honoring Our Cycles, and Honoring Our Cycles in Africa. The Garden of Fertility is much more than a “how to” book on Fertility Awareness, it also provides extensive information on how a woman’s menstrual cycle is an indicator of her overall health, and she discusses how various health issues may show up in your charts.
In Katie’s most recent book An Electronic Silent Spring, she focuses on the impact of long-term exposure to Electromagnetic radiation, the same EMR technology that powers all of our wireless devices such as cell phones, computers, iPods, laptops and so much more. In today’s episode we talk about why it’s important for women to learn to chart their cycles for health, regardless of whether or not they are trying to conceive, we talk about the night-lighting technique that helps women to regulate their cycles by alternating complete darkness with light while sleeping, and we also talk about the impact that electromagnetic radiation can have on our fertility.
Topics discussed in today's episode
Connect with Katie
You can connect with Katie on any of her 3 websites: Katie Singer, Garden of Fertility and Electronic Silent Spring.
Resources mentioned
Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)
Marc is the founder and Clinical Director of the Reproductive Wellness Clinic in San Diego California. He has extensive experience and expertise in treating and resolving the causes of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss with classical Acupuncture and Chinese Medicines. A culmination of studying world religions and ancient healing techniques, combined with extensive world travel, gives Marc a unique understanding of the human body and spirit. A Doctor of Acupuncture, Board Certified Herbalist, and Oriental Medicine Practitioner, and Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine, Marc approaches his patients with an open mind, compassion, and a medically integrative perspective.
In today's show, we talk about the role that acupuncture can play in improving fertility in both women and men. We discuss the importance of seeking assistance early especially if a woman is noticing signs of sub-optimal fertility. We talk about male factor infertility, why it is so important for men to be tested early, and the myth that infertility is a women's issue. After today's show, I'm thinking that a lot more men will be heading out to see their fertility doctor for some basic fertility testing!
Topics discussed in today's episode
Connect with Marc!
You can connect with Marc on his website, his clinic Reproductive Wellness, and on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!
Resources mentioned
Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)
Danielle is the first Medical Doctor that I have interviewed on the podcast. Dr. Miller is board certified in Family Medicine and also has additional training as a Natural Procreative Technology Medical Consultant. As a NaPro physician, she has extensive experience in Natural Fertility Awareness and using a natural approach to correct common women’s health disorders. NaPro Technology is a new women's health science that monitors and maintains a woman's reproductive and gynecological health. It provides medical and surgical treatments that cooperate completely with the reproductive system. NaPro Technology Consultants have an extensive understanding of the female reproductive system and the fertility awareness method, and their treatment protocols are informed by the woman's own unique menstrual cycle variations.
NaPro technology is a medical science that is based on the Creighton model of fertility awareness cycle charting. NaPro Physicians and Consultants work with a woman's fertility awareness charts to identify the root causes of fertility challenges and menstrual cycle irregularities and treat them accordingly.
In today's show, we talk about NaPro Technology and how this method uses Fertility Awareness charting to inform diagnostic practices and treatment protocols. We talk about the wealth of information that a trained practitioner can draw from a woman's fertility awareness charts and the benefits of working with a woman's fertility with the intention of addressing the root causes of her cycle irregularities and fertility challenges. We talk about the difference between the way that mainstream medicine treats women's fertility concerns compared to the NaPro model of care.
Topics discussed in today's episode
Resources mentioned
Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)