Willow is a certified classical homeopath, labor doula, and prenatal yoga teacher. She has a Bachelor of Science in Neuropsychology. And she combined her holistic interests with her medical studies and ventured into homeopathy. For the last 8 years has helped families and individuals of all ages handle everything from anxiety and depression to morning sickness and sore throats.  She is a huge proponent of the body’s power to heal itself and infuses nutrition with real food into her practice.  And when became pregnant herself her focus shifted leading her down her current path as a prenatal, birth, and postpartum guide and co-author of the recently published book, How to Conceive Naturally and Have a Healthy Pregnancy After 30.

In today’s show, we talk about how to prepare for pregnancy before you start trying to conceive and why it’s important to do so! We will also be talking about what women need to know about having babies after age 30!

Topics discussed in today's episode

• Why it is important for women to prepare for pregnancy for at least 3 months prior to conception
• Epigenetics - how what women eat impacts the expression of their genes and their unborn children's genes as well
• Why what women eat before they even become pregnant will have an impact on their children
• The importance of preconception detoxification, and how the detoxification process may be different than what you think it would be
• What is the connection between sugar, gluten, and infertility?
• How can food sensitivities impact fertility?
• The negative impact of alcohol on fertility
• What foods women should eat preconception and during pregnancy to nourish the body and boost fertility
• Why women who are trying to get pregnant should avoid low-fat diets at all costs
• The benefits of raw dairy for fertility
• The important role that protein plays during pregnancy and why it is important for women to get enough of it both before and during pregnancy
• What does impact waiting to have a baby at an "advanced maternal age" (i.e. 30 and over) have on a woman's fertility and her ability to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy?

Connect with Willow

You can connect with Willow on her website, and on Facebook!

Resources mentioned

• How to Conceive Naturally | Willow Buckley
• How to Conceive Naturally and Have a Healthy Pregnancy After 30 (book)
• Balancing Your Health | Willow Buckley
• The Whole Journey | Christa Oreccio
• FFP 009 | Sacred Fertility Foods | The key to having healthy babies and a healthy pregnancy | Sally Fallon-Morell
• FFP 054 | The MTHFR Gene Mutation and Fertility | Recurrent Miscarriage, Nutrient Deficiencies, and Folic Acid | Diane Keddy

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is Internal Medicine and how does an Internist differ from a regular doctor?
• Why do women with PCOS often experience fragmented care?
• Why a woman's menstrual cycle health is actually connected to her overall health
• What is PCOS? And what are some of the common symptoms?
• The relationship between testosterone, insulin resistance, and polycystic ovary syndrome
• Why are women with PCOS often not getting diagnosed by their doctors or care providers?
• Why hormonal contraceptives do not treat PCOS, and how this mode of treatment can be harmful to women in the long run
• The connection between PCOS and diabetes and why it is so important to address this as early as possible
• Why PCOS is often a precursor to type II diabetes
• The relationship between PCOS and weight
• The role that vitamin D plays in women's menstrual and overall health
• Metformin and PCOS
• How long does it typically take for women's periods to return after following Katherine's protocol?
• The connection between acne and PCOS

Connect with Katherine

You can connect with Katherine on the Thomas Jefferson University web site!

Resources mentioned

• Thomas Jefferson University | Dr. Katherine Sherif
• FFP 016 | Real Food For Gestational Diabetes | Pre-conception & Pregnancy Nutrition | Lily Nichols
• FFP 022 | What is PCOS? | Healing PCOS Naturally | PCOS Diva Amy Medling

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Topics discussed in today's episode

• Alex’s transition from sugar addict to a whole foods vegan diet
• Origins of the film Supersize me and how it all came about
• What prompted Alex to start questioning her diet after 11 solid years of being a vegan
• Why the concept of a “perfect diet” is problematic in general
• Confessions of an ex-vegan - Alex shares her experience eating meat in secret before she "came out" publicly
• The disconnect that happens between the moral stance of veganism and what a person's body may need physically to be healthy
• The importance of having compassion for yourself
• Alex shares the changes she noticed in her menstrual cycle after over a decade of being vegan, and how it changed when she reintroduced meat
• How can a vegan diet impact your libido?
• Are meat eaters destroying the planet?
• How to tune into our cravings
• The 4 root causes of cravings, and how to figure out what your body really needs

Connect with Alexandra

You can connect with Alex on her website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Alexandra Jamieson | On Women Food and Desire
• Discover what your cravings mean! | Get Alex's free guide | Alex Jamieson
• Women Food and Desire: Embrace Your Cravings, Make Peace with Food, Reclaim Your Body (book) | Alexandra Jamieson
• The Cravecast (Podcast) | Alexandra Jamieson

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Topics discussed in today's episode

• How effective is egg freezing as a way to preserve fertility?
• What are some of the ways we can preserve our fertility in our 20s and 30s
• Dietary changes to reduce stress on the body and improve fertility
• What are the benefits of doing a detox before trying to conceive?
• How long does it take for your natural hormone cycle to resume after coming off the hormonal control
• What are the limitations of doing a short-term detox?
• Why you shouldn’t be trying to get pregnant during a detox
• The importance of clean air and water
• How to reduce our daily xenoestrogen exposure
• How to preserve and improve fertility over age 35
• Mercier Therapy for fertility

Connect with Dr. Aumatma

You can connect with Dr. Aumatma on her website, via email!, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Aumatma Shah | Have A Baby Naturally
• The Adrenal Reset Diet: Strategically Cycle Carbs and Proteins to Lose Weight, Balance Hormones, and Move from Stressed to Thriving | Alan Christianson
• PiMag® Water Technology
• Berkey Water Systems

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

In this episode, I stray from my usual interview format and actually get interviewed for once! Tune into this special edition episode to learn a bit about what happens behind the scenes to make it all happen each week, what I've been up to this past year, lessons I've learned from all of my amazing guests, and what is in store for 2016!

Connect with Lisa

You can connect with Lisa on the Fertility Friday website and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Lisa | Fertility Friday
• Sweetening the Pill: or How We Got Hooked on Hormonal Birth Control | Holly Grigg-Spall 
• The Pill: Are You Sure It's For You? | Jane Bennett and Alexandra Pope
• Justisse Healthworks for Women

Top podcasts for learning the Fertility Awareness Method

• FFP 002 | Fertility Awareness Method Cycle Charting | Rose Yewchuk
• FFP 003 | Identifying Menstrual Irregularities with Fertility Awareness | Special Charting Considerations | Rose Yewchuk
• FFP 004 | Using Fertility Awareness with Condoms and Withdrawal | Hannah Ransom
• FFP 005 | Using Fertility Awareness when trying to conceive | Allison Macbeth
• FFP 013 | Using Fertility Awareness with Irregular Cycles | Charting your Cycles while Breastfeeding | Justina Thompson
• FFP 015 | Fertility Awareness Method Cycle Charting Q&A Session | Common Charting Questions | Rose Yewchuk
• FFP 020 | How to Accurately time Sex to Optimize your chances of getting Pregnant | Why Cervical Mucus is Essential | Dr. Kerry Hampton
• FFP 033 | Why Having Healthy Menstrual Cycles is Important for All Women | Night Lighting & Cycle Regulation | Electromagnetic Radiation | Katie Singer
• FFP 037 | Managing Your Fertility Naturally with Fertility Awareness | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
• FFP 044 | Taking Charge of Your Fertility | Fertility Awareness Method | Toni Weschler
• FFP 053 | The Effect of Light on the Menstrual Cycle and Fertility | Sleeping in Darkness to Regulate Menstruation | Natural Family Planning | Joy DeFelice

Top podcasts for pregnancy preparation, healthy menstruation, and transitioning from the birth control pill

• FFP 007 | What the pill really does to your hormones | PCOS & Menstrual Irregularities | Dr. Lara Briden
• FFP 008 | Trying to conceive after long-term birth control use | Fertility Awareness | Amy Sedgwick
• FFP 009 | Sacred Fertility Foods | The key to having healthy babies and a healthy pregnancy | Sally Fallon-Morell
• FFP 012 | Recovering from Post-Birth Control Syndrome | How to get your period back | Laura Schoenfeld
• FFP 014 | What does a Healthy Menstrual Cycle look like? | The Menstrual Cycle as the 5th Vital Sign | Colleen Flowers
• FFP 018 | Arvigo Abdominal Therapy | Vaginal Steaming | Traditional Maya healing for Fertility and Menstrual Cycle Irregularities| Dr. Rosita Arvigo
• FFP 019 | Fix Your Period | Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea and The Pill | Nicole Jardim
• FFP 021 | What Hormonal Contraceptives Really do to Women | Sweetening the Pill | Holly Grigg-Spall
• FFP 022 | What is PCOS? | Healing PCOS Naturally | PCOS Diva Amy Medling
• FFP 024 | Celebrating Menstruation from Menarche | Embracing your Fertility and your Menstrual Cycle with Fertility Awareness | Jane Bennett

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Geraldine is the founder of the Justisse Method - a comprehensive method of fertility awareness cycle charting that she founded in 1987. She is the CEO of Justisse Healthworks for Women, and she is the Academic Dean of the Justisse Training College. She has worked as a fertility awareness educator and a holistic reproductive health practitioner since 1977, and she has been active in the reproductive health freedoms movement since then. She qualified as a lay midwife in 1985.

Between 1977 and 1986 she completed the Billings Method, SERENA Canada, Couple-to-Couple League, and Creighton training. And more recently, Geraldine completed her doctorate in Depth Psychology in 2014. Her work integrates her experience in sexual and reproductive health with a depth psychological view of healing.

And in today’s show, we talk about the history of Fertility Awareness-Based Methods, and what the future holds for this field, and for Fertility Awareness Educators!

Topics discussed in today's episode

• The origins of the Fertility Awareness Method and Justisse Healthworks for Women
• The foundation and origins of the Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner program
• Why reproductive health from a functional medicine perspective was incorporated into the teachings of the Justisse Method
• How is the Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner training program different from other Fertility Awareness training programs
• The menstrual cycle as the 5th vital sign allowing women to gauge their overall health by the health of their menstrual cycle
• Why it is problematic for women to only focus on their reproductive and menstrual cycle health when we are trying to get pregnant
• The future of Fertility Awareness Education, and the Association of Fertility Awareness Professionals
• The importance of seeking education from trained Fertility Awareness professionals, and why teaching Fertility Awareness without adequate training can actually cause unintended harm
• Why a one size fit's all approach doesn't generally work when it comes to improving menstrual cycle health
• The amazing power of the menstrual cycle to teach women about their bodies and their health

Connect with Geraldine

You can connect with Geraldine on The Justisse Website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Justisse Healthworks for Women | Geraldine Matus

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Jerilynn is a Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of British Columbia. She has spent her career studying menstrual cycles and the effects of the cycle's estrogen and progesterone hormones on women's health. She is the founder (2002) and Scientific Director of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR).

She is also Director of the BC Centre for the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMOS) that is studying osteoporosis, fractures and bone density in both women and men. Dr. Prior has studied women's menstrual cycles, perimenopause and the causes for and treatment of osteoporosis. She is the author of Estrogen's Storm Season--stories of perimenopause, and has recently co-authored The Estrogen Errors--Why Progesterone is Better for Women's Health.

In today’s show, we talk about the important role that regular ovulation plays not only in a woman’s menstrual cycle and in her fertility but in her overall health in many ways, more specifically with respect to a woman’s bone health, heart health, and breast health.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• Why it is possible to have a regular period and not actually be ovulating regularly
• What is the relationship between progesterone and ovulation?
• How having short luteal phases negatively impacts bone density in women
• What impact do estrogen and progesterone levels during the menstrual cycle have on bone formation and bone loss?
• What is the impact of hormonal contraceptives on bone health?
• Do hormonal contraceptives cause bone loss?
• How does the pill impact bone density in women who start taking it as teenagers?
• How long does it take for a woman's menstrual cycle to mature?
• What impact do hormonal contraceptives have on menstrual cycle maturation?
• What is it about Depo Provera that causes bone loss in the women who take it?
• The relationship between ovulation and heart health
• How is breast health impacted by fluctuating progesterone and estrogen levels?
• How is the menstrual cycle impacted by stress?

Connect with Dr. Prior

You can connect with Jerilynn on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CEMCOR) | Dr. Jerilynn Prior
• Ask Us | Submit Your Questions Here | CEMCOR | Dr. Jerilynn Prior
• Preventative Powers of Ovulation and Progesterone (pdf)
• Ovulation and Menstrual Cycles

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Diane is Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist in Newport Beach, California, specializing in nutrition counseling for compulsive overeating, binge eating, weight management, diabetes, food allergies, as well as MTHFR gene mutation and methylation defects, and numerous other medical concerns.  Diane has her Bachelor of Science in Clinical Nutrition and has her Master of Nutritional Science as well. She has a specialized certification in treating eating disorders, and she is also certified in Food allergies by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

In today’s show, we talk about the MTHFR gene mutation and how it can impact a woman’s health and fertility. We talk about how common this gene mutation is and how significantly it can interfere with a woman's fertility. We also talk about folic acid, and why you may want to steer clear of it altogether.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is the MTHFR gene mutation and how common is this gene mutation?
• Why is the MTHFR gene mutation problematic in both men and women?
• What impact does the MTHFR gene mutation have on a woman’s ability to convert folic acid to folate?
• What are the symptoms of the MTHFR mutation and how do you test for it?
• Is folic acid dangerous to individuals with this gene mutation?
• What type of diet is recommended for individuals with the MTHFR gene mutation?
• How does the MTHFR gene mutation impact a woman’s chances of conceiving?
• Why is the MTHFR gene mutation linked to repeated miscarriages and birth defects?
• What are some of the natural sources of folate?
• What should women be looking for in a supplement to ensure they get the correct type of folate?
• What is the connection between the MTHFR gene mutation and Iron deficiency?
• What is the link between MTHFR and heart disease?
• When should you ask your physician to screen you for the MTHFR gene mutation?
• Why is the MTHFR gene mutation linked to depression, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome among other medical conditions?
• What to do if you have the MTHFR gene mutation and you are having trouble getting pregnant?

Connect with Diane

You can connect with Diane on her website, or via email!

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Joy is a Registered Nurse, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and a Public Health Nurse. She is the Director of the Natural Family Planning Program at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Centre in Spokane Washington. Joy and her Natural Family Planning students began studying the effects of night lighting on the menstrual cycle in 1976. Joy is the author of the book Effect of Light on the Menstrual Cycle and Fertility and her work has highlighted the significant impact of light on the menstrual cycle and fertility.

In today’s show, we talk about Joy’s research and how limiting our exposure to light at nighttime can improve menstrual cycle health and fertility. We also talk about the philosophy behind Natural Family Planning which gives a window into the differences and similarities between Natural Family Planning and the Fertility Awareness Method. (Skip ahead to the 45-minute mark if you want to go straight to the discussion of the light elimination technique!

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What led Joy to discover that the menstrual cycle can be regulated by having women sleep in complete darkness
• How does exposure to light at nighttime interfere with hormone production?
• The connection between light exposure at nighttime and melatonin production and how that impacts the menstrual cycle
• What does a normal/healthy cycle look like?
• How many days of cervical mucus should a woman have in a healthy cycle?
• What are the 3 fertile signs and how can a woman use these signs to identify her fertile days?
• If a woman's menstrual cycle falls outside of this normal/healthy range how can sleeping in darkness improve her cycle?
• The philosophy behind Natural Family Planning and how it differs from the Fertility Awareness Method
• What is a "contact pregnancy"?
• Why Joy teaches the light elimination technique as a standard part of her Natural Family Planning classes
• How dark does it have to be for it to be effective? And why even the smallest light exposure can interfere with normal hormone production
• Using the light elimination technique to improve various menstrual cycle irregularities including lengthening a short luteal phase, restoring a normal cervical mucus pattern, correcting the length of the menstrual cycle, and addressing repeated miscarriages

Connect with Joy

You can connect with Joy via email!

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Kym is a musician, surfer, and blogger/podcaster who has been struggling with Infertility for a number of years now. I was inspired when I came across Kym’s blog because of her willingness to share her experiences and her fertility challenges experience to help women who are also struggling with infertility. In today’s show, Kym will be talking about her experiences with IVF and other reproductive technologies as well as her PCOS diagnosis, what she has learned from these experiences and how she has managed to maintain hope and positivity throughout her fertility journey.

In today's show, Kym shares her experience with infertility, fertility drugs, fertility treatments and how she has remained hopeful throughout her fertility journey over the past 4 years.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• Trusting your intuition when it comes to seeking medical infertility support
• Fertility drugs
• Miscarriage
• The role of functional medicine in improving fertility
• Dietary changes specific to addressing PCOS diagnosis
• IVF, Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and embryo freezing
• How to deal with infertility, and how to support someone going through fertility challenges
• How successful is IVF?

Connect with Kym

You can connect with Kym on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Smart Fertility Choices | Kym Campbell
• My 14 Tips for Dealing with Infertility | Kym Campbell
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility | Kym Campbell
• Sweet Poison: Why Sugar Makes Us Fat | David Gillespie

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Angelique is a Nutritional Therapist who trained at the renowned Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION) in London. She was trained in the principles of functional medicine, a science-based method that assesses the underlying causes of symptoms. Angelique has a passion for the healing power of food and nutrients. She works with her clients to enhance the systems in the body, including digestive function, strengthening the immune system, balancing blood sugar levels and helping the body’s natural detoxification pathways.

Angelique specializes in the fields of Female Health & fertility, Stress Management, Hormonal Balance, Energy Enhancement and Digestive Wellness. Her working approach is personal, supportive and tailored individually to her clients. She works with clients either face to face in her London clinic or anywhere in the world via Skype.

In today’s show, Angelique talks about her own journey to health and how she has benefited first hand from the power of nutrition. We also talk about the impact of sugar consumption on the body and how it can impact fertility.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• How Angelique transitioned from disordered eating to healthy eating habits
• Using food as a tool for healing
• Why strict dieting regiments can be problematic and how to achieve balance in healthy eating with the 80/20 rule
• What impact do eating disorders have on fertility?
• What role do hormones play in fertility and pregnancy?
• What impact does sugar consumption have in our bodies and on our fertility?
• How we can achieve an appropriate blood sugar balance through dietary changes
• What is the relationship between sugar and progesterone
• The relationship between sleep and sugar consumption
• How to manage and eliminate sugar cravings
• The important role that detoxification plays in fertility

Connect with Angelique

You can connect with Angelique on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources Mentioned

• Angelique Panagos | Nutritional Therapist

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Donna Zubrod is a nationally certified and NC state Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist. She is a certified practitioner with advanced training in preconception wellness, fertility enhancement, and pregnancy of the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®. She has numerous certifications including a certification in Mercier Therapy and various massage techniques including pregnancy massage, fertility massage and both pre and perinatal massage.

Diane MacDonald is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years in the field of nursing. She has her Masters Degree in Nursing and is a former Family Nurse Practitioner. She has worked extensively in mainstream and alternative health care. She has been an Arvigo® practitioner for 15  years integrating this modality into her practice. She teaches all levels including Hands on Health (one day class) Self Care and Professional Training. She has taught workshops in England, Australia, Belize and throughout the States.
Her practice focuses on the Arvigo® Techniques as well as health and wellness support, herbology, Reiki, Reflexology and much more.

Together Donna and Diane edited the recently released book "Journeys in Healing: Inspiring Experiences of Arvigo® Practitioners & Their Clients".  This book was published last October by the Arvigo Institute and is a compilation of 30+ clinical case studies authored by Arvigo® Therapy practitioners from around the world.  The case studies featured in the book demonstrate the profound healing that Arvigo® Therapy can offer and cover a wide variety of reproductive and digestive conditions including fertility related issues.

In today’s show, we discuss the book, the inspiration behind the book as well as the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® and the implications this work has for women struggling with fertility issues.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is Arvigo® Therapy?
• How to become an Arvigo® Therapy practitioner
• The inspiration behind the book Journeys in Healing: Inspiring Experiences of Arvigo® Practitioners & Their Clients
• How does Arvigo® Abdominal Therapy help women to improve fertility and menstrual irregularities
• How does Arvigo® Therapy improve alignment and circulation of the reproductive organs
• What other health conditions benefit from Arvigo® therapy?
• The ways that Arvigo® Therapy can encourage emotional healing as well as physical healing
• How Arvigo® Therapy can help women with fertility challenges

Connect with Donna and Diane

You can connect with Donna on her Website, and on Facebook and LinkedIn!

You can connect with Diane on her Website, or via email!

Resources mentioned

• Journeys in Healing: Inspiring Experiences of Arvigo Practitioners & Their Clients
• Arvigo Institute | Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®
• Seven Generations Massage and Birth | Donna Zubro

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Eleni is a clinical nutritionist, geneticist and founder of Primal Baby. She has her Masters in Human Molecular Genetics. And she left the academic research environment to focus on her true passion, which is evidence-based natural health and alternative medicine. Eleni helps women, who are trying to conceive or are already expecting a baby, to optimize their diet and lifestyle in order to conceive naturally and have the healthiest baby possible. Her passion is empowering women to take control of their fertility and their baby´s health, effectively protecting the well being of the next generation, one baby at a time.

In today's show, we talk about Eleni's approach with her fertility clients and how she helps her clients improve their fertility naturally through diet and lifestyle changes as well as addressing environmental factors.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is the connection between our genetics and our health?
• Is it our genes or our environment that determines our likelihood of getting illnesses or diseases?
• To what extent do diet, lifestyle and environmental factors impact our overall health?
• How do disordered eating patterns impact overall health and fertility?
• Why is it important for women to get enough healthy saturated fats when trying to improve fertility and have a healthy pregnancy?
• Why should we all be avoiding trans fats, especially when trying to conceive and during pregnancy?
• Why are trans fats bad for a baby's development during pregnancy?
• What are xenoestrogens and how do they impact hormonal health and fertility?
• The role of probiotics in digestion and fertility
• Why we should all be mindful of the type of menstrual products we use in our bodies

Connect with Eleni

You can connect with Eleni on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Primal Baby | Eleni Roumeliotou

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Sarah is a Fertility Awareness Educator who has been charting her own cycles using Fertility Awareness since 1995, and she trained as a FAM educator with Fertility UK in 2011, and like all women who learn this amazing method of natural birth control, she is passionate about sharing this knowledge with women!

In today’s show, we talk about the Fertility Awareness Method, Sarah’s experience working with clients, and we delve into the topic of cervical fluid, an area that women often have questions about when they first start charting their cycles. 

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is the Fertility Awareness Method?
• Why might the Fertility Awareness Method not be for everyone?
• Why does cervical fluid play such an important role in understanding and using Fertility Awareness?
• How do women manage their fertile window when using the Fertility Awareness Method?
• How conservative should you be with the rules when using the Fertility Awareness Method?
• How is it different learning Fertility Awareness from a FAM educator versus learning from a book?
• Why it may be difficult for some women to interpret their cervical mucus patterns
• How long is a woman's fertile window, or in other words, how many days per cycle does a woman have to abstain, use barrier methods or have alternative sex?
• How to identify your fertile window
• How to use Fertility Awareness successfully

Connect with Sarah

You can connect with Sarah on her Website, and on Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Be Fertility Aware | Sarah Panzetta
• Do You Need a Speculum? How to Check Cervical Fluid | Sarah Panzetta
• How Careful do we Need to be to use Fertility Awareness? | Sarah Panzetta
• How Long??!! A Potential Downside of Fertility Awareness | Sarah Panzetta
• Beautiful Cervix Project

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Saskia is a Motherhood Soul Purpose and Fertility Expert. She is the CEO of The New Code of Motherhood, and she works with people from all over the world who are often at a crossroads in their lives whether it is related to fertility, conception, and birth, or career and life choices. She holds certificates in Naturopathy, Transformational Healing,  Birthing, and Fertility Therapy, Integrative Life Healing Coaching, Advanced Hypnotherapy. Hypnobirthing, and many other specializations.

Saskia is the author of the bestselling book “A Suitcase Full of Faith, How One Woman Found Her Dream Trusting the Compass of Her Soul”, and she is a Radio Host, Soul Purpose Coach, best-selling author, and co-author with Jack Canfield, Steven Covey and Deepak Chopra, Saskia’s mission is to empower millions of people to live their biggest dreams.

In today's show, we talk about fertility and birth, some of the most common subconscious blocks that prevent couples from conceiving, and some of the ways that we can overcome them. We also talk about the birthing process, why so many women fear birth, and how we can work towards birthing babies without fear through the teachings of Hypnobirthing.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is the connection between emotional blocks and fertility?
• How important is the emotional component when a woman is facing fertility challenges?
• How can releasing emotional blocks impact fertility?
• Why are dietary and lifestyle changes only part of the equation when it comes to fertility?
• How can women overcome their fear of the birthing process once they do become pregnant?
• How can Hypnobirthing techniques improve a woman's experience with birth?
• What impact do our cultural beliefs about birth on our expectations and our birth experience?

Connect with Saskia

You can connect with Saskia on her Website, on Facebook, and on Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• The New Code of Motherhood | Saskia Röell
• Breakthrough Miracles | Saskia Röell
• A Suitcase Full of Faith (book) | Saskia Röell

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Andrea is a Natural Foods Chef, an author, and a television host dedicated to alternative healing and green, sustainable living.  Andrea was a featured contestant on Bravo’s hit reality TV show, Top Chef.  She is a regularly featured food and health expert on CBS News and has appeared on Barbara Walters, The View, Emeril Live and Whole Living on Martha Stewart Radio.  She is also the host of the Award Nominated Fed UP! A cooking show that educates guests and viewers on how to cook for, and cure, bodily ailments.

Andrea is also the author of The Whole Truth - How I Naturally Reclaimed My Health and You Can Too!, The Whole Truth - Eating and Recipe Guide, Health is Wealth – Make a Delicious Investment in You! And her newest book, Happy Healthy Thyroid - The Essential Steps to Healing Naturally is coming out this fall.

In today’s show, we talk about thyroid health, how thyroid health relates to fertility, and the ways thyroid conditions can be healed naturally through nutrition and dietary changes.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• Why is proper thyroid function so important for health and fertility?
• What role does the thyroid play in the body?
• How is thyroid health connected with the health of the endocrine system and the adrenals?
• What role does stress play in the thyroid, the endocrine system and the adrenals?
• What are some of the ways we can reduce stress by activating our parasympathetic nervous system?
• What role does diet play in thyroid health?
• How does thyroid disease negatively impact a woman's fertility?
• Is it possible to heal thyroid disease naturally through dietary changes and deep nutrition?
• What role do traditional foods such as organ meats and bone broths play in healing the thyroid?
• How does gluten impact the thyroid?

Connect with Andrea

You can connect with Andrea on her Website, on Facebook, and on Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Andrea Beaman | andreabeaman.com
• The Whole Truth - How I Naturally Reclaimed My Health and You Can Too! | Andrea Beaman
• The Whole Truth - Eating and Recipe Guide, Health is Wealth – Make a Delicious Investment in You! | Andrea Beaman
• Health is Wealth – Make a Delicious Investment in You!| Andrea Beaman
• The Red Tent | Anita Diamant

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Dr. McColloch is a Naturopathic doctor who has been practicing for 15 years in Toronto (Canada). She is the founder and owner of White Lotus Integrative Medicine, a clinic specializing in women’s health and fertility. Dr. McCulloch’s clinical focus is on Fertility, PCOS, Autoimmune Disease and Thyroid Health, and she treats a wide variety of other conditions as well. Dr. Fiona just finished writing her first book on the treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome – “6 Steps To Reverse Your PCOS”

In today’s show, we talk about the connection between autoimmune disease and fertility, and some of the ways that these conditions can be treated naturally to improve fertility and help women conceive naturally!

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is the connection between autoimmune disease and fertility?
•  What is an autoimmune disease and how does autoimmunity impact our health?
• What are some of the conditions related to fertility that have an autoimmune component?
• Why are autoimmune issues so prevalent in women?
• What role do environmental toxins play in our immune function?
• What symptoms or factors would help a woman know if she may have an autoimmune issue?
• What tests help to determine if someone has an overactive immune system?
• What are some ways we can help strengthen and modulate our immune function naturally?
• What nutrients and supplements help to modulate the immune system?
• What is the MTHFR mutation, and how does it impact fertility?
• What are some ways that we can all work towards improving our health and fertility?

Connect with Fiona

You can connect with Fiona on her Website, on Facebook, and on Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• White Lotus Integrative Medicine | Dr. Fiona McCulloch
• Environmental Defense Fund | EDF.org

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Toni is the author of the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility! Like many of you listening, Taking Charge of Your Fertility was the very first resource that I relied on when I first discovered the fertility awareness method, and I have mentioned her book in nearly every podcast interview that I’ve done on the topic of fertility awareness! Her book has been responsible for helping literally hundreds of thousands of women avoid pregnancy naturally, maximize their chances of getting pregnant, or helping them to gain a better understanding of their overall health and fertility through charting.

Toni has a master's degree in public health and is a nationally respected women's health educator and speaker. She is also the author of Cycle Savvy, a book for teenage girls about their bodies. Toni has also recently released the 20th anniversary edition of Taking Charge of Your Fertility, and in today’s episode we delve into the new edition of the book, what is different in the new and revised version as well as the impact that her work has had over the years in educating women about their fertility, their bodies, and their health.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is Fertility Awareness and how is it different from the Rhythm Method?
• Why is the Fertility Awareness Method Effective?
• Is the Fertility Awareness Method complicated to learn?
• Are women fertile every day?
• How can women determine when they are fertile each month?
• Is it possible for women to use the Fertility Awareness Method successfully as a method of birth control?
• Why do the "rules" work for preventing pregnancy
• Why are some women more fertile than others?
• How are certain health issues reflected in a woman's menstrual cycle charts?
• What is the role of basal body temperature in the Fertility Awareness Method?
• For women who are trying to get pregnant, when is the best time to have unprotected sex?
• How useful are ovulation predictor kits versus for a woman who is using the Fertility Awareness Method?
• When is the best time to take a home pregnancy test?

Connect with Toni

You can connect with Toni on her website!

Resources mentioned

• Taking Charge of Your Fertility | Toni Weschler
• Cycle Savvy | Toni Weschler
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility (book) | Toni Weschler
• Cycle Savvy: The Smart Teen's Guide to the Mysteries of Her Body (book) | Toni Weschler

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Sarah is a Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner (HRHP). She is also a Birth Doula and a Birth Doula Instructor. However, Sarah wasn’t always working in the Holistic Health background given that she actually spent 11 years working for the Canadian Military as a Medic before she changed her career path.

In today’s show, we talk about Sarah’s work as a Birth Doula, and exactly what a Doula does to help women during pregnancy, labor and postpartum. We will also be talking about Sarah’s experience as a Fertility Awareness Educator, what the training process was like for her, and how she these two specializations have allowed her to serve women in her practice.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is a Doula?
• What services do Doulas provide women during birth and postpartum?
• How are Midwifery care and Medical care different than the services that Doulas provide to birthing mothers?
• Why are women seeking natural birth options more and more?
• Where does the fear of the birth process come from?
• How can work with a Doula help women overcome their fear of birth?
• What is placenta encapsulation and why do women do it?
• What are some of the benefits of encapsulating your placenta after birth?
• What is the process of becoming a Fertility Awareness Educator like?
• How can working with a Fertility Awareness Educator help women improve the health of their menstrual cycles?

Connect with Sarah

You can connect with Sarah on her Website, on Facebook, and on Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Sacred Rush | Sarah Moloney
• Justisse Healthworks for Women
• Justisse Practitioner Directory

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Dr. Rozenn has practiced Integrative Medicine for over 15 years. She is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine with dual specializations in Women’s Health and Pain Management. She teaches classes to Masters and Doctoral Students how to treat Women’s health and fertility issues at various Universities, and she has recently authored the book Your Fertility Program geared towards helping patients navigate the confusing field of infertility.

In today’s episode will talk about the important role that Thyroid health plays in fertility, as well as the important role that having healthy menstrual cycles plays in fertility. We also talk about the Oriental medicine perspective, and how it differs from the western medical perspective.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• How does thyroid health impact fertility?
• How can an unaddressed thyroid issue negatively impact fertility?
• What is the difference between the Allopathic or Western Medical perspective on thyroid conditions versus the Oriental Medicine perspective?
• Why is it important to know if there is an autoimmune component to a diagnosis of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism?
• How can hypothyroidism present in a woman's menstrual cycle chart?
• How does hyperthyroidism differ from hypothyroidism?
• How does a woman's basal body temperature relate to her thyroid?
• Why are thyroid conditions so common, especially in women?
• How do environmental contaminants impair thyroid function?
• Is it possible to heal the thyroid?
• Is it possible to treat thyroid disorders without medication?

Connect with Maureen

You can connect with Maureen on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Acupuncture Santa Cruz | Dr. Maureen Rozenn
• Your Fertility Program | Dr. Maureen Rozenn
• Your Fertility Program (book) | Dr. Maureen Rozen

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Sarah is a certified life coach and health coach. She trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York, studying more than 100 dietary theories, practical lifestyle management techniques, and innovative coaching methods with some of the world’s top health and wellness experts. She practices a holistic approach to health and wellness, meaning that she looks at how all areas of your life are connected.  She helps her clients to look at how all the different parts of your life affect your health and your fertility.

In today's episode, we talk about Sarah's fertility journey having had a diagnosis of Premature Ovarian Failure at age 28, and what her experience was like conceiving her children through IVF using donor eggs.  We also talk about exactly what fertility coaching is, and some of the ways we can all boost our infertility naturally.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is Premature Ovarian Failure?
• How the IVF process has changed over the past decade
• Sarah's experience using donor eggs to conceive her children
• How Sarah discovered holistic nutrition and what led her to change her career and focus on her own experience with fertility challenges
• What is fertility coaching and how can it help women struggling with fertility challenges?
• The impact of stress on fertility, and how to manage the emotional challenges that come with fertility challenges
• Nutrition for fertility - what foods to focus on to improve fertility naturally

Connect with Sarah

You can connect with Sarah on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Fabulously Fertile | Sarah Clark
• Fab Fertile Coaching | Sarah Clark
• Download your FREE CHAPTER of Sarah's book Fabulously Fertile
• Schedule your FREE 30 min coaching call with Sarah here
• Institute for Integrative Nutrition
• Dr. Andrew Weil
• Deepak Chopra | 21 Day Meditation Challenge
• Fat Sick and Nearly Dead | Joe Cross
• Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything | Geneen Roth

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Melanie began working in the field of sexuality education in 1984 when she became a Planned Parenthood patient educator. She has created and facilitated numerous workshops in the area of sexuality and sexuality education. Her work in these areas leads her to pursue her Masters of Education and Ph.D. Her mission is to help people learn and enjoy sexuality. She currently consults privately with individuals and couples at the New Jersey Center for Sexual Wellness. She also provides professional development and facilitates presentations for medical health professionals.

In today’s show we talk about the importance of learning accurate information about sexuality from a young age, and what are some of the most common challenges both women and couples face in the area of sexuality. We discuss some of the ways that sexuality changes throughout the years in relationships, and how sexuality changes with age. We also talk about orgasms, female ejaculation, body image and many more juicy topics around sexuality!

Topics discussed in today's episode

• Why is sex education important?
• At what age should parents start talking to their children about sex?
• How can parents address questions from their children about sexuality even when they don't have all the answers?
• How can a certified sex educator help individuals and couples to improve their sex lives?
• What is the difference between a sexuality educator and a sex therapist?
• What are some of the most common issues women and couples face when it comes to sexuality?
• Why clitoral stimulation is important for women
• What is a female ejaculation?
• Where is my G-spot?
• The emotional aspect of orgasms
• How sexuality changes with age
• Body image and sexuality

Connect with Melanie

You can connect with Melanie on her website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Transforming Lives Through Sexuality Education | Dr. Melanie Davis
• Sexuality and Aging Today | Dr. Melanie Davis
• American Association of Sexuality Educators Counselors and Therapists
• Advocates for Youth | Rights Respect Responsibility
• Scarleteen | Sex Ed for the Real World
• Naked at Our Age | Joan Price

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Lisa is a Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who has been working in the field since 1988. She has an extensive background in women’s reproductive health and fertility, and also works as a Natural Health Consultant (at the Pharmasave Health Centre) in Parksville BC.

In today’s show, we talk about the profound impact that the fertility awareness method can have throughout the different phases of a woman's life. Specifically through a woman's reproductive years, and the implications of using Fertility Awareness to navigate through the perimenopausal and menopausal years of a woman's life.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What type of training do Justisse Holistic Health Practitioners receive?
• How practitioners who practice from a holistic perspective differ from conventional medical practitioners
• How has the menstrual health of women changed over the past 30 years?
• The benefits of using fertility awareness throughout the different phases of a woman's life
• How can fertility awareness chart help women to during their perimenopausal years?
• The implications of using fertility awareness charting to address symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause

Connect with Lisa

You can connect with Lisa on the Justisse website and on Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Justisse Healthworks for Women | Lisa Leger
• Justisse Healthworks for Women
• Justisse Practitioner Directory
• Association of Fertility Awareness Educators
• Society for Menstrual Cycle Research
• Sex Ed for Teens: Where's the mucus? | re: Cycling Blog | Lisa Leger
• Choice, Fertility, and Menstrual Cycle Awareness | re: Cycling Blog | Lisa Leger

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Today's episode is a bit different than my recent interview podcasts. Instead of having a guest on the show, this episode is a replay of a presentation that I recently facilitated for Darou Wellness in Toronto. In case you don't know me already a few things you might want to know are that I trained as a Justisse Body Literacy Advocate with Justisse Healthworks for Women several years ago, I have been charting my own menstrual cycles using the Fertility Awareness Method for the past 13 years or so, and I am the founder of this awesome blog as well as the Fertility Friday Podcast!

In this episode, I cover the basics of the Fertility Awareness Method including the 3 fertile signs, cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and cervical position. I discuss why having regular menstrual cycles and regular ovulation is not just important for fertility but also for overall health, and I also talk about why many health professionals consider the menstrual cycle to be the 5th vital sign that serves as an indicator of a woman's overall health status.

Topics discussed in today's episode

• What is the Fertility Awareness Method?
• How is the Fertility Awareness Method different to the Rhythm Method and why is it effective?
• Why is menstruation important for a woman's overall health and not just her fertility?
• How can a woman use her menstrual cycle as a diagnostic tool?
• What role does regular ovulation play in heart health, bone health, and breast health?
• Does the pill "regulate" a woman's cycles? Does it "mimic pregnancy"?
• What are the 3 fertile signs and how do they indicate fertility?
• What does cervical mucus have to do with fertility?
• How come you can't use basal body temperature measurements to predict when you'll ovulate?

Connect with Lisa

You can connect with Lisa on the Fertility Friday website, and on Facebook and Twitter!

Resources mentioned

• Fertility Friday
• Managing your Fertility Naturally with Fertility Awareness | Darou Wellness
• Justisse Healthworks for Women | Geraldine Matus
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility | Toni Weschler 

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

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

• Is it possible for women to learn to use the Fertility Awareness Method confidently and accurately?
• Why a "possibly fertile day" is actually a fertile day
• The role that intention plays in the effectiveness of the Fertility Awareness Method
• The role that the Fertility Awareness plays in helping women to learn body literacy
• The implications of placing young women on the hormonal birth control before their menstrual cycles have fully matured
• The importance of helping women transition off of hormonal contraceptives successfully
• Why questioning "the pill" is not actually "anti-feminist"
• The benefits of having the ability to understand and interpret your fertile signs
• Why the pill doesn't "regulate" a woman's cycle or "mimic pregnancy," and what it is actually doing to your hormones
• Why Laura has publicly endorsed the upcoming documentary Sweetening The Pill by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein

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

• re: Cycling | The Society for Menstrual Cycle Research
• Coming off Depo-Provera Can be a Woman's Worst Nightmare | Laura Wershler
• Six Things Women Need to Know About Their Fertility | Laura Wershler
• The Value of Ovulation to a Woman's Health | Laura Wershler
• Why I'm Backing the Sweetening the Pill Documentary | Laura Wershler
• Sweetening the Pill: or How We Got Hooked on Hormonal Birth Control | Holly Grigg-Spall
• Sweetening the Pill Movie - Preview | Youtube

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)