Food Freedom and Fertility Podcast

On this episode of Food Freedom and Fertility Sophia and Caitlin have invited their longtime friend Michelle Armstrong to discuss pregnancy and specifically her unique 4 different experiences.   Michelle and her husband have been together for over 12 years but have experienced so much more than they could have ever experienced around pregnancy and childbirth. Michelle joins the podcast today to walk us through her journey of having to say goodbye to their first child at 24 weeks and the process involved. She carries us through what it was like to get pregnant unintentionally only 2 months later and that home birth that she experienced.   Michelle’s next pregnancy took a completely different path than the others when she learned at 20 weeks that she had placenta previa which is when the baby’s placenta partially or totally covers the mother’s cervix. Few weeks later she went to the hospital with severe upper abdomen pain to find out she was going to have to deliver the baby because she now had preeclampsia which is s a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system, most often the liver and kidneys. This was a diagnosis that could have been fatal to her and her baby. Sophia and Caitlin dive in on more information about preeclampsia and placenta previa and the signs and risk factors. After deliver her new baby was in the hospital for over 50 days.   Michelle opens up to describe the feeling of each pregnancy and how she was able to recover and process her trauma. She discusses a wonderful project that came out of her 2nd son’s hospital stay after he was diagnosed with RSV. She was able to turn her guilt, grief and sadness into the idea of a stuffed bear for babies in the NICU. She followed this idea through till the end and was able to create a wonderful stuffed animal that has a removal scent patch that parents can wear and then re-attach to the bear so babies at the hospital have the scent of their parents, it has a recording device so a message can be replayed, and it is a panda because of the black and white colors are the first colors a baby can see and they will look at it 8x longer which is better for brain stimulation. In addition, the bear is anti-microbial to help prevent the spread of germs. It took over a year for her to bring the bear to other families.   Michelle share how she worked on herself to mentally and physically prepare for her 4th pregnancy which was a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). She shared that she is humbled by the reality that nothing will fix what she has gone through but she has healed from it and shares all the steps that she took to get a good place. We want to sincerely thank Michelle for sharing her journey and all of her experiences with us and all of you.   If you would like more information on Finn the Bear you can find him at the links below.   https://finnandcogifts.com

This week’s episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility is all about your menstrual cycle! Since we are talking about the menstrual cycle we thought the best guest for that is Nicole Jardim   Nicole is a Certified Women’s Health Coach, writer, speaker, mentor, and the creator of Fix Your Period, a series of programs that empower women and menstruators to reclaim their hormone health using a method that combines evidence-based information with simplicity and sass.   Nicole and Sophia chat about a few key topics regarding your period and what it should or shouldn’t look like. One of the big things to look out for are signs from your body that could mean something. What could your period be telling you that you need to know for your fertility? Your period plays such an important role that recently, your menstrual cycle has been officially considered a vital sign.   Most women are always thinking about having a regular period which is important but another important regularity to consider is your ovulation. This episode Nicole and Sophia give some big tips on what regular periods and ovulation looks like.   Nicole shares some red flags to watch for in regards to your cycle and one of those is period pain which has been normalized by the media for many years. If your period pain is disrupting your life, it is problematic and you should dig deeper. Normal period pain would look like day before or day of, mild to moderate pain where minimal intervention such as a hot water bottle will take care of the discomfort.     The premenstrual phase is a good place to also take notice in what your body is trying to tell you. Spotting before your period is a sign that something could be going on. The good news is that sometimes it is not complicated to fix. Just remember to pay attention to your body and advocate for yourself. If you feel like something is not right because of one symptom or multiple, don’t waste time, take immediate action.   This episode is full of helpful and important information to help women determine what a ‘normal’ period should look like including topics such as period color, volume, pain, and duration. If after listening to this episode you still need guidance with your cycle please feel free to check out Nicole’s websites and other valuable resources in the link below.   NicoleJardim.com IG: nicolemjardim Fixyourperiod.com Period Party Podcast

On this week’s episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility Sophia and Caitlin welcome Ayla Barmmer with Men's Preconception Health and Fertility and It's Affect on Pregnancy Complications with Ayla Barmmer. For over 15years, Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN, has been advancing the health and empowerment of thousands of clients, patients, peers, and mentees, at the intersection of nutritional science, functional medicine, and evidence-based holistic solutions. Ayla is the founder and CEO of FullWell, a fertility wellness brand, widely endorsed by a diversity of health practitioners for its quality and education. While currently on sabbatical from private practice work, Ayla owns and operates Boston Functional Nutrition, an integrative and functional nutrition multi-clinician practice, that specializes in women's health and infertility. Ayla also co-founded the Women's Health Nutrition Academy in 2018, a leader in its field.        Ayla is Here today to talk about the other side of the coin, and discuss men's preconception health and fertility and Its effect on pregnancy complications. Dads are painted in such a negative light but in actuality most partners want to help and do their part. This episode will help male partners understand how their pre-conception lifestyle will affect pregnancy and the baby’s health as well as provide them with helpful info to optimize their sperm and overall well-being.   Ayla recommends that men should really start focusing on their pre-conception health at a minimum of 3 months but starting earlier would be best. Male partners can start making improvements to their diet and lifestyle to help reduce future risks. Ayla, Sophia and Caitlin want to remind everyone that it does not have to be an overnight change to your entire lifestyle. You can start slow and easy by adding in healthier options. Focus on adding healthy items vs taking away things you enjoy.    A few key dietary and nutritional additions would be to eat more colorful produce, get enough b vitamins as they are important for sperm quality and Omega 3 fatty acids. Everyone should enjoy more Omega 3 in their lives!  Men should really avoid smoking, excess alcohol both of which cause oxidative stress on the body.  Steering clear of plastics is a quick and easy change. If you love your Keurig, it’s time to say goodbye as those little plastic packets with scalding hot water are major endocrine disrupters.   Ayla as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner looks to food as the first form of nutrition. She also acknowledges that there are a lot of extra pressures that are placed on the human body and that is where a quality supplement can be very beneficial.  Supplements can help fill the gaps and offset of modern-day stressor that we can’t control.   The dietary supplement that Ayla and her team has created is called Vitality and Virility Blend and it is formulated to meet the needs of men in reproductive years, it also serves as a multivitamin. It is optimized to support pre-conception and to support the needs of being a dad.  This blend is taken in 4 capsules a day and the reason behind the quantity is that some nutrients are so important and they take up capsule space, so 4 capsules a day allows for all the key supplements and the doses. But the good news is you can take this in lieu of your daily vitamin!       If you would like to learn more about Ayla and Boston Functional Nutrition you can find her via the links below.   Vitality + Virility   Full Well  Boston Functional Nutrition  

This episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility is in honor of Valentine's Day and also because February is PCOS Awareness for heart health risk.  The guest this week is Dr. Jennifer Haden Haythe. Dr. Haythe specializes in Cardiovascular Disease, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology.  Dr. Haythe graduated from Harvard University in 1995. She completed her medical school and residency training at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2003. After finishing a congestive-heart failure-cardiac transplant fellowship at Columbia in 2005 she went on to complete her fellowship training in cardiovascular diseases there in 2009. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology, Center for Advanced Cardiac Care at Columbia and Co-Director of the Women’s Center for Cardiovascular Health. Dr. Haythe specializes in pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and cardiac transplant. She has a special interest in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and the care of pregnant women with cardiovascular diseases.

Happy New Year! Your hosts Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia are back after a holiday hiatus. The first episode of 2022 is  thoughtful, heartwarming and educational. Caitlin shares her pregnancy and birth story with Sophia and all of you listeners as always Caitlin and Sophia give you a plethora of great tips and advice.  Trigger Warning: This episode discusses positive pregnancy results,  a birth story and breastfeeding content.  Welcome back to Food Freedom and Fertility! 

In this episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility Caitlin and Sophia help you find a way through the holiday season while trying to conceive. Caitlin Johnson is back from her maternity leave and ready to give you tons of tips and pointers to not only get you through this holiday season but make it enjoyable while TTC.   One of the biggest reminders is to be mindful of your choices. One quick way to ensure you are going to have some sort of healthy food at parties or dinners is offer to bring a salad or dish that fits your nutritional goals. Caitlin and Sophia remind you to think of the holidays as a day and not the next 6 weeks. The best goal for the holiday season while TTC is BE FLEXIBLE of your definition of healthy during this time, give yourself some grace.   If you would like specific list of “eat this not that” foods, there is an episode from November/December 2020 that can help you when it comes to specific food choices.

On this week’s episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility Sophia Pavia interviews Dr. Merhi about IVF and the variety of work his center is currently working on.   Dr. Merhi is the founder and the medical director of Rejuvenating Fertility Center (RFC). He is an internationally recognized fertility doctor, lecturer, editor, and grant reviewer. His training and faculty appointments included Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, and University of Vermont. He is currently a Professor at SUNY Downstate University. He has three American Board certifications in OB/GYN, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and High-Complexity Laboratory Director (HCLD). Dr. Merhi is an active researcher with an interest in women with Low Ovarian Reserve (low AMH or high FSH), PRP ovarian rejuvenation, gentle stimulation IVF, natural IVF, and IVF without injectables. His research also focuses on technologies, such as Ozone Sauna, that could improve egg quality. Tune in this week as Sophia and Dr. Merhi have a candid conversation about IVF in the past, present and more importantly where it is going in the future!

On this week’s episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility. Sophia Pavia is a solo host as her co-host Caitlin Johnson has given birth to a baby boy! Stay tuned for Caitlin’s birth story in a future episode. This week’s guest is Rachel Mast who is an Idaho Licensed Midwife and Certified Professional Midwife. She graduated from Birthwise Midwifery School in 2012 after completing her clinical training at New Beginnings Birth Center. Today Sophia and Rachel discuss the Transitioning from Fertility to Maternity Care. They also discuss exactly what a midwife brings to the table for maternity care. They discuss the differences between traditional hospital care vs homebirths or births with a midwife. Rachel and Sophia also discuss how to make the most informed decision regarding your maternity care, the importance of weighing your personal pros and cons.  They also give excellent advice on how to find the right midwife for you and important questions to ask to ensure they are a good fit for you and your partner.  

On this week’s episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility. Sophia Pavia is the solo host because Caitlin Johnson is on maternity leave. Trigger warning this episode discusses pregnancy loss. This week’s guest is Julie Sawaya is the co-founder of Needed, a nutrition platform dedicated to optimally nourishing women before, during, and after pregnancy. Needed is backed by the latest clinical research and a collective of perinatal nutrition practitioners that regularly test women's nutrient and hormone levels to know exactly what's needed. Their Complete Plan for Women offers optimal micronutrient, protein, and microbiome support for fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. Julie and Sophia discuss common deficiencies and the best supplements and real foods to help with your pregnancy for you and your baby.  If you would like to learn more about Needed and their products you can find them online at the following links:   www.thisisneeded.com IG: @needed   FFP50 for $50 off The Complete Plan FFPPODCAST for 20% off the first order or first 3mo of subscription (any products)

In this episode of Food Freedom and Fertility Sophia Pavia is solo hosting as Caitlin Johnson is on maternity leave. This week Sophia interviews Coach Kela Smith who is the CEO and program director of a company she created called the Hormone Puzzle Society, which is a women’s health hub for fertility, hormones and pregnancy. Kela shares her personal story of conception by implementing her Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E method (plus cycle optimizing) that takes a holistic approach to readying the body for pregnancy from the inside out. Since then it has been her mission to help other women who are struggling with infertility and hormone imbalance to get pregnant and eliminate hormonal symptoms. If you are trying to get pregnant after age 35 what are some big pointers from Coach Kela.  First is to test don’t guess!  Look at hormones, see what your levels are doing. Second you should look at your diet and lifestyle. There is a difference between healthy living and healthy fertility living. Third is to evaluate what toxins are you exposing yourself to. The fourth big pointer is to ensure you are on the appropriate supplements to support your journey.  Sopha and Kela also discuss why  35 is considered the advanced maternal age and how that number was created and is it still valid. They also discuss a big item that helps decrease your systemic inflammation which helps your overall health. If you would like more information about Coach Kela and her services you can book a discovery call through her website or connect via a direct message on Instagram. You can also find her at the links below.   Website: https://coachkela.com/media-page/ Instagram: Kela_Coach  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelahealthcoach Facebook Group: The Hormone Puzzle