Food Freedom and Fertility Podcast

In this episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility your hosts Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia focus their attention to what to do after you have conceived. This is an important discussion after so much time dedicated to the conception of your baby. Caitlin and Sophia discuss what supplements are the most important to start and also which ones to stop upon finding out you are pregnant they also chat about what lab testing and other important questions to discuss with your provider and why it is important to advocate for yourself. One way to ensure the best care possible is to create a roster of care providers that fit your needs. Caitlin and Sophia help you determine exactly what type of services should be on that roster. This is a wonderful episode for so many women that have been trying to conceive and have achieved the positive test result or those that just want to prepare for the future. Book: Real Food for Pregnancy

On this week's episode of Food Freedom and Fertility Sophia Pavia and Caitlin Johnson have on guest Sheila Wray Gregoire Sheila is the face behind ToLoveHonorandVacuum.com, the largest single-blogger marriage blog. A sought-after speaker, she's also an award-winning author of nine books, including The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex. Sheila has a Master's in Public Administration and Master of Arts in Sociology both from Queen's University. Sheila built the successful blog, To Love, Honor, and Vacuum, with traffic of one million page views a month. Her email list is 45,000 strong and her social media reach is over 100,000. Her podcast, Bare Marriage, has more than 5,000 downloads each week. She is an award-winning author with seven royalty published books. A sought-after speaker, Sheila has spoken at churches and conferences around the globe. She is a frequent contributor at Family Life Canada events. Her latest book, "The Great Sex Rescue" was featured in the New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly, and the Washington Post. She has bylines at Religion News Service, Relevant Magazine, and other news sources. This episode is a very honest conversation around the unique struggles facing a couple ttc. Sheila is the first guest on the podcast to discuss sex issues. Some of the topics discussed on this episode are the pressures around sex, not wanting to have sex, sex feeling different when the romance is removed and the point is procreation, physical pain for women, husbands' sexual struggles and so much more. If you like what you heard this week and want to learn more please be sure to check out Sheila's links below. https://tolovehonorandvacuum.com https://instagram.com/sheilagregoire https://facebook.com/sheila.gregoire.books https://twitter.com/sheilagregoire https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdO1v4LdyqZV-m_VMlH5VGg https://greatsexrescue.com/

On this week's episode of Food Freedom and Fertility Caitlin Johnson is guest expert is Mark Breedon. Mark is an Online Strength Coach for Women who uses strength training to build their confidence and make them feel like a Badass Lifter. Mark uses what is known as a weight-neutral approach to training. He wants to change the focus on why we exercise, move away from training for the weight on the scale and instead of using exercise for health, self-confidence, and feeling strong! Mark and Caitlin discuss how a lot of women train for a specific physique and can over train and under eat lose their cycles. Which can lead to infertility Mark explains how he is trying to shift the mentality of women and their approach to training and how he applies that to his clients. They also discuss where the happy place is that supports improved fertility … not too much but not too little and how to achieve this. In a recent study in Obstetrics and Gynecology concluded that women who exercised 30 minutes or more daily had a reduced risk of infertility due to ovulation disorders, yet in 2009 a study in Human Reproduction found that too much vigorous exercise lowered fertility. Mark explains how he and other trainers could help optimize a fitness routine for your fertility journey. This episode is focused on understanding how exercise and strength training come into play with women who are TTC. If you would like more information on Mark and his services you can find him at the links below. IG: @breedonmark Web: https://badasslifter.com

On this week's episode of Food Freedom and Fertility we have a very special guest. We welcome to the show Dr. Natasha Stamper. Dr. Natasha Stamper is a clinical pharmacist and online fertility coach. She found her love for all things fertility while living in a remote Alaska village navigating her own IVF journey alone. After many miscarriages, two ectopic pregnancies, and one cervical ectopic she had her two miracle babies. Now with over 12 years of clinical pharmacy experience and her own experiences she is so excited to be helping families all over the globe fulfill the dream of making their family complete. You can find her on Instagram at fertility_pharmacist or www.fertilitypharmacist.com Today's episode is we will learn more about Dr. Stamper's background and what led her to become a fertility pharmacist. Dr. Stamper will review some basic fertility medications, their uses, side effects and who would benefit most from them. Femara/Letrozole, Clomid, Gonadotropins, Dopamine agonists, metformin and Progesterone are a few of the medications that will be discussed in detail. Dr. Stamper shares her personal experience with IVF and also the typical plan for IVF in terms of medications. She also shares the types of supplements that she feels are important and also those that should be strictly avoid while TTC. You can find her on Instagram at fertility_pharmacist or www.fertilitypharmacist.com

Welcome to the Food Freedom and Fertility podcast. On this week's episode Caitlin Johnson has special guest, Stephanie Greunke. Stephanie is a registered dietitian with a master's degree in nutrition who specializes in prenatal/postnatal health. Stephanie holds additional certifications in perinatal mental health and fitness and is passionate about helping moms navigate the transition to motherhood. She's the co-host of the "Doctor Mom" podcast and Senior Education Manager for Whole30. Through her Postpartum Reset nutrition program, pregnancy program, podcast and her private practice, Stephanie has helped thousands of women optimize their diet during and after pregnancy to support their physical and mental health. She's an internationally-recognized speaker who blends the latest research with practical advice. She also trains healthcare providers about perinatal mental health and nutrition so they can optimize outcomes for their clients. Steph and Caitlin discuss perinatal mental health today and if you enjoy what you hear on today's episode you can learn more about Steph's program Postpartum Reset which is an intimate private community and online roadmap for any mama (or mama-to-be) who feels stuck, alone, and depleted and wants to learn how to thrive in motherhood. Caitlin and Steph normalize the feelings of postpartum and let listeners know that it is okay to feel like you are struggling and having a difficult time. Steph describes what exactly perinatal or postpartum mood disorders are and how and when they can present. She sheds light on the vast spectrum that these disorders can range. The other thing to keep in mind about these disorders is that fathers can also have similar experiences and should realize that so that they can seek the help they need to navigate these uncharted waters. Men typically present much differently than women when experience a postpartum mood disorder. Steph also gives detailed explanations of the different types of disorders and what they look like and she also suggests listeners to ask themselves if they are experiencing any of the symptoms that come along with perinatal or postpartum mood disorders. To help prepare yourself for the 3rd trimester and postpartum, Steph and Caitlin share a variety of ideas and tips to help expecting mothers. Including meal prep ideas, tasks that new mothers greatly appreciate and additional tips. The podcast wraps up with the dream team for the postpartum period, which most women who have never delivered a child would expect. The key player on this team is a provider that will genuinely listen to you and your concerns. There are a lot of things that can pop up and having a provider that truly listens to you will help alleviate unnecessary worry. If you would like more information on Stephanie's course: Postpartum Reset Course you can find her at https://www.postpartumreset.com or on Instagram: @stephgreunke

Welcome to the Food Freedom and Fertility podcast. On this week's episode Sophia Pavia has Kalea Wattles, ND on to discuss functional medicine for fertility. Dr. Kalea Wattles is a Naturopathic Physician specializing in fertility and Functional Medicine. She earned her doctorate from Bastyr University and is certified as a Functional Medicine Practitioner by the Institute for Functional Medicine. Dr. Wattles combines her Naturopathic and Functional Medicine training to treat patients with a "Functional Fertility" perspective, using a root-cause, science-based, body-systems approach to cultivating a fertile body. She is dedicated to using this patient centered method to support patients anywhere on their fertility journey – whether they are thinking about getting pregnant for the first time or exploring advanced fertility treatments. Sophia and Kalea use this episode to dive into to functional medicine and how it can affect your fertility. A big topic they discuss is mitochondria and how to support it and why it is helpful to your fertility journey. Mitochondria has a huge role in hormone production so they talk through ways to kick start your mitochondria. Psychologically it isn't easy but it is important. A few quick take aways is to turn off your phone 2 hours before bedtime and take a cold shower. There are a few supplements discussed as well. In addition to mitochondria care, mental health should be considered during your fertility journey. Data proves year in and year out that people who work on stress management and have support tend to experience better fertility outcomes. The best approach is a whole-body whole life idea. Dr. Kalea wants to leave everyone with hope. Be sure to advocate for yourself and your family. There is info you can collect that can change our trajectory, do not be afraid to get a 2nd opinion, have a functional work up completed. You have the right to that info. To learn more about Dr. Kalea Wattles you can find her online at https://thinkvida.com/dr-kalea-wattles/ or on Instagram at Functional Fertility

On today's episode of Food Freedom and Fertility Caitlin and Sophia help women trying to conceive find healthy alternatives while traveling. They will share helpful tips and tools they personally implemented during their own fertility journeys. It doesn't matter how or where you are traveling there are healthier alternatives and today we dive in on what those are. Sleep plays a huge factor in your overall health and is important to consider when you are TTC. It is also important to remember to consider time zones when you are measuring your BBT. Caitlin and Sophia explain exactly how to do this so that you are compensating for the time change. They also give some great tips on how to create a premium sleep environment while traveling. When traveling sometimes finding a healthy place to eat is difficult. This episode will help guide you to the right choices you are faced with the golden arches or other fast food options. Hopefully this episode will arm you with the right information to help you make smart choices in any scenario. If you have the time and the ability to meal/snack prep for your trip Sophia and Caitlin give numerous ideas on which snacks (chilled and room temp) are the best choice for your fertility and your road trip cravings. Caitlin and Sophia want listeners to relax and let go of those anxieties around travelling while also trying to conceive. The best thing to take away from this episode is to prioritize protein, don't skip out on hydration, continue to eat colorful fruits and veggies where you can and enjoy your travel! Travel can be a beautiful way to enjoy your life and your partner while you are trying to conceive.

This episode of Food Freedom and Fertility welcomes guest Cindy Dabrowska is a registered dietitian, Master of Applied Nutrition, endowarrior and founder of "The Supportive Endo RD". Her passion comes from supporting endo warriors - who much like herself, have said "enough is enough" to debilitating, life-altering symptoms of endometriosis. Cindy has been blessed to support countless women in her nutrition counseling practice through a functional medicine root cause approach to endometriosis. As a registered dietitian and endowarrior, Cindy prides herself on being an ally to, and a resource for, the endometriosis community. Cindy and Caitlin will be discussing endometriosis which is when tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus, also known as the endometrium, is found outside its normal location, where the tissue should not be. 1 in 9 women are known to have endometriosis, however there is not a lot of discussion on the topic. Cindy and Caitlin this week will go into more detail about endometriosis. They will discuss exactly what is endometriosis, when women could start to see signs of it, how it affects your body and your fertility. There is a common presentation of endometriosis but this isn't always the case. Learn the other impacts of endometriosis can have on your body that aren't the typical symptoms. Cindy and Caitlin discuss the options for women with endometriosis and how they can alleviate the severity of their symptoms. If you would like more information on Endometriosis or Cindy's programs you can find her at the links below. Instagram: endo.fertility.dietitian Website: https://endometriosisdietitian.ca

On this episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility our hosts Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia welcome Dr. Loree Johnson. Dr. Lori Johnson has been a guest on the podcast before to discuss her career as an online psychotherapist and therapeutic coach based in Los Angeles. She specializes in women's mental health, reproductive health, and couples' therapy while helping clients heal from the trauma of infertility. Today Dr. Johnson joins as a guest to discuss her personal fertility journey. Her own journey has forced her to face challenges she never thought she would encounter and to make sense of things like: unexplained infertility, advanced maternal age, and recurrent pregnancy loss. This episode shares the experience of a professional that has made a career out of supporting couples who are struggling through unexpected fertility challenges, but also from the perspective of someone has experienced it personally as well. If you would like more information about Dr. Loree Johnson and her practice please visit: https://drloreejohnson.com or on Instagram drloreejohnson. You can also learn about her courses offered here: https://courses.drloreejohnson.com/products/courses/view/1087745 The charity event mentioned by Sophia: https://brittliveson.com/

On this episode of Food Freedom and Fertility Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia have guest Dr. Naomi Whittaker, an OBGYN fertility surgeon focused on women's restorative reproductive medicine, compassionate healthcare, and education. This episode dives in the difference between NaPro vs. IVF for infertility. For those of you unfamiliar with NaPro, NaProTECHNOLOGY refers to Natural Procreative Technology, an approach to understanding women's reproductive health and regulating fertility by identifying and treating the underlying causes of problems—not simply placing a Band-Aid on them. Instead of treating symptoms, NaPro TECHNOLOGY uses natural methods and restorative surgery to treat diseases. It also pairs with the Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System, which actively engages a woman to track and manage her fertility. Dr. Whittaker is a board certified OBGYN and a fellowship trained surgeon who specializes in the Creighton Model FertilityCare System and NaProTechnology, which works cooperatively with a woman's body to treat the underlying cause of gynecologic issues and infertility, such as endometriosis and PCOS. She helps women improve their gynecologic health, and avoid/achieve pregnancy in accordance with their natural fertility using the latest research, medicine, and surgery. If you would like more information on NaPro please go to www.fertilitycare.org to find a practitioner. There are a couple of groups on Facebook as well: Fertility Care Creighton & NaPro User Support Group and Creighton Model/ NaPro Technology Infertility Support. You can also reach out to Dr. Whittaker via her website https://byitsfruit.org.