The FertilityHour

In today’s episode I talk with Dr. Carrie Jones about the DUTCH test. Lauded as a game changer in the Hormone testing arena. Dr. Carrie talks about why the DUTCH test was created. There has always been the two standard approaches to testing hormones: saliva and serum. Where these tests fell short is that they could not show hormonal pathways. Dr. Carrie discusses the role of hormonal pathways and how they have shown to be the most accurate markers for hormone availability and giving practitioners detailed information for accurate assessment and treatment. Before the DUTCH test, a woman (with fertility issues) could have a hormone panel that showed her hormones where in normal range. The problem is that hormones fluctuate and so what appears as normal hormone ranges could be out of range after a serum or saliva sample was taken. With Cycle Mapping a woman’s hormone levels are assessed throughout her entire cycle. This gives a true picture of a woman’s hormonal levels. We discuss the importance of testing not guessing and how proper testing can resolve much heartache and confusion. The DUTCH test is offered direct to consumer and Precision Analytics (the inventors of the test) are offering our listener’s $50 off their tests.

You are going to want to share this episode with all your loved ones. I interview Dr. Thomas Levy and he discusses what he has learned to be the (silent and hidden) underlying factor in most chronic and degenerative diseases. What led to this discovery was that Dr. Levy accompanied a friend to the dentist and what they discovered shocked and alarmed him. The friend was completely pain free, symptom free but when they took a 3D Cone beam CT Scan of her mouth, they found a large and serious infection eroding away at her sinus wall. This infection was undetected by a routine digital X-ray. What Dr. Levy soon learned was that chronically infected teeth impact 80-90% of people with a chronic degenerative disease. He discusses the role of focal infections of the teeth leading to oxidative stress as the (definition of) disease. In this interview he talks about how to get assessed for this type of infection and other markers to test for and have regularly monitored to assess for oxidative stress and to help the body maintain health and wall off infection. He discusses the crucial role of the thyroid, sex hormones and C-Reactive Protein in maintaining the health of the body and their role in walling off infections. Dr. Levy discusses the research showing how focal infections and periodontal disease have shown to affect fertility. From increasing time to conception, to increasing risk of miscarriage and decreasing sperm quality. It is clear that the health of the mouth is crucial to maintaining the health of the entire body including the reproductive system. Dr. Levy also addresses myths around supplementation and discusses Vitamins and Minerals that lead to oxidative stress as well as commonly marketed combinations of supplements that are dangerous and should be absolutely avoided.

Dr. Kathryn Moloney, N.D. is one of the dynamic fertility coaches at Natural Fertility Prescription and Fertility Coach. From her experience in working at a leading Australian Fertility Center and coaching clients worldwide Kathryn joins us today with a wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of fertility issues. In this episode we discuss what are some of the biggest factors affecting fertility today. Kathryn discusses the role of Chromosomal health and sperm quality as two of the biggest culprits behind fertility issues. She also gives important information on appropriate lab reference ranges when trying to conceive as well as dietary do’s and don’ts.  

Acupuncture has shown to be highly effective in the treatment of fertility. Often times the frequency of treatments can be challenging due to time or budget constraints or geographical challenges. Heidi Brockmyre, L.Ac. saw that there was a huge need in the global community for the healing power of Traditional Chinese Medicine and saw to it that it was made accessible to everyone. Heidi discusses how learning acupressure points on the body is a path to empowerment and self healing. We often think of a needle when we think of acupuncture but really the power to harness the energy of these points is right at our fingertips. Calm anxiety while clearing energy blockages and balancing hormones. This is the multi-faceted effects of acupuncture. We also talk about tried and true folk medicine using Castor oil packs and abdominal massage and how important these are to the development of healthy eggs. Also menstrual health is discussed in a way that maybe you have never been exposed to. Chinese Medicine looks at the menses as a window to your reproductive and hormonal health. Sadly many of us are never educated about our menses past how to use pads and tampons. In this interview you will learn the intricacies of the menstrual cycle and what to look for as signs of imbalance.

It’s been called the 21st Century Disease and it affects millions of us everyday. It robs us of our quality of life and affects the endocrine and hormonal system. It’s commonly known as adrenal fatigue or HPA axis dysregulation. Whatever it’s name, left unchecked can be detrimental to one’s feelings of wellbeing and fertility. Today’s guest Dr. Eric Wood has a deep understanding and knowledge of what leads our adrenals to become depleted. He talks us through the stages as well as the causative factors. This podcast has practical tips you can start implementing today to rescue yourself from the patterns of “wired and tired” or just plain exhausted. He talks about why conventional Thyroid treatments are really superficial fixes for a deeper systemic issue. Learn about how to properly sleep for proper restoration and how learning to say no is key to helping your body say yes to pregnancy.

Today we have Best Selling Author of Yes You Can Get Pregnant with her latest book Body Belief. In the last 15 years of treating women’s health and fertility, Aimee Raupp begin to see a commonality between many of her patients. They would come to her with chronic (often mysterious) health complaints and unexplained infertility. Conventional Medicine often were not able to pinpoint any causative factors for a pervasive feeling of unwell (as well as a myriad of symptoms) amongst this group and not able to tell them why they could not conceive or sustain a pregnancy. With her extensive knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine Aimee was able to start connecting some very crucial dots. She found that many women were living with an undiagnosed autoimmune disease. She found that 1 in 9 women have an undiagnosed autoimmune condition and that up to 40% of unexplained infertility is in result of autoimmune disease. In this interview Aimee will discuss her unique perspective on why the body starts attacking itself and address the spiritual and emotional aspects that are often the missing components of true healing. This is not just a book about lifestyle & supplement recommendations instead this is a guide to reconnect with ourselves and challenge the harmful beliefs that are blocking us from our own innate wellness.

Ever wonder how much are subconscious mind is running our thoughts and beliefs? According to research done on the human mind-a lot! Today I interview Circle and Bloom founder Joanne Verkuilen. Joanne shares how her & her best friends struggle with secondary fertility ignited a fire in her to help others struggling with fertility issues. She saw the impact stress was having on her BFF Steph and created a visualization that any woman could use to reduce stress and positively influence the subconscious mind. Circle and Bloom has helped women all over the globe with their mind body visualization programs. More and more research is showing that if we can affect the subconscious in a positive way it will then influence the chemical messengers in the mind and body. This has shown to have a positive impact on fertility as well as other health conditions. You will enjoy learning more about how to harness the power of your mind to help in your fertility journey.

It’s such a special treat to have Natalie Ledwell as our guest today. In this interview Natalie reveals what led her to create the beloved Law of Attraction tool called Mind Movies. After watching the movie, The Secret, Natalie and her partner went on a journey to create a moving vision board. Fast forward and they have to date inspired over 4 million people worldwide to imagine, create and manifest their dreams. I was introduced to Mind Movies 10 years ago and was blown away by it. I manifested so much that I had initially made my original Mind Movie about. Natalie lets us in on the secret ingredients to making law of attraction work in your life. Nat and I talk step by step what elements one should consider when making a vision board about conceiving and having a healthy pregnancy. The mind is a powerful tool to attract what you want or don’t want. Learn how to feed it thoughts and images to influence the energetic world around you.   Natalie will inspire you to think bigger and make ‘audacious’ goals for yourself. She went from getting by to a life she never “in a million years” could have imagined. You will feel like anything is possible after listening to this podcast.

In this episode I discuss primal eating with nutritional goddess and primal nutrition expert Nora Gedgaudas. Nora talks about a pivotal time in her life. She lived among wolf packs in extremely remote regions of Northern Canada. There she witnesses the Native Inuit peoples who have continued to eat primarily as their ancestors have. High saturated fat and small portions of plant life and little processed foods. She observes their exceptionally good health and this makes her question everything she has ever believed about nutrition and “ideal diets.” During this time (because of lack of availability of fresh fruits and vegetables) she is also adapts a similar diet and loses 25 lbs. This experience sets her on a quest to learn about how and why our ancestors ate the way they did and how those principles could unlock the key to true vitality and a life of freedom of dis-ease. Nora reveals key components that must be part of every diet to optimize fertility as well as damaging misinformation that is wreaking havoc on the hormonal health of men and women.

In this episode we have the brilliant Dr. Sara Gottfried. Dr. Sara speaks from the heart when she discusses how her own experience with hormonal imbalance led her on an impassioned journey to find answers for herself and all women. “We don’t come with an operating manual” and so she set out to write a book which helps women navigate the changes that start to occur in their mid thirties and beyond. She discusses the important role of stress reduction as a key component to true health and wellness. She details out the effect stress has on the hormonal/reproductive system as well as gives tool and strategies to create more inner peace and lower cortisol levels.  Dr. Sara gives guidance for those who are trying to conceive which includes diagnostic advice and toxins to avoid. She also discusses the “levers” of aging and how to recognize and reverse the aging process to optimize fertility and feel your best.

We are very privileged to have such an incredible light-bearer share EFT with us. Thank you so much Nick Ortner! Everyone has problems which are weighing them down and it can seem like there is no way out at times. As Nick put it, you must acknowledge the negative, you must see the ‘dirt’ before you can clean it up and that’s what EFT is all about. Going through the layers of emotions, thoughts, feelings and experiences which are anchoring your biggest struggle inside you. And then addressing and untangling those ropes until your are free from all that to move on to the next stage. ‘Stress makes you dumber’ - Thank you Nick for pointing this out - when you are stressed your blood drains from your brain and goes to your muscles to prepare you for that flight-fight response so you are not in a place where you can have access to creative solutions. ‘Finding peace in your body’ will release the stress and enable you to see clearly what the next step is on this journey. Above all, using Nick’s words again; ‘Have compassion for yourself, you are not broken, it’s not your fault, have some self love and everything is going to work out’ - Start here and the next steps will reveal themselves. EFT is one of the fastest ways to change your state of mind and being and to release negativity. Happy tapping!

Dr. Iva Keene joins us today and brings with her a decade of experience in treating challenging fertility cases all around the world. In this episode we explore the question, “can you improve egg and sperm quality?” Many conventional doctors say, “no” while Dr. Iva says, “yes, but you must understand what that means.” Once you know what that means (and what you & your partner can do) you will feel empowered and excited. We talk about what’s impacting fertility in today’s world from Genetic Polymorphisms to declining sperm quality. Iva discusses important diagnostic tests such as food intolerance, MTHFR genetic mutation tests and why these tests can reveal very important factors that are causing infertility and miscarriages. Secondary infertility and its causes are discussed and Iva gives advice to those with secondary fertility or who have miscarried to before trying to conceive again. Iva also gives diet and lifestyle advice to women who have been diagnosed with PCOS and reveals what is absolutely crucial in managing this condition. We wrap up the episode discussing becoming a mom in your forties. Both Iva and I became first time moms at 41 and 42 and discuss having healthy babies at an older age has more to do with biological age than chronological age.