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3 episodes with lily nichols rdn
3 episodes with lily nichols rdn
4 episodes with lily nichols rdn
2 episodes with lily nichols rdn
2 episodes with lily nichols rdn
2 episodes with lily nichols rdn
2 episodes with lily nichols rdn
2 episodes with lily nichols rdn
2 episodes with lily nichols rdn
This is the second part of our two-part series all about Gestational Diabetes with Lily Nichols RDN. In this episode, we do an overview of testing options and discuss some of the lesser-known nuances of normal pregnancy metabolism - getting into some fascinating details around low blood sugars, continuous glucose monitors, and nutritive ketosis in pregnancy. We then discuss the conventional dietary recommendations and how they are insufficient and outdated and discuss the method of blood sugar management that Lily recommends to her clients to achieve the best outcomes. Also discussed is how this diagnosis of gestational diabetes can really come to wreck birth plans, even when it may not be applicable anymore - and how one can manage that best with their provider. Here we go!RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:Learn more from Lily Nichols:Website - www.lilynicholsrdn.comInstagram - @lilynicholsrdnLily's BooksLily's CoursesLily's article on Breakfast MistakesLily's article on CGM Experiment Part 1 & Part 2Healthy as a Mother Episode #87: Gestational Diabetes Part 1 with Lily NicholsHealthy As A Mother Episode #13: Baby Brain Support in Pregnancy with Ari CalhounEvidence-Based Birth Episodes on Big Babieshttps://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-induction-or-c-section-for-big-baby/https://evidencebasedbirth.com/what-are-the-birth-implications-for-a-suspected-big-baby-podcast/Stay Connected With Us:Healthy As A Mother: www.healthyasamother.comInstagram: @healthyasamotherpodcastDr. Leah: www.womanhoodwellness.comInstagram: @drleahgordonDr. Morgan: www.milkmedicine.comInstagram: @morganmacdermott
Gestational diabetes changes the direction of many women's pregnancies. Once the determination is made, things are not so straightforward after that. In this podcast we will explore how the path to birth changes once a diagnosis is made and what women can do to have a birth with as few complications as possible. We also look at what women can do to prevent the diagnosis in the first place. We discussed this important topic with Lily Nichols, who is a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition guidance. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is the co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!). They are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. Listen and Learn: How women can change things in their lives to avoid gestational diabetes What impact exercise has on blood sugar levels How much education most OBs/MFMs/FMOBs have in nutrition and gestational diabetes What tests are currently used to look for gestational diabetes and how accurate they are Why old standards of test outcomes are still in practice and what newer options are available that may be more predictive How the morning meal affects blood sugar levels Resources & Mentions: Lily Nichols' Website Related Products from InJoy: Understanding Pregnancy Curriculum Understanding Birth Curriculum Understanding Prenatal Nutrition
Send us a textThis week on The Less Stressed Life Podcast, I'm thrilled to have Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, back with us! In this episode, Lily gives us the scoop on her latest book, Real Food for Fertility, co-authored with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, which focuses on preconception nutrition for both women and men. We cover everything from improving sperm quality to the crucial role of nutrient-dense foods for both partners. Lily is all about breaking down myths, especially when it comes to avoiding fats and animal proteins, which are actually key players in healthy pregnancies. I love Lily's no-nonsense, research-backed approach, and I think you will too!Check out Lily's other books Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and Real Food for Pregnancy here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/books/KEY TAKEAWAYS:Why conventional guidelines for gestational diabetes often fail, and what actually helps with blood sugar controlHow preconception nutrition for both men and women affects fertility and pregnancyThe benefits of nutrient-dense foods like liver, meat, and seafood for hormone health and egg/sperm qualityThe role of environmental toxins in fertility and simple steps to minimize exposureWhy fats and animal proteins are essential for healthy pregnanciesHow myths around prenatal nutrition can hurt rather than helpLily's other episodes on the LSL:#031 Do you really need to eat for 2? 3 myths in prenatal nutrition & how to have a healthy pregnancy and postpartum experience with Real Food for Pregnancy Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE#204 Gestational Diabetes with Lily Nichols, RDNABOUT GUEST: Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is the founder of the Institute for Prenatal Nutrition™, co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy, and the author of three books: Real Food for Fertility (co-authored with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack), Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. She writes at https://lilynicholsrdn.com. WHERE TO FIND:Website: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilynicholsrdn/WHERE TO FIND CHRISTA:Website: https://www.christabiegler.com/Instagram: @anti.inflammatory.nutritionistPodcast Instagram: @lessstressedlifeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lessstressedlifeLeave a review, submit a questions for the podcast or take one of my quizzes here: ****https://www.christabiegler.com/linksNUTRITION PHILOSOPHY:Over restriction is deadWhole food is soul food and fed is bestSustainable, synergistic nutrition is in (the opposite of whack-a-mole supplementation & supplement graveyards)You don't have to figure it out aloneDo your best and leave the rest
In this episode I had the great pleasure of interviewing Lisa Hendrickson-Jack of Fertility Friday. Lisa is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, The Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa is also the host of the fertility Friday podcast, which covers all things women's health and fertility awareness! Connect with Lisa: https://fertilityfriday.com/ FAMM Practitioner Program with Lisa: https://www.fertilityfriday.com/a/2147664843/AcmPLgEM Connect with Holly: https://www.rosebudwellness.com/ Fertility Planning Session: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/rCGISOFO5MiA7y6Vakv8
Today midwife Sarah interviews Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE about her new book, “Real Food for Fertility”. Lily and Sarah talk all about the importance of protein for fertility, maximizing pre-conception nutritional intake, and how to avoid some of the common misconceptions and mistakes of the preconception period. --- Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. She is the founder of the Institute for Prenatal Nutrition®, co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy, and the author of three books: Real Food for Fertility (co-authored with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack), Real Food for Pregnancy, and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. She writes at https://lilynicholsrdn.com and you can find her on Instagram (@lilynicholsrdn). --- The Homebirth Midwife Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of midwifery, medicine, or other professional health care services. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast are at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. https://hearthandhomemidwifery.com
In this episode, I discuss how to eat to improve your health and fertility with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack. Topics discussed include: How big a role does nutrition play in fertility and infertility? Declining sperm counts Importance of a real food based diet The importance of protein on fertility How nutrition impacts ovarian function And more... Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. Email: info@fertilityfriday.com Fertility Friday: fertilityfriday.com Real Food For Fertility: realfoodforfertility.com The Fifth Vital Sign: thefifthvitalsignbook.com Instagram: @FertilityFriday Facebook: Facebook.com/FertilityFridays LinkedIn: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
The Episode was made possible by Immune Intel AHCC® & WeNatalAre you ready for a power hour? You are likely already familiar with my guests on today's episode, but if not, meet Lily and Lisa. Lily Nichols is the author of two of the most important nutritional books ever written pertaining to pregnancy: “Real Food for Pregnancy” and “Real Food for Gestational Diabetes”. Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is the author of “The Fifth Vital Sign”. Lily's work has been most relevant once you're already pregnant; Lisa's work has been beloved by those trying to conceive. Naturally, Lily and Lisa have combined forces to write the new bible for fertility: “Real Food for Fertility”. Guys, when I say I have found my new favorite reference, I mean it with over 2400 citations, “Real Food for Fertility” combined nutritional and metabolic science with fertility awareness tracking. We could have chatted for 6 hours in this interview, but we had to keep it to 60 min, so we dive deep into lifestyle modification and nutrition to improve egg and sperm quality, and you're going to be wowed!Visit the show notes for more.Connect with Lily Nichols:WebsiteInstagramXConnect with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack:WebsiteInstagramLinkedIn Reference from the show:WHO laboratory manual for the examination and processing of human semenBook “Real Food for Fertility” Read the first chapter for free or download the 2400+ reference listConnect with Nathan:Instagram | YoutubeMidwife in need of collaboration?Want to consult with Nathan?My Online Courses:Born Free Method: Pregnancy and Postpartum SupportClear + Free: Your Holistic Solution to Persistent HPVThis episode was made possible by:Immune Intel AHCC® - code BELOVED10 for 10% offWeNatal - Free bottle of fish oil with purchase of Him + Her prenatalsMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These...
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based Nutrition. She is the founder of the Institute for Prenatal Nutrition®, co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy, and the author of three books: Real Food for Fertility (co-authored with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack), Real Food for Pregnancy, and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. When she steps away from writing, you can find her spending time with her husband and two children — most likely outside or in the kitchen.Lily Nichols ResourcesInstagramWebsiteCGM Experiment Part 1CGM Experiment Part 2Real Food For Pregnancy - BookReal Food For Fertility - BookReal Food For Gestational Diabetes - BookSimplifying Life With Diabetes - Coaching Resources:Website: www.simplifyingdiabetes.comNewsletter Sign Up"More Than A1C" - My Signature Coaching ProgramThe Diabetes Nutrition Master CourseThe 5-Pillars Of Diabetes Success WorksheetSupport & Donate To The PodcastThe T1D Exchange Registry is a research study, conducted over time, for individuals with type 1 diabetes and their supporters. Participants volunteer to provide their data for Diabetes research. Once enrolled, Registry participants have the opportunity to sign up for other studies on vaSupport the Show.
In todays episode: Gestational diabetes Creative ways to navigate protein needs first trimester Low carb diets and glucose tolerance tests Soy fertility Vitamin A and pregnancy Postpartum nutrition Connect with Lily and find her resources: https://lilynicholsrdn.com
#041 In this episode, Lily Nichols, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of three transformative books, joins me to share her evidence-based approach to women's nutrition. Lily has significantly influenced nutrition guidelines and her works are pivotal in the reform of gestational diabetes guidelines in the Czech Republic. She discusses common nutritional misconceptions and provides science-backed advice that can revolutionize health practices for women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. We also tackle your questions from our weekly Q&A sessions, discussing pregnancy skincare adaptations and summer skincare tips to prevent breakouts.LILY'S BOOKS:real food for fertility https://amzn.to/45DAmaGreal food for pregnancy: https://amzn.to/3XBV09freal food for gestational diabetes: https://amzn.to/4cBgE1Qskinthusiast.com/pregnancy | Timestamp | Summary | 0:00 | Transforming Women's Health with Evidence-Based Nutrition | 5:44 | Challenges in Women's Nutrition and Pregnancy-Specific Dietary Needs | 11:55 | Protein and Collagen Supplementation During Early Pregnancy | 16:39 | Nutritional Gaps, Colostrum Supplements, and Raw Milk Considerations | 20:28 | Understanding Blood Sugar Balance and Its Impact on Health | 27:18 | Optimizing Pregnancy and Fertility Through Diet and Lifestyle Changes | 37:04 | Balancing Budget and Nutrition with Whole Foods Over Processed OptionsTo watch the video version of this episode head to the Youtube page!Need a full skincare overhaul? Check out our Comprehensive Skincare Routine Digital GuideConnect with me:Amy's Instagramwww.skinthusiast.com
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb approach for managing gestational diabetes. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily's clinical expertise and extensive background in prenatal nutrition have made her a highly sought after consultant and speaker in the field. Lily's second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what's optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date. Lily is also creator of the popular blog, www.LilyNicholsRDN.com, which explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition. Website & Social media links (Facebook, instagram, twitter) https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilynicholsrdn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilatesNutritionist Twitter: https://twitter.com/LilyNicholsRDN Book: https://realfoodforfertility.com/ Takeaways Optimizing health prior to conception is crucial for a healthy pregnancy. Balancing macronutrients, such as carbohydrates and protein, is important for fertility. Including organ meats, like liver, in the diet can provide essential nutrients for fertility. Concerns about toxins in liver are unfounded, as the liver does not store toxins. Vitamin A toxicity is rare and usually associated with synthetic supplements, not whole food sources like liver. Click here to find out how to get the first chapter of "The Way of Fertility" for free. For more information about Michelle, visit www.michelleoravitz.com The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/ Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/ Transcript: Michelle (00:00) Welcome to the podcast, Lily. Lily (00:01) Thanks for having me. Michelle (00:02) I'm definitely excited to talk to you a lot about your book that just came out, which by the way, congratulations, it looks like it's doing phenomenal as I knew it would. it just has so many great tips and information and research. So, before we get started, I'd love for you to introduce yourself, your background, how you got into this work, and also what inspired you to write the book with Lisa. Lily (00:24) Yeah, sure. So first of all, thank you for the kind words in the book. We're very excited that it's been welcomed with open arms. My work, my professional background is as a registered dietitian nutritionist and also a diabetes educator. And I've really spent the majority of my career working in the women's health space, spanning the whole childbearing years from preconception through pregnancy, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding. Also focusing on certain pregnancy complications, especially gestational diabetes. So that's really what I found working in many different areas in the prenatal space from clinical practice to public policy to training other practitioners to not just like conventional clinical practice, but my own private practice is that. There's often a significant difference between what actually works well for helping to maintain optimal health and healthy pregnancies versus what the guidelines recommend that we do. And so a lot of the whole reason I even started writing books was that it became kind of frustrating to me hearing from clients who, or from other practitioners who were kind of dutifully following the guidelines and their clients were not getting. Michelle (01:16) Mm-hmm. Lily (01:36) good results. And I happen to love reading research and writing about it and having kind of worked through some of these issues myself already in practice, I decided to take to writing about it to get it to a wider audience outside of just my own clinical practice. So yeah, we now have three books. I have Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, my first one, Real Food for Pregnancy and now Real Food for Fertility. And the whole reason that I thought adding this third book to the lineup would be helpful and why Lisa and I decided to do it together is that the whole issue of trying to have a healthy pregnancy, avoid complications, optimize your baby's development and all that, while what you eat during pregnancy certainly does matter, otherwise I wouldn't have written about it and wouldn't advocate for it. Technically, if we really want to optimize outcomes, you want to be looking in advance of the pregnancy. You want to have a healthy lead up to that pregnancy, because a lot of the very sensitive periods of babies' development are in those early weeks. Many of us are aware of the conversation around folate and preventing neural tube defects, for example, and how you want to optimize your intake preconception. I mean, public. Public health only calls out one nutrient, but you can extend that same logic for a number of different nutrients. And if we can optimize health prior to conception, and ideally in both partners, not just mom, but also for dad, then we can optimize the chances of a healthy pregnancy. Part of why I really wanted Lisa on board for this project, I mean, we had been talking about doing this for years. Michelle (03:01) Yeah. Lily (03:13) was with her expertise in the menstrual cycle and hormonal health. I mean, she works with helping couples both conceive and also prevent pregnancy using fertility awareness. It's also an important part of the conversation to get your menstrual cycle in check, which reflects that your hormones are in check and your menstrual cycle is only in a good place when your nutrient status is in check. And if you wanna achieve pregnancy, you could be doing everything perfectly right, but if you're not getting the timing right. Michelle (03:34) Mm-hmm. Lily (03:40) for sex, you're not going to conceive if you're not, you know, doing this in your fertile window. If you're not in your fertile window, pregnancy isn't going to happen, right? So bringing in that conversation around hormones and the menstrual cycle, kind of using your cycle as a reflection of what might be going on health-wise, which can sort of steer you in the direction of areas that need some attention, and also building in the conversation around male health and sperm quality. Michelle (03:41) Mm-hmm. Bye. Lily (04:05) That's really where Lisa shines. So I think we really, you know, brought our heads together to bring you the best of both worlds so we can optimize fertility, optimize your chances of conception, and then also pave the way for a healthier pregnancy ahead. Michelle (04:18) Yeah, I mean, it is very important to definitely start early because obviously the quality that you'll get from the sperm and the egg is going to make a huge difference in the pregnancy. So it is something that like, I remember this is way back when I was getting, when I was trying, and people were talking to me about folic acid at the time, it was folic acid, not folate. That's kind of what they were talking about a lot. And people were saying, you have to do this way before you even start, because obviously it's such an important part, that early section. And you can't just have your body ready with all the nutrients when you give it to the body right at that point. You have to do it ahead of time, because obviously your body needs to process and it has to translate. And I remember you talking about sperm and egg. really like the food being similar for both. And I thought that was really cool because sometimes it seems kind of like this two separate thing, but it really is ultimately like us humans, our bodies need nutrients and those nutrients help reproductive health. And it's nice to know that, you know, it's nice to look at it that way, that it really is like the quality is impacted. similarly for men and women with very similar foods. So I wanted, I mean, I know this is a long range, but if you could just talk about like the basics, the macros, that people should be focusing on when it comes to sperm and egg quality. Lily (05:36) Sure. Yes, there is thankfully a lot of overlap between male and female health, although there are some differences as well. But the kind of take home point is that doing a lot of the same health practices has carry over benefits for both. You don't need to be cooking separate meals for your partner just because, yeah. So Michelle (05:53) Yeah. Lily (05:55) Some of the things that are really key for both male and female fertility are keeping your blood sugar in a healthy range. And so when it comes to carbohydrates, for example, finding a level of carbohydrates that your body can process without experiencing significant hyperglycemia, like high blood sugar after meals, is optimal. A lot of that comes down to the quality of carbohydrates Michelle (06:16) Mm-hmm. Lily (06:18) less processed whole food carbohydrates, you know, your fruits, your vegetables, even a little bit of whole grains or fermented grains like sourdough, beans, legumes, like those sorts of things have much, although they do impact blood sugar levels, they have a much lesser effect on blood sugar levels than if most of your carbohydrates are coming from sugar, white flour, all the refined grains and the processed foods. In the U.S. we're in a situation where 58% of calories on the average American diet are coming from ultra processed foods. And those are usually foods that have a base of some type of refined sugar, like corn syrup, some type of a refined starch, like white flour, low quality, like vegetable oil, seed oils, and then all the other ingredients that you can't even pronounce. that are in there to make this food-like substance actually appeal. And so if we just shift the balance over to whole foods, massive benefits, not just for blood sugar levels, but nutrient intake. Another key one is getting your protein in check. Protein does not raise your blood sugar levels unlike carbohydrates, and so having plenty of protein with every single time you're eating, having some form of protein. whether it's a meal or a snack, can do a lot to help blunt the elevation in blood sugar that we experience naturally from carbohydrate foods. So especially starting your morning with a protein-rich breakfast for both male and female clients is hugely important to setting the stage for healthy blood sugar and insulin levels, healthy cortisol levels, healthy hormone balance for the rest of the day. And then... Since most of our whole food protein sources naturally come with fat. So think like eggs come with the yolk, chicken has skin, steak has fat on it, right? Like nuts and seeds have fat. If we're not taking out the fat out of our whole protein rich foods obsessively, we kind of don't even have to like really worry all that much about the fat conversation. But if you leave the fat intact in the whole food, Michelle (08:11) Yeah. Lily (08:16) Those foods are going to be more satiating. They fill you up, they keep you fuller for longer. They help sustain healthier blood sugar levels, and they have a number of nutrients in them that are important for our health, especially our fat-soluble vitamins. Absolutely vital that you have enough of those for fertility. Michelle (08:30) second. Another thing that I do notice actually with a lot of my patients, and I've seen this more recently, it doesn't always happen, but people skipping breakfast. And I wanna talk about that because I know that there's been a lot of research on intermittent fasting and it was beneficial for men and it was researched really for men. It wasn't researched as much for women. And I just, I also know and heard that like cortisol can rise from skipping breakfast and that can throw off hormones. And I wanted to get your take on that and why it's important really to eat breakfast and have protein rich foods, especially in good healthy fats. Lily (09:04) Yeah. Yeah, we do have a section on intermittent fasting in the book because we're asked about it all the time. So ultimately, yeah, most of the research on intermittent fasting has been done in men. There's been a little bit of work in women and in very specific instances, which I can talk about, it can be a tool that's beneficial. But for the most part, intermittent fasting for women raises some red flags. Primary reason is that our menstrual cycle is very sensitive to disruptions in energy intake. And not just energy intake over the whole day, but like even periods of time within the day where your body senses what we'd refer to as low energy availability. So you're not eating for certain periods of time during the day, long spans of time during the day, particularly in those who are exercising a lot. When your body senses that there's not fuel there, the response is a reduction in your hormone levels. And so we see in women who under eat, and we even have like controlled feeding trials on this where they can measure precisely the level of caloric deficit that results in menstrual cycle disturbances. If your calorie intake dips below about 25%, so you're eating a, quarter less food than you, your body actually needs, you see hormonal changes. Um, and within a couple of months that typically results in an issue with the menstrual cycle. Um, oftentimes it starts with like a short luteal phase or premenstrual spotting or more PMS or something like that. Um, and then ends up with ultimately complete anovulation. You stop ovulating and eventually stop cycling altogether. Um, so. you essentially set up a situation of hypothalamic amenorrhea. So if we're restricting our food intake too low, this is going to happen. When most people do intermittent fasting, they're doing it in a way where they skip a meal. Oftentimes it is breakfast. And what we know from the research on skipping breakfast is these people are not making up the caloric deficit at their other meals. So they still over the course of the day, end up eating less food. you couple that with the sort of mindset that most people go into intermittent fasting with. Most people who are attempting intermittent fasting are doing it with the goal of weight loss. And so there's not really an approach of, oh, I'm just gonna eat all the same amount of food in a shorter eating window. It's like, oh no, I'm going to shorten my eating window and also eat less. So the trials that have shown Michelle (11:27) Bye. Lily (11:29) benefits for intermittent fasting for women. And these are very small studies by the way. So, you know, take it for what it is, but these are in women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome. They were overweight or obese. And so, you know, likely have some insulin resistance going on and may benefit their hormonal profile, may actually benefit from a little bit of weight loss. It can benefit from. reducing levels of insulin resistance. The way they implemented intermittent fasting was they consumed all of their meals between 8 a.m. And 4 p.m. They didn't skip meals and they also didn't do it in a caloric deficit They simply ate their food at an early eating window in the day and in that trial they specifically had them continue to consume the same amount of calories. Now Michelle (12:09) Mm-hmm. Lily (12:16) This resulted in dramatic improvement in their PCOS. You saw improvement in their insulin, their blood sugar levels, their androgens, their just the whole hormonal profile also resulted in weight loss. But these are in women who can benefit from a little bit of weight loss. They're specifically not under eating and they're also not skipping breakfast. Breakfast is a time when your body is actually expecting. Michelle (12:35) Right. Lily (12:38) the most amount of food. Like we have trials for women with PCOS that are not intermittent fasting trials where they test out a same diet, but a different like breakdown of when you're having your calories. So they've done like large breakfast, moderate lunch, small dinner, or the reverse, small breakfast, moderate lunch, large dinner. And when you front load your food with a greater caloric intake at breakfast, tapering down over the day, even when the calories are matched, you see greater improvement. in their metabolic health when you're front loading your food. And so this, essentially this intermittent fasting trial kind of did the same thing. Um, by default, by stopping eating at 4 PM, you are tapering down your, you know, caloric intake fairly early in the day. That may not be realistic or achievable for a lot of people, especially if you're a working person or you have, you know, a family and they're eating dinner at like six o'clock and you're missing out. Right. But just to say there's different ways of achieving the same thing without having to cut off your eating window so early. But the greatest importance and what I've seen the most in practice benefiting my clients' metabolic health, whether or not they're trying to conceive or pregnant or postpartum, well whatever, male or female, is getting a sufficient protein-rich breakfast in. really sets the stage for better regulation of your appetite and hunger and fullness cues throughout the day. Less like mindless eating and overeating and just better nutrient intake as a whole. And I think any of this, any of us can very easily experiment with this, right? Notice how you feel on the days when you skip breakfast. Notice how you feel in the days when you have an imbalanced, super high carb breakfast like bagel or cereal or oatmeal and then notice the difference on the days when you're starting your morning with like eggs or maybe like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese like or leftover dinner that has protein in it some protein rich breakfast and notice how you feel through the morning at Your appetite at lunchtime whether you get an afternoon slump It's pretty easy within a couple days to like feel the difference for this. So Michelle (14:19) Right. Lily (14:41) I always am like trying to bring people back to their own body. Like how do you feel when you do this? Because my experience with clients really across the board is most feel better when they're getting that balanced breakfast in versus skipping it. Michelle (14:56) it's true. I love that you kind of get people to tune in with themselves. Like, how does this feel for you? Because ultimately, I think that that's the best experiment you can feel it from the inside out. You can really experience the feeling that it gives you. And also, Ayurvedic medicine, they always talk about Agni, which comes out, it increases, it's your own digestifier and your own digestifier is very much responsive to nature. and when the sun comes out and during the day. And at breakfast and at lunch, our Agni is the highest because of the way the sun is up. And during that time to take advantage of eating, because that's when our bodies are gonna be able to process and digest food the most. And we should actually taper it down towards the end of the day when the sun goes down, our digestive system goes down, our metabolism slows down, and we're ready. Our bodies are preparing for bed. And so it's very intuitive, you know, what you're saying. Lily (15:48) Yeah, it makes perfect sense. Yeah. Michelle (15:50) Yeah, let's talk about maybe the phases, the follicular phase and the luteal phase, anything that you can contribute. I'm sure there's just so much. So I'm going to be asking you questions where I'm sure that you can go really into detail and you're not going to be able to. But just to get like more of a general for people short follicular phase. I know that a lot of attention is not really put on that. Most people are focusing on like luteal phase defect. as far as food, is there anything that you think about when it comes to a short follicular Lily (16:18) I mean the follicular phase is naturally going to be shortening over time as women approach menopause. So even starting in the late 30s, you can women just start sort of prepping for ovulation like earlier, like even maybe when they're you know, towards the end of their last cycle. And so some of that may just be an age thing. I will say, under-eating as a whole does tend to shorten the cycle length, and that would probably also carry over into the follicular phase a little bit, although we usually are focusing on the luteal phase defect, where it's getting shorter, you start having other symptoms of low progesterone levels and all of that. So I would say... take a look at your overall caloric intake. Like are you overdoing it with the exercise and then under fueling with food as a whole? We see lower hormone levels in women who are not only under eating but specifically under eating fat. And... Michelle (17:17) Mm-hmm. Lily (17:18) So if that's going on, there's a possibility that your hormone levels across the board, not just progesterone, but also estrogen could be lower. I mean, we have trials where they have specifically assigned women to a low fat diet for the purpose of lowering estrogen levels because we thought maybe that would be, you know, preventative for estrogen driven breast cancers later in life, right? And it works, you put people on a low. diet their estrogen levels plummet as well as their progesterone. So I would take a look at your macro balance are you being too restrictive on fat? Like I said since fat goes hand-in-hand with protein like other than what you're adding separate to food if you're under eating protein you're probably also under eating more likely to be under eating fat as well because they often come packaged together. Addressing the low fat issue may also involve addressing a low protein intake as a whole. And for those who are really like aware of calories from food, you know that fat is a more concentrated source of calories. So oftentimes for people who are calorie counting and dieting, that's the nutrient that they try to eliminate the most. So I would have some awareness on that. You may want to like dial down. the exercise a little bit as well. Typically, when we think of nutrient changes over the cycle, the luteal phase, it's a little bit mixed in the research, but generally, we expect a slight increase in calorie requirements in the luteal phase. It seems to be that the desire for more food and specific cravings are more common in those who have hormonal issues like low progesterone levels, maybe your body's trying to like make up for it, eat a little more so we can keep that hormone production going. But if that egg was not in the best quality because it wasn't, you were undernourished during the follicular phase, you're gonna have that show up in the luteal phase as well, right? So I think it kind of comes full circle, but I would say focusing on nutrient adequacy. Michelle (18:52) Yeah, right. Lily (19:11) would be where I would target it. While also acknowledging the follicular phase is likely just going to get shorter over time, the closer you get to menopause. And that's not necessarily something you have to like super stress about if everything else seems to be okay. Michelle (19:25) Another thing that I actually noticed as you were talking, it's something that I've noticed like maybe once or twice, like that there's a link for me that I've seen with vegan diets impacting a shorter follicular phase. two cases that I'm kind of like thinking in my mind. And I'm wondering if it's because you're not, you're not really getting the animal fat. Lily (19:35) Mmm. Yeah. Michelle (19:45) you're not getting the same kind of protein as you would from animal protein. It's just, and there's a lot of nutrients that you're also not able to really get with a vegan diet. Lily (19:45) and protein. Yes, and that's definitely an area worth mentioning for sure. We have a whole chapter on vegetarian diets that goes into quite a bit of detail. So vegans in particular tend to eat fewer calories, less protein, and less fat than their omnivorous counterparts. And we do see a significantly higher rate of hypothalamic amenorrhea. in vegetarians and vegans, likely for that reason. There also tends to be, it's not always, but there's a higher prevalence of eating disorders among that group. In a way, it kind of gives you like the perfect cover for your eating disorder. Actually, I was just doing an interview with another podcast recently where the host was talking about that being part of her history, that she did use a vegetarian diet and a vegan diet to sort of cover. for the eating disorder. Oh, I can't have any, is it vegan? Oh no, no thanks, right? Like you could just decline food across the board because it doesn't meet whatever standards or restrictions are part of the diet. So that can be another reason where it's like, yes, there are legitimate concerns about nutrient adequacy, but also some people are doing it as a way to restrict their caloric intake as well, which. regardless of which foods are or are not in your diet, a caloric deficit is gonna create problems. But I do see significantly higher rate of cycle issues in vegetarian and vegan clients. And this is not just my practice, not just your practice. This is like per all the documented research as well. Is that a statistically higher rate on average, even if it's not gonna affect every single person who's on such a diet. Michelle (21:27) Yeah, I see it quite a bit. some people really take it like religiously. It's something that they really feel ethically very connected to. So depending on how people feel, and then some people just don't like the taste of meat in which I'll... offer beef liver pills and things like that to get around that. And we talked about Oregon meats actually last time, and I loved our conversation on that. I would love to get your take again on Oregon meats and why Oregon meats are superior really. And they're so nutrient dense and supportive for overall health, fertility health, Lily (21:44) Yeah. Michelle (22:01) We'd love to get your thoughts on that because I thought that was such an interesting topic we spoke about. Lily (22:03) Sure. Yeah, so I mean, cross-culturally, there has often been an emphasis on including certain nutrient-rich foods in the diet prior to conception and during pregnancy, kind of prioritizing them for the child-bearing future parents in the tribe, male or female. And that's kind of for good reason, if you look at the micronutrient content of them. Each organ has different nutrients that are particularly high in this organ versus that organ. Liver tends to be the most nutrient dense. There's a few exceptions for some micronutrients that are higher in like heart or spleen or kidney or some of these other organs. They certainly have their place, even if they're maybe less commonly consumed in our current Western diet. But we see... vastly higher rates of things like higher levels of nutrients like vitamin b12, choline, iron, zinc, vitamin a certainly and liver, and many different minerals in there as well. Both the big ones like iron and zinc and some of the like minerals we need in slightly smaller amounts like selenium and whatnot copper. So Those foods, even when eaten in fairly small quantities, kind of act as like, uh, almost like a way to fortify your diet with extra nutrients. So if anybody has ever done like a cow share, for example, where you're buying the meat from a whole animal, you can also choose to get organs, which I always do, but you get, you know, hundreds of pounds of meat, maybe from a single cow and you get one liver, right? Which might be like, Michelle (23:35) Mm-hmm. Lily (23:36) the biggest liver I've ever gotten was like eight pounds. Must have been a big cow. But like you you're not getting like a huge amount relative to the rest of the meat that you're getting, but by including it in your diet, it doesn't have to be every day. We're talking maybe once a week or once every other week. Having a little bit of organ meats in there really does fortify your diet with a lot of these nutrients that are in lesser quantities in muscle meat. So B12 for example, it's like 200 times more concentrated in organ meats than it is in muscle meats. If you were to calculate out the vitamin A for liver versus muscle meats, it'd be crazy because liver is the by far the richest source of vitamin A in our diets, like bar none. So these nutrients are really vitally important to the processes of ovulation, for the formation of sperm, for the liver and organ meats have cholesterol in them and all of our steroid hormones are built on a backbone of cholesterol. So they're giving us kind of the raw materials necessary for our fertility. So huge fan of including some organ meats every once in a while in your diet. I have to give those qualifiers because sometimes when people hear me talking about organ meats, they think that I'm eating liver like three times a day or something. And I'm like, no, maybe like once a week, but. Michelle (24:49) Yeah. Lily (24:49) having it as part of the diet and it often does need to be specifically something you focus on because many of us do not have the taste for including liver. It's something we have to go out of our way to find because oftentimes it's not at the regular grocery store. Like I talk about it because of its nutrient density but I also have to like you know clarify quantity and frequency of consumption. So for those who do not want to or don't have access to or do not enjoy the flavor of eating liver or organ meats, there are yes, desiccated organ supplements on the market. And yes, I've seen those provide huge benefits for clients who aren't consuming animal foods otherwise. That and also shellfish, like oysters or clams are very nutrient dense. And sometimes I'll have vegan clients who are willing to consume those, but not organ meats, right? So whatever gets it, gets the nutrients down the hatches, you know, whatever works. Michelle (25:40) Yeah, for sure. And so I actually wanted to talk about two common concerns that people have with liver. They think that because it cleans out toxins, that And then also the vitamin A content, because they think about vitamin A toxicity, which is different in food versus just taking vitamin A pills. So I'd love your take on that. Lily (26:01) Yes, so yeah, we'll cover the toxin conversation. People are often very concerned about the toxin levels in liver. If you look at the data we have on like analyzing the levels of toxins and heavy metals and other things in different parts of an animal, the liver is not particularly higher in those contaminants than other parts of the animal. So I always find it kind of weird that people want to zero in on I'm not going to eat that because it might be higher in contaminants when it doesn't even hold true. But be the quantity of liver you're consuming relative to muscle meats. You'd probably be getting more toxins overall from the muscle meats, but also you can find a reason to make any food like evil, right? You can find a reason to avoid anything. We're not gonna eat rice because the arsenic. We're not gonna have Michelle (26:35) Yeah, but also... It's true. Lily (26:49) I don't know, we're not going to have shellfish because it might have cadmium or lead, even though you don't absorb most of what's in there. We're not going to have fish because of mercury, likewise, you don't absorb most of what's in there. If you really want to take it to that level, you are going to find something wrong with every single food. With liver though, it functions more as a... Michelle (27:06) It's true. Lily (27:10) It's somewhat of a filter because it filters your blood, of course. It's not holding on to all the toxins, but it also transforms the toxins. But a lot of what the liver does is there's different stages of detoxification and part of what it does is attach molecules and things to the toxins to make them easier for your body to excrete. and then they're excreted in the bile, or maybe they go through the bloodstream and are excreted through the kidneys, or maybe you sweat and you sweat it out through your skin, or maybe it grows out through your hair, but it's not holding onto the toxins. It's trying to make them less toxic so your body can excrete them through your pathways of detoxification. So I think it's silly to think of the liver as a storehouse of toxins that actually isn't really true. It is a storehouse of nutrients Michelle (27:43) Right. Lily (27:57) process of all the things the liver does, detoxification is just one of many, many functions. Those are highly nutrient dependent activities. So it does hold on to nutrients because you need these nutrients as cofactors for all these different liver enzymes that are actively doing so many jobs to keep you alive. So if anything the liver is a storehouse of nutrients, not toxins. is a storehouse for vitamin A. It really is. It has more vitamin A than any other food and it is also a storehouse for a number of other nutrients as well. Whether the vitamin A and liver is particularly toxic, A, I think we have to be speaking about the quantity. As I said, I'm not recommending people consume massive quantities of liver. I'm talking three to six ounces a week, which provides less vitamin A than the so-called tolerable upper limit. The concerns over toxicity I think are twofold. A lot of people are worried about pregnancy specifically. You have to understand the studies they use to show that an intake of vitamin A was potentially toxic to the fetus was from synthetic supplemental vitamin A. Michelle (29:03) Right. Lily (29:03) So you can measure the metabolites in the blood after consuming vitamin A from different sources and you do not see the spikes in the harmful metabolites of vitamin A to the same degree from whole food sources like liver as you do from isolated synthetic vitamin A supplements. That said, I still don't recommend people consume so much liver that you're exceeding the tolerable upper limit, which again, three to six ounces of liver a week is perfectly fine. There's a caveat, if you're up in the Arctic, don't eat polar bear liver because it is ridiculously concentrated in vitamin A. You can legitimately get toxicity, but you're not getting that level of vitamin A from beef liver, chicken liver, something like that. The case studies we have on vitamin A toxicity, which by the way usually self-resolves anyways, even if it is encountered, but nonetheless. These are in people... Michelle (29:36) Mm-hmm. Right. Lily (29:53) I haven't seen one documented other than there was one case study in small children who were given like four ounces of chicken liver every day. They're infants. That's too much. That's too much liver. So yeah, exactly. I'm like what? But that again in that case study that self-resolved on its own. All the other case studies I've seen Michelle (30:04) Yeah, it's too much. It's like, how do they even eat it? Lily (30:15) Um, we're either there's two I can think of that were polar bear liver. I've never seen one from chicken or beef liver. All the rest of the case studies on vitamin A toxicity are synthetic supplemental vitamin A, and they're usually people taking mega doses, like hundreds of thousands of I use a vitamin A per day daily for years, which if you equate that to liver would be like. Multiple pounds of liver per day, every single day for years, like Michelle (30:37) That's crazy. Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. Lily (30:39) something that you simply don't see in clinical practice. So I do recommend that people do keep an eye on their total vitamin A intake if they're big fans of liver or if they're doing liver capsules. And particularly if you're also taking like a multivitamin or a prenatal vitamin that has that preformed vitamin A, we don't wanna go crazy overboard. I used to never need to give this caveat, but now that everybody's talking about organ needs and so many people are supplementing, I have had people come in where they're taking like a multi-organ supplement, a liver, desiccated liver supplement, and they're taking like the highest potency prenatal on the market that already has a decent amount of vitamin A. And I'm like, okay, well, we can probably cool it on some of these. Like the risk of overtly something terrible happening is quite slim. Michelle (31:19) Right. Somewhere. Lily (31:25) But I do think we're at a point where I'm like, okay, if you're consuming more than about the equivalent of like six ounces of liver per week, you just, your body simply doesn't need that much. And so if you have a case like that where they're taking in liver in many different forms plus like a high potency multivitamin, or even if they're taking, you know, a separate all that much all on top of it. I still out of an abundance of caution keep my recommended intake below the tolerable upper limit. Even if you know that level it's set very conservatively but again from the most conservative angle I try to keep it under the tolerable upper limit just to be safe. Michelle (32:03) Yes. And then also, yeah, I mean, a lot of this is obviously common sense because like, people aren't going to eat like ridiculous amounts or shouldn't, you know, eat ridiculous amounts of anything. So it's just a matter of really balancing things out. As far as beef versus chicken liver, what are your thoughts on that? Lily (32:20) I mean, both are nutrient dense. There's a handful of things that may be higher in chicken liver off the top of my head without looking at a nutrient analysis. And I'm pretty sure I have a table of this in my article on liver and organ meats on my website. But off the top of my head, chicken liver is higher in folate. It's a little higher in iron. Beef liver is a little higher in... vitamin A, for example. So you'll see slight differences in the nutritional profile. They're both ridiculously nutrient dense. You will certainly have differences in the flavor. So the liver from larger animals has a richer flavor than the liver from smaller animals like chickens. So, and also the texture is different. The liver from beef is a little more tough. versus the liver from chicken tends to be very tender. So if somebody's brand new to consuming liver, I'm probably gonna have them opt for something like chicken liver and maybe try beef liver a little later. Some of it has to do with how you cook it too. If you look at like traditional recipes for cooking liver, it's usually kind of marinated or soaked in something for a while ahead of time that eases the flavor a bit. And then it is... pan-fried at a kind of slightly lower temp and for a short period of time. You're not overcooking it. The longer you cook it, the more that kind of metallic iron flavor comes out and the tougher that it gets. So that's my only caveat there. I think chicken liver is an easier gateway into consuming liver than beef. But you could see what... Michelle (33:36) Bye. Lily (33:50) what you like. You can also do, you mentioned talking about other organ meats. So heart is a very, a much more mild flavor than liver. I mean, liver has a stronger, more metallic kind of flavor. So you can also do heart. Chicken hearts are like a delicacy in many countries and South America, they're often like skewered and grilled over the fire. You can even do like I have a recipe for Thai chili beef heart skewers on my website. Those can be like It's much larger, so it has to be sliced up and everything, but when it's marinated, I mean, it's like a more flavorful steak. Heart is a very lean meat because it's a muscle, so it really has more of a steak kind of texture. You can slow cook it. We have like a beef heart stew recipe in real food for fertility that you could make. So that's an easier one for people to try. Michelle (34:33) Mm-hmm. Lily (34:34) even though the nutritional profile is a little different. Like there's no concerns about the vitamin A and in beef heart, for example, but it's really rich in iron, it's rich in CoQ10, it's rich in zinc, B12, many other things. It's like a slightly more robust, very lean muscle meat kind of a flavor. Michelle (34:39) Bye. of course I could pick your brain for hours because you're just so well fed for information. I really enjoy talking to you. But I know that you have to go. And I would love for you to share with the listeners how they can find you and how they can find food for fertility. And basically, do you work with people online or do you offer any? Lily (35:10) I'm not taking one-on-one clients anymore, but I do have referrals to the practitioners I train via the Institute for prenatal nutrition, many of which also specialize in fertility as well. But yeah, you can find me on my website, lillynicholsrdn.com. As I mentioned, there's, you know, when I refer to articles, those are all on my website. There's no paywall on my website. So just click the blog tab. You can search in the search bar for whatever search terms there are. hundreds of articles up there. So definitely take advantage of that free resource. As for my books, you can find those on my site as well. Just go to the Books tab. Real Food for Fertility has its own website, real You can download the first chapter for free from that site and also check out the book on Amazon. And as far as social media, you can find me at Lily Nichols RDN over on Instagram. That's usually where I am. I'm also on the other platforms. I just don't spend a whole lot of my time on social media as a whole these days. Michelle (36:08) Awesome. Well, Lily, it was such a pleasure talking to you. I love all of the information you shared, and I know that it's going to be so valuable. And you guys got to check out the book. It's amazing, Real Food for Fertility. Thank you so for coming on today. Lily (36:22) Thank you for having me.
Become a member of The Metabolic Initiative to access exclusive episodes and earn CMEs! Registered dietitian, Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, is back on The Metabolic Link, this time in an intimate interview that dives into the critical links between metabolic health, perinatal nutrition, and long-term wellbeing. This episode dives deep into how nutrition during the childbearing years can affect not only mothers but their children throughout their lives.Lily, who is also a New York Times bestselling author of key books on prenatal nutrition, unpacks the significance of blood sugar balance, the role of various micronutrients, and the timing and composition of meals in optimizing fertility and pregnancy health. She shares her expertise on managing gestational diabetes through dietary adjustments and explains how both maternal and paternal health can influence pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, the conversation includes discussions around fertility treatments and assisted reproductive technologies.About Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE:Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based nutrition. She is the founder of the Institute for Prenatal Nutrition®, co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy, and the author of three books: Real Food for Fertility, Real Food for Pregnancy, and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes.We're hosting a Live Q&A with Lily Nichols as a follow up to this episode on June 12th at 8am PT/11am ET! Bring your questions and join our medical education platform with a FREE 7-day free trial. Click here to register. Special thanks to our sponsors:Genova Connect, powered by Genova Diagnostics offers easy access to advanced lab tests. Receive 15% off any of their tests with code metaboliclink at https://gdx.net/themetaboliclink LMNT, a zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix free of artificial colors and dodgy ingredients. Get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any drink mix purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/metaboliclinkTimeline, a Swiss based life science company, is a global leader in Urolithin A research. Timeline is offering 10% off your first order of Mitopure. Go to timeline.com/METABOLICLINK & use code METABOLICLINKIn every episode of The Metabolic Link, we'll uncover the very latest research on metabolic health and therapy. If you like this episode, please share it, subscribe, follow, and leave us a comment or review on whichever platform you use to tune in!You can find us on all your major podcast players here and full episodes are also up on our Metabolic Health Summit YouTube channel, Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Buzzsprout.Follow us on social media @metabolichealthsummit for the latest science on metabolic health and therapy. Please keep in mind: The Metabolic Link does not provide medical or health advice, but rather general information that does not serve as a substitute for a licensed healthcare professional. Never delay in seeking medical advice from an appropriately licensed medical provider for any health condition that you may have.
Lisa Hendrickson-Jack (@fertilityfriday) is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who trains women's health practitioners to use their menstrual cycle as a vital sign in their practices. She is the founder of the Fertility Awareness Mastery MentorshipTM program. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health.We dive deep into all things fertility, nutrition, cycle tracking, stress, cervical mucus and much more! Join the 7 day group cleanse in June!Buy the Zencleanz Detox Here code EVAHOOFTLisa's website Real Food For Fertility - book
YOUR BIRTH, GOD’S WAY - Christian Pregnancy, Natural Birth, Postpartum, Breastfeeding Help
Prenatal nutrition is one of the only things you can truly control during pregnancy. If you've listened long to my podcast, you know that's something I preach over and over, especially in episodes 23-26 and 88. In today's episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, author of three books all about this topic. You can find the links to the books below as well as links to the articles she references during our discussion! Lily's Folic acid vs. folate article Lily's Article about "Can You Eat Too Much Fish During Pregnancy" (discusses mercury in pregnancy) Real Food for Pregnancy book Real Food for Gestational Diabetes book Real Food for Fertility book Learn more about Lily Nichols on her website -- Lily's Website Helpful Links: 2 WAYS TO WORK WITH LORI: --> Sign up HERE for the Your Birth, God's Way Online Christian Childbirth Course! This is a COMPLETE childbirth education course with a God-led foundation taught by a certified nurse-midwife with over 20 years of experience in all sides of the maternity world conducted LIVE this summer. Learn more or sign up HERE! --> Sign up for your PERSONALIZED Pregnancy Coaching Midwife & Me Power Hour HERE These consults can include: birth plan consultation, past birth processing, second opinions, breastfeeding consultation, and so much more! Think of it as a special, one-hour appointment with a midwife to discuss whatever your concerns may be without any bias of practice policy or insurance policy influencing recommendations. Get Christian pregnancy and birth merch HERE Lori's Recommended Resources HERE Sign up for email updates Here Be heard! Take My Quick SURVEY to give input on future episodes you want to hear --> https://bit.ly/yourbirthsurvey Got questions? Email lori@yourbirthgodsway.com Socials: Follow Your Birth, God's Way on Instagram! Follow the Your Birth, God's Way Facebook Page! Join Our Exclusive Online Birth Community -- facebook.com/groups/yourbirthgodsway Learn more about Lori and the podcast at yourbirthgodsway.com! FREE Bible Study Course - How To Be Sure Of Your Salvation DISCLAIMER: Remember that though I am a midwife, I am not YOUR midwife. Nothing in this podcast shall; be construed as medical advice. Listening to this podcast does not mean that we have entered into a patient-care provider relationship. While I strive to provide the most accurate information I can, content is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate. You must do your research and consult other reputable sources, including your provider, to make the best decision for your own care. Talk with your own care provider before putting any information here into practice. Weigh all risks and benefits for yourself knowing that no outcome can be guaranteed. I do not know the specific details about your situation and thus I am not responsible for the outcomes of your choices. Some links may be affiliate links which provide me a small commission when you purchase through them. This does not cost you anything at all and it allows me to continue providing you with the content you love.
Start your journey to parenthood with our special series, "Fertile Insights: Navigating Your Fertility Journey with Expert Guidance," featuring fertility expert Lisa Hendrickson-Jack. This week, Lisa kicks off the series by discussing how to optimize timing pre-conception with fertility awareness, addressing what to do if you've been told you have low ovarian reserve, and offering strategies for improving sperm quality. Each episode is meticulously designed to provide deep insights and practical advice, empowering you to confidently take charge of your fertility. Tune in daily for a dose of valuable fertility tips and start paving your way to successful parenthood. Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who trains women's health practitioners to use their menstrual cycle as a vital sign in their practices. She is the founder of the Fertility Awareness Mastery MentorshipTM program. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. Gift to listeners: https://realfoodforfertility.com Follow Lisa on: Instagram: @FertilityFriday Facebook: Facebook.com/FertilityFridays LinkedIn: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Follow me on: Instagram: @holisticfertilitydoctor TikTok: @holisticfertilitydoctor Youtube: @Holistic Fertility Expert Facebook: Join our private Fertile AF tribe!
Start your journey to parenthood with our special series, "Fertile Insights: Navigating Your Fertility Journey with Expert Guidance," featuring fertility expert Lisa Hendrickson-Jack. This week, Lisa kicks off the series by discussing how to optimize timing pre-conception with fertility awareness, addressing what to do if you've been told you have low ovarian reserve, and offering strategies for improving sperm quality. Each episode is meticulously designed to provide deep insights and practical advice, empowering you to confidently take charge of your fertility. Tune in daily for a dose of valuable fertility tips and start paving your way to successful parenthood. Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who trains women's health practitioners to use their menstrual cycle as a vital sign in their practices. She is the founder of the Fertility Awareness Mastery MentorshipTM program. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. Gift to listeners: https://realfoodforfertility.com Follow Lisa on: Instagram: @FertilityFriday Facebook: Facebook.com/FertilityFridays LinkedIn: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Follow me on: Instagram: @holisticfertilitydoctor TikTok: @holisticfertilitydoctor Youtube: @Holistic Fertility Expert Facebook: Join our private Fertile AF tribe!
Start your journey to parenthood with our special series, "Fertile Insights: Navigating Your Fertility Journey with Expert Guidance," featuring fertility expert Lisa Hendrickson-Jack. This week, Lisa kicks off the series by discussing how to optimize timing pre-conception with fertility awareness, addressing what to do if you've been told you have low ovarian reserve, and offering strategies for improving sperm quality. Each episode is meticulously designed to provide deep insights and practical advice, empowering you to confidently take charge of your fertility. Tune in daily for a dose of valuable fertility tips and start paving your way to successful parenthood. Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who trains women's health practitioners to use their menstrual cycle as a vital sign in their practices. She is the founder of the Fertility Awareness Mastery MentorshipTM program. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. Gift to listeners: https://realfoodforfertility.com Follow Lisa on: Instagram: @FertilityFriday Facebook: Facebook.com/FertilityFridays LinkedIn: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Follow me on: Instagram: @holisticfertilitydoctor TikTok: @holisticfertilitydoctor Youtube: @Holistic Fertility Expert Facebook: Join our private Fertile AF tribe!
Join us for a compelling new episode featuring the distinguished Lisa Hendrickson-Jack in "Fertile Insights: Navigating Your Fertility Journey with Expert Guidance." Lisa dives deep into essential topics such as why the menstrual cycle should be considered a vital sign, what a healthy menstrual cycle looks like, and the impact of hormonal birth control on fertility. She also explores the benefits of non-hormonal birth control methods, the concept of fertility awareness, and the effectiveness of tracking cervical mucus versus ovulation strips. Additionally, Lisa discusses male fertility, the development of sperm quality guidelines, and common factors affecting sperm and egg quality. She addresses concerns about ovarian reserve, the use of fertility awareness for women with irregular cycles, and the distinctions between PCOS and HA. Finally, Lisa highlights how nutritional approaches can help restore normal menstrual cycles and improve fertility. This episode is packed with expert insights designed to empower you to enhance your reproductive health and navigate your path to parenthood with confidence. Don't miss out on this vital conversation. Tune in and be inspired! Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who trains women's health practitioners to use their menstrual cycle as a vital sign in their practices. She is the founder of the Fertility Awareness Mastery MentorshipTM program. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. Gift to listeners: https://realfoodforfertility.com Follow Lisa on: Instagram: @FertilityFriday Facebook: Facebook.com/FertilityFridays LinkedIn: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Follow me on: Instagram: @holisticfertilitydoctor TikTok: @holisticfertilitydoctor Youtube: @Holistic Fertility Expert Facebook: Join our private Fertile AF tribe!
Gestational diabetes is fairly common among pregnancy women in America. Lily Nichols, author of Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and renowned registered dietician & certified diabetes researcher, covers many important topics regarding how to care for your blood sugar and healthful eating during pregnancy!Resources Mentioned:Lily Nichols' Site https://lilynicholsrdn.com/Lily's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilatesNutritionistLinks to find the guidelines for the 2hr glucose test: CDAPP Sweet Success, PG 153- https://perinatology.com/Reference/CDAPP%20SS%20Guidelines%202012.pdfInternational Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group-https://www.iadpsg.org/ OR https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4866200/#:~:text=For%20IADPSG%20criteria%20an%20OGTT,%2Fl)%20%5B9%5D.Check out Informed Pregnancy+https://www.informedpregnancy.tv/ Full Well Code: TNBT10https://fullwellfertility.com/Tighten Your Tinkler Testimonial & Signature Program Code: TNBT50https://youtu.be/FjV7KYGv2ag https://www.tightenyourtinkler.com/signatureprogram NOW IT'S YOUR TURN! "Like" our Facebook and Instagram pages- @TheNaturalBirthSite The NaturalBirth Site- TheNaturalBirthSite.com SIGN UP for the NaturalBirth Education course to best prepare your body & mind for natural birth (only $65) Read natural birth stories- and submit your own SHARE OUR PODCAST with anyone you know who is interested in natural birth! Check out our HELPFUL PRODUCTS GUIDE
Registered dietician nutritionist, author and fertility expert Lily Nichols provides guidance on the intricate world of fertility challenges and optimal nutrition. There is a significant disparity between existing prenatal guidelines and what is optimal for both the mother and the baby. In her latest book Real Food for Fertility, she shares the power of nutrition to optimize your fertility and ensure a healthy start for your future child. We highlight the concerning fertility crisis in the United States, and Lily sheds light on the pivotal role of protein intake in fertility, offering insights into recognizing symptoms of protein deficiency. The conversation extends to pregnancy and postpartum nutrition, where Lily navigates topics such as liver consumption, managing cravings, and debunking misconceptions surrounding seafood and mercury levels. Tune in as Lily Nichols provides invaluable guidance for navigating the complex landscape of fertility and nutrition.Lily Nichols RDNReal Food for FertilityLily Nichols RDN
Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. Fertility Friday: fertilityfriday.com Real Food For Fertility: realfoodforfertility.com The Fifth Vital Sign: thefifthvitalsignbook.com Instagram: @FertilityFriday Facebook: Facebook.com/FertilityFridays LinkedIn: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack For more information about Michelle, visit www.michelleoravitz.com The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/ Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/ Transcript: Michelle (00:00) So welcome to the podcast, Lisa. Lisa Jack (00:03) Thanks so much for having me back. Michelle (00:05) Yes. So having you back again, we had a little mishap, issue with the recording for some reason, but we are on a new recording software. So hopefully this is going to be great and I'm excited to pick your brain again. Lisa Jack (00:21) Well, I'm happy to be here. I mean we can never anticipate the tax nafus. It's part of online business, I suppose. Michelle (00:28) Oh, totally. 100%. So we had so many good things too. That's what's really frustrating. We had such a great conversation about so many things. But for people who are first hearing about this, I know that a lot of people think that there's certain textbooks like menstrual cycles, or they have like sort of an idea in their mind of what a perfect menstrual cycle looks like. And since this is... your absolute specialty and you understand it from like A to Z, can you describe what a healthy menstrual cycle should look like? Lisa Jack (01:06) Yeah, I mean, that's a great place to start. And just to put it out there when I'm working with clients and practitioners, I always say there's no such thing as a perfect menstrual cycle because you're a human, not a robot. And so when we look at what a healthy menstrual cycle looks like, we should be looking at a range. And basically, what I can lay out is the different parameters that we're looking at. Often when I talk about the menstrual cycle, people's minds will go straight to the period. Michelle (01:17) Right? Lisa Jack (01:34) and they'll kind of think, okay, well, what is a healthy period? But then they don't necessarily think about all the other parameters. So when we're looking at what makes a healthy menstrual cycle, we can look at the overall cycle length, which ideally would be somewhere between about 24 and 35 days. We can look at the pre -ovulatory phase in particular. So we can look at the period. So the period is its own category. We want to have a menstrual period that overall is somewhere between three to seven days with an average of about five days. And I always say the period should be like a sentence. It should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and then it should be over. So if it's like trailing on for days and days of bleeding, if you're getting bleeding throughout your whole cycle, as opposed to just when you have your period, these are things we should be looking at. And although it's really common to have several days of spotting before you start your actual bleed, it's not optimal. So it's helpful to understand that piece of it. And then in terms of pain, Michelle (02:08) I love that, that's so good. Lisa Jack (02:32) It's also extremely common for women to experience menstrual pain. And so there's always this question of like, is it normal or not? And there is debate. So there are definitely people who are more on the like, it's normal kind of, you know, because so many people have it. So it has to be normal. But, you know, outside of your period, pain is thought of as a problem. And so if you thought of any man in your life, anyone, your father, brother, cousin, whoever, friend, boyfriend, if he had pain in his period, in his penis for. Michelle (03:01) in this period you imagine. Lisa Jack (03:02) Right? But if he had pain in his penis for two to three days every month, such that he needed to take medication and possibly couldn't go to work if the medication didn't kick in, no one would think that that's okay. So that's also just a bit of an aside where when we look at what's happening during a menstrual bleed, it is a natural inflammatory process by which you shed that lining. And so in order for your uterus to shed that lining, there does have to be some inflammation. And we do have... prostaglandins that we produce that help to induce those smooth muscle contractions to make this all happen. So what's interesting is that when we look at what the research says, women who have pain, they have a higher level of these prostaglandins. So they have a higher outside of normal inflammatory response. So at very least, pain with menstruation that's moderate to severe is a sign of increased inflammation, something we should be aware of. And at worst, it could be a sign of a more serious condition like endometriosis. So as an aside, although common, we want to consider moderate to severe pain to be not optimal. And we want to be looking a little bit deeper into that. And for many women, they often need that nudge to do so, especially if they've had pain very consistently from their first period, for example. So outside of the period then, when we move into the actual, like the rest of the pre -ovulatory phase, we want to look at when ovulation is happening. So in order to have a cycle that falls within that 24 to 35 day range, we do need ovulation to happen typically somewhere between days 10 and days 22 or days 23. So approximately. So we want to be looking at when ovulation is taking place. And as you approach ovulation, you're supposed to be making some healthy cervical fluid. And typically we would expect to see that for about two to seven days leading up to ovulation. So we want to look at the quality of that, how many days you're seeing. Like if you're not seeing any at all, that can be a sign of. low hormones or an issue with your cervix. If you see it all the time, that can be a sign of something as simple as a yeast infection or something more serious potentially. So it's helpful to even know that that's a thing. And then after ovulation, that period of time, the post -ovulatory phase or luteal phase, as we call it, should be about 12 to 14 days. And so if it's, you know, seven days, that's a problem that could impede your chances of conception. It's a sign of extremely low progesterone. If you have... moderate to severe PMS symptoms, if you have spotting, as I had mentioned previously before your period. So like interesting, right? Because you asked a pretty simple question, what does a healthy cycle look like? So I think what's good about this, just to kind of pull it back then, is that we're not looking for any one factor to be perfect. Within each of those factors I listed, there's a bit of a range. And so you could potentially have one of those aspects that's a little bit off, but overall, the rest of it is pretty strong. And so that can help you to understand that you don't need to have a perfect cycle for it to be healthy. We just need to have it for the most part fall into those parameters. Michelle (05:58) For sure. And I also look at like, you know, as a practitioner, I look at like what's normal for you, because some people have always had a short cycle, but they're normal. Or, you know, it's usually when things become out of whack for you, or it's kind of like not like you're, they almost have like personalities, menstrual cycles, right? Lisa Jack (06:17) Yes. Well, and I agree with you to a point because I used to be one of those people that was like, my cycles are long and that's normal because my cycles are always long. Right. So when I first started training, so I think there's a balance between understanding what the normal parameters are to make sure you're within them and then understanding what your normal is. And absolutely, when you're used to experiencing ovulation, you know, in a certain range and all of a sudden it's like 20 days later, yes, we need to be looking at that. But. Michelle (06:27) Mm -hmm. Right. Lisa Jack (06:46) because of my own experience and what I've seen with many clients, there's a lot of things that we can experience a lot, like period pain is a good example, or even that pre -evaluatory spotting where we can just tell ourselves, well, I always experience that, that's totally normal, but it might not be. Yes. Yeah. Michelle (06:58) I'm not talking about abnormal though. I'm talking about within like 26, like say you have a 26 day cycle and that just tends to be your thing. As long as it's not abnormal or within like sort of a more like red alarm position. Lisa Jack (07:11) Yes. Yes. No, I tend to be I tend to be like, because I because this is what I do, right? Like I'm like lazery. So I'm like, well, the 20 days, 26 day cycle is within the normal range. But you could have a 29 day cycle or a 28 day cycle. That is actually problematic. Like you could let me give you an example. You could have a 28 day cycle where you're ovulating on day 20 with an eight day luteal. Right. So so this is why it's helpful to look at the whole picture. Michelle (07:29) Right. Bye. 100%. I think that what you do is very important. And, you know, looking at like the temperature, looking at the cervical mucus, looking at, well, possibly position, but like really understanding it in a way that has a different lens. Because for me, at least, I know that I really appreciate when patients come in and they do their BBT charting. Why? Because I look at the yin and the yang. And if it's too low, that tells me a lot. Usually when, Lisa Jack (07:55) Yeah. Michelle (08:09) The luteal phase, which is more of the yang part of the cycle, yang mean more heating. Yin is more cooling and moist. So that's kind of like more of the estrogen aspect of it. And it's pretty wild when you can actually see that. What we learned in textbooks actually being reflected in the menstrual cycle. But when we see that as practitioners and we can really look at it, I really appreciate being able to see that chart because it helps us. see much more and a lot of other practitioners in the same boat, like they see what I'm talking about. It just helps you to understand it at a different And unfortunately, some people are very resistant to doing it because they say when I do my BBT, and I want to actually address it because I want to see what your thoughts on this. Sometimes people say that if they start to look and like kind of chart their cycle, that it throws their cycle off and that they get really stressed out. Yeah. So then I'm like, okay, well, you know, what's the balance, you know, of trying it? And I say, just try it out. It's not forever. Like just see what it shows you. And then maybe it'll regulate as you're doing it. And I think that there's this resistance to it. Like they're almost overly focused on it and it stresses them out. Lisa Jack (09:10) Interesting. Mm -hmm. Michelle (09:32) So I wanted to get your thoughts on that. Lisa Jack (09:35) Yeah, well, I think the couple of things came to mind. So the first thing that came to mind when you said that, like, when I do it, it throws my cycle off. I think that that was interesting. That's interesting because that could be something a bit different. That could be that you thought your cycles were so, you know, perfect. And because people do like people think like my cycles are totally regular. Right. When you're not charting, you're like, yeah, it's always like 20 days. Like, yeah, because this is like how we think. But then as soon as you look at it, it's not it's not no one cycle is 20 days for a year. I will put money on that. It's just not, if you're actually tracking. Michelle (10:06) No, no, they still used like an app to track the numbers. So they knew what their numbers were, but they didn't do like the BBT and like a little bit more in depth. Lisa Jack (10:15) Yep. Well, I guess what I'm, so I guess the thought that I had around that was that when you actually start to look, you see not necessarily that things are wrong, but you just see more of the nuance that you weren't looking for before. And so you may not have been aware of certain nuances that were happening because if you're not tracking it, you wouldn't be aware of those nuances. That was the first thing that came to mind. The second question I think is interesting. For a couple of reasons. So now that I work with practitioners when you have your own modality as a practitioner, you know Then the people that are coming to you are coming to you for that particular modality and This whole charting thing is very niche. It's very specialized and not everybody wants to do it and that's totally okay I think that that's something that's important to remember So when you're as a practitioner seeing the value of charting and if there's a lot of value there And it's really helpful. I mean, for me, that's all I do. So it's hard for me to imagine how I would support someone without seeing it, because it really is an integral part of everything that I do. But when you get all jazzed about something, it doesn't mean that everyone else is jazzed about it too. So when it comes to then encouraging your clients to chart, coming from all different walks of life and varying levels of interest in this topic, I think that it's important to kind of put that all into perspective. So. Michelle (11:25) Mm -hmm. Lisa Jack (11:40) You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink. I think you can think about your messaging. One of the things that I learned, just because I've been in the field so long, I went through my initial, everybody needs to do this face, you know, 20 years ago, and, you know, trying to ram it down. And I'm not saying that's what anyone's doing. I'm just saying, like, when you first learn about this stuff, it's like you want to, like, literally, like, all your girlfriends, you have to, right? Like, you get into this energy, and some of your girlfriends are like, you need to leave me alone. Michelle (12:03) Hahaha. Lisa Jack (12:06) right? Because like, I've got this, like, I'm good with the birth control pill, and you need to stop. And that's okay. So the way that I have approached that in my life is that, I mean, now I have my own podcast, right? Like, I talk to people who want to hear about it. And in my personal life, I don't necessarily talk about it. And I have not, I typically don't have the experience where a person is not necessarily at all coming to me for charting, because usually people are coming to me for charting. Michelle (12:21) Yeah. Lisa Jack (12:34) but I have had varying levels of interest within that. So I've had a lot of clients who are coming to me for conception and they really do want to know what's going on in their cycle. But sometimes the charting does cause a lot of stress, especially depending on what a person is going through. So I've had clients who are super motivated, like dotting all the, you know, eyes, crossing all the T's, writing every little notation and notes and like really, really detailed. And I've also had clients who resist that a bit and they... They don't necessarily get into the notations a whole lot. And so a lot of what I do in those situations is we have a conversation and talk through it. It's the same stuff. They're just not writing it down. And I try to help them achieve their goals, meeting them where they're at. Like I can think of several clients who weren't necessarily super into those notations, but through our conversations, like they were still checking. They were still observing their cervical fluid. They were still able to time sex accordingly. And they got a lot out of it. And I really tailored what I was presenting to them to what they needed. And I was always having those check -in conversations. And this is something I talk about with my practitioners, like the whole coaching aspect of it, where you can have your goals. You want to have this person chart, but they can have their own goals. And so sometimes it's like, well, what would success look like for you? You know, I see that you're not really that into the charting or I see that the charting is causing a lot of stress. We don't want more stress. We definitely don't want that. What would make you happy? Like what would success look like after, you know, our several weeks of working together? And maybe she says, I just wanted to understand how to pick up when like which days I'm fertile. Like I don't want to like write it all down or anything. I just want to be more confident in identifying that. And so, you know, my comment on that is there are lots of ways that we can improve our clients' education and confidence without necessarily going all the way down the charting rabbit hole. So we have to be flexible as practitioners with where our clients are at with these things. Michelle (14:30) No, I'm with you and I actually tell them There's a lot of other ways to figure out if you're ovulating. However, I always really enjoy being able to look at the charts because it on a different level. Lisa Jack (14:44) as a practitioner, when you have that knowledge, you can still, like it still comes through and they're still getting so much from you. And I think sometimes it's interesting hearing the charting instructor saying, you know what, if this is stressing you out, then just stop. I've had that conversation with a number of clients over the years where it's like, if this is too much for you, then just stop. Just stop charting for a month or two and see how you feel. And the interesting thing is you stop writing it down. But after you've learned all the stuff about how to identify the fertile, it's not like you're going to stop going pee. So you're going to see your mucus. and you're still going to have that knowledge and information. You're just finding a way to dance with that information that does not cause more stress. Michelle (15:28) Absolutely. So as far as birth control pills, I know this is another topic you talk about a lot and also just like how that impacts the body. So I'd love for you to talk about like how it impacts the body. And then if somebody's been taking it for a really long and wants to get pregnant after stopping, what are some of the things they should be thinking about? Lisa Jack (15:52) Mm -hmm. Love that question because not a lot of We're just not told how the birth control pill works. I was actually listening to someone Kind of a prominent person talk about the birth control pill Yesterday and it was really great because a lot of what she said was on point but she did say, you know, well, you know the pill tricks your body into thinking that you're pregnant and and so these are some of the myths that we still have Today about how the birth control pill works in the body. I So it's interesting because if we were to compare the state of a woman on birth control, so the state of her natural hormones, the most compatible or comparable state would actually be to a woman in menopause. That makes terrible PR and marketing, so they're not gonna tell you that. And so essentially, the pill, the main mode of action for the most common pill, which is the combined oral contraceptives, so it has a combination of synthetic progestin and synthetic estrogens, is to suppress ovulation. So that's the main mode of action. And that's really helpful when you're trying to avoid pregnancy, because if you're not ovulating, you can't get pregnant. So in order for it to suppress ovulation, then, it interferes with the conversation that is typically happening between your hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and ovaries. And as a result, the ovaries then become kind of dormant. And so that's why we can think of the menopause as a similar comparison, not pregnancy. Because in pregnancy, we're actually making ridiculous amounts of progesterone. So compared to the progesterone you make in your menstrual cycle, by the time you're 40 weeks pregnant, you're making 11 times the amount of progesterone. So it's not the same when you're on the pill. It's not a comparable state. And so when women are on the pill, if we were to measure their natural estrogen and progesterone, they would be very low and flat, very consistent. So the first main mode of action is to suppress ovulation. And then there are other modes of action that work in conjunction. One is to maintain a very thin, flat endometrial lining. And so they measure it with ultrasound and, you in my books, I kind of share some of those numbers because it's quite, quite thin. So even if something were to happen, then there's less of a chance of conception because the endometrium is so thin. And then it also prevents the production of fertile quality cervical fluid. So the sperm then theoretically, like they can't go anywhere because the, the cervix is blocked with this mucus plug all the time. And those are the modes of action that work together. So when a woman is then on contraceptives for a long time, and, excuse me, interestingly in the research, they define long -term as two years or more. And when you think about most of the women in your life or yourself, many women have used birth control for two years, five years, eight years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years. So this whole concept of long -term is pretty. mainstream if they're defining it as two years. So there's a couple different ways that the pill affects the body then. One is that it does have an effect on the menstrual cycle. So when women are coming off the pill, research has shown that it takes anywhere from nine to 12 cycles for all cycles, not months, for all of those menstrual cycle parameters to normalize post -pill. So that includes everything we just talked about, like the overall cycle length, the cervical mucous production, you know, the luteal phase length. And so it's really common to come off the pill and to have a short luteal phase for it to take several months before the cycle either returns or normalizes. So some women do get their, they start ovulating and having their periods pretty, pretty quick. Others might take a couple of months and then on the, you know, a smaller percentage might take quite a while, but generally speaking, a lot of women get their cycles back within the first few months. But then those first few cycles, often ovulation is delayed. And so some of those cycles, are quite a bit longer. And then it's also quite common to have a short luteal phase for those first few cycles and to have abnormal cervical amicus patterns. So that's one way that the pill affects the body. Another thing to be aware of is it's well known that when women are on contraceptives, so if you were currently on contraceptives and you did an ovarian reserve test, for example, it suppresses ovarian function. I just said it makes the ovaries dormant. So then it's logical that those... ovarian reserve parameters are going to be suppressed. And that's what we find in the research. So I think one of the scary stats when women engage with my books is that stat on how when women are on the pill, ovarian volume shrinks by 50%. So it's saying that the pill shrinks your ovaries while you're on them. That sounds awful, right? And then the AMH is low and antral follicle count is low. And what the research tells us... is that when a woman comes off the pill, it takes about a minimum of six to seven months before those parameters start to normalize again. And interestingly then, why are we not told to come off the pill? Six to a minimum of six months or so before we start trying, we're not, but that's something important to know as well. So I don't see these things to scare you because obviously some women do come off the pill and get pregnant right off the bat. So it's not even to say that you can't. Michelle (20:46) Right. Lisa Jack (21:01) but we want to acknowledge that there's a temporary period of subfertility post -pill. And so the other way, so I talked about kind of these three ways that the pill affects the body. So I mentioned the menstrual cycle effects on the menstrual cycle. I mentioned the effects on the ovaries and then there's the effect on fertility itself. And so those are the time to pregnancy studies where they look at how long it takes a person to conceive. And so there was this interesting study that compared women who were using condoms, so non -hormonal methods, to a variety of hormonal methods, including the birth control pill, the shot, the hormonal IUD, and a few others. And in that study, the women who came off the pill, it took them an average of eight months to conceive. The ones who were using the pill, quote, long term, so two years or more, compared to the women who were using condoms, who took an average of four months to conceive. And the shot... users were the worst offenders and they took an average of about 18 months to conceive after coming off of the shot. And the IUD was about eight months as well, eight to 10 months. So that is interesting information because we're not told that. So it doesn't mean that we need to be afraid that the pill is going to impair our fertility forever, but it does mean that we need to be aware that there's a temporary period of subfertility. So then the recommendation out of that, Michelle (21:52) Mm -hmm. Wow. Right. Lisa Jack (22:19) that Lily and I make in real food for fertility is that you should consider coming off of birth control a minimum, I would say a minimum of six to 12 months before you start trying to conceive. And I would add in a caveat that if you did go on the pill because you had menstrual cycle problems, like because you actually knew that there was something wrong, you had long irregular cycles, you never knew when your next period was coming, you had extreme pain with menstruation. you had extreme mood swings or like, right, like there was some sort of kind of medical reason why you were put on birth control, then you'd want to extend that period. And I would go as far to say 18 months to two years because not because we think you won't be able to get pregnant, but because if there's an underlying issue, the pill doesn't solve it. It masks it. So when you come off of it, you still have to figure out what's going on there if you wanted to conceive naturally. So if you come off well before you're ready, so you're still. Michelle (23:06) Mm -hmm. Lisa Jack (23:16) Actively avoiding like you have to figure out your birth control and I would recommend a non hormonal birth control option So you still have to be on top of your birth control game? But during that time if your cycle is kind of wonky if things are going awry You actually have time to fix it. You have time to make your appointments You have time to normalize your hormones without the added pressure of also trying to conceive at the exact same time Michelle (23:40) Yeah. I mean, it's crazy to me because I have, I can't tell you how many people I've had come in and say, oh, my doctor said the second you get off your birth control pill, even if they've been on it for like 15 to sometimes 20 years, the second you get off, you can get pregnant. You don't have to do anything. And you're telling me the science, you know, it's crazy because they say that they're very based in science and the evidence, but. Nobody seems to be looking at that Lisa Jack (24:09) Well, and there's a couple things I can mention about the science that I think are really interesting. So, I mean, one of the ways, one of the reasons that I am digging into the weeds about this is because often when I'm working with women in real time, I'm seeing this stuff. I'm seeing the menstrual cycle regularities and it's consistent. I've worked with hundreds of women at this point who've come off of birth control in my various programs and you see it. You see these abnormal mucous patterns. You see that it takes time for the cycle to normalize. Michelle (24:26) Yeah. Lisa Jack (24:38) And so then when you see that stuff, you want to know why. And so that's part of my motivation to look at the research to kind of get that explanation. Because sometimes you see things in clinical practice before you understand why you're seeing them. And then when you actually dig into the research, you're like, OK, this is why. Because the pills, you know, suppressing ovarian function and it takes seven months minimum for that ovarian function to normalize. You know, I had this woman reach out to me. She's like a listener of the podcast. Michelle (24:49) Right. Lisa Jack (25:06) And she kind of independently had this experience. She came off the pill, she was in her late thirties, and then she got her AMH and her ovarian reserve parameters tested right off the bat because her and her husband wanted to conceive. And they came back so low that they told her, and this is a whole other topic if you want to go into it, because we can, but they told her, okay, your AMH is so low, you won't be able to conceive and all that kind of stuff. And so then she was devastated. It was like a whole thing. She was like, what's going on? And she was trying to do her research. And again, she was listening to the podcast. And then she ended up independently requesting her ovarian reserve parameters tested several times during the first year after the pill. So I don't have the data in front of me because she actually sent it to me and I invited her on the podcast and we talked about it was a really interesting episode. But so she tested it independently, like whatever it was, four months, six months, like in 12 months, whatever, right? So you get my point. And interestingly, by the 12 month mark, you know, the AMH was... like rebounded quite well to the doctor's astoundment, if that's a word. And I, it aligns with the research study that I cited in that book. Now in that study, they only went to the six to seven month mark. You know, in her case, she just independently chose to demand these tests and saw the results for herself. And so again, this is, it's really interesting information. So what I wanted to say about the research and what's interesting about it is that, It's harder to find studies that actually break down the data like month to month, or even just not just at the year mark. Most of the studies, if you look, because I did, and a lot of the newer studies that are coming out, they just tell you at the year mark. And so when you have a study that's saying X percentage of women conceived at the year mark, the pill is a reversible contraceptive method, it's all good. Goodbye, get out of my office. Then that's... If that's all you're looking at, you're not asking these questions, but it's when you look at the studies that actually break this stuff down, like how things are at the beginning, after two months, three months, five months, six months, eight months, 12 months, that you actually see that, yeah, sure, if we just skip to 12 months, it looks great and it sounds great in a study, it's very succinct. But the emotional damage, my kids always, they have all their slang, emotional damage. So if anyone has like 10 year olds, they're gonna be laughing with me. And everyone who doesn't is like, what is she talking about? But like the emotional issues that like the very real challenges for a woman in her, you know, let's say late 20s, early 30s, mid 30s, whatever, who has been avoiding pregnancy like the plague her whole life, who's told that she can get pregnant on every day of her cycle, terrified all the time is so scared to come off the pill that she probably delayed it as long as humanly possible because she thought she was going to get pregnant immediately. The amount of stress it causes her. two months later to still not be pregnant, three months later to still not be pregnant. That is the reason that I look at this research and talk about it in this way. And that is one of the reasons why maybe the medical professionals are not talking about it this way because most of the research just looks at the year mark and says X percent of women conceived, end of story, you're good to go, come off the pill, you'll get pregnant, it's fine. Michelle (28:19) really is crazy if you think about it. And because people are really not getting the full picture and they're not getting enough information to really go on. And another thing is also just the nutrient deficiencies, which I know that you guys address in the book. So I want to talk about that as well and why that's so important. What are some of the things that you guys see and like how to address it? Lisa Jack (28:43) Mm -hmm. I mean, I think that's such a good question as well because I had thought of it when you were talking before You know just come off the pill and you'll get pregnant, right? That's what your practitioner says and Interestingly, I mean, yes, the goal is to get pregnant but like for me I have three children by this point So it's not just to get pregnant because you could get pregnant and miscarry you can get pregnant have an awful pregnancy It could be a very difficult time where you're feeling really ill and sick and therefore you you're not even able to eat the best Michelle (29:02) Right. Lisa Jack (29:11) You know, have these plans to eat all this good food during pregnancy. And then for many of us, including myself, I had a lot of nausea. I didn't have a lot of vomiting, but I had a lot of nausea in the like, especially my last pregnancy in the first several months. And so you don't always have the opportunity to eat all the good food you were planning to eat. So when it comes to what the goals are, I would say on my client's behalf that, yes, the goal is to conceive, but it is to have a healthy child. It is to be a healthy parent. It is hard to parent even if you are nourished. If you are, like most women, deficient in iron going into pregnancy, studies show as few as 20 % of women go into pregnancy with sufficient iron stores. I mean, it's even harder to parent when you're nutrient deficient at the end of this process and you're low in iron and every other nutrient known to human beings and your thyroid is acting up and whatever. So... I would go further and say, okay, it's not just about getting pregnant. It's about having a healthy child. And if we have the opportunity to optimize, it's not just going to help the child, it's going to help us as well. So some of the nutrients that are depleted by hormonal contraceptives, it's like the exact ones we need to make healthy babies. It depletes our B vitamins, particularly folate, and B12, and B6 is particularly bad. It depletes our coenzyme Q10, which anybody who's in the fertility space knows is essential for optimal egg and sperm quality and overall health. And it does this by disrupting nutrient metabolism. When I was talking about the B6 depletion in the fifth vital sign, I gave the analogy of like a hole in a bucket. Because in order to get enough B6, for example, to offset the deficiency, it's like you had to take 38 times the recommended RDA, right? So it's showing you that it's changing the way you're metabolizing these nutrients. So just by coming off of it, your body would then start metabolizing those things normally. And so maybe like the hole stops, like you stop up the hole in the bucket, but you would still want a period of time of focused nutrition so that you can actually build back. up those stores and there's other nutrients including zinc and magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, it increases your requirements for vitamin A and vitamin C. Like it's interesting and this is well known and you know even I had an interesting pharmacist on my podcast years ago and like pharmacists are super interesting because like they study all the drug interactions and I mean he wrote a whole book on how you know, the pill depletes all these nutrients and he's kind of arguing like, why aren't we telling them to take a vitamin or something like we know that this is happening and the vitamin doesn't make everything better either. It just like puts a little like it's like damage control until we get off of it. So so then the recommendation out of that is not only do we want to take the time. Michelle (32:02) Right. Yeah. Right. Lisa Jack (32:17) for our menstrual cycles to normalize, right? And our ovaries to just get, and again, it's not to say that you can't get pregnant. Like if your body is ready, then plenty of women come off the pill and get pregnant, but we're saying, let's take it a step further and optimize this. So during that, let's say minimum period of six to 12 months, we are also encouraging you to really focus on incorporating the foods that contain those nutrients that are depleted on the pill, the same ones we need to optimize our chances of conception so that when we're ready to conceive, ideally, Our bodies are ready, ideally we're able to conceive quicker, more easily, and our pregnancies, the pregnancy outcome, the health of our babies and our own health is better. I mean, why not? Michelle (33:00) Totally. And then also the gut health, like the gut microbiome gets impacted, which can impact also how we're absorbing those it's important to also get that back so that you're able to like reabsorb nutrients. Lisa Jack (33:16) Yeah, I mean, I think that it's just, this is the information that we need. It's a piece of it. And it's crazy to think that it's just not a standard practice. So I've spoken to so many women who they had it in their mind, you know, I've been on the pill for 10 years and my husband and I are planning to start trying to conceive in the fall, you know? And so she calls her doctor, makes her appointment, takes a shower, gets in her car, drives across town. to ask this doctor if she should come off the pill, you know, even a few months before. And the doctor says, no, you're good. But I always say like your intuition got you to like get out of bed, like do all this stuff. Like something's up. Listen to it. You know what I mean? It's just we just live in an upside down, ridiculous place where, you know, after we hear this stuff, it feels like common sense. But before, you know, you're questioning yourself. And that's how the medical system is. It's very paternalistic. Not to like. Michelle (33:56) Yeah, yep, totally. Lisa Jack (34:13) totally rag on it. But we can't always depend on these so -called professionals for all of these answers because at the end of the day, doctors are busy and they don't necessarily have time to read all of this research. So they don't know everything. Michelle (34:27) 100%. I think that that is the key phrase is nobody knows everything. That's why you need a team. And it's important to ask a lot of people. And also you are part of that team. Your own internal intelligence is a thing. Yes. And you got to listen to your gut. Like your intuition is a real thing. So, um, Lisa Jack (34:39) You're the head of the team. Michelle (34:48) And I think there have been studies on that too. So yeah, people have like intuitive intuition and they can feel their body from within because if you think about survival, you even look at animals, they'll know what to eat. They just are guided by what is good for their body. That is a real instinct that we have and I think very, very important that you touched upon that. as one of the questions, Lisa Jack (34:51) Hahaha! Michelle (35:16) about or is it true that we are born with all the eggs we'll ever have? Lisa Jack (35:21) Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think it's so interesting because we live in just such an interesting time. So there are these like talks about stem cell research and, you know, people are starting to say like, it's a myth and all this kind of stuff. But when we're looking at natural conception, like birds and the bee stuff, we are for all intents and purposes born with all the eggs that we'll ever have. So it's really interesting numbers. When we're in utero, you know, we have several million eggs in there. And by the time we're born, we have an estimated number of 500 ,000 to a million eggs, which is wild if you think about it. And to go a step further too, so I mentioned like my, I have three children and so I have a, my youngest is 19 months old as we're recording this and it's a she. So I had a girl after 10 years of being a boy mom, which is fun. But fun fact, you know, when I was pregnant with her, you know, she then had all her eggs in there. And so theoretically, I was carrying the egg that could turn into a grandchild in the future. So all that fun information, fun facts. And so as we then go through the process of aging, as we go through our reproductive years, and we then at the time of menopause, when we have our last period, they say we have about 1 ,000 eggs left. So from that perspective then, we can't really control the natural kind of, because there is this natural over time, they call it follicular atresia. They say we ovulate, the research says if you're ovulating normally throughout your reproductive life, you're going to release anywhere from 400 to 500 eggs. So assuming you're not on the pill for 20 years, you're not necessarily releasing all those eggs. During ovulation, that's how much you're releasing, which is interesting. But it's not to say that you have a million eggs and then you're releasing one at a time. And so it's like going down like that. What happens is every time you go through a menstrual cycle, you have a cohort of follicles that develop and they prepare for ovulation. And then one is chosen to ovulate, but the majority of them, they just, you know, again, they call it follicular atresia. Like the majority of them just kind of like go away. And interestingly, the question comes like, well, if I'm on the pill and I'm not ovulating, does that mean that I get all these extra eggs? And it's like, have you ever known anyone who was on the pill for 20 years to then go through menopause at 70? No, you haven't. That's not a thing. So even though you're not ovulating, cycle to cycle in the same way, that process of follicular atresia is still taking place. So I think that what's scary about that is that we have this finite number and there's an end date. Michelle (37:52) laughs Lisa Jack (38:10) Whereas men don't have a firm end date. They do go through aging. So their sperm quality changes over time. Like, listen, they make no mistake. But they still continue to produce sperm all their lives. Whereas we have this end date. So then when we're looking at supporting egg quality, when we're looking at optimizing our chances of fertility, then what we're looking at is to support egg quality. You know, we're looking to understand the different ways that we can test for are over in reserve and understand those interactions, but we really want to focus on that quality. Because even though there's this cool research that talks about the stem cells, and I don't know if your listeners have heard this, maybe you've heard it, Michelle, but it's like people are talking about this now, like, oh, it's a myth. But that all requires artificial reproductive technology. Like there's no scenario where whatever they're talking about happens naturally. So if we're looking at natural conception, then that's really where our focus has to be, which is on supporting egg. quality and one fun fact I want to share about egg quality that I think is kind of mind -blowing. Okay, so Michelle, do you remember high school, you know, high, junior high or high school bio class like biology class where they used to tell us about the cells or whatever and like in my textbook they would have a picture of the cell and it had all the like organelles and stuff and there would be like a couple like maybe one or two mitochondria in the picture, right? Michelle (39:34) Yes. Lisa Jack (39:35) So how many, I don't know if we've had this conversation specifically, so how many mitochondria do you think are in an egg cell? Michelle (39:43) I know there are hundreds of thousands. Lisa Jack (39:45) Yeah, so when I asked this question to someone who's not heard this before, you know, it's kind of like, I don't know, right? Because in the picture, yeah. Yeah. So you were in the know. But like, when you think about it, so the range of mitochondria in your average cell could be from like a few, a handful to a few hundred, like liver cells, heart cells have a few thousand mitochondria, which is even mind blowing in and of itself. Because like in the picture, in the textbook, there was like one. Michelle (39:49) I heard it on your podcast years ago. Yeah. I know. It's like one lonely mitochondria just floating in the cytoplasm. Lisa Jack (40:13) Right? There was not a thousand. You're just like, how does what do you mean there's a thousand? What does the cell look like? Exactly. But in the human egg cell. So the human egg cell is the largest cell of all the cells in the body. It is a cell that is visible to the naked eye. It is the size of a period in a piece on a piece of paper. So you can actually see it with the naked eye. And there are anywhere from 100 ,000 to 600 ,000 mitochondria in one egg cell. Oh my gosh. And mitochondria are what determine there are energy producers. And then if you think about it logically, it's like, well, yeah, we're building a whole human. So yes, that makes sense. Right. But until you break it down, you don't think about it. So then how do we support egg quality? Well, we do everything we can to support our mitochondrial health. So to really support those mitochondrial cells, we also do what we can do to reduce what they term. Michelle (40:43) Yup. Right? Lisa Jack (41:07) oxidative stress, which is damaged to oxygen. So I was thinking the example of like, if you peel a banana and it turns brown, but if you dip the banana in, you know, lemon juice or vitamin C water, then it doesn't turn brown. So it's that those two things are play a big role in supporting mitochondrial and overall egg quality. Michelle (41:28) Yes, yeah, 100%. I also talk about plugging the energy leaks in your life because man, even emotions can drain your energy. So they're just like everything, all the aspects, all the things. And I want to talk really quickly because I know we're kind of running out of time about sperm health because we had a really good conversation on the recording that didn't work out. And I want to talk about that, about the parameters of sperm health today. what they used to be and how they've changed and what we're seeing just overall, like now versus before. Lisa Jack (42:02) Yeah, I mean, I always get excited to talk about all of these topics, really, like the egg quality piece is super interesting and then the sperm quality. But particularly with sperm, when it comes to fertility, we're still somehow in this place where we think of fertility as a woman's health issue and we don't really think about the contribution of the male. And so the statistics tell us that 20 to 30 percent of all cases of infertility are solely related to male factor. and 50 % of the time male factor plays a role. So that means half of the time when you're dealing with a fertility issue, his contribution is playing a role, it's a factor. So the odds are pretty good then that if you're dealing with infertility or struggling to conceive that there's something going on with his sperm. And then there's a few other studies that I found really interesting just collectively where... when they look at different populations. So if they're doing a study, they might have a group of people who's trying to conceive and some of them conceive within the first six months or the first year and then others conceive within year one or year two. And statistically speaking, if you're taking more than a year or two to conceive, his sperm is not optimal. So on average, when they separate it out, the sperm quality of the groups of men who are part of that cohort that it took a year or two years to conceive or more, the overall average is a lot lower. Statistically, hello, this is something we should be aware of. Getting back to what you were alluding to, when we look at older studies, the average man in the 40s had a sperm concentration of something like 113 million sperm per milliliter, which sounds like a lot. The average man today has an average of about 50, 50 million sperm per milliliter. So there's a lot of different studies. It's widely known. It's been talked about quite a bit. It's a topic that comes up every now and then because there is this trend, this downward trend when we look at sperm counts where it's declining and it's declined anywhere up to 70%. you know, within the last few generations. And it's a concern because what happens in 40 years, like if we continue on this downward spiral, what literally will happen? Because how much further down can we go? Right? So this highlights that it's not just an issue with your partner. It's not just these people. This is an overall trend that's affecting men on a large scale. And arguably, it's affecting us too. We just don't have the ability to test eggs like they do sperm. Like we can't just provide an egg sample. So it's a little bit more difficult for us to kind of provide that type of information. But arguably there's something going on. And I mean, naturally the question is, well, why is this happening? And I think there's a variety of factors. So I think overall diet quality has declined. There's a huge influx in the consumption of ultra processed foods. So an ultra processed or processed food is something where you look at it and you literally can't even tell what it came from. So if you look at white, that too. Michelle (45:01) Mm -hmm. You can't even pronounce it. Lisa Jack (45:10) But if you look at like white sugar or white flour, like you don't know if it came from a beet. You don't know what it came from, right? And then when you take those materials that have already been processed, lots of the nutrients, a huge portion of the nutrients that were in whatever the original food was are lost in that processing. And then you make foods with it. I mean, their solution is to fortify it back with some nutrients. But what you have is a far inferior product that is far less. nutrient dense. And so that's a part of it. When you're consuming ultra processed foods, you're also often consuming a higher portion of carbohydrates as opposed to getting a good healthy balance of protein and fat. I mean, the 80s and 90s were all about not eating the fat, right? The fat phobia, cholesterol is bad, all the things. And what do you need for optimal fertility? Well, you need sufficient protein as the backbone that we require to make enough hormones. We need sufficient cholesterol specifically. Michelle (45:56) All right. Yeah. Lisa Jack (46:09) because cholesterol is a precursor for our steroid hormones. And when we consume this off balance, really high carbohydrate diet, we end up with metabolic issues and what's on the rise, right? Obesity, metabolic issues, diabetes. There's all these issues that contribute to poor sperm parameters and poor egg quality, poor fertility and reproductive outcomes. So there's a lot of different factors. And then we did even talk about the toxins, you know, every year thousands and thousands of new chemicals are created. Michelle (46:09) Yeah. Lisa Jack (46:38) A lot of them are similar in structure to estrogen. And in order for men to make sperm, they need testosterone. So anything that's pouring estrogen into all of their skin and all of the scented things and all the stuff we put on our body and all the chemicals and in the environment, all that stuff, none of that helps the sperm. So there's a lot of different factors we can look at that are contributing. So, I mean, this is a big topic. And one thing I just wanna make sure to mention is that... The most common thing that I've experienced as a practitioner is that when I'm working with a client who's been trying to conceive or working on the charting and everything, I'm asking, has your partner been tested? And if he has, then it's like, yeah, but he's fine. I always say that. My favorite way, right? He's fine. We were told he was fine. He's good. But no one ever went through his analysis with you. So in the book, we actually put a table in there. We have some drawings of what sperm looks like and all this stuff. We're equipping you with all this information. because what happens is the guidelines that they use are based off of this 2010 World Health Organization document. And in that document, they're telling you that normal parameters are a sperm concentration of 15 .15 million sperm per milliliter. I just finished telling you that the average amount of the 40s had like 10 times that amount of sperm. And so they're telling you that if his sperm is 15 .15 million, sperm per milliliter or higher that he's fine. The motility 40%. So motility means the sperm that are moving. So does that mean 60 % aren't moving? And then the morphology being 4 % or higher. So again, morphology means if you look at it, if you think of sperm, it looks like a little circle oval head and tail. So when it doesn't have normal morphology, Michelle (48:05) Mm -hmm. Lisa Jack (48:29) It means that the head could be squashed. There could be no head. There could be two heads. There could be no tail, like all that kind of stuff. And so they're saying four out of every hundred look like a normal sperm and 96 don't. And you're good to go. So what those what's important to realize about those numbers is that those normal numbers do not represent what would be optimal for conception naturally. Those numbers represent a point that below which. Michelle (48:44) Yeah. Yeah. Lisa Jack (48:57) there's a problem and we need to look at it. So it's a very different way of looking at it. So what we talk about in the book, there's a different study that looked at, at what point do the numbers start to have a negative impact on fertility to try to define an optimal level. And those research defined optimal as sperm concentration of 48 million sperm per milliliter or higher. they defined a normal motility of 63 % and a normal morphology of 12%. So that's a lot higher than the World Health Organization. So what I'm saying is for couples who have been struggling to conceive, you know, if your partner hasn't been tested yet, you know, we're saying get them tested as soon as you can. Because even if you want to, if you identify an issue, it takes anywhere from a minimum of three to four months. Michelle (49:36) Mm -hmm. Lisa Jack (49:55) to start to see an improvement because when your partner ejaculates today, count back three months. So we're recording this in like end of February, so let's say March. So count back three months, February, January, December. So whatever he was doing in December, that determines his printout today. So whatever he does today, we're not gonna see the printout until April, May, June, right? So just to put it out there. And that's only the beginning of it, because it's not like everything's just amazing in three months. Like it can take several months for all of those changes to kick in. So. Michelle (50:11) Right. Lisa Jack (50:25) You know, what we're talking about then is that there's a range, a sub -fertile range that is not being looked at. Men are just being told that they're either good to go or they're not, and they're not being told that, you know, you might have, you know, beat the WHO criteria, but that doesn't make you optimal, and you still have a whole ways to go. And as long as you're not in that optimal range, it's going to mean, statistically, that it's going to take you longer to conceive. Michelle (50:55) Oh my God, it's crazy because this information, especially if you're really actively trying to conceive, you could be wasting a lot of time not really getting the right information. Lisa, as always, you're a wealth of information, super, super smart. I really admire your brain. I'm very excited. Well, it's good to read. Lisa Jack (51:15) I read a lot. Michelle (51:22) And I'm very excited. I actually haven't seen your book yet. I read the first chapter. I did opt in for that. So I'm very excited because it is so rich with the information. I feel like it's really going to benefit the community in such an empowering way. So I think it's amazing that you guys did this. Really, it's such a contribution. Because a lot of people don't really know all those details. And I know that you really went into deep. studies and presenting people with information that is not something that they're going to get presented with by mainstream. Let's just say mainstream. I feel mainstream is just not as, you're not going to get the quality from mainstream. You almost have to dig deeper to get the quality of the true real information that's going to help. So I know we're running out of time and I know that you have to go. So I just want to thank you so much for coming on. Before we, I want you to share with the listeners how they can find the book, how they could find you, work with you, all the stuff. Lisa Jack (52:29) Well, thank you again. Thank you so much. This is a great conversation. You had great questions. So the newest book is Real Food for Fertility and it's available on Amazon. It's currently available in our paperback and ebook formats. And Lily and I are planning to record the audiobook later this year. So we're really excited about that. So for all of the podcast listeners, it's like, when's the audiobook coming out? Like soon, soon. We're doing it as soon as we can. Michelle (52:50) The audio people. Lisa Jack (52:53) Yes, but we wanted to do it ourselves. I always think it's fun when the authors are able to do it themselves. So we're really looking forward to that. You can also go over to realfoodforfertility .com. You mentioned the, you know, you opted in for the first chapter. So for anyone who wants to dive into the first chapter, you can grab that over there and also find more information about Lily and myself. And you can find me if you like podcasts, if this topic interests you, you can type Fertility Friday into your favorite podcast player and you'll find my podcast. I'm in my 10th year of podcasting. We've released over 500 episodes, which is totally wild. And so lots of lots of fun and info to be had over there. And you can find me on Instagram at Fertility Friday. That's my favorite place on the socials to hang out. And I'll just make one more note for any practitioners who are listening. You know, this whole topic of charting, we talked about it a little bit, incorporating charting into what you're doing and using it as a vital sign for your clients. I created this resource, How to Interpret Virtually Any Chart Your Client Throws at You, that I made specifically for practitioners, and you can get that over at fertilityfriday .com slash chart. Michelle (54:01) Fabulous. Lisa, it's always a pleasure talking to you. I really admire your thank you so much for coming on today. Lisa Jack (54:09) Thank you so much for having me.
Gina and Roxanne sit down with registered dietitian nutritionist and author, Lily Nichols, for a comprehensive discussion on gestational diabetes and prenatal nutrition. Nichols shares her insights on preconception planning, gestational diabetes testing, and management methods during pregnancy. She highlights the long-term effects of gestational diabetes on both mother and child, and explains the difference between recommended daily nutrient intake versus optimal nourishment based on up-to-date research. Furthermore, Nichols shares the role of exercise, protein consumption, and other micronutrients in reducing the risk of gestational diabetes and maintaining blood sugar levels. Find Lily Nichols's Website Here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Or on Instagram Here: https://www.instagram.com/lilynicholsrdn/?hl=en —— In This Episode: 00:00 Introduction 01:51 Interview with Lily Nichols: Journey into Perinatal Nutrition 03:24 Deep Dive into Gestational Diabetes Testing 07:53 The Importance of Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis 09:57 Long-term Effects of Gestational Diabetes 17:06 Preventing and Managing Gestational Diabetes 23:52 Understanding Protein Intake During Pregnancy 37:33 The Truth About Prenatal Vitamins 46:55 Conclusion and Further Resources —— Freebies to Support Your Pregnancy:
This week's guest is a trailblazer in the nutrition world when it comes to pregnancy and fertility. Lily Nichols, RDN is the author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes - and now her new book with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is out called Real Food For Fertility. In this episode Lily and I chat about: the research that goes into a book of this caliber protein requirements in fertility and why women need more protein if you should be intermittent fasting if you're TTC the deal with soy and women's hormones a look at what's included in Real Food for Fertility Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. She is the founder of the Institute for Prenatal NutritionTM, co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy, and the author of three books: Real Food for Fertility (co-authored with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack), Real Food for Pregnancy, and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. You can find more info from Lily on her website https://lilynicholsrdn.com or over on Instagram @lilynicholsrdn. Ready to get support on your fertility journey? Learn it Fertility Confidence Method is a good fit for you by scheduling an application call at www.downloads.kelseyduncan.com/results/?intg=e107
Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. In this conversation, you will hear about: Real Food For Fertility book: realfoodforfertility.com "Unexplained infertility" Fertility awareness to optimize your chances to conceive Menstrual cycle = your 5th vital sign Sperm quality guidelines How to improve egg quality Omnivore vs. vegan or vegetarian diet for fertility The Fifth Vital Sign book: thefifthvitalsignbook.com Connect with Lisa: Instagram: @FertilityFriday Podcast: Fertility Friday Facebook: @FertilityFridays LinkedIn: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Website: fertilityfriday.com
In this episode of the Functional Fertility podcast, host Dr. Kalea Wattles and guest Lily Nichols, a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and co-author of the new book Real Food for Fertility, delve into the crucial role of preconception nutrient density, particularly focusing on protein. They explore the benefits of prioritizing dietary protein for conception, discussing the adequacy of current protein intake recommendations and the ramifications of inadequate protein intake on overall health. Lily shares practical strategies for incorporating more protein into daily meals and highlights research indicating the importance of animal foods in providing essential micronutrients vital for fertility and pregnancy. The conversation extends to the nuances of under-nutrition, particularly concerning iron intake, differentiating between heme and non-heme iron sources, and emphasizing key iron-rich foods for those trying to conceive. Additionally, Lily offers insights into the debated topic of liver supplements and rounds off the discussion by outlining the top five nutritious foods crucial for supporting fertility and healthy pregnancy. This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for individuals seeking to optimize their nutrition for conception and beyond.
Episode 27: Understanding Your Fertility with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack @fertilityfriday Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your body, your period, and your fertility. This week, Rachael and Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, fertility educator and author of a new book, Real Food For Fertility, chat all about fertility awareness, birth control, using your cycle as your fifth “vital sign”, and how to know if your period is “normal.” In this empowering episode, you'll find out what a normal, healthy menstrual cycle looks like, if hormonal contraceptives impact fertility, and what is the pill actually doing in the body. They also discuss fertility awareness, how it can help improve a woman's chances of conceiving for the first time or after already giving birth, plus lots more valuable information! Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. With well over 4 million downloads, her podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health. Mentioned in this episode: Lisa's website, Fertility Friday: fertilityfriday.com NEW BOOK! Real Food For Fertility: realfoodforfertility.com Lisa's book, The Fifth Vital Sign: thefifthvitalsignbook.com Lisa's Instagram: @FertilityFriday Fertility Friday Podcast Rachael is a mom of 3, founder of Hey, Sleepy Baby, and the host of this podcast. Instagram (Show page) Tiktok (Rachael's tiktok account) Show Website (transcripts are available here!)
Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. She is the author of three bestselling books The Fifth Vital Sign, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook, and her most recent book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. Lisa works tirelessly to debunk the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to help women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between the menstrual cycle, fertility, and overall health. Tune into this week's episode to learn all about how your menstrual cycle can paint the picture of your overall health - hint, it's not what you think!! With well over 4 million downloads, Lisa's podcast, Fertility Friday, is the #1 source for information about fertility awareness and menstrual cycle health - so if you find the information in this podcast relevant, be sure to check out the Fertility Friday podcast and follow Lisa on social media - @fertilityfriday --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elanie-welch/support
Fertility Friday Radio | Fertility Awareness for Pregnancy and Hormone-free birth control
What is the best nutritional strategy to optimize fertility? Join Lily and I in a brand new episode where we share our top strategies for supporting fertility with a special focus on PCOS from our new book Real Food For Fertility! Follow this link to view the full show notes page! This episode is sponsored by FAMM, the Fertility Awareness Mastery Mentorship program! Use this link to apply now! We start on February 27th! Have you grabbed your copy of the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook? It is the first fully customizable paper charting workbook of its kind, available in both Fahrenheit and Celsius editions. Click here to grab your copy today! Today's episode is also sponsored by Lisa's books! The Fifth Vital Sign. Grab your copy here. Real Food for Fertility. Grab your copy here.
In this episode, we sat down with Lily Nichols, RDN, the author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily is an expert in prenatal nutrition and shares invaluable information regarding the optimal prenatal diet. Lily talks to us about blood sugar, gestation diabetes, the importance of protein during pregnancy, the truth about vitamin A, and so much more. Find Lily Nichols' books HERE. Find Lily Nichols on Instagram HERE. Find Homegrown on Instagram HERE. Find Liz Haselmayer on Instagram HERE. Find Joey Haselmayer on Instagram HERE.Shop real food meal plans and children's curriculum HERE.Get exclusive podcast episodes HERE.Find us on YouTube HERE.Shop natural home goods on Haselmayer Goods HERE.
Tune in this week as Laura sits down Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. Lisa is back on the podcast to share more of her wisdom around the importance of recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign, why regular ovulation is NOT only important when you want children, and considerations for preconception, fertility, and so much more. Check out her newest book Real Food For Fertility, which she co-authored with Lily Nichols RDN. More from Lisa: www.instagram.com/fertilityfriday Website: fertilityfriday.com/ Chart interpreting free resource: fertilityfriday.com/chart Join us on Patreon! Thank you to our Sponsors! Paleovalley - Head to paleovalley.com/modernmamas for 15% off Needed - Use code MODERNMAMAS for 20% off your first month Wellnesse - Check out Wellnesse HERE for 15% off your order Foria Intimacy Products - Get 20% off your first order of CBD based intimacy products by visiting foriawellness.com/MODERNMAMAS OR use code MODERNMAMAS at checkout. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-modern-mamas-podcast/support
Lily Nichols returns to the podcast to discuss what it means to optimize for fertility - and for vitality. This episode is for everyone: men, women, people trying to conceive and not! Lily's new book “Real Food for Fertility,” centers on how whole foods can enhance fertility. The book is backed by extensive research with over 2,500 citations and comes recommended for those looking to improve their health. In the episode, Kate and Lily draw attention to the similarities between soil, animal, and human health, as well as the negative effects of modern living that underscore the critical role of preconception health. Tune in for a discussion that includes explorations on egg/sperm quality, menstruation as a vital sign, amino acids, vegetarian diets in pregnancy, micronutrient balance, and more! Find Lily:Instagram: @lilynicholrdnFirst Episode with LilyReal Food for FertilityReal Food for Pregnancy Support the Podcast:SubstackLeave a one-time TipConnect with Kate:Instagramemail: kate@groundworkcollective.comIrene Lyon's SmartBody SmartMind Program (Feb 13-Feb22nd): Sign Up HereCurrent Discounts for MBS listeners:15% off Farm True ghee and body care products using code: KATEKAV1510% off Home of Wool using code KATEKAVANAUGHKateK20 for 20% off Herbal Face FoodMINDBODYSOIL_15 for 15% off Redmond Real Salt
Lily Nichols joins me to continue our exploration of optimal pregnancy and post-partum nutrition. This episode contains extremely valuable information on how to ensure your baby receives all the nutrients they need to thrive. We cover controversies surrounding seafood and raw fish consumption during pregnancy, the critical role of DHA, circadian rhythms & breastfeeding, harms of a high omega-6 diet on baby's brain development, iron status in pregnancy and MUCH more.Lily Nichols RDN is a registered dietitian, pregnancy nutrition expert and author of the book Real Food for Pregnancy. I previously spoke to Lily in episode 16 of the Regenerative Health podcast where we covered micronutrients for pregnancy, carbohydrate intake and gestational diabetes and how various national guidelines are harming women with carbohydrate recommendations in pregnancy. LEARN how to optimise your circadian rhythm ✅ Dr Max's Optimal Circadian Health course
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her most recent book is Real Food for Pregnancy: The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Nutrition. 15 Daily Steps to Lose Weight and Prevent Disease PDF: https://bit.ly/46XTn8f - Get my FREE eBook now! Become a Genius Life Premium Member and get ad-free episodes of the show, a monthly Ask Me Anything (AMA), and more! Learn more: http://thegeniuslife.com
What if the things we THINK pregnant women should and shouldn't eat are completely made up? “Don't eat deli meat, raw sushi, or egg yolks that are too runny!” How trustworthy are the "studies"? Is a glass of wine while pregnant really that bad? Is it ever okay to add salt to a baby's food? What's the deal with postpartum hair loss? What solid food is best to give your baby first? All of your prenatal and postpartum questions are answered this week by certified prenatal dietician, Lily Nichols RDN!Lily Nichols' work can be found on her website here, and she can be followed on Instagram here!For delicious, Real American Meat Delivered, head to Good Ranchers and use code CLARK for $30 off.Go to Nimi Skincare and use promo code ALEXCLARK to get 10% off your order. Try fresh squeezed juice packed with quality natural ingredients, a delicious taste, and filled with nutrients by visiting Shop.squeezedjuice.com and using code ALEX for 25% off.Looking for like-minded friends? Join the Cuteservative Facebook groupListen at 9 PM PST/ MIDNIGHT EASTERN every Thursday by subscribing to ‘The Spillover' on Apple Podcasts and Spotify ☕️✨ Watch this episode HERE.Support the show
July 26, 2023 - For today's episode, we are highlighting one of our favorite podcast episodes with the replay of an interview with Lily Nichols, RDN, all about nutrition and real food in pregnancy. Content warning: gestational diabetes, high-risk pregnancies, food insecurities, "failed diet therapy", NICU, and interventions On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Lily Nichols, RDN, about nutrition and real food in pregnancy. Lily Nichols (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of families, are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. In this episode, we talk about the difference between eating real food and processed food in pregnancy, and the best ways to use nutrition to “stack the deck in your favor” for a lower-risk, healthier pregnancy. Lily talks candidly about the gap between evidence and nutritional practice, the importance of protein and choline in pregnancy, and why blood sugar management is so important in pregnancy. Resources: Read the Evidence Based Birth article on Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes here Visit Lily Nichols' website here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com Find the books “Real Food for Pregnancy” and “Real Food for Gestational Diabetes” on Amazon or wherever books are sold! You can also buy “Real Food for Pregnancy” at Lily's shop here Read Lily's article about protein in pregnancy here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/protein-requirements-pregnancy/ Read Lily's article about 9 Myths about Gestational Diabetes: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/9-gestational-diabetes-myths/ Visit the Women's Health Nutritional Academy here: https://whnacademy.com/ Join Lily's Gestational Diabetes course here: http://realfoodforgd.com/online-course/ Follow Lily on Instagram @lilynicholsrdn For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), Click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Description: Momma, tired of all the confusing information about what you "can" and "can't" eat while pregnant? I hear you, and this episode is just what you need. Lily Nichols is here to cut through the noise and share the REAL data around what foods contain the most critical nutrients for momma and baby, in pregnancy and beyond – in postpartum, and while breastfeeding. Highlights from the conversation with Lily Nichols: Pregnancy nutrition myths and misconceptions Top foods to consume in pregnancy to optimize the health of mom and baby Why the mainstream dietary guidelines, for pregnant women, might not be sufficient Whether or not it's "safe" to exclude animal foods from your diet while pregnant What nutrients are most important for momma while breastfeeding Postpartum nutrients of focus for healing And MORE... Connect with Lily: Website Instagram Books Connect with Wirth Wellness: Website Instagram Please Note the Following Disclaimer! By listening to this podcast, you understand that the topics discussed are intended, solely, for informational purposes. The information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should not be relied on as such. In listening to the podcast, you also agree that Wirth Wellness is not responsible for any outcomes or decisions you make, relating to any information presented on the show. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/wirthwellnessbyerika/message
Join me this week as we uncover the evidence-based information that you need to know when it comes to your diet and nutrition while pregnant!
Steph interviews Lily Nichols about all things prenatal and postpartum nutrition. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and relatable. She is the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. In this episode, Lily shares information about protein needs for women, concerns with fully plant-based diets, CGMs during pregnancy, new research and a refreshing perspective on weight gain during pregnancy, and so much more! Topics Discussed: A day in the life of Lily Protein needs during pregnancy + postpartum Concerns with plant-based diets CGMS - pros/cons/considerations during pregnancy Reconsidering pregnancy weight gain guidelines What she's working on next Show Notes: Sign Up for Lily's Webinar: Weight Gain in Preg Sign up for Nutritional Approaches to Metabolic and Reproductive Dysfunction in PCOS (Part 1): An Evidence-Based Analysis Webinar Check out this Continuous Glucose Monitor to see your body's reaction to food and exercise! Protein Recommendations blog Click here to learn more about Dr. Elana Roumell's Doctor Mom Membership, a membership designed for moms who want to be their child's number one health advocate! Click here to learn more about Steph Greunke, RD's online nutrition program and community, Postpartum Reset, 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. Listen to today's episode on our website Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. She writes at https://lilynicholsrdn.com This Episode's Sponsors Enjoy the health benefits of PaleoValley's products such as their supplements, superfood bars and meat sticks. Receive 15% off your purchase by using code DOCTORMOM at checkout or head to paleovalley.com/doctormom Discover for yourself why Needed is trusted by women's health practitioners and mamas alike to support optimal pregnancy outcomes. Try their 4 Part Complete Nutrition plan which includes a Prenatal Multi, Omega-3, Collagen Protein, and Pre/Probiotic. To get started, head to thisisneeded.com, and use code DOCTORMOM100 for $100 off your first 3 months of Needed's Complete Plan! Active Skin Repair is a must-have for everyone to keep themselves and their families healthy and clean. Keep a bottle in the car to spray your face after removing your mask, a bottle in your medicine cabinet to replace your toxic first aid products, and one in your outdoor pack for whatever life throws at you. Use code DOCTORMOM to receive 20% off your order + free shipping (with $35 minimum purchase). Visit BLDGActive.com to order. INTRODUCE YOURSELF to Steph and Dr. Elana on Instagram. They can't wait to meet you! @stephgreunke @drelanaroumell Please remember that the views and ideas presented on this podcast are for informational purposes only. All information presented on this podcast is for informational purposes and not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a healthcare provider. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting any diet, supplement regimen, or to determine the appropriateness of the information shared on this podcast, or if you have any questions regarding your treatment plan.
This episode is a conversation with Lily Nichols who is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and author. We sat down to talk about the dietary needs of pregnant women and how pregnancy can be optimized with real, whole foods. Which she covered in detail in her book Real Food For Pregnancy. It was a super interesting conversation and a lot of this info applies to everyone who is interested in eating a diet rich in real food. So all you guys listening out there stick around because you will definitely learn something from this one.Episode Overview:Why have a real food pregnancy?Macronutrient needs during pregnancy (deep dive into carbs, protein, and fat)Why a high-carb diet might not be the best ideaHow protein needs were drastically underestimated for the longest timeWhat fats to avoid and which ones to focus onEssential foods that maximize micronutrient intakeFood and drink that don't build a healthy babyHow to deal with common pregnancy complicationsSupport the podcast via donations:https://www.patreon.com/poldiwielandhttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/yearofplentyDo you follow the podcast on social media yet?IG: https://www.instagram.com/poldiwieland/Twitter: https://twitter.com/theyearofplentyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theyearofplenty/Sign up for the newsletter:www.theyearofplenty.comConnect With Lily:https://lilynicholsrdn.com/https://www.instagram.com/lilynicholsrdn/Or subscribe directly using your podcast app. The show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many other platforms!Please rate and review the show in the Apple Podcast and Spotify apps. This always helps the show get ranked so that more curious foodies can explore real food and drink with us.I want to hear from you! Take the LISTENER SURVEY: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KZW53RT
Lily Nichols, RDN is shifting the paradigm on what it means to eat for your health in your child-bearing years. Author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, Lily is leading a grassroots movement on getting back to eating nutrient dense foods and is at the cutting edge of the research on just how important they are for the health of mother, infant, and future generations. In this episode, we cover the journey from pre-conception through post-partum nutrition, highlighting just where the history of foods recommended for pregnancy begins to go awry. Lily's book is incredibly comprehensive in breaking down vital nutrients and their whole food sources and with many podcast interviews under her belt - we dive into some different topics. Looking at the importance of nutrition not just through the lens of the developing baby but also the health and vitality and resiliency of the mother. We talk about the importance of whole food nutrients together in their food source and the synergy of those nutrients in things like liver, egg yolks, and collagen-rich cuts. We also dive into body wisdom and whether or not we should listen to cravings. This is an incredible episode for women and men both thinking about their long-term health and conception journeys - Lily's dietary recommendations aren't just for those trying to conceive or pregnant - they're good recommendations for anyone seeking a more nutrient dense diet. We also talk about: Glycine and the importance of collagen Making regenerative meat more accessible& so much moreFind LilyWebsite: lilynicholsrdn.comInstagram: @lilynicholsrdnBooks: Real Food for Pregnancy, Real Food for Gestational DiabetesFurther Reading Mentioned: Protein Requirements in Pregnancy Article by Lily NicholsNourishmentVitamin A deficiency linked to diaphragmatic herniaThe Dorito EffectWired to EatRelated Ground Work Episodes:Dr. Stephan van Vliet on the science behind regenerative ag
In this episode I am chatting with Lily Nichols RDN who shares with us why it's useful to know more about the foods you eat and how they can affect your blood sugar levels. We spoke in detail about the different screening methods for Gestational Diabetes and why it's important to understand what each test is for - so you will know if you want to accept or decline. Lily also gave tips on how to improve your diet and lessen the chances of being diagnosed with gestational diabetes in general or other complications of pregnancy like high or low fluids, pre eclampsia. We also covered what to eat when on a budget and what you might like to consider if you are a vegan and want to increase certain nutrients in your diet. https://lilynicholsrdn.com/budget-friendly-prenatal-nutrition/https://lilynicholsrdn.comInstagram @lilynicholsrdnIf you would like to buy a copy of either of the books that accompany this podcast please go to your online book seller or visit Amazon:-Labour of Love - The Ultimate Guide to Being a Birth Partner - click here:-https://bit.ly/LabourofloveThe Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles - https://amzn.to/3EGh9dfYou can also purchase a copy via my website - ...
Nutrition is VERY important in pregnancy, but it is often overlooked. Lily Nichols, RDN, author of Real Food for Pregnancy, joins us today to talk about this beneficial topic! We cover:The lack of evidence for nutrition in pregnancyThe lack of proper recommendations for Macro-nutrientsThe importance of several specific micro-nutrientsAnd more!Buy Me a Coffee- DONATION PAGEResources Mentioned:Lily's BookCholine ArticleVitamin D ArticleLiver (& iron) ArticlePostpartum Meals ArticleNOW IT'S YOUR TURN!The NaturalBirth Site Read *natural birth stories*- and submit your ownSign up for the NaturalBirth Education course to best prepare your body & mind for natural birthShare with anyone interested in natural birthShare my podcast with anyone you know who is interested in natural birth!"Like" my Facebook and Instagram pagesSubscribe to my YouTube Channel
Evidence behind the guidelines? Lily Nichols RDNIn this clip from summer 2020 Lilly Nichols and my wife Basma had a conversation about the guidelines in the the US and question the evidence behind them. This was a real eye opener for me as I listened and I know it will be for you too. You won't believe what they tell you, it's absolutely incredible! • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review so we can get the word out to more people about the amazing low carb way of eating Connect with Us: • uklowcarb.com • deliciouslyguiltfree.com • Instagram @uklowcarbpod • Email dan@uklowcarb.com
Lily is an expert in perinatal nutrition, specializing in prevention and reversal of gestational diabetes. She was engaged in perinatal health and nutrition research for years prior to embarking on her own as an author of two of the best books on the related to lifestyle and nutrition for optimal pregnancy outcomes. It's important to keep in mind that optimizing your health before pregnancy and thoughtfully nourishing your body (and mind) during pregnancy leads to shorter labor, faster recovery, and a lesser likelihood of developing pathologies like fetal growth restriction, placental issues, hypertensive disorders, and diabetes if you prioritize your health as a pregnant woman. While there is a lot of noise out there regarding "right and wrong" to nourish your body and baby during and after pregnancy, Lily provides the clearest, most digestible "signal" to guide you through this noise. You're going to LOVE this interview! [12:30] - Diabetes in pregnancy has long-term impacts on your child's health (epigenetics, etc.) [18:00] - Most pregnancy complications - hypertension, diabetes, postpartum recovery, perineal lacerations, fetal growth, placental health, etc. - can be mitigated by inexpensive adjustments to lifestyle [26:30] - The #1 dietary change you should consider in pregnancy: eat more protein (from animals) [32:00] - The ridiculous demonization of saturated fat [50:10] - We will never outsmart nature References from the Show: Lily's website, books, and Instagram Weston A. Price Foundation The Big Fat Surprise, by Nina Teicholz Lily's blog post on organ meats (and on shellfish) More on Ancel Keys: the guy who kicked off the demonization of saturated fats My online store (discounts on many products mentioned in the show) Find me on Instagram @nathanrileyobgyn and my practice at: www.BelovedHolistics.com Sponsored by: FullWell Fertility - Use code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamin on the market (and check out their vitality and nerve support tonic!) Fit for Birth - With this link, you'll save 20% on personal prenatal exercise coaching (for individuals) or courses to improve your coaching practice (for coaches)! Music by: Labrinth and Joaquín Cornejo --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theholisticobgyn/message
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and unapologetically critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. In today's episode, Lily and I talk about all things prenatal nutrition, gestational diabetes, and post-partum nutrition. She discusses which nutrients are necessary during these periods, things to avoid, and how to best support the body with food. Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn Online Course: Gestational Diabetes: https://realfoodforgd.com/online-course/ Books: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/books/
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy impacting 5-10% of pregnancies in the United States. It is controversial, complicated and loaded with misinformation. Do I really have it? Can I reverse it? Is there a way to prevent it? According to Lily Nichols, RDN CDE author of Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and Real Food for Pregnancy, you can certainly "stack the deck in your favor" to reduce your chances of it impacting your pregnancy and birth. In this episode, we discuss the nutritional deficits that may set you up for the development of GDM along with the flaws in how we screen women for GDM and finally, the things you can do to best manage your diet if you are diagnosed with GDM. Lily Nichols* * * * * * * * * *Connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow, where we post new information daily related to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com. We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To submit a question, visit the Down To Birth website or send us a voice memo through Instagram messenger.This show is sponsored by:Silverette USA*NOM Maternity*Serenity Kids*Wildbird.co*Beautiful Births and Beyond*Postpartum Soothe**Use promo code DOWNTOBIRTHConnect with Cynthia and Trisha at:Instagram: @downtobirthshow on InstagramEmail: Contact@DownToBirthShow.comCall: (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN)Work with Cynthia:Email: Cynthia@HypnoBirthingCT.com Text: 203-952-7299 to RSVP to attend a free information session live on Zoom. Upcoming dates are posted at HypnoBirthingCT.com. You can also sign up for our Fourth Trimester Workshop, Breastfeeding Workshop or Cynthia's HypnoBirthing classes and weekly postpartum support groups at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Work with Trisha at:Email: Trisha.Ludwig@gmail.com for online breastfeeding consulting services or text 734-649-6294 for more info.Remember - we're in CT but you can be anywhere. We serve women and couples coast to coast with our live, online monthly HypnoBirthing classes, support groups and prenatal/postpartum workshops. We are so grateful for your reviews and shares - we love what we do and thank you all for your support! Please remember we don't provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cynthiaovergard)
Here are the notes for episode #370 of Well-Fed Women. Be sure to check back every Tuesday for a new episode, and head over to Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to subscribe!To leave a review for the podcast (HORRAY!), go to: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com/reviewIn this episode, Noelle and Lily Nichols, RDN discuss nutrition for pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and breastfeedingGot a question you'd like us to answer? Email us at wellfedwomen@gmail.com.10% of the funds we receive from our sponsors is donated directly to our partner charity, Thistle Farms, a place where women survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking and prostitution receive help and support through residential programs, therapy, education, and employment opportunities. Because we get paid per download, you are actively supporting Thistle Farms by downloading our podcast each week.Topics![05:58] Nutrition for Pregnancy, Postpartum Recovery, and Breastfeeding with Lily Nichols, RDNLinks!Noelle's website: https://coconutsandkettlebells.comStefani's website: http://healthtoempower.comBuy our book Coconuts and KettlebellsOrganifiMagbreakthrough.com/wellfedBLUbloxLearn More about Lily Nichols, RDNFollow Lily on Instagram#235: Preconception And Prenatal Nutrition With Lily Nichols, RDN (Part 1)Real Food For Pregnancy, The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal NutritionReal Food For Gestational Diabetes, An Effective Alternative to the Conventional Nutrition ApproachFull Circle Prenatal Use NOELLE10 for 10% offREAL FOOD POSTPARTUM RECOVERY MEALS: 50+ RECIPES & FREEZER TIPSWomen's Health Nutrition AcademyOrganifiSupport your body, energy, immunity, and stress with Organifi. Organifi takes pride in offering the best tasting superfood products on the market at a price that works out to less than $3 a day. Go to www.organifi.com/wellfed and use code wellfed for 20% off your order.BLUbloxBLUblox, which makes the best blue light blocking computer classes, sleep+ glasses, and red and SummerGlo light bulbs on the market, has just launched a line of anti-radiation earphones, laptop mat, and harmonizing stickers. Grab yours today at blublox.com/wellfed, and use the code WELLFED for 15% off.BiOptimzersI recommend Magnesium Breakthrough because it combines all 7 essential forms of magnesium into one convenient supplement. Today you can get 10% OFF with our coupon code. Visit
On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem MD, welcomes Lily Nichols, RDN, a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. She writes at https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Instagram: lilynicholsrdn
Lily Nichols is the go-to Registered Dietitian for all things nutrition before, during, and after pregnancy. Today, we'll give you tips for optimizing nutrients in your diet, debunk myths around pregnancy, and share the most underrated foods to eat for your hormone health. Topics we cover: How to define "real food" for pregnancy Is it true that your body will never be the same after kids? The most underrated foods for hormone health & fertility Prenatal vitamins Protein recommendations for pregnancy Mindful eating vs tracking macros for stages of pregnancy ---------------------------- To watch this episode, head over to Coach Caroline's YouTube channel. ---------------------- You can find Lily on Instagram @lilynicholsrdn and at lilynicholsrdn.com. Real Food for Pregnancy (amazon affiliate link) ---------------------------- Connect with me on Instagram @carolineofenstein. ---------------------------- Click here to access the FREE More Than Willpower Workshop. Work with me & learn more. ------------------------- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!
In today's episode we are talking about real food for both prenatal and gestational diabetes. Our guest today is Lily Nichols, a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. Lily is co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Her bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally.
Like many of our beliefs around pregnancy, birth and mothering, much of what we believe about food is grounded not in evidence or physiology, but in emotion, misinformation and dogma. Today's guest is the brilliant Lily Nichols - Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, researcher, and author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. Lily's genius is to cut through the emotion and misinformation, and look at the actual research (what we know, and what we don't know), and then to bring that information to mamas so that we can make informed and evidence-based choices about how we eat. We talk about: How the conventional “wisdom” and standard nutritional advice given to pregnant mamas is completely inadequate (and if you follow it, you'll likely end up with nutritional deficiencies!) What a ‘real food' approach to perinatal nutrition is, and why it's optimal for the health of mothers and babies What a real food diet actually looks like during pregnancy (hint: it's not that complicated, and it's pretty delicious!) What you need to know if you're a vegetarian or vegan mama (this is a subject that's surrounded by a lot of emotion and morality, so we steer clear of morality here and we focus instead on what we know through nutrition research and our physiology as humans, so that you can make informed choices for yourself and your baby). Nutritional requirements in the postpartum period, especially for breastfeeding mamas, and how you can prepare during pregnancy for a nourished, supported postpartum without the depletion and exhaustion that is far too common an experience for mamas. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN TODAY'S EPISODE: Grab your copy of my free guide, 'The Four Things you Actually Need to Know to Prepare for a Physiologic ("Natural") Birth' Download the first chapter of Lily's book ‘Real Food for Pregnancy' for free from her website Read Lily's blog post about protein requirements in pregnancy here Read about postpartum recovery with real food here, and check out this blog post for 50+ recipes for nutrient-dense meals to stash in your postpartum freezer Read Lily's blog post about a vegetarian diet in pregnancy here CONNECT WITH LILY On Instagram At her website Until next time - stay wild, mamas! Jess xx Find me on Instagram at @drjessicahodgens www.jessicahodgens.com Intro and outro music: "Bloom", from the album The Jasmani Garden by Deya Dova, with the kind permission of the artist. Cover image by Briony Goodsell. I'm living and mothering on the unceded Country of Dharawal people, and I gratefully acknowledge their ongoing work - and the work of indigenous people everywhere - in the service of thriving life on earth.
In this episode, we interview Lily Nichols RDN. Lily is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. She writes at https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Lily's second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what's optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date. Lily is also creator of the popular blog, LilyNicholsRDN.com, which explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition. We talk about what is 'real' food, not just the difference between processed food and whole unprocessed food, its not just that! Of course, we touch on diet & supplements for pregnancy, diet for those women diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and we even manage to fit in the best nutrition for recovery post-birth and breastfeeding. This is a wonderful episode full of golden nuggets! I know you'll thoroughly enjoy it and if you can please share this on your socials & tag us in your stories, plus we are so grateful to all of you who take that extra 5 mins to write us a review on Apple podcast to really help get this podcast out to a wider audience, and hey that can only be a good thing right?! So sit back, get a hot water bottle and warm socks like me right now, or if your down under like Rachel grab a fan and open a window to enjoy this incredible episode. LINKS:Lily Nichols RDN https://lilynicholsrdn.com/Real food for pregnancy and Real food for gestational diabetes books https://lilynicholsrdn.com/books/ Lily's instagram @lilynicholsrdnLily's Courses - Women's Health Nutrition Acadamy https://whnacademy.com/ Rachel Reed: https://www.rachelreed.website/Patreon donation page: https://www.patreon.com/themidwivescauldronInstagram: @themidwivescauldronSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/themidwivescauldron)
Hello and welcome!YOU CAN NOW SUBSCRIBE TO MY EXCLUSIVE MONTHLY HAIR HEALTH NEWSLETTER AT WWW.LEONA.CO where I share the latest to help transform your hair. Follow me @shabhairexpert on IG to stay connected.This one goes out to all the women out there listening that are either thinking about having a baby, are currently pregnant, about to give birth or have already been through it all. Postpartum hair loss is something all mothers must face. Basically around 3-4 months after giving birth, women start to notice major hair shedding as the hair cycle begins to correct itself since hormones begin balancing out postpartum. The hair should grow back in its original healthy state, unless your health has been deprived in any way. Most women aren't even aware of exactly what it takes to ensure an utmost healthy recovery. I have one of the greatest experts in the US, Lily Nichols, to break it all down for you. From preconception all the way through to months postpartum. This episode is so fascinating, sure to give you clarity, peace of mind and a better understanding of the beautiful human body. Find more info on www.lilynicholsrdn.com.
If I told you that as a pregnant mama, your prenatal nutrition affects the long-term health of not only you and your baby but even your grandchildren-would you believe me? While it sounds a little crazy, the research supports this! What an incredible gift we have the chance to give our growing families. Yet it is still so easy to get food confused in our society. That's why I've invited registered dietician and nutritionist, Lily Nichols to help us understand why many of the prenatal nutritional recommendations offered are actually outdated. We're talking about the importance of including real food in your diet, why protein is mama's top priority and some easy ways to get the most nutrients to you and that growing baby! Let's dive in! View Show Notes:http://www.nourishedmotherhood.com/podcast/episode14 ( www.nourishedmotherhood.com/podcast/episode14) Links & Resources Mentioned Connect with LIly on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lilynicholsrdn/?hl=en (@lilynicholsrdn) Connect with Lily on her website: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ (https://lilynicholsrdn.com/) Grab your http://www.nourishmotherhood.com/fullwell (Full Well Prenatal Vitamin) and use the code NMCGIVE10 for 10% off! https://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-for-Pregnancy-audiobook/dp/B07HFK1CNJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3N46LLFEIBGTZ&keywords=real+food+for+pregnancy&qid=1637175463&sprefix=real+food%2Caps%2C374&sr=8-1 (Read Real Food for Pregnancy) https://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-Gestational-Diabetes-Conventional/dp/0986295000/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Z8CII8EIAYC6&keywords=real+food+for+gestational+diabetes&qid=1637175495&sprefix=real+food+for+gestation%2Caudible%2C250&sr=8-1 (Read Real Food for Gestational Diabetes) http://realfoodforgd.com/online-course/ (Real Food for Gestational Diabetes Course) https://whnacademy.com/ (Women's Health Nutrition Academy) Articles by Lily: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/vegetarian-diet-in-pregnancy (Vegetarian Diet in Pregnancy) https://lilynicholsrdn.com/protein-requirements-pregnancy/ (Protein Requirements in Pregnancy) https://lilynicholsrdn.com/real-food-postpartum-recovery-meals/ (Real Food Postpartum Recovery Meals) https://lilynicholsrdn.com/can-we-boost-the-nutrient-levels-breast-milk (Can We Boost the Nutrient Levels in Breast Milk? ) https://lilynicholsrdn.com/choline-pregnancy-folates-cousin/ (Choline in Pregnancy: Folate's Lost Cousin)
Hi friends! This is part two of the episode with Lily Nichols. This part is answering all of your questions! Lily is an author, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, and researcher with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb approach for managing gestational diabetes. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily's clinical expertise and extensive background in prenatal nutrition have made her a highly sought after consultant and speaker in the field. Lily's second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what's optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date. www.LilyNicholsRDN.com explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition. Follow Vanessa on instagram to see her meals, recipes, informative posts and much more! Click here @ketogenicgirl Try the Higher Protein Keto Meal Plans & Coaching: https://www.ketogenicgirl.com Special thank you to Fast Keto sponsors: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers Right now for the ENTIRE month of November, the makers of Magnesium Breakthrough (BiOptimizers) are having a Black Friday Cyber Monday BLOWOUT sale on their best selling Magnesium. All month long you will get 10% off with my unique code plus access to over $200 in free gifts, including books, and more of their best in class products to sample. So go to www.magbreakthrough.com/fastketo now to get your exclusive 10% discount, plus taccess to over $200 in free gifts, including books, and more of their best in class products to sample. VISIT www.magbreakthrough.com/fastketo and use the code FASTKETO for 10% off any order! - Try KOSO! The Japanese centuries old health secret! Since I love KOSO cleanse so much, they gave me my code “FASTKETO” so that you can get 10% off. If you're curious about KOSO cleanse just go to rskoso.com Use my code “FASTKETO” so that you can get 10% off! Limited time only. - Prior to beginning a ketogenic diet you should undergo a health screening with your physician to confirm that a ketogenic diet is suitable for you and to rule out any conditions and contraindications that may pose risks or are incompatible with a ketogenic diet, including by way of example: conditions affecting the kidneys, liver or pancreas; muscular dystrophy; pregnancy; breast-feeding; being underweight; eating disorders; any health condition that requires a special diet [other conditions or contraindications]; hypoglycemia; or type 1 diabetes. A ketogenic diet may or may not be appropriate if you have type 2 diabetes, so you must consult with your physician if you have this condition. Anyone under the age of 18 should consult with their physician and their parents or legal guardian before beginning such a diet]. Use of Ketogenic Girl videos are subject to the Ketogenicgirl.com Terms of Use and Medical Disclaimer. All rights reserved. If you do not agree with these terms, do not listen to, or view any Ketogenic Girl podcasts or videos.
INTRO:This week I continue our Women's Fertility Month with return guest Lily Nichols, RDN to discuss Gestational Diabetes, a deep dive into why and how to manage blood sugar levels in pregnancy. Lily shares information for pregnant women and practitioners alike. Lily's no nonsense approach is research based and results driven.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Current guidelines and changes over the yearsGuidelines are contradictory in some areas and due for an updateWhy do we treat with high carbs when we fail a glucose tolerance test? Shift to "Eat to the meter" instead of generic recommendationsBlood sugar as a biometric meter- can we all benefit?Lily's recommendation vs Keto DietMeasuring ketones- urine vs bloodSome ketosis in pregnancy is normal- do not want to be in starvation ketosis or DKAChanges and Stages of Blood Sugar levels in pregnancy (up to 20% LOWER than normal)Micronutrients for insulin sensitivityGUEST SHARED HELPFUL TIPS ON:Match your carb intake to how much your body can handleTalking to clients "Tell me what you've learned about your blood sugar"Empowering your clientsNutritional needs during pregnancyOptimal blood sugar levelsManaging food and blood sugars "Eat to the meter"Practitioners implementing updated guidelinesMENTIONED ON THIS EPISODE:Real Food for Gestational Diabetes Book by Lily NicholsReal Food For Pregnancy Book by Lily NicholsA huge thank you Full Well Prenatal for sponsoring this podcast. Because of sponsors like you, we are able to offer vital information to our audience. Visit Fullwellfertility.com and use the code LESSSTRESSED to get a discount on your order.ABOUT GUEST: Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and unapologetically critical of outdated dietary guidelines. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. She is the author of two bestselling books Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and most recently Real Food for Pregnancy, which outlines the problems with current prenatal nutrition guidelines and provides the evidence—over 930 citations—that support a real food diet to optimize maternal and fetal health..WHERE TO FIND LILY:Lilynicholsrdn.comon IG @lilynicholsrdnWHERE TO FIND CHRISTA:https://www.christabiegler.com/Join us on Instagraminstagram.com/anti.inflammatory.nutritionist/Shop our Favoriteschristabiegler.com/shopLoving the podcast? Leave us a review!Sharing & reviewing this podcast is the BEST way to help us succeed with our mission to help integrate the best of East & West empower you to raise the bar on your health story. Just go to https://reviewthispodcast.com/lessstressedlife
Hi friends! This is part one of the episode with Lily Nichols is an author, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, and researcher with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb approach for managing gestational diabetes. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily's clinical expertise and extensive background in prenatal nutrition have made her a highly sought after consultant and speaker in the field. Lily's second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what's optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date. www.LilyNicholsRDN.com explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition. Follow Vanessa on instagram to see her meals, recipes, informative posts and much more! Click here @ketogenicgirl Try the Higher Protein Keto Meal Plans & Coaching: https://www.ketogenicgirl.com Special thank you to Fast Keto sponsors: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers For an exclusive offer for my blisteners go to www.magbreakthrough.com/fastketo and use the code FASTKETO to save 10 percent when you try Magnesium Breakthrough. For a limited time BiOptimizers is also giving away free bottles of their best-selling products P3OM and Masszymes with select purchases only while supplies last so hurry and order now if you want the free gifts!! So go to www.magbreakthrough.com/fastketo now to get your exclusive 10% discount, plus the chance to get more than $50 worth of supplements for free. VISIT www.magbreakthrough.com/fastketo and use the code FASTKETO for 10% off any order! - Try KOSO! The Japanese centuries old health secret! Since I love KOSO cleanse so much, they gave me my code “FASTKETO” so that you can get 10% off. If you're curious about KOSO cleanse just go to rskoso.com Use my code “FASTKETO” so that you can get 10% off! Limited time only. - Prior to beginning a ketogenic diet you should undergo a health screening with your physician to confirm that a ketogenic diet is suitable for you and to rule out any conditions and contraindications that may pose risks or are incompatible with a ketogenic diet, including by way of example: conditions affecting the kidneys, liver or pancreas; muscular dystrophy; pregnancy; breast-feeding; being underweight; eating disorders; any health condition that requires a special diet [other conditions or contraindications]; hypoglycemia; or type 1 diabetes. A ketogenic diet may or may not be appropriate if you have type 2 diabetes, so you must consult with your physician if you have this condition. Anyone under the age of 18 should consult with their physician and their parents or legal guardian before beginning such a diet]. Use of Ketogenic Girl videos are subject to the Ketogenicgirl.com Terms of Use and Medical Disclaimer. All rights reserved. If you do not agree with these terms, do not listen to, or view any Ketogenic Girl podcasts or videos.
On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Lily Nichols, RDN, about nutrition and real food in pregnancy. Lily Nichols (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of families, are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. In this episode, we talk about the difference between eating real food and processed food in pregnancy, and the best ways to use nutrition to "stack the deck in your favor" for a lower-risk, healthier pregnancy. Lily talks candidly about the gap between evidence and nutritional practice, the importance of protein and choline in pregnancy, and why blood sugar management is so important in pregnancy. If you'd like to watch a video of this interview, just visit the EBB YouTube channel here! Or visit our webpage for the transcript. Resources: Read the Evidence Based Birth article on Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes at https://ebbirth.com/diagnosinggdm Visit Lily Nichols' website here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com Find the books "Real Food for Pregnancy" and "Real Food for Gestational Diabetes" on Amazon or wherever books are sold! You can also buy "Real Food for Pregnancy" at Lily's shop here Read Lily's article about protein in pregnancy here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/protein-requirements-pregnancy/ Read Lily's article about 9 Myths about Gestational Diabetes: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/9-gestational-diabetes-myths/ Visit the Women's Health Nutritional Academy here: https://whnacademy.com/ Join Lily's Gestational Diabetes course here: http://realfoodforgd.com/online-course/ Follow Lily on Instagram @lilynicholsrdn
Today we have the amazing Lily Nichols with us to discuss protein's key role in fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding and the prevention of gestational diabetes. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women's Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. Today she answers the following questions: What are her bold perspectives around fertility? Why does your partners health matter if you want to get pregnant? Are prenatal vitamins important? What are some nutrient-dense food options? Why is protein so misunderstood? Is protein nutrient-dense? What are some great protein options for moms? What are approachable ways to eat liver? What are the issues with the current gestational diabetes testing? How can monitoring blood sugars be beneficial? Can I intermittent fast if I'm breastfeeding? What is her advice to moms who want to lose the "baby weight"? Listen for answers to these questions and more! Connect with Bett: www.bettlucas.com www.instagram.com/bettlucas www.instagram.com/bigboldlifepodcast For more motivation on your health journey, join Bett's private Facebook group called MOTIVATE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/602418726853500 Intermittent Fasting Group for Moms: https://www.facebook.com/groups/171464991406793 Subscribe to Bett's newsletter: http://eepurl.com/g4usP9 Connect with Lily: https://lilynicholsrdn.com Insta and Twitter: @lilynicholsRDN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PilatesNutritionist/
Welcome to Low Carb Conversations with Leah Williamson and Holly Jean Barrett, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioners. This week on the podcast Holly and Leah chat with registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator, Lily Nichols. Lily is the Author of two amazing books: Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. From the minute you find out you’re pregnant to the day of your delivery, as an expecting mother you’re bombarded with an abundance of confusing information. The information overload can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to advice around how to nourish your body before, during, and after pregnancy. Lily makes navigating pregnancy nutrition as easy as possible and in this episode she debunks some common prenatal nutrition myths and tells about how the medical and nutrition industry got it wrong when it comes to the common prenatal nutrition recommendations and macronutrient guidelines. Articles: Exploring low carb diets during pregnancy Everything You Need To Know About Gestational Diabetes Resources: Connect with Lilly online and on social media Lily’s Books: Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes Freebies Try Cacao Bliss and save 15% with this link and code LOWCARB Cacao Bliss original contains the genuine power of organic raw cacao which encases a host of healthful benefits. It brings you the best form of chocolate that is all energy and clinically safe to promote lots of functions in your body. Cacao Bliss brings you the pleasure of eating chocolate without any fear of adding weight! It’s such a magical superfood that has absolutely no side effect rather this incredibly good chocolate is nourishing and supportive to strengthen the body against so many health problems. This episode is sponsored by Outer Aisle Gourmet. To shop our favorite low carb, grain and gluten free Sandwich Thins and Pizza Crusts, click here and use code LOWCARBPODCAST at checkout to save 10% off your order. Ways you can help support the Podcast! We are truly appreciative of any support you can give to the podcast! Here are some ways you can help us reach more people each week: SUBSCRIBE to the podcast (if you don’t already) so it automatically downloads for you each week and you never miss an episode. REVIEW – Leave a review on Apple Podcasts – it does not take very long to do and this really helps get the podcast seen by others. RECOMMEND the podcast to your friends and family – recommendations from someone you know and trust are always invaluable. DONATE – If you love the show and our content, consider making a donation by clicking the “Donate” now Pay Pal button on the right side of the website. GET SOCIAL – Join the Facebook Group, like the Facebook Page, and NOW ON INSTAGRAM GO SHOPPING using any affiliate links we post if you are thinking of buying a book or product we mention or recommend. We appreciate you, our listeners, and your support of the podcast allows us to reach more listeners, book amazing guests, and spread the messages of honest nutrition, health, and wellness. Thank you so much! TRY the Nutritional Therapy 101 FREE 7 Day course and get a taste of what you can learn! Listen or subscribe with Siri or Alexa. Low-Carb Conversations Production by Kevin Kennedy-Spaien of Disc Of Light Media. Theme and interstitial music: Out of It (Rambling Man Remixes) by Andrew Bowden (c) copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/andrewbowden/33629 Ft: Brad Sucks
In this episode, Dr. Mark and Anisa dive deep with Lily Nichols, RDN into the true concerns for mamas and babies when a woman chooses to follow a vegetarian (or even limited animal protein) diet. Though there is so much to be discussed on this topic, we covered the key concerns of what true protein needs are in pregnancy, essential pregnancy micronutrients often deficient on a vegetarian diet, the differences between animal and plant forms of nutrients, and the challenge of balancing blood sugar on a limited protein diet. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and unapologetically critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. You can find her work at LilyNicholsRDN.com and follow her on Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn We fully understand that this is a controversial topic and ask that each person listening does so with an open mind and accepting the information we discuss from a place of curiosity and in the best interest of mama and babe. The extensive notes for this episode can be found at woodallwellness.com/show-notes/vegetarianpregnancy
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb approach for managing gestational diabetes. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily's clinical expertise and extensive background in prenatal nutrition have made her a highly sought after consultant and speaker in the field. Lily's second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what's optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date. www.LilyNicholsRDN.com explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition. Get Your FREE ebook on keto: https://www.ketogenicgirl.com/pages/free-ebook Try the 28 Day Ketogenic Girl Challenge: https://www.ketogenicgirl.com Special thank you to Fast Keto sponsors: Try Proper Good's new Keto line of Soups! They are made with good for you ingredients and fit your keto macros! Use the code KETOGENIC15 for 15% off your order at www.eatpropergood.com - BiOptimizers P3OM are probiotics that improve your digestion and nutrient absorption, helping ensure your digestive tract and immune system stay strong and healthy. Go to bioptimizers.com/fastketo and use coupon code FASTKETO to save up to 10% off your order! - Prior to beginning a ketogenic diet you should undergo a health screening with your physician to confirm that a ketogenic diet is suitable for you and to rule out any conditions and contraindications that may pose risks or are incompatible with a ketogenic diet[, including by way of example: conditions affecting the kidneys, liver or pancreas; muscular dystrophy; pregnancy; breast-feeding; being underweight; eating disorders; any health condition that requires a special diet [other conditions or contraindications]; hypoglycemia; or type 1 diabetes. A ketogenic diet may or may not be appropriate if you have type 2 diabetes, so you must consult with your physician if you have this condition. Anyone under the age of 18 should consult with their physician and their parents or legal guardian before beginning such a diet]. Use of Ketogenic Girl videos are subject to the Ketogenicgirl.com Terms of Use and Medical Disclaimer. All rights reserved. If you do not agree with these terms, do not listen to, or view any Ketogenic Girl podcasts or videos. -
#36: In today's episode, I am chatting with the go-to Registered Dietitian on all things Prenatal, Lily Nichols. Lily is a complete genius when it comes to taking care of our bodies before, during and after pregnancy. Lily shares all of the nutrients we need from the time we are trying to conceive through your entire pregnancy. We also chat about the most underrated food to eat while pregnant, weight gain during pregnancy and what exactly is the "norm", how to handle 1st trimester nausea and if we are actually "eating for 2". Lily talks about her tips for optimal digestion during pregnancy, debunks food myths on what pregnancy women aren't supposed to eat (runny eggs, caffeine, kombucha, etc.). We touch on gestational diabetes and how to test for that and of course what to look for in a prenatal vitamin. For more from Lily, head on over to her Instagram, website for such extensive blog posts and order her books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Thank you MegaFood for sponsoring today's episode. I personally have been buying MegaFood’s products for over 6 years now and am obsessed with the brand. Right now I am personally really focusing on my immune health and loading up on as many products as I can to keep me, my baby and my family healthy. MegaFood offers so many immune-supporitve vitamins and supplements and if tablets aren’t your thing, they even have gummies and powders. I have been eating the C Defense Gummies every single day now and I am obsessed. They not only have this tangy orange flavor but they're filled with vitamin C and farm-fresh oranges, cranberries, blueberries and ginger root AND they are vegan and non-GMO. I also just stocked up on the daily immune support tablet, which is great because you take it once a day and it has vitamin C, vitamin D3 and zinc. All of MegaFood’s products are non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan or vegetarian and SOY-FREE (something that is really rare in vitamins and supplements believe it or not. Use the code RACHL for 15% off your first order. Huge thank you to one of my favorite snacks - Siren Snacks - for sponsoring today's blog post. Siren Snacks makes all non-GMO, vegan, soy-free, grain-free and gluten-free snacks. They are in bite form and one bag is a serving size (the dream). They have the most delicious flavors like dark chocolate brownie, lemon poppyseed, birthday cake, cookie dough and snickerdoodle. I remember the first day I tried them I literally ate 5 bags because I was so excited about every flavor they have. They also now offer a line of organic energy bites with flavors like mocha chip and matcha latte and their relaxation ones with hemp-derived CBD are a game changer. Use this link and the code RACHL to get 15% off of Siren Snacks. For more from me, I'm over @rachLmansfield and rachLmansfield.com
When I did a call out for topics for Season 3 of the podcast, pregnancy and postpartum came out number one, and I knew just the guest I wanted to have one. Not only is this guest a wealth of knowledge- she also helped me personally cultivate a healthier pregnancy with my second daughter than my first- so I am so thrilled she said "yes" to being a guest!In the first part of our Women's Health Series, we're talking to Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE, expert on prenatal nutrition to talk all about what it means to embrace a real food pregnancy, why it's important, and what conventional medicine misses when it comes to nourishing mom and baby for a healthy pregnancy and beyond.About Lily:Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb approach for managing gestational diabetes. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily’s clinical expertise and extensive background in prenatal nutrition have made her a highly sought after consultant and speaker in the field.Lily’s second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what’s optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date.Lily is also creator of the popular blog, LilyNicholsRDN.com, which explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition.Connect with Lily:WebsiteInstagramLinks:Real Food for Pregnancy BookReal Food for Gestational Diabetes BookConnect with me:Website Instagram Uncomplicated Eating™ course: Get $25 off using code PODCAST
Sophia and Lily jump right in and talk about their inner nerds and how easy it is to fall “down the rabbit hole” when digging in to juicy nutrition research. First order of business is Folate vs. Folic acid. What’s the difference and what’s the big deal? Well first off, folic acid is synthetic folate. If you’re a nerd like us, you may know that folate comes in many forms in food. Folic acid never comes in food and it can actually block 40-60% of the population from using folic acid! Not only that, it can block you from absorbing the good stuff from your food. NOT ONLY THAT, but the gene mutation that makes this happen is called MTHFR. That stands for methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase… but let it be known it can be a real MTHF**R when it comes to absorbing nutrients. So… why is folic acid added into food anyway? Short answer… it’s cheap. Food manufacturers and supplement companies don’t want to cough up the dough for the good stuff. Of course, you can avoid it all by simply avoiding refined grains and cereals! Done and done. Sophia and Lily then debunk crazy nutrition myths in regards to pregnancy and conception nutrition. Myth #1 - Eat fortified cereal for a healthy baby Truth #1 - You can’t find the same amount of nutrients in refined grains as you can in whole, let alone in comparison to other whole foods. The #1 indicator of poor nutrient intake is high intake of refined grains. Eating a lot of bread, crackers, and pasta means you’re eating less fish, eggs, berries, and greens. Not to mention the impact that refined foods have on your blood sugar. Myth #2 - Cereal is a breakfast food Truth #2 - grains in cereal are primarily carbohydrates. Mixing cereal with milk or yogurt only increases the carb load. Mix in some fruit beyond that and you’re looking at one sitting that consists of ½ the carbs you need for the whole DAY! Physiologically, everyone who eats a meal like this will see a massive blood sugar spike. Research shows that when you start your day with a carb rich breakfast, you will eat more food and have stronger hunger signals for the whole day! Eating a fat and protein rich breakfast does the opposite, even if the fat/protein breakfast has more calories than that of a carb rich breakfast. Mental health issues can also be abated by eating a protein and fat rich breakfast. It primes your brain to be happier and more balanced all day long! Whereas a carb rich breakfast is greatly associated with higher anxiety and deeper depression all day long. High carb breakfasts also include fruit smoothies! There are fewer things on planet earth that will spike your blood sugar more quickly than liquid fruit on an empty stomach. If you want to have smoothies on an empty stomach, it needs to have 20+ grams of protein and 10+ grams of fiber while containing less than 20g of carbohydrates. And honestly, a smoothie with that profile doesn’t usually taste that good. Sorry to say but this includes that fancy bag of protein powder from your best friend’s MLM affiliation. Protein powders that taste sweet but are low in carbs contain artificial sweeteners. None of which are tested on fetuses or pregnant women. Though we do know that these sweeteners cause birth defects in mice so… let’s just say no to them for humans too. Myth #3 - Eating only plants is best Truth #3 - Listen, we understand all the arguments for and against consumption of animal products. We respect people’s choices. We never argue against people’s ethical and religious objections. However, there are significant nutrient gaps that strict vegan and vegetarianism can create. If you don’t eat animals, nutrients aren’t available in adequate quantities and concentrations to support fertility, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. These nutrients are choline, glycine, vitamin K2, iron, zinc, omega 3, and B12. Even if you eat these nutrients in a veggie-based way, you won’t be able to absorb them. The same goes for vitamin A. Even if you eat lots of beta-carotene, you can end up with deficient vitamin A without eating animals. Supplements can help, but even great supplements don’t always have the right ratios, forms, and amounts of these nutrients to nourish the baby and the mother well. It’s not the same thing to take algae-based DHA, versus getting it from animal foods. We are just scratching the surface as far as what women need while TTC and pregnant. Look, there’s a difference between knowing what’s best and choosing to eat plants-only because of your own preferences and eating plants only because you believe a lie that eating animals is bad for you. Nutritionally, it’s just not true that plants alone are best. However, we meet women wherever they are at, without judgement, and help them do what’s best for their lives as a whole. Listen up though. When we say “plant based”, we are talking about the challenges of a vegan and vegetarian diet in pregnancy. We are not talking about NOT eating plants. We highly recommend that women eat lots and lots of plants! In fact, we recommend that you make your diet MOSTLY plants! We just know, from research, that eating animals and animal products in addition to plenty of plants is the best way to feed your body for fertility and pregnancy. Even though some people have seemingly been ok through a plants-only pregnancy; it’s just not best. But here’s some good news for ethical vegans! Bivalve shellfish like oysters, clams, and mussels have no central nervous system and therefore do not feel pain. Plus, they are generally very sustainably grown and harvested. Many vegans decide to eat these foods while TTC or pregnant to boost their nutrition. Myth #4 - Artificial sweeteners are better for you and they help prevent gestational diabetes by keeping sugars low Truth #4 First off, this is the dumpster fire equivalent of nutritional advice. YOu might expect that eating something that provides no calories or sugar would be superior to something that does contain sugar and calories. However, it turns out our bodies aren’t so easily tricked. When it comes to artificial sweeteners, you actually can still raise your blood sugar in a similar way to as if you were eating/drinking sugar! This is due in part to how our bodies react to strong sweet tastes, and also due to the fact that these sweeteners greatly affect the bacteria in our digestive systems. Sucralose, or Splenda, is one of the worst offenders on our gut bacteria. Sucralose also really affects thyroid function! Eww! Thyroid function is also really vital to healthy fertility before you get pregnant, and vital to your baby’s brain development after you’ve gotten pregnant. There are also studies linking consumption of artificial sweeteners in pregnancy to childhood obesity! Women who consumed artificial sweeteners on a daily basis had bigger babies, and their children were almost twice as likely to develop obesity during childhood. These sweeteners prime your taste buds and brain to crave more and more sweetness, which makes you in turn want to eat more sugar! We are fans of laying off the sweet flavors and letting your taste buds adjust back to nature. Myth #5 Low carb diets are dangerous in pregnancy - 56:00 Gestational diabetes means carbohydrate INTOLERANCE in pregnancy. That means carbohydrate intake needs to be adjusted according to what your body can tolerate. With that said, we don’t have a lot of data on SUPER low diets during pregnancy (less than 40g of carbs per day), but Lily does recommend swapping higher carb foods for more nutrient-dense foods that has a higher nutrient-to-carb ratio. Unlike most health professionals, Lily is not afraid of ketosis or ketones in pregnancy. In fact, in all mammals, pregnant bodies use fatty acids and ketones MORE READILY than carbohydrates as fuel. Though this is a different conversation than we are having here, it's worth noting that eating low carb is certainly not something to be afraid of. As dietitians when we put the MOST nutrient dense foods into a woman’s diet we find that she is eating at minimum 70-90g of carbohydrates per day. If you try to pull a daily diet lower than that, you start to cut out healthy foods to get to that point. Plus, we have to use our bodies and brains when planning diets for pregnant women. Meaning, in the beginning of pregnancy women usually have food aversions, taste changes, and appetite variations. It’s really hard to be low carb at the beginning of a pregnancy! As far as fertility goes, the same rules apply. Limiting your intake of high carbohydrate foods and swapping them out for more nutrient dense foods boosts your ability to make healthy hormones. Swapping out leaner proteins (chicken breast) for the fattier and more nutrient-dense cuts (chicken thighs) can get your body ready to house a healthy baby. However, going through heroics to force down your carb and protein intake in order to induce ketosis has not been shown in research to help fertility or pregnancy. These kinds of diets are not supported by research and they’re largely not sustainable. Let’s also keep in mind that what a lot of people call “low carb” or even “keto” is simply limiting refined carbohydrates and sugar while focusing on veggies and protein. We are all for diet changes like that! True low carb diets (less than 50g per day) or true ketogenic diets are very different from what your neighbor is describing as she eats a lettuce-wrapped burger with a side of sweet potato.
Welcome back, listeners! Today we are having a chat with Lily Nichols, a kick-butt registered dietitian nutritionist who wrote Real Food For Gestational Diabetes and Real Food For Pregnancy. Here we learn about Lily’s work and research, her history as a dietitian, and get a nice sample of the wisdom and expertise she has to bring to women who are trying to get pregnant. This episode starts off with Lily sharing with us her experience with the prenatal dietary guidelines. To sum it up: she’s not impressed with mainstream guidelines. Now she writes about how to actually feed yourself well while trying to conceive or pregnant, in spite of the messed up guidelines. If you don’t know what these guidelines are, Sophia clues you in. Basically RDA and other guidelines, like the ones you find on the back of a food container, are based on what is the minimum amount someone must consume to prevent a major deficiency. The research is done on adult men, and there is no consideration taken for women or people of other races or ages. Boo! Lily promotes using REAL food to meet your nutrition requirements. She defines real food as unprocessed food made with simple ingredients, as close to nature as possible. Specifically, not processed in a way that removes nutrients. This means not stripping grains of their fiber to make them “refined. Not skimming the fat off of dairy, and not removing the skin or fat from poultry. You get more nutrition when you eat all the parts. A lot of food in the American diet is not really “food”. Artificial sweeteners, thickeners, stabilizers, preservatives, etc. are made by food scientists to be “safe” to eat, though it’s not necessarily healthy. When we define REAL food, we are talking about what builds your body up with good nutrients, versus how much of a chemical or additive you can consume before it starts doing major harm. We also want to emphasize whole foods vs. isolating specific nutrients in a lab, and then trying to separate them from the rest of the food. To clarify, we are NOT anti food science here on the FFF podcast! We know scientists have been involved in our food supply for centuries, and that a lot of the work they have done has been amazing! We are about food FREEDOM and fertility, meaning not limiting every food or only eating certain things. We just promote a natural diet of real food. There are very few foods that are 100% of the time a bad idea to eat, and according to Lily that list is limited to: refined carbohydrates and sugars and trans fats. That’s pretty much it! So, what is it about all this “real food” stuff makes it helpful for women who are TTC? Lily says that all the ways that the primary factor is that increasing the provision of micronutrients in the diet. These nutrients play a strong role in hormone balance, detoxification, egg quality, regulating cycles, and more! Food is powerful, and getting yourself in a healthier place with better nutrient stores can help your body get ready for a pregnancy. Sophia shares her experience at Bastyr University with helping the school adopt an omnivorous menu, and Lily shares how Bastyr School of Midwifery now uses her books as a part of their curriculum! How cool is that? In fact, both of Lily’s books are now available as book studies for dietitians worldwide to get their continuing education units! Lily shares a bit of the praise and criticism she has received about her books. Pro tip: anyone giving anything a 1-star review on Amazon is generally someone who did not even read/use the product they’re reviewing. Good to know! It’s no mystery that on this show we are fans of informed consent. Traditional nutrition guidelines are built around the average consumer being too stupid/distracted/disconnected to make good choices. Information is deliberately withheld to keep from confusing people or making things “overly complex”. I am sure this applies to some people, but we believe our audience (that means YOU!) is interested in learning, growing, and making their own choices. Lily details in her books what research shows is BEST when preparing for a baby, but it’s not hard and fast rules. When you’re empowered with knowledge, you can make whatever choices work best for you, your lifestyle, and your personal beliefs and preferences. Lily reveals some tidbits she wishes she could have added into her books. One major one is a study on vitamin D. Women who have serum vitamin D levels over 40 have a significantly reduced rate or preterm birth! Boom! On this show, we are big fans of vitamin D, as both Caitlin and Sophia recommend their patients have vitamin D levels in the 50’s and 60’s. If you have pale skin, you can get vitamin D from the sun more easily! If your skin is dark, you’re going to have a harder time making it on your own without a supplement. Finally some good news for you folks who burn easily. A major thank you to Lily Nichols, and thank you for listening!
Lily Nichols is a registered dietician and nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. She’s devoted her entire career to researching real food nutrition for pregnancy and gestational diabetes—and she’s uncovered a wide gap between current prenatal guidelines and what’s actually optimal for both mother and baby. She found out that, in mothers with uncontrolled blood sugar, the child is up to six times more likely to be diabetic or obese by the time they’re a teenager, and she realized that she could help break the cycle of childhood obesity. Her goal is to put better, more up-to-date information into the hands of moms and healthcare providers—because we can do a lot better than we are now! You will learn about... (00:55) The risk of childhood obesity based on the mother’s diet (05:32) Recommendations for carbohydrates and balancing blood pressure (11:58) What babies really need from their mother’s diet (17:58) Dealing with food aversion or cravings in the first trimester (33:30) Eating dairy during pregnancy (40:06) Hero foods for pregnant women (58:12) Why prenatal medicine contains folic acid (01:05:44) Important micronutrients and how to get them in your diet (01:16:02) Dealing with fear-mongering while pregnant Resources: lilynicholsrdn.com (https://lilynicholsrdn.com/) Read: “Real Food for Pregnancy” (http://realfoodforpregnancy.com/book/) Read: “Real Food for Gestational Diabetes” (http://realfoodforgd.com/book/) Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn (https://www.instagram.com/lilynicholsrdn/?hl=en) Connect with Kelly: kellyleveque.com (https://kellyleveque.com/) Instagram: @bewellbykelly (https://www.instagram.com/bewellbykelly/) Facebook: www.facebook.com/bewellbykelly (https://www.facebook.com/bewellbykelly/) Be Well By Kelly is a production of (http://crate.media)
We are SO lucky to have had the opportunity to interview Lily Nichols! We delve into the importance of having adequate nutrition and supplementation to promote fertility and conception, pregnancy, and the postpartum period to have the healthiest baby and mama. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb approach for managing gestational diabetes. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily’s clinical expertise and extensive background in prenatal nutrition have made her a highly sought after consultant and speaker in the field.Lily’s second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, is an evidence-based look at the gap between conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines and what’s optimal for mother and baby. With over 930 citations, this is the most comprehensive text on prenatal nutrition to date.Lily is also creator of the popular blog, LilyNicholsRDN.com, which explores a variety of topics related to real food, mindful eating, and pregnancy nutrition.
This is a really special episode and the last of our episodes chatting with a guest for series 1. This time I have handed over the mic to my wife Basma who is herself a doctor. Basma had gestational diabetes and reached out to Lily Nichols for support during her pregnancy. For that reason it is only right that Basma had a conversation with Lily and an opportunity to discuss this fascinating area of health. Leave Some Feedback: • Have any feedback on this episode? If you do, then please email me dan@uklowcarb.com or join our Facebook group UK Low Carb • Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review so we can get the word out to more people about the amazing low carb way of eating
Super excited to share this powerful episode with you! We have a very special guest on our podcast, Lily Nichols. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietician/Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator as well as a consultant for high risk pregnancies such as gestational diabetes, a researcher, and an author. Her expertise and experiences has devoted her to evidence based research on real food nutrition for pregnancy and gestational diabetes. There are so many questions that Dr. Madalyn and Dr. Kaylee receive in their practice from mamas and expecting mamas in regards to nutrition. On this episode they answer some of those common questions with Lily. They talk about her background story of how her passion has lead her into her career, the gap between current prenatal guidelines, the meaning of “real food”, thoughts on collagen supplements, nutritional advice for pre and postpartum mamas, breaking down pregnancy food myths, and so much more! We have learned so much from her! Prenatal and postpartum nutrition play a fundamental role in your health and your baby’s development, so make sure to tune in! *******Medical Disclaimer******* Thank you so much for your support of our podcast, Vaginas and Vertebrae. Please understand that all of the information, whether it be by Dr. Kaylee, Dr. Madalyn, or our guest, is all solely based on personal and professional opinion. Nothing that we say or give information on should be utilized in place of any medical advice that has been given to you. If you are experiencing any medical symptoms, signs of issue, or dysfunction—please make sure that you follow up with your physician. And make sure you are following all of the plans of care. We are not saying that we have a physician-patient relationship with any of our listeners. So therefore, we do not have any liability with what you do with the information that you gain from this podcast. Thank you so much again for listening and we’re super excited that you were just so chill and you’re ready to learn, and you’re ready to listen to the way that we feel about what’s going on in Women’s Healthcare. Feel free to reach out to Dr. Kaylee and Dr. Madalyn on their platforms linked below. Connect with Lily Nichols Follow Lily: INSTAGRAM Visit her personal page & services: WEBSITE Checkout her books: Real Food for Pregnancy & Real Food for Gestational Diabetes Follow us on Social Media: Follow Dr. Madalyn: INSTAGRAM *** FACEBOOK GROUP Follow Dr. Kaylee: INSTAGRAM *** FACEBOOK *** YOUTUBE
In episode 65, we welcome real food dietitian and author of Real Food for Pregnancy, Lily Nichols, back to the podcast. Lily helps us understand why there’s so much conflicting dietary advice out there, why nutrition science is so messy, and how we can change the way we think about research and government guidelines so we can find out what really nourishes each of us on a personal level. There is no single perfect diet that works for everyone and it’s important for us not to get so caught up in dietary dogma that we forget to be in touch with what supports our health individually and makes us feel our best. If you're ready to let go of strict food rules and obsessive macronutrient tracking, and instead focus on the nutrient-density and overall quality of the foods you’re eating, this episode is definitely for you! You can find show notes for the episode, along with links to Lily's book and blog at https://tinyfeet.co/my-podcast/65. Schedule a FREE 20-Minute Phone Consult Free course on How to Choose the Best Prenatal Supplements
Welcome to the Fertility Foundations podcast with nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner Sandra Greenbank. This week I talk to Lily Nichols, registered dietitian/ nutritionist, diabetes educator, and researcher. She is the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily's work is so exciting, because she picks apart current dietary guidelines in fertility and pregnancy nutrition, and looks at what the most recent science tells us about what we should really be eating for a healthy conception and pregnancy. Lily's website: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Sandra's website: www.sandragreenbank.co.uk Sandra's Online Fertility Foundations course: bit.ly/fertilityfoundationa
Lily Nichols is a registered dietician, nutritionist, and certified diabetes educator. She is the author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. After sharing about her journey thus far as a health professional, we talk about an evidence-based approach to nutrition, health guidelines, and how nutrition relates to pregnancy. We discuss the potential ability of various diets to provide the full spectrum of nutrients needed during a pregnancy. Is healthy whole wheat a necessary part of any diet? Should a person be eating five to six times a day? We discuss these questions and more in this episode! Contact Info: Lily Nichols: Website: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn Twitter: @LilyNicholsRDN Brian Lenzkes: Website: http://www.lowcarbadvisor.com/ Tro Kalayjian: Website: https://www.doctortro.com/ Low Carb Houston website: https://www.uhcl.edu/low-carb-houston/
Real Talk with Dana | Nutrition, Health & Fitness with a healthy side of sarcasm
On this episode with returning guest Lily Nichols, RDN, we’re talking about a hot topic: of how my body is none of your business, and how your assessment of my body is not helpful. Especially during pregnancy. In the meat of the episode we’re also talking about real food for gestational diabetes vs. the conventional,...Read More »
Here's the notes for episode #237 of Well-Fed Women. Be sure to check back every Tuesday for a new episode, and head over to Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to subscribe! To leave a review for the podcast (HORRAY!), go to: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com/review In this episode, Noelle and another Well-Fed Woman, Lily Nichols, RDN discuss nutrition for pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and breastfeeding (Part 1). Got a question you'd like us to answer? Email us at wellfedwomen@gmail.com. 10% of the funds we receive from our sponsors is donated directly to our partner charity, Thistle Farms, a place where women survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking and prostitution receive help and support through residential programs, therapy, education, and employment opportunities. Because we get paid per download, you are actively supporting Thistle Farms by downloading our podcast each week. Topics! [0:33] Nutrition for Pregnancy, Postpartum Recovery, and Breastfeeding with Lily Nichols, RDN (Part 1) Links! Noelle's website: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com Buy our book Coconuts and Kettlebells Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn Website: www.lilynicholsrdn.com Real Food For Pregnancy, The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Real Food For Gestational Diabetes, An Effective Alternative to the Conventional Full Circle Prenatal Real Food Postpartum Recovery Meals: 50+ Recipes & Freezer Tips Women's Health Nutrition Academy Thrive Market This podcast is supported by Thrive Market! As a special offer to our community, Thrive Market is offering 25% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER. To take advantage of this special deal, go to thrivemarket.com/wellfedwomen Keep in mind that Thrive Market’s prices are already 25-50% below retail because they cut out the middleman, so this is an extraordinary deal. Thrive Market is an online marketplace with all the top premium healthy and organic products that you get from your grocery store but without the premium prices. It’s like the Costco of Whole Foods except you shop in your PJs from home and your bill ends up being up to 50% less! The best part is you can trust Thrive Market’s options will be sourced from the best of the best ingredients and you can shop based on your own dietary needs.
Here's the notes for episode #235 of Well-Fed Women. Be sure to check back every Tuesday for a new episode, and head over to Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to subscribe! To leave a review for the podcast (HORRAY!), go to: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com/review In this episode, Noelle and another Well-Fed Woman, Lily Nichols, RDN discuss preconception and prenatal nutrition (part 1). Got a question you'd like us to answer? Email us at wellfedwomen@gmail.com. 10% of the funds we receive from our sponsors is donated directly to our partner charity, Thistle Farms, a place where women survivors of abuse, addiction, trafficking and prostitution receive help and support through residential programs, therapy, education, and employment opportunities. Because we get paid per download, you are actively supporting Thistle Farms by downloading our podcast each week. Topics! [02:31] Preconception and Prenatal Nutrition with Lily Nichols, RDN (Part 1) Links! Noelle's website: https://coconutsandkettlebells.com Buy our book Coconuts and Kettlebells Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn Website: www.lilynicholsrdn.com Real Food For Pregnancy, The Science and Wisdom of Optimal Prenatal Real Food For Gestational Diabetes, An Effective Alternative to the Conventional Seeking Health Prenatal Full Circle Prenatal Seeking Health Vitamin D3 + K2 Intermittent Fasting and Pregnancy: Why it's a Mismatch Women's Health Nutrition Academy Thrive Market This podcast is supported by Thrive Market! As a special offer to our community, Thrive Market is offering 25% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER. To take advantage of this special deal, go to thrivemarket.com/wellfedwomen Keep in mind that Thrive Market’s prices are already 25-50% below retail because they cut out the middleman, so this is an extraordinary deal. Thrive Market is an online marketplace with all the top premium healthy and organic products that you get from your grocery store but without the premium prices. It’s like the Costco of Whole Foods except you shop in your PJs from home and your bill ends up being up to 50% less! The best part is you can trust Thrive Market’s options will be sourced from the best of the best ingredients and you can shop based on your own dietary needs. NTA The Well Fed Women podcast is sponsored in part by the Nutritional Therapy Association. The NTA trains and certifies Nutritional Therapy Practitioners and Consultants, emphasizing bio-individuality and the range of dietary strategies that support wellness. The NTA emphasizes local, properly prepared, nutrient-dense foods as the key to restoring balance and enhancing the body’s ability to heal. The NTA's Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Program and fully online Nutritional Therapy Consultant Program empower graduates with the education and skills they need to launch successful, fulfilling careers in holistic nutrition. Registration is now open for September class and you can learn more and save your seat by going to: www.nutritionaltherapy.com. Once you sign up for classes send us an email with your confirmation to wellfedwomen@gmail.com and we will send you a FREE copy of our book Coconuts & Kettlebells!
Lily Nichols and I discuss her latest book on pregnancy nutrition-Real Food for Pregnancy, The science and wisdom of optimal prenatal nutrition. This book has a lot of great information backed up with research, a meal plan chapter as well as recipes for real food. We discuss two chapters from the book - Chapter 4-Foods that don't build a healthy baby and Chapter 12-The Fourth Trimester. Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn Web: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/freebies/
Perfecting your pregnancy diet is all about figuring out what to eat when you are pregnant. In an engaging interview between Dr. Ross Kopelman of MedChatMonday and Lily Nichols RDN, registered dietitian and nutritionist, certified diabetes educator, and author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes, they discuss the common misconceptions surrounding what one can eat during pregnancy, how women can strategically plan the foods they consume in concordance with which stage of pregnancy they are in is explored, and the latest research and scientific literature that directly links nutrition to healthy pregnancy.
Author Lily Nichols joins the podcast today to discuss her new book Real Food for Pregnancy. We talk importance of nutrition during pregnancy, epigenetic influence, gestational diabetes and even how the quality of breastmilk is influenced by nutrition.
In this week’s My Sugar Free Journey Podcast, we are talking to Lily Nichols RDN all about nutrition before, during and after pregnancy. Remember that you can follow us on iTunes and I would really appreciate a review there on iTunes. Thanks! Podcast Shownotes You can find more from Lily on her website here. She also has 2 amazing books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Using Vitamin D to Lower Blood Pressure https://youtu.be/mAFPl7d_EOM Visit Our Sponsors Order a ButcherBox and get $10 off Your Order and FREE Bacon!Try out Pantry Perks here! Schedule a consultation here. $40 for a half an hour. First one is free to the morbidly obese. Join the 28 Day Ketogenic training and meal plan room here! Be sure to use this affiliate link before you shop at Amazon. It doesn’t cost you anything and helps out the work we are doing here. You can also buy your Pure Vitamin Club vitamins by clicking here. Thanks!
Real Talk with Dana | Nutrition, Health & Fitness with a healthy side of sarcasm
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian with an expertise in pregnancy nutrition – with an emphasis on real food. I get a LOT of questions about nutrition for pregnancy, prenatal nutrition, pre-conception nutrition…and this is FAR from my area of expertise outside of what I’ve learned in school and working with a few handfuls of...Read More »
Lily Nichols Registered Dietician and Nutritionist and best selling author of Real Food for Pregnancy joins me to chat about the huge and ever evolving field of prepartum and postpartum nutrition. Lily is extremely research based and she is passionate about getting the word out to everyone about real food. We discuss a lot of things and yet only scratch the surface. Topics included: - Myths of nutrition for pregnancy - A need for nutritional standard revision especially for pregnant and postpartum women (US and Australia have many similarities) - The importance of good saturated fats - Many extremely important nutrients such as B12, Glycine, Choline, Vit K12, Iron, Zinc, DHA, Vit A - the crucial role they play and where to find some of them - Traditional fertility wisdom, Nourishing Traditions & Western A. Price - Postpartum health, nutrition, mental health, community supports, cultural care - Epi genetics, how what your Great Grand Mother ate impacts you and how your health now not only impacts your children but future generations Links: Lily's Website - Real Food for Pregnancy, theres a bunch of resources, freebies and great blog! Instagram Facebook Australian Book retailers: Fishpond Booktopia Amazon.au Worldwide: Amazon Mentioned in podcast: Nourishing Traditions Western A. Price Foundation I HAVE NO AFFILIATE LINKS TO ANY OF THE ABOVE. It is all for purely informational purposes and not intended to replace medical and nutritional advice, rather to guide you to enquire further to invest in your own health. The contents of this podcast do not constitute medical or professional advice, do not reflect the opinions of this business, any of its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, promotional sponsors, or advertising agencies, and do not create any type of patient-physician relationship or other professional relationship between the audience and presenters. No person viewing any podcast from this website should act or refrain from acting on the basis of the content of a podcast without first seeking appropriate professional advice and/or counselling, nor shall the information be used as a substitute for professional advice and/or counselling. Pollination Mamas expressly disclaims any and all liability relating to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all contents of this site.
Are you currently eating a vegan diet while trying to conceive or while pregnant? Are you considering a vegan diet due to ethical, environmental, or health/fertility concerns? Then tune in! In this episode, we discuss what you absolutely MUST know if you plan to start or stay on a vegan diet during preconception and pregnancy, including the NINE essential nutrients that you may be missing out on from food and what you can do to try to close these gaps. We also talk about some of the major reasons people choose veganism and why the ethical and environmental concerns are not as black and white as you might think. We do talk a lot about KEY supplements in the episode and you can access our entire FREE course on How to Choose the Best Prenatal Supplements here! Other resources we recommend: Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols RDN, CDE The China Study: A Formal Analysis and Response by Denise Minger The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith A Vegan Dietitian Reviews “What the Health” by Virginia Messina MPH, RD
In this episode, we interview real food dietitian and bestselling author, Lily Nichols RDN, CDE. She talks about her incredible book, Real Food for Pregnancy, and goes into which foods we should be eating during preconception and pregnancy, why conventional nutrition advice is often terribly outdated, and how we can start making simple changes to support our fertility and the long-term health of our babies. We also dive into evidence-based reasons that a vegan diet should be seriously reconsidered when trying to conceive and while pregnant. We cover some of the specific essential nutrients that are missing from this type of diet and why supplementing may not be enough to close these nutrient gaps. We're so excited to have Lily with us today and to share her work with all of you! Links to Lily's Work Books: Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and Real Food for Pregnancy Website: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn Facebook: Lily Nichols RDN Other Resources FREE Fertility Recovery Guide
This episode we’re talking to Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE about gestational diabetes. Lily is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and unapologetically critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She’s the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Here’s what we covered in our conversation with her: How Lily got into this field (specifically, how the outdated approach to treating GD piqued her interest) The definition of gestational diabetes How GD is diagnosed, including the evidence for using A1C levels as a diagnostic indicator of GD in early pregnancy The different classifications of GD and how each one is treated Why having GD can be a big deal both during pregnancy and for the remainder of a pregnant person’s life The potential complications and risk factors than can occur when someone has GD/high blood sugar in pregnancy The potential negative consequences of chronically unmanaged blood sugar levels for a baby (both in utero/during birth and for the rest of their lives) A discussion about standard GD testing methods and possible alternatives Lily’s two blog posts about her own experience with the Glucola test https://lilynicholsrdn.com/why-i-drank-the-glucola/ https://lilynicholsrdn.com/i-failed-the-glucola/ Another great article by Lily on common myths about GD - https://lilynicholsrdn.com/9-gestational-diabetes-myths/ A discussion about ketosis in pregnancy and whether it’s actually harmful for a developing baby The important role that exercise plays in blood sugar management How vitamin D supplementation can impact blood sugar regulation in pregnancy The relationship between the microbiome and blood sugar control Click here to check out Lily’s website and access all of the resources she has to offer (including some great freebies!). You can follow Lily on Instagram and Facebook and buy her two amazing books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. --- If you liked this episode of the Birth Kweens Podcast, tell your friends! And go to iTunes, Stitcher, GooglePlay, and Spotify to rate/review/subscribe to the show. For more from us, visit www.BirthKweens.com to sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on Instagram @BirthKweens, join our Facebook group the Birth Kweens Podcast Community, and email us at birthkweens@gmail.com with your questions, suggestions and feedback. Also, be sure to click here so that you can support the show while doing your regular Amazon shopping!
SHOW NOTES:Lily’s WebsiteLily’s BooksReal Food for Pregnancy on AmazonWhy I Drank The Glucola - Lily’s BlogSponsors!:Check out our NEW sponsor!! Osso Good!! They make DELICIOUS & HIGH-QUALITY bone broths & paleo soups. Stock your freezer so you have tons of broths ready to sip or cook with all season long. We love bone broth for major gut healing and an easy source of nutrient-rich protein. Use our code nutritionish for $15 off your order. We’re obsessed with these broths & this company. Enjoy!!OneStopPaleoShop: All things paleo & AIP - use our discount code nutritionish for 15% off!Grain Free Hot Cereal, Granola & more by Wildway: use our discount code nutritionish for 15% off!Get in touch with Chelsea & Allie!:Chelsea’s websiteLearn about working with ChelseaBook a free 30 min discovery call with ChelseaChelsea’s InstagramJoin Chelsea’s private FB groupDownload Chelsea’s free “Break Free From Disordered Eating” E-bookAllie’s websiteLearn about working with AllieAllie’s InstagramSign up for Allie’s newsletter
Pregnancy is such an exciting time, but can also be overwhelming. You want to make sure you’re doing everything possible to nurture your growing baby, but there’s a serious lack of information on the nutrition front. What foods should you emphasize? What should you avoid? What if everything healthy sounds terrible? Thankfully, we have amazing RDs like Lily Nichols working to dispel pregnancy nutrition myths and provide advice you can use right now to promote a healthy pregnancy. For my friends who aren’t currently pregnant, there are a ton of amazing tips in this episode for nurturing your body and taking care of your whole self through solid nutrition, exercise, stress management, and avoiding toxins when we can. Topics covered in this episode: - The most critical nutrients for pregnant mamas and how to get them - What to do when all you want to eat are salt and vinegar chips - Are the weight gain recommendations whack? - Should you use protein powder while you’re pregnant? - The dreaded gestational diabetes test and alternatives to the test and so.much.more Grab your notebooks for this one, friends, because Lily is dropping some serious knowledge bombs. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Her bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes (and online course of the same name), presents a revolutionary nutrient-dense, lower carb approach for managing gestational diabetes. Her work has not only helped tens of thousands of women manage their gestational diabetes (most without the need for blood sugar-lowering medication), but has also influenced nutrition policies internationally. Lily’s clinical expertise and extensive background in prenatal nutrition have made her a highly sought after consultant and speaker in the field. Lily’s second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, outlines the problems with current prenatal nutrition guidelines and provides the evidence—930 citations and counting—that supports a real food diet to optimize maternal and fetal health. Find her on her blog here Check her on on Instagram and Facebook Get her books: Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes Did you like this episode? Please consider leaving a rating and review for the show. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you. You can listen and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play.
Today’s episode is all about pregnancy and who better to dig into the topic with than the expert herself, Lily Nichols, RD. Lily is the author of Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and is so beautifully bridging the gap between the conventional medicine and functional medicine approaches to prenatal nutrition and wellness and empowering pregnant mamas with her evidence-based knowledge. On today’s episode, Lily shares how she’s married a real food approach to nutrition with her conventional nutrition training and how this has helped her to begin to shift the prenatal wellness paradigm for the better. She also dives into what inspired her to write her second book, Real Food for Pregnancy, as well as the topics we all have questions about–how to deal with nausea, vomiting and food aversions; food fears, her take on food safety and all those “no-no” pregnancy foods; and a bit on her recommendations for blood sugar testing. We could have talked to Lily for hours and hours–her knowledge of prenatal nutrition and wellness is expansive, we highly recommend you snag her latest book to hear it all! You can also connect with Lily on Instagram or her brand new website! Highlight Reel: 03:10 | How Lily married her conventional training with traditional wisdom and functional nutrition 09:35 | Why Lily wrote Real Food for Pregnancy 18:25 | Nausea, vomiting and food aversions 29:15 | Food fears and food safety 42:15 | Testing your blood sugar during pregnancy Link Love: Real Food for Gestational Diabetes Real Food for Pregnancy
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based nutrition (especially prenatal nutrition). Drawing from the current scientific literature and the wisdom of traditional cultures, her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and sensible. Author of bestselling book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and Real Food for Pregnancy. Website http://pilatesnutritionist.com/about/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PilatesNutritionist Twitter https://twitter.com/LilyNicholsRDN Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lilynicholsrdn/?hl=en SPONSOR: https://waiket0.pruvitnow.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stagvision/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stagryan/ Twitter https://twitter.com/stagryan Snapchat @stagryan Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WaiKeto/ Blog https://stagryan.com/
Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE busts 3 myths in prenatal nutrition! Other topics discussed: gestational diabetes, how to have a healthy pregnancy, foods to incorporate and foods to exclude during pregnancy, how to improve your postpartum experience, and so much more! Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE: http://pilatesnutritionist.com/ Real Food For Pregnancy: http://realfoodforpregnancy.com/book/ Christa Biegler: https://www.christabiegler.com/ Less Stressed Life Podcast: http://lessstressedlife.libsyn.com/ Less Stressed Life Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/christabieglerrd/ Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-less-stressed-life Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Ikp36fgzqpahmwintnk6fttvpli
In episode 28 of Fit Mama Real Food Radio I am joined by Lily Nichols RDN! She shares her knowledge on pregnancy nutrition and blood sugar regulation, plus nutrient dense foods for pregnancy, the importance of fat and some sugar myth busting! Show notes: www.fitmamarealfood.com/radio28/
Today we welcome Lily Nichols, Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher and an author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. Lily draws from the current scientific literature and blends it with the wisdom of traditional culture and nature. We talk about the Western expectation of women managing it all directly after pregnancy and giving birth, and Lily’s prescription for healing and self-care. She shares how she began backing philosophy with results and clinical data to author two of her groundbreaking books, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and Real Food for Pregnancy. She also gives some of her top picks for pregnancy food, embracing mindfulness, and how she feeds her family for months at a time using only two animals. Let your intuition guide you, and then use Lily’s book to prove these decisions with scientifically proven data. To share your own fertility story, please email me at hillary@ladypotions.com. I look forward to connecting with you, as you are what this podcast is all about. Takeaway: [2:26] Lily wrote Real Food for Pregnancy when her son was 10 months old, and she herself was healing from pregnancy and birth. [3:48] Lily encourages prioritizing food and self-care at all stages of pregnancy, including the preventative stage prior, and the fourth trimester, the postpartum months. [7:38] It was almost by accident that Lily got into the nutrition field. She was looking for a part-time role in the nutrition field that did not include a hospital, saw an opening for California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program and starting working clinically in Gestational Diabetes. As she implemented the nutrition element of the protocol in the clinic, she noticed a lack of improvement. The common sense side of her observed the current guidelines didn’t emphasize real foods, and were pretty high-carb. [8:47] Women with Gestational Diabetes are often not able to tolerate large amounts of carbs without elevated blood sugar. These findings led Lily down the path of researching a low carb and nutrient dense diet from real foods. She started using it clinically and knew she was on to something with excellent results. This led her to author her first book, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. This changed the course of how many viewed their philosophy in the nutrition and pregnancy field. [14:38] Lily comes at the information from a proactive and informed outcome, not a fear-based one. [18:12] Lily shares some sample meal plans compared to the current recommended ones, and the breakdown of the ratio between protein, carb, etc. [21:20] Carbohydrates are in many vegetables and fruits. [22:07] There is very little nutrition education for MD’s, and much of what they are learning is outdated. One example is the hesitancy for the low carb diet due to ketones in the urine. [24:27] Organ meats and liver are the most nutrient dense parts of an animal. Supplying a high amount of iron, choline and B12, Lily supplies recipe ideas in her books on incorporating it dishes, so you aren’t eating a whole plate of just liver. [35:07] When choosing animal products, Lily is a proponent of choosing the highest quality and best sourced meat. Nothing goes to waste and she encourages families to purchase from a farmer and utilize the whole animal. [38:57] Even the most culinary-challenged person can develop basic skills to make a flavorful and nutritious meal. [45:14] Lily gives us some good news — her opinion is that small amounts of caffeine are okay. A lot of the foods that are mentioned to avoid due to foodborne illness are also ones that provide critical nutrients. She suggests eating foods sourced from high quality places, and the risk is extremely low. [52:58] Eating well is one of the ways we can be mindful in pregnancy. Mindful moments, spiritual self-care and moving our body are also key elements to keep our body aligned through the process. It’s not about pushing and resisting, it’s about being mindful and going with the flow in a gentle. guided way. References: Fertile Minds on LibSyn Fertile Minds on iTunes American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine Reproductive genetics and the aging male Lily Nichols Real Food for Gestational Diabetes Real Food for Pregnancy California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program Real Food for Pregnancy — Get the First Chapter Free Continue Your Journey: Link to sign up for free 29-day meditation challenge @ladypotions4u on Twitter @ladypotions4u on Instagram My Website: Ladypotions.com Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music Disclaimer * You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.
Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietician/ Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidenced-based prenatal nutrition. She's the author of two books- Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and, just released, Real Food for Prengancy. In this episode, Lily shares about gestational diabetes, taking the glucola test, and what you could do early in pregnancy as prevention. Lily also shares about the importance of fat and DHA and other minerals, vitamins, and all the good stuff that comes with eating quality animal fats. This is by far one of the most information dense podcasts out!
Robb Wolf - The Paleo Solution Podcast - Paleo diet, nutrition, fitness, and health
For Episode 384 of The Paleo Solution Podcast we have guest Lily Nichols. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based nutrition (especially prenatal nutrition). Lily is also our go-to person for info on gestational diabetes. 00:00 – Intro 3:06 – Opening, and Robb and Lily discussing their children 5:20 – How Lily got into prenatal nutrition 11:28 – Evolutionary Medicine 16:42 – Nutrient deficiencies during gestation 19:47 – Low carb diets and birth defects 26:02 – Obesity and insulin sensitivity 28:18 – Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics policy paper on prenatal nutrition 32:14 – Ramifications of public nutrition policy 39:22 – Nicaraguan cab driver story, and food system 42:15 – Cow island in Alaska 43:49 – Our food system doesn’t make sense 46:35 – Real Food for Pregnancy book 55:13 – Where to find Lily, and closing Website: realfoodforpregnancy.com and http://pilatesnutritionist.com/ Twitter: @lilynicholsrdn Instagram: @lilynicholsrdn Facebook: PilatesNutritionist Previous guest appearance on the podcast: Episode 269 - Lily Nichols - Gestational Diabetes Zoe Harcombe article on low carb diets and birth defects mentioned in the show: http://www.zoeharcombe.com/2018/02/low-carb-diets-birth-defects/ Book: Real Food for Pregnancy
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