Podcasts about opks

Calling all of our TTC friends - if you're relying on OPKs (ovulation predictor kits) to tell when you're ovulating, this episode is for you. Whilst we do know that OPKs can be one of many tools in the conception journey, you do need to understand what they really mean, their limitations and therefore the context in which they should be viewed. We're here to help make your journey to getting pregnant clearer so we break down how to tell if you're REALLY ovulating (and other signs to indicate approaching ovulation!).SEND US A QUESTION:https://www.speakpipe.com/theholistichealthpodcast  FIND NAT BELOW: Website - https://nataliekdouglas.com/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/natalie.k.douglas  Book a Free Assessment Call - https://calendly.com/nataliekdouglas/thyroid-discovery-call EndoNourish - Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Guide - https://nataliekdouglas.com/endonourish-holistic-endometriosis-adenomyoisis-care-guide/   SacredSeeds - Preconception Care Guidehttps://nataliekdouglas.com/preconception-care-guide/  PCOS Wellness Guidehttps://nataliekdouglas.com/pcos-holistic-guide/  Thyroid Rescue - Self guided programhttps://nataliekdouglas.com/thyroid-rescue/  Coming Off The Pill/IUD Holistic Guidehttps://nataliekdouglas.com/coming-off-the-pill-mini-course/  Become a one-to-one clienthttps://nataliekdouglas.com/1-1-naturopathic-nutrition-consultations/  FIND AMIE BELOW: Book a Free Discovery Call: https://p.bttr.to/3yBdmu3   Book Yourself In: https://l.bttr.to/ZDxWO   Website - https://whatthenaturopathsaid.com   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thatnaturopath   Join the mailing list - https://elysium-clinic-of-natural-medicine.ck.page/69663ce14a   

This episode goes deeper into the role of luteinizing hormone (LH) in regulating the menstrual cycle and its implications for those with PCOS. Discover the essential functions of LH, how it influences fertility, and why it's particularly significant for understanding and managing PCOS symptoms and health.Key Functions of Luteinizing HormoneLuteinizing hormone plays a critical role in both men and women by regulating important aspects of the reproductive system. For women, LH is crucial for managing estrogen and progesterone levels, which are essential to creating the rhythm of the menstrual cycle's phases. Learn how LH operates within a healthy cycle, including the sharp surge before ovulation, which is crucial for releasing the egg.Challenges of LH Imbalance in PCOSMany women with PCOS experience an imbalance in their LH-to-FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) ratio, which can lead to disrupted menstrual cycles and challenges with ovulation. This section explains the typical LH imbalances seen in PCOS, how they affect the body, and the complications that may arise, such as the failure to trigger proper ovulation and the development of cystic ovaries.Limitations of Ovulation Predictor Kits for PCOSYou will learn the limitations of ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) for women with PCOS, who may experience misleading results due to chronically elevated LH levels. Explore why these tools often fail to provide accurate readings and how they can lead to confusion about ovulation and fertility windows.Addressing the Root Causes of LH Dysfunction in PCOSUnderstanding and managing the underlying causes of elevated LH and testosterone levels can help improve their effects on the menstrual cycle and overall health. We discuss strategies to discover and manage the common triggers of LH imbalances in PCOS.Your PCOS Period Repair ManualYou can take the quiz to discover your root cause hereLet's continue the conversation on Instagram! What did you find helpful in this episode and what follow-up questions do you have?The full list of Resources & References Mentioned can be found on the Episode webpage at:https://nourishedtohealthy.com/137

How do you know if you're ovulating? What are the best ways to track ovulation? How can knowing your ovulation status help you optimize your chances of conception?  In this episode of the Baby or Bust Fertility Podcast, Dr. Lora Shahine is talking all about ovulation––why it's crucial for fertility, and how to when it's happening. You'll hear how to recognize the physical signs of ovulation, how to use at-home tools like basal body temperature charting and ovulation predictor kits, and the purpose of ultrasounds and blood tests to confirm ovulation. No matter the stage you're in while trying to get pregnant, you'll gain some practical tips that will empower you with new knowledge and ways to optimize your approach to getting pregnant.  In this episode you'll hear: [1:00] Understanding your cycle [2:38] Physical signs of ovulation [5:22] Home testing for ovulation: BBT and OPKs [15:08] Clinic tests for ovulation: Ultrasounds and blood tests [17:27] Recap & concluding thoughts   Dr. Shahine's Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Send us a textIn this episode of Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday, Dr. Mark Amols revisits the critical topic of ovulation timing with a fresh, in-depth perspective. Understanding when ovulation occurs is essential for maximizing your chances of conception, and this episode is packed with science-backed insights and practical tools to help you track it accurately.Dr. Amols dives into the nuances of ovulation, explaining how the egg's 24-hour viability and sperm's 5-day survival make timing everything. He explores the pros and cons of various ovulation detection methods, including basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucus monitoring, ovulation predictor kits (OPKs), and advanced tools like ultrasound and progesterone testing.This episode also sheds light on common misconceptions about ovulation, addresses the challenges faced by individuals with irregular cycles or conditions like PCOS, and provides actionable advice for those struggling to identify their fertile window. Whether you're new to ovulation tracking or looking for a more accurate approach, this episode will empower you with the knowledge to take control of your fertility journey.Tune in and discover the science, tools, and tips to optimize your chances of conception!Thanks for tuning in to another episode of 'Taco Bout Fertility Tuesday' with Dr. Mark Amols. If you found this episode insightful, please share it with friends and family who might benefit from our discussion. Remember, your feedback is invaluable to us – leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred listening platform. Stay connected with us for updates and fertility tips – follow us on Facebook. For more resources and information, visit our website at www.NewDirectionFertility.com. Have a question or a topic you'd like us to cover? We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to us at TBFT@NewDirectionFertility.com. Join us next Tuesday for more discussions on fertility, where we blend medical expertise with a touch of humor to make complex topics accessible and engaging. Until then, keep the conversation going and remember: understanding your fertility is a journey we're on together.

It's the last episode of this series and Katy and I are going over common mistakes we see and hear when people are Trying To Conceive. We look at: why relying on apps is not always helpful why we always need to thinking about male fertility why OPKs aren't always good to rely on why knowing your cycle is so important to help spot problems why fertility is so unfair and sometimes makes no sense why it's ok to kick back at Christmas if you want to. And here is last years episode on Christmas with fertility nutritionist Kirsty Harrison and our webinar on looking after yourself during the festive season (with Kirsty and Carly). Finally if you want replay to all of Teaching To Conceive webinar series you can download them here.

Episode 6 of our Teaching To Conceive Series

In this special compilation episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, I'll bring together key insights and practical advice on boosting fertility for women with PCOS. From understanding the challenges posed by PCOS to practical steps and considerations for improving your chances of conceiving, this episode aims to equip you with the knowledge and strategies you need on your fertility journey. Whether you're just starting to think about pregnancy or you've been trying for a while, this episode covers everything from ovulation to maintaining a healthy pregnancy with PCOS.Episode Highlights:Episode #8: Getting Pregnant with PCOSHere you will gain a better understanding of how PCOS affects fertility and the three main ways it can interfere with conception. We discuss the importance of ovulation and how to ensure it occurs, as well as addressing low progesterone levels to reduce the risk of early miscarriage. This segment provides practical steps to naturally improve your chances of getting pregnant and explores the role of medical treatments and when to consider them.Episode #15: Understanding Ovulation with PCOSThis segment focuses on the critical role of ovulation in your menstrual cycle and overall health. You will learn to identify the signs and symptoms that you are or are not ovulating and how to track ovulation effectively. I will explain why traditional ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) might not be reliable for women with PCOS and highlight the benefits of tracking basal body temperature (BBT) and other methods to monitor ovulation.Episode #16: PCOS During Pregnancy What to expect once you get a positive pregnancy test and how to manage PCOS during pregnancy. This segment provides nutritional tips and lifestyle adjustments for each trimester to optimize your health and your baby's health. We also discuss managing insulin resistance and reducing the risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, as well as preparing for postpartum and the fourth trimester to ensure a smooth transition into motherhood.Episode #34: How to Stop the PCOS Infertility Cycle of Insanity This episode explores the emotional, physical, and financial toll of infertility treatments. I'll provide considerations for when and what infertility treatments for PCOS might be helpful and discuss how to avoid the cycle of insanity associated with PCOS infertility treatments. This segment emphasizes the importance of lifestyle adjustments and natural approaches alongside medical treatments.Key TakeawaysUnderstanding the impact of PCOS on fertility and the importance of ovulation.Practical steps to naturally boost fertility, including nutrition, stress management, and exercise.Trimester-by-trimester guidance for maintaining a healthy pregnancy with PCOS.Insights into the pros and cons of infertility treatments and how to integrate them with a holistic approach.Resources MentionedTake the PCOS Root Cause Quiz and discover the why behind your symptomsPCOS Advocate Checklist! Get the list of labs and considerations to assist you in getting better answers Get My PCOS Fertility Meal Guide Learn what the heck to eat to boost PCOS fertility. It's not a one size fits all. Sample Meal Plan IncludedKeep Learning- Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any of the summer binge-worthy episodes. Subscribe on Apple or

Holly Leever is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist, Arvigo abdominal massage therapist and Fertility Awareness Method educator. She works with women to optimize their menstrual cycles and their fertility. She founded her practice, Rosebud Wellness in 2014, and works with clients locally in Ojai, CA and virtually all over the world. When Holly isn't solving period problems, she is spending time with her sweet daughter, practicing yoga, gardening or cooking.   Website - rosebudwellness.com IG - https://www.instagram.com/rosebud_wellness/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hollyrosebudwellness Free FAM Video - https://rosebudwellness.com/opt-in-free-training-how-to-track-and-chart-your-cycle-to-support-your-body-for-optimal-health-and-fertility Holly's Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fertile-womb-natural-fertility-optimization/id1568908543   For more information about Michelle, visit www.michelleoravitz.com   For Fertility Resources: https://www.thewholesomelotusfertility.com/fertilityresources   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, Holly.   Holly Leever (00:02) Thank you so much, Michelle. I'm really excited to be here.   Michelle (00:05) I'm excited to have a fellow acupuncturist here. It's always fun talking   to my   Holly Leever (00:09) It is   Michelle (00:10) my acupuncture family.   Holly Leever (00:10) Yes. Yeah.   Michelle (00:12) Awesome. So give us a little background on yourself and what got you into women's health specifically, infertility,   acupuncture.   Holly Leever (00:20) so it's a long and winding road, like all of our stories, right? But I started studying acupuncture when I was pretty young. I was just naturally really interested in yoga and holistic health and nutrition. It just kind of came out of the womb that way for some reason. And I went to acupuncture school and I learned about how hormonal birth control...   could potentially be impacting some of the issues that I was experiencing at the time. And when you're really young, you can get away with a lot. And so I didn't feel terrible, but I hadn't had a natural period. I probably had three in my whole life at that point and I was 24. So I started, yeah.   Michelle (01:10) Wait, so give us a background. So when did you first get your period? When did you first start and then when did you get on the birth control pill?   Holly Leever (01:18) Yeah, so that's the tricky part, the annoying part, is that I got my first period when I was 14, and I was already on birth control by the time I was 15. So I don't remember exactly how many months, and I would only get it every three months. So I went to the gynecologist and I was like, oh, is that, I mean, I had enough of an awareness to know that it was supposed to happen every month at the time, and they were just like, oh, that's really...   Michelle (01:29) Uh.   Mm-hmm.   Holly Leever (01:46) problematic and here you can just have the birth control pill to regulate your cycle, of course. And I did have pretty significant period pain too. I think it was just young bodies don't just start menstruating perfectly right away and having significant period pain I think also was partially related to my diet at the time. I grew up really just eating   Michelle (02:00) Yeah.   Holly Leever (02:10) Total crap food, just convenience foods, only snacky kind of things, really had no guidance around nutrition at all. And I think the period pain was partially related to that, and also just being young and my body doing something new for the first time. I did become sexually active really early too, at 15. And so I do think it was maybe helpful that I didn't get pregnant when I was 15 years old. And...   Michelle (02:36) Yeah.   Holly Leever (02:38) I wish that I had a little bit more education about what it was actually doing to my body. I had a lot of emotional struggles as a teenager and who knows if that's just being a teenager, how that manifested for me or how much of it was related to synthetic hormone exposure at such a young age. And so then I developed a really severe eating disorder during the end of high school, really through college. So that was part of...   Even the times, sometimes I would stop taking birth control within that nine year timeframe of from 15 to 24. Sometimes I would stop taking it if I wasn't in a relationship and I really just never would have a period. So it was almost like that part of me was completely removed from my experience of being in a female body. So then when I went to acupuncture school, as I'm sure you know, and maybe a lot of your listeners do too, that...   it's a really central piece of understanding a female's overall health and wellbeing is what their period looks like. We were talking about the color of the blood and how frequently it comes. And I mean, there are so much more that I know about it now as a fertility awareness method educator, but even that little seed of women's period is really important for assessing their health. I was sort of like, oh.   I guess I'm completely missing that whole part of the equation of, you know, being able to really understand this medicine. And so I stopped taking the pill really immediately after that I found that out. I remember that it was, I started school in September and then by October, November, I stopped taking it, just completely stopped taking it and never, and have not taken it since.   But then I didn't have my period for a few years after I stopped taking it because I was still struggling with my eating disorder. And one of the things that I find really interesting about eating disorders and under nutrition is that people think sort of like you have to have this like raging, horrible eating disorder, which at times I really did. I was very severely anorexic at times.   Michelle (04:34) Mm hmm.   Holly Leever (04:53) And at other times, not so much. Like you could look at me and think like, oh, that looks like just like a healthy woman. You wouldn't really think she's, you know, nutrient depleted, but it was for me, always this relationship with food, you know, not prioritizing optimal nutrition was sort of the issue for me. So it would be, maybe my weight would look okay.   Michelle (05:19) Right.   Holly Leever (05:22) but I wasn't getting in the amount of protein and fat and carbohydrate structure and having regular meals and things like that. That was really the issue for me. So a lot of my time through acupuncture school, that four years that I was in acupuncture school was spent trying to figure that out. And sometimes I would get a period and I'd be like, oh, what was like the perfect cocktail of things that I did that made that happen? And it was just...   So, I mean, now to me, it's so obvious. It was that I let go of the reins a little bit and ate a little bit more. And then I would just be like, oh my God, that was too much. And I would go too far and freak out. And then I would lose my period again. So it's just kind of very intermittently getting it here and there. Then I finally went into residential treatment center a few times for my eating disorder. And that was the catalyst really for...   Michelle (05:59) Mm-hmm.   Holly Leever (06:20) being able to kick it finally. And it wasn't until I was 32, so not terribly long ago, that I started learning the fertility awareness method because I had been single for a lot of my life. I think anybody that has struggled with an eating disorder understands that it's very isolating experience that you kind of don't wanna date. You don't want anybody to look at or touch your body. And I was feeling interested in maybe   Like, can I have children and can I have a family? I'm 32, like, what am I doing with my life? And although I didn't have a partner at the time, I was kind of getting curious about my fertility and if I had kind of destroyed my body at that point, you know, it's like, has it been too long? And so for anybody that has struggled with hypothalamic amenorrhea, which really is what that is, whether it's an eating disorder or if it's just disordered.   or under eating or over exercise, stress, like some combination of those things. Anybody that has had that experience, especially if it's been for a significant amount of time, which for me, it's kind of like 10 to 15 years, like most of my adult life was spent not menstruating. And then to fast forward to the end of my story, I do have a daughter. So, when I was 32, I was in this place of...   Michelle (07:18) Right.   Holly Leever (07:45) I had just gotten out of my most recent residential stay. Every time I would go, I would get my period back. It was very obviously nutritionally related. So we can take all these teas and even getting acupuncture. I got so much acupuncture. I was on so many herbal formulas throughout acupuncture school and I just needed to eat more. And they would always say that to me. And you're only able to receive and really integrate.   Michelle (07:51) Mm-hmm. Wow.   Holly Leever (08:14) what's being recommended to you when it's the right time for you or whatever. So it is what it is, but that was really what my system needed. And so when I was 32 is really when a big transformation happened in my life where I really kicked my eating disorder. It's not something that you just all of a sudden are cured from, but that was a really pivotal time where I haven't really looked back.   Michelle (08:18) Yeah.   Holly Leever (08:44) Um, since that it's only kind of been getting better since then. And I started learning the fertility awareness method with my teacher, Lisa Hendricks and Jack. So she has, she hasn't made she, maybe she's been on this podcast. I don't know. I think you've been on hers. I know too. Um, but yeah, fertility Friday is an awesome podcast for anybody out there. I it's she's really, oh, that's so. Yeah.   Michelle (08:54) Love her. Yes, yeah.   It inspired me to start mine, my podcast. Oh yeah, I love her. I got so much information from her podcast. It was just, she's such a wealth of knowledge.   Holly Leever (09:14) She... And that podcast is the tip of the iceberg in terms of what that woman knows. It's really, really amazing. And yeah, so I started to study with her really just personally at first. I was like, okay, I want to be in a relationship and I don't want to accidentally get pregnant and I don't ever want to go back on birth control. So like, what do I do?   Michelle (09:22) I know.   Holly Leever (09:41) And so I started learning about the fertility awareness method from her. And I took her fertility awareness mastery program where you can, you know, she had two groups at the time. I'm not sure how she structures it now, but one was like the pregnancy prevention group and the other was the conception group. So I was in the pregnancy prevention group and was just learning so much about. How my body worked and you know, what it meant.   that my period would just go missing and also gave me a lot of insight into sort of like catching myself before I go too far. I think anybody that has had an experience with an eating disorder or being underweight, there's this tendency that even now I still have to be really conscious of making sure that I'm getting like...   planning meals and like really prioritizing that because my tendency is still to under eat because it was so ingrained in me for such a long period of time. So for example, in the fertility awareness method, now I can see like if my temperatures start to get a little below what's more optimal or like if my mucus pattern is a little bit different because I've learned all of these like subtle details of learning how to read.   Michelle (10:46) Hmm.   Holly Leever (11:03) what's going on with my fertility. It really opened up a whole other space of just in the hypothalamic amenorrhea space, which is actually, it seems kind of like it's becoming more of a hot topic thing these days where people are like actually specializing in just hypothalamic amenorrhea. A lot of times the focus is on the period. It's like we're getting the period back, but it's sometimes missing.   that actually you can't even have a period if it's not preceded by ovulation. And if we're not tracking ovulation with mucus and basal body temperature, potentially LH strips or OPKs, I use those in my practice too sometimes, cervical position. If we're not tracking all of these things, we can be having bleeds even at regular intervals, which I do think this is part of what was happening to me. I'd have these like random bleeds where I'd be like,   what did I do right this time that I had that random bleed? It may have been an ovulatory. So all that means just for, I know you know what it means, but for anybody that's listening, if you don't know, it just basically means that you are bleeding, but it hasn't been preceded by an ovulatory phase, basically. So you didn't actually ovulate. Your estrogen levels just built up enough to build up an endometrial lining, and then it's just being...   shed, but it is not an indication that your body's actually going through a very health promoting process of ovulation before that. So anyway, that was kind of my basic story into learning fertility awareness. And now, several years later, I had actually started...   working with it a little bit with my clients. I was trying to have them do temperature and track their mucus. And what I was noticing is that you can read from a textbook. And I even learned from Lisa, I learned sort of like the basics and I learned how my body works. But it's really different to learn about the basics from a book and other like online resources. And then also just learning about your own body and being able to apply that in working.   with actual patients because what I have found in my practice is that many of them don't follow and including me, I definitely have never followed what's in the textbook. So I've never ovulated on day 14. I've never had a 28 day or 30. Maybe the shortest cycle I've ever had is 30 days and that was like miraculous. So yeah, I mean, I will say that I was feeling somewhat limited and then Lisa created this.   Michelle (13:22) Yeah.   Mm-hmm   Holly Leever (13:49) program for practitioners called the fertility awareness mastery mentorship. So it's different from just the, like for women to learn about their own cycles. It's a practitioner program for women that want to learn or not. Yeah, it is women only, but for women that want to learn how to incorporate it into their existing women's healthcare practice.   And I actually wanted to do it the first year that she launched it, but I had just had my daughter. So that goes back to my personal stories that I did end up meeting my daughter's dad and I did get pregnant and had a healthy pregnancy after 10 to 15 years of amenorrhea and thinking that my body was probably broken.   being told by doctors that my body was probably going to be broken or I was going to need fertility drugs and things like that. I didn't do anything other than optimize my nutrition. Even now with how much I've learned from Lisa and so many other resources since that time, which was she's going to be four next month.   there are things I would have done differently in terms of optimizing nutrition and lifestyle and other things that maybe I think could have made it even more wonderful. But I had a really healthy pregnancy, really wonderful birth at home. And yeah, I'm just really amazed by the human body that when you give it what it needs, it will perform.   I don't know, perform isn't really the right word, but function optimally. And fertility is part of optimal function for women, whether they want to get pregnant or not. I mostly work with women that want to get pregnant. So that's sort of the lens in which I see everything. Yeah.   Michelle (15:36) Yeah.   Me too. But yeah, I mean that I always say it's just a reflection of overall health. If it doesn't have the resources or if it's at a deficit, it's going to, you know, it's not going to give you what you want or it's not going to be functioning optimally and it's definitely not going to prioritize reproductive health. That's for sure. So that's, and a lot of what you're saying is pretty much my history. I mean, I had the same thing like three months cycles.   Holly Leever (16:08) Okay.   Michelle (16:16) And this is what I, you know, for a couple of years, and then I went to the doctor, he put me on the birth control pill and it was just like on and off, on and on and off. Um, there was a time where I also under eight, I was in college and I guess I probably did. I mean, I never really called it that, but I had a bit of an eating disorder myself. There were times where I was like, I want to, you know, look really thin. Like this next person that just is genetically a lot thinner build than I am.   And it was kind of like this thing I just got in my head. And so for a little while, I mean, it was on and off for me, but it definitely impacted my hormones. It was all over the place. So.   Holly Leever (16:54) I mean, even what has been normalized in our culture, like in, I remember magazines when I, I don't know what it kind of trashes in there these days, but I actually was reading them when I was in high school or whatever. And they would talk about like 1200 calorie diets. That's an eating disorder. If I eat that amount of calories, I'm very, very underweight. I mean, maybe somebody could do that if they're like four feet tall or something, but.   Michelle (17:12) Yeah.   Yeah, no, I mean, we need the   nutrients for sure. I mean, that's what it is. It really comes down to that. It comes down to energy. And so it's not even about eating, it's about what you're eating. Because as we know, just like a chi in the body, food has chi as well. And so there's some food that's kind of very low chi, very low energy or vitality, let's say.   Holly Leever (17:25) Yeah.   Mm-hmm.   Michelle (17:45) and versus live whole foods which are way more nourishing and nutrient dense for the body. So those are all important aspects. But as you were talking, you know, and this is something that I've thought about recently, and it's not something that's often talked about, but we're in the fertility world. And do you tend to see, because there's such like, there are a lot of rules, you know, you have to like be, you know, avoid   toxins and you have to eat certain foods and you have to do this and that and the other. And I feel like if you have a tendency or have any history with eating disorder or some sense of obsessive compulsion for your life, it can trigger that. Being on the fertility journey and focusing, even if you're trying quote unquote naturally, it can trigger that feeling. And that can be very...   stressful on top of like everything else.   Holly Leever (18:43) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, man, this is something I think about pretty much every day. Because, yeah, my experience in residential treatment for my eating disorder was very much based on, I guess, conventional guidelines of optimal nutrition, like low fat and pretty carb heavy.   and just kind of, and very weight goal based. And at the time, I think that was what I needed. I needed to just like know rules and they would have things like fun foods and there's a perspective of choosing relationship with other people over your eating disorder. So for example, if your friends want to go out for ice cream and you're like, oh no, I'm like too, I mean, this is...   very much something that I experienced, like totally not gonna go to that. I do not wanna eat ice cream or, you know, there were times that I would go and just not eat it or whatever. And so the choosing relationship was something that really resonated with me. And now I think about a lot too, with a young daughter of how I want to model things for her. And so I will say that my own approach to food, like for myself,   Michelle (20:05) Yeah.   Holly Leever (20:11) now is one of really trying to get optimal nutrition in when it's available to me, and also not to demonize anything primarily for her. And yeah, and also for her relationship with other people and knowing that, you know, if a friend gives you something, even if it's not like the healthiest thing ever.   that you know that your body is strong because it's mostly exposed to really nutrient dense foods. And the tricky part about that, because when I was in treatment, it was definitely like, this is what I'm doing right now. I'm like recovering from my eating disorder. So there's like the psychological piece of it, where I do think that it can be helpful in that kind of situation where like, yes, just get yourself to do the things that are hard for you.   so that you can overcome this psychological aspect of it. I had someone on my podcast that focuses a lot on just like body neutrality, not necessarily related to fertility, but it feels relevant because one of the things she struggled with was rheumatoid arthritis. And if she eats gluten or dairy, it flares it and it really hurts. And she said that she prioritizes her mental health over that.   physical experience. So she just still eats gluten and dairy, even though she knows it makes it worse. So that's something that's really empowering, I think, for people that if you know how things are affecting you and you're, you get to make that choice about like what the priority is. So for me, I, I like to feel really good. And part of my job is relies on me feeling really good.   energetically, you know, when I'm doing acupuncture, I do feel, or just being present with my client, like it feels to me, I know that I feel better if I'm eating a higher protein, higher fat, and that I'm eating mostly whole foods. So that's, that's a priority for me. And I do have to be thoughtful about like, is this an eating disorder? Like, am I kind of making myself crazy? Thanks.   So in the HA space, a lot of it is just like, fill yourself with, and I talked about this on my own podcast and Lisa's podcast. And my hope is that it's not triggering for anybody that's going through that experience because I do think it can be relevant and helpful to like eat, I'm trying not to say specific foods because I don't wanna demonize anyone food, but to eat things that are, you know, like more processed or something like that.   that you really like that brings a lot of joy to your life and also helps you to get over the psychological aspect of it. I think there's space for that. I don't think that just cramming yourself full of things that make you feel crappy, which was my first experience in residential. I was there for a really long time, for four months I was living in this place with this   you know, not so health promoting food and very based on like weight gain. And I, I did get my period back and I do think it was a step on the journey. And I, I feel. I also, after that left and lost a ton of weight, even more than I had before. So I, I went kind of the opposite direction because I was pushed so far.   Michelle (23:55) Bye.   Holly Leever (23:55) away from where I really wanted to be, I felt awful. And I don't think that is optimal health or fertility if you feel awful. But it's such a nuanced conversation. And this is where I think the individualized work in fertility is so important because I can say all these things about, you know, like optimize getting 100 to 150 grams of protein per day and having a balance of nutrition or recommend.   certain dietary resources like Real Food for Pregnancy is one of my favorite books. And I'm not sure if I'm allowed to talk about the new book yet, but there's another new book that's coming out soon that is a really great resource that I've just recently read through and been wowed by. But it is also about making it...   Michelle (24:34) Mm-hmm.   Holly Leever (24:46) it fitting into your life. So one of the things that I do a lot is I have women fill out a food log and also like a lifestyle log of how they're sleeping, what their screen time is like, what they're eating, you know, any number of things, what the exercise level is like. And then I make specific recommendations for each individual woman about what will be most supportive for her and what actually feels possible for her.   Michelle (25:13) Mm-hmm.   Holly Leever (25:14) If a woman is super busy and traveling all the time, she's not going to be able to eat like I do because I'm home cooking all the time. I'm home a lot of the time. That's not possible for everybody. So I also have a lot of ideas and ways that I work with women on getting in optimal nutrition that doesn't have to be done in such a specific way where you're tied to the kitchen all the time unless you want to be.   Michelle (25:20) Right.   Holly Leever (25:43) Yeah, it's a very nuanced, nuanced conversation that in an HA situation in particular, really requires individualized support, in my opinion.   Michelle (25:55) Yeah, for sure. I mean, the way I look at it in general is it's all a strategy. So that's how I see it with every patient. It really depends on their circumstance and what they feel and ultimately like what aligns for them. And if it's too much of a push, then people retract and it's not realistic. So everything has to be small steps to get to that point. Building a foundation, that's for sure.   Holly Leever (26:22) Yeah, one of the things that I shared about when I recorded my own podcast about HA is that if I went from, you know, where I was at, the first time I went to treatment was when I was 29. If I were to contemplate eating what I do now, back then, there's no way I could do that. There's no way. I needed to have these like bridges throughout my journey. And I do think that one of the things   Michelle (26:45) Yeah.   Holly Leever (26:52) found really helpful during my own, it wasn't really a fertility journey because I was sort of just doing it anyway, like not necessarily thinking about, it wasn't like I went through a long, like trying to conceive phase. I just did get pregnant because I had already optimized my fertility because I saw its relevance to my overall health.   I would maybe do a few things a little bit differently now.   Michelle (27:21) Yeah, I mean, it's always that way. I think we look back and there's so many things that we could have done differently. And, you know, that's, I guess that's hindsight. Hindsight is so perfectly clear versus like looking into the future. And that's, I think that really teaches us to be easy on ourselves and give us ourselves some grace and, and that I think is what helps the recovery is just.   Holly Leever (27:24) Yeah.   Yes, exactly.   Michelle (27:49) giving yourself that love and grace and acceptance, and also meeting yourself where you are. I think that's ultimately, it's very healing to do so. It feels more soothing, honestly, on the soul and on the body. And it's more realistic. It's more, it's something that you can really adopt and take in to your life.   Holly Leever (27:55) Mm-hmm. Yeah.   Absolutely, yes.   Michelle (28:11) in a way that's going to last. So as far as, well, fertility awareness is amazing because I think a lot of people don't realize just how powerful it is. But for people who are not as familiar with it, what is it besides I think people think of the BBT, like basal body temperature charting, besides that obviously it's so much more.   Holly Leever (28:23) Mm-hmm.   Yeah.   Michelle (28:34) I look at it like a body awareness.   mindfulness practice of your menstrual cycle.   Holly Leever (28:39) Absolutely. Yeah. So fertility awareness, like the term fertility awareness, is kind of just having a basic understanding of how your fertility works. But the fertility awareness method, there are actually many different types and I'm not an expert on all of them. I have been trained by Lisa, so she's been very much informed by the justice method, but she doesn't exclusively teach that.   And it is a symptom thermal method, what I have been trained in. So that means we're tracking symptoms like cervical position and cervical mucus and thermal temperature. So we're tracking BBT. So there are other methods that only use mucus or use urine metabolites to test hormones and things like that. So what I'm sharing about is purely based on the style that I've been trained in. So there's definitely differences and definitely differences in the way that they chart that we all.   chart things, so it's a little bit tricky to interpret another method's charting because they don't always line up perfectly. But the method that I've been trained in is pretty similar to the Taking Charge of Your Fertility, which most people that know anything about fertility and fertility awareness know about that book. And that was my first exposure.   I don't know what your acupuncture education was like, but I know that all we learned about was BBT and it was sort of this like general awareness that this could tell women about their fertility, but there was really not any more detail given about all of the implications of what you can actually learn from the fertility awareness method, not just from a fertility perspective, but also from a health and metabolic function.   perspective. So yeah, so we're tracking BBT, basal body temperature. So that's just your waking temperature. So you take your temperature first thing when you wake up in the morning before you drink or talk or go to the bathroom or anything like that. And in the method I teach, there are some very specific guidelines around that, that I'm not going to go into everything because we'd be here forever. That's a lot of the work that I do. So that's the first part of it. And then from that, you create a chart.   Michelle (30:51) I'm sorry.   Holly Leever (30:58) you know, an XY graph, and then there's the cycle days and the temperature. I use Fahrenheit because I'm in America, but there's also Celsius charts available. I use the Read Your Body app with my clients or paper charts. I don't ever recommend using any of the apps that have any predictions. I used to use another app, but I just recently learned that they started adding predictions into their method.   And so I don't recommend that one anymore. So it's a big bummer when that happens. And if women have enough awareness about how it actually works, then if, as long as they can ignore the predictions and the algorithms and things, that's fine. But especially as you're learning, it makes things way more confusing. I've had women that have, they have like two different apps and then they're also taking their temperature and they're so confused because they're like.   Michelle (31:53) Yeah.   Holly Leever (31:56) This one tells me I'm ovulating here. And then my chart says something different. And I'm like, OK, that's because there's a lot of inaccuracy here. And the best way to know what's going on inside of your body in terms of your fertility is to actually track it manually yourself. Lisa compares it to the weather. If you can look on.   the weather prediction app or whatever and see what they think is gonna be happening, or you could walk outside and go see what's happening. You know? So that's really what the, I love that comparison because it's such an obvious thing. Like nobody would be like, is it raining? Or like they would just go outside. So the other part of it is cervical mucus tracking, which that is a lot of the education that is different. Learning how to do BBT is really pretty straightforward.   Michelle (32:27) I like that. That's good.   Holly Leever (32:50) And once you learn how to do it and the things that can impact your temperature, like the amount that you sleep. So you do need to have, in the method that I've been trained in, five hours of uninterrupted sleep, there's other methods that say that less sleep than that is fine. So I always recommend just doing your best and taking your temperature and always noting if there's something out of the ordinary.   but it can be impacted by alcohol, traveling, so many different things. So those are all things that I teach people about and then they learn to mark in their chart so that we can most accurately analyze what's going on with temperature. But it really is pretty straightforward. Like in a healthy cycle, you'll have a temperature shift and it will stay high throughout the entire luteal phase. So that's from ovulation until the day before the next period. And it should be within an optimal range   the pre-ovulatory phase and in the post-ovulatory phase. So that's part of the work that I do, which is an indication of metabolic function. And that's one of the reasons that I'm so obsessed with talking about protein is because getting adequate protein regularly throughout the day is really important for metabolic function. And that will show up in your temperature.   Also thyroid function too will usually show up in the temperature too, but we need to make sure that we're accurately tracking temperature first before we can draw any diagnostic conclusions from what we're seeing in the chart. So cervical mucus is the other part of it. So we have a very, in this method, a very specific way of collecting cervical mucus. So I use external wiping.   So usually when women will come to me, they'll be like, I saw this in my underwear and I pulled this out of my vagina. And you know, like there's, they're so confused about what they're actually tracking. And there's not any, there's not like a consistent way that they're tracking it to reduce the variables in kind of assessing what's really going on. So we use this external wiping method and then looking at the toilet paper and.   taking the mucus off of the toilet paper and stretching it between your fingers. So it is a more intimate type of fertility awareness, but it doesn't require you to actually insert your finger unless you're tracking cervical position. And as someone, I totally left this out of my own story, but it was a significant part of my story that I had really painful sex and the insertion of anything, a finger tampon, like...   Michelle (35:19) Yeah.   Holly Leever (35:20) really painful for me for a lot of my life, which I think was also connected to under nutrition and having such low estrogen levels and also being on birth control can shrink your vaginal canal, which I only learned within the past couple of years. And I think that was part of what was happening for me. So for other women that I've worked with, it's painful for them to insert their finger. So we don't use cervical position tracking and   Michelle (35:46) Right.   Holly Leever (35:49) it's really great that they don't have to do the internal checks for cervical mucus either for that reason. And it can also be more confusing if you're doing internal checks because there isn't really ever a day that your vagina is totally dry. So it makes your dry days harder to identify. And I mean, this is where there is a difference between textbook learning and actual in the field experience.   Michelle (36:07) Mm-hmm.   Holly Leever (36:19) in, if you look in a textbook, it's just like, Oh, they, a woman has her period, then she has dry days, then she has mucus, then she ovulates, then she goes back to dry days. And most of the women in my practice cycles don't look like that when we first start working together. And part of that is, you know, I've talked about my eating disorder, but I, there's a, most of the women I work with are nutrient depleted.   And it's not because they're intentionally trying to under eat or lose weight most of the time, it's because there hasn't been adequate education on what is actually optimal nutrition for a human. You know, we've just been so, I know in my family, it was just like convenience based. And a lot of the women that I work with, it's very much convenience based. So maybe they're getting enough overall calories, but they're not getting.   Michelle (36:53) Mm-hmm.   Holly Leever (37:11) actual nutrients from those calories, for example. My friend just sent me a reel from this guy and he was like an avocado and this like Snickers thing have like the same amount of calories. But in terms of nutrient density, there's really no comparison of what that, the message that that's going to send to your body about what to do with that food. So.   Michelle (37:27) Right.   Yeah.   Holly Leever (37:36) I went off into a little nutrition tangent again, but it's so relevant to cervical mucus production. So I see all sorts of issues with cervical mucus production, whether it's limited or if the mucus phase is too long, if there is mucus in the post-ovulatory phase. And this is the difference between taking her, Lisa's, class in learning how to chart my own cycle versus learning how to apply it for many, many women. This is what we...   Michelle (37:41) Bye.   Holly Leever (38:05) learn about is how to really get into the nitty gritty details about like, what does this mucus mean? And the other part that I'll say about fertility awareness is that although we're getting into the nitty gritty details about BBT and cervical mucus and cervical position, any individual like day or data point is sort of irrelevant outside of the context of the full chart. It's just like Chinese medicine. I'm sure that   Michelle (38:33) Yeah.   Holly Leever (38:34) people are like, I have a headache, what would you do for that? And you're like, do you have like an hour for me to explain to you all of the potential causes of headaches? Because that's really, you know, we're not looking at symptoms on an individual basis, we're looking at the overall pattern of like what is causing that for that individual person? And so the chart really feels very similar to Chinese medicine in that way, in that it gives us...   Michelle (38:43) Yeah, it's true.   Yeah.   Holly Leever (39:03) It's like its whole own diagnostic process, which is really fun to compare with also the Chinese medicine diagnosis too. So I love kind of weaving those two things together too.   Michelle (39:18) I'll be honest, it makes it easier for me to do my job. I can see what's going on. I can see if I need to increase some young herbs, increase the heat in the body. And then I'll see after a while, things shift based on what I do, which is based on what I saw early on. So it's huge because it's such a great tool. So when people come in to see me and they say, I have a couple of months worth of my   Holly Leever (39:27) Mm-hmm.   Mm-hmm.   Michelle (39:46) charting, I'm like so excited. So it gives me a lot to work with.   Holly Leever (39:48) Yes. I mean, working with fertility, I started working with fertility pretty early on in my practice, and I just started really incorporating fertility awareness in the way that I do it now within the past couple of years. And it was like doing it blind before I had as much information as I do now. If you don't have a chart, you don't even know if they're ovulating. So-   Michelle (40:11) Yeah, it's a game changer.   Yeah, I mean, you could do sometimes like a progesterone metabolites, not so much LH, you know, just to make sure to confirm, but, you know, there's definitely like other things and other more expensive kits that you can get, but I mean, this is just gold standard. It's like, it's so great, you know, it's such a great way to look at it. It gives you so much insight, it connects you with your own body and   Holly Leever (40:18) OPKs. Yep, right.   Mm-hmm.   That's it.   Michelle (40:40) I think it's amazing, but I could talk to you for hours, Holly. I mean, this is so interesting. There's so many things that we can obviously talk about, but it's so important for people to learn this and to know that it is something that can actually benefit them. I think some people get really stressed out by it initially. And I say it's the same thing as like meditation. When you sit down to meditate, at first it's uncomfortable or you're starting something new, it's going to be uncomfortable.   Holly Leever (40:58) Hehehe   Michelle (41:07) But if you can kind of get through that discomfort, eventually on the other side, it's gonna give you so much more. It's gonna benefit you in so many ways that you didn't even imagine.   Holly Leever (41:17) and sometimes the overwhelm is because they don't understand it. That's what I found, is that people will be reading into each little peak and valley in the chart, and they're just kind of like, I don't even know what it means. And that's really stressful. And if you... I don't... I mean, I could tell people it within an hour session how to...   Michelle (41:23) Yeah.   Yeah.   Oh yeah, because...   Holly Leever (41:45) actually interpret the BBT and they could really get a lot of, it's just like going to a meditation class. If you learn just actually what is happening and what's normal, that can really help to sort of calm your nervous system about the overwhelm around it.   Michelle (42:03) Yeah. And also knowing that eventually it's going to get easier. It's just, it's like anything. It's like anything new eventually does get easier. So for people who do want to hear your podcast or reach out to you and work with you, how can they find you?   Holly Leever (42:07) Let's move.   Yeah, so I'm very active on Instagram. I'm on Instagram at rosebud underscore wellness. I also have a website rosebudwellness.com. And I do have a free fertility awareness for conception video on my Instagram linked there. Maybe we could also link it in the show notes. I could send it to you. So it's just a 30 minute video kind of going through a little bit more details about what's involved.   So I know that fertility awareness is not for everyone. Not everybody's gonna want to get into this level of detail. So that video is really helpful for people to kind of get a feel for it and see like, does that sound crazy or could I maybe try that? So, yeah.   Michelle (43:05) That's awesome. Well, this is great because people are listening to this. They're probably really curious about it. So it's awesome to have a free resource. So thank you for that. Um, so Holly, thank you so much for coming on. This is so great. I mean, I can talk to you for way um, than we have time, but this is just great information. I'm sure so many people got so much value from this. So thank you for coming on today.   Holly Leever (43:13) Yeah.   My pleasure, thank you so much for having me.

Hour 4: DA of Mad Dog Sports Radio joins the show with a national perspective of the NFL Final Four, We didn't know this was a thing, say no to remakes, Former Royal Alex Gordon joins the show to discuss the new College Baseball HOF that will be in OPKS , Calling the Chiefs, and the play at the plate

This is by far THE most common concern amongst the women I work with when I first meet with them. If you're not sure how to determine when (or if) you're ovulating, you are not alone & I am here to clear it up for you once and for all! How to know when you're ovulating... ✨Signs you are approaching ovulation ✨

Today's Friday Chats episode is about when and how to use an OPK (Ovulation Predictor Kit) test. An OPK test can be a helpful tool when trying to get pregnant or gain clarity on when during your Menstrual Cycle you are ovulating. However, OPKs are NOT all created equal! It's also important to know that PCOS can cause false positives. Tune in to learn what kind of OPK test I recommend and why, as well as how to know if you are getting false positives. --

Dr. Natalie Crawford gathered the best fertility questions you left on her voicemail in this special Q&A episode! There are often so many fertility questions that go unanswered and Natalie is here to be a trusted source for your questions and concerns regarding fertility.   Questions answered: What is the truth about Chlamydia and blocked Fallopian tubes? Is pre-seed lubricant a good option when trying to conceive? When undergoing fertility treatments, do all of the stimulated follicles create a corpus luteum? Is it best to start trying to conceive at the first sight of egg white cervical mucus or rely on OPKs? Can sperm be affected by high intensity exercise?What to do if a sperm analysis comes back with zero motility and low sperm counts? Don't forget to ask your questions on Instagram for next week's For Fertility's Sake segment when you see the question box on Natalie's page @nataliecrawfordmd. You can also ask a question by calling in and leaving a voicemail. Call 657–229–3672 and ask your fertility question today!      Thanks to our amazing sponsors! Check out these deals just for you: Green Chef- Go to GreenChef.com/aaw60 and use code aaw60 to get 60% off plus free shipping. Apostrophe- Go to Apostrophe.com/AAW and click Get Started, then use our code AAW at sign up and you'll get your first visit for only five dollars!" If you haven't already, please rate, review, and follow the podcast to be notified of new episodes every Sunday. Plus, be sure to follow along on Instagram @nataliecrawfordmd, check out Natalie's YouTube channel Natalie Crawford MD, and if you're interested in becoming a patient, check out Fora Fertility.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 4 is all about the Follicular Phase of your menstrual cycle. All phases are important for fertility, but this one in particular is vital to understand. It's the part of your menstrual cycle where the follicle is growing and maturing the egg, ready for release and hopefully ready for conception (if you're TTC). So we discuss: why is it called the follicular phase and what is happening why we bloody love a bit of ostrogen cervical mucus, what it is and what it does how to check for it OPKs lifestyle patterns that influence the follicular phase If you would like to learn more about your fertility and connect with people who are TTC, come and join our free community "Don't Tell Me To Relax" To find out more about working with us in clinic you can book a discovery call or an appointment directly online You can also find us on Instagram

If you're just getting started on your TTC (trying to conceive) journey, you may be wondering what to do besides *getting busy.* Well, turns out there's a whole fun world of tracking ovulation for you to get into! In today's episode, I'm going through some of the most popular methods to track ovulation for conception, the pros and cons of tracking, and my experience with these methods. From BBT (basal body temperature) and CM (cervical mucus) to OPKs (ovulation prediction kits) and testing your saliva, let's dive into the fun, fascinating and frightening world of tracking. Check out this article for more info: https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-to-track-ovulation-when-trying-to-conceive-2371830

There are so many challenges a woman can face when she starts to TTC…from trying to guess whether or not you're ovulating with OPKs to waiting forever to get tested by your physician. We all have our own hormonal patterns, but we don't want to rely on guesswork to find your fertile window because after all, ovulation is the most important event of the menstrual cycle…without it, pregnancy is not possible.   I'm excited to interview the Founder and CEO of Mira, Sylvia Kang.  Mira is revolutionizing the fertility tracking industry.  It's introducing a new era of fertility tracking that goes beyond just testing the LH for ovulation.  It's allowing women to receive accurate and personalized data about their hormone levels and fertility potential right from the comfort of their own homes.    Join us as Sylvia goes in-depth about the science and data behind Mira, and how it helps empower women by taking the guesswork out of their fertility journey.   In this episode, we talked about: What compelled Sylvia to create Mira   The difference between Mira and other products How does Mira help with fertility tracking The accuracy of Mira's fertility data and analysis How Mira can work with physicians to better connect them with their patients Connect with Sylvia: Website | Mira LinkedIn | Sylvia Kang Connect with me: Website | Adrienne Wei Instagram | @adrienne.wei TikTok | @theadriennewei Facebook Group | Fertile Me To learn more about Two elephants products, please visit www.2elefants.com  

Should you rely on ovulation predictor kits when you're trying to conceive? Find out in today's episode of the 2021 summer replay series! In this solo episode, I am tackling the topic of Ovulation Predictor Kits! I talk about OPKs and why I don't think they are all they're cracked up to be. I share why relying solely on OPKs can reduce your chances of conception in some cases, and why your body gives you much more reliable signs to go on when you pay attention to it! Today's episode is sponsored by FAM LIVE! Today's episode is sponsored by Fertility Awareness Mastery LIVE, my 10 week group coaching program! We start on September 21st! Will you be joining us? Click here to register now! [powerpress] Topics discussed in today's episode: Why relying primarily on Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) can actually lower your chances of conceiving How OPKs can inadvertently lead you to use the rhythm method The impact of stress on your menstrual cycle Why the key to timing sex correctly is not about having sex on ovulation day Why women with PCOS often can't rely on OPKs to identify ovulation How relying on OPKs can result in you ignoring your body signs Why monitoring your cervical mucus observations is more effective than relying on OPKs Why waiting for a positive OPK to have sex will often cause you to miss out on several fertile days prior to ovulation The importance of understanding your fertility signs first and using OPKs second The benefits of using OPKs when you understand and pay attention your fertile signs first Using Fertility Awareness to optimize your chances of conception Connect with Lisa. You can connect with Lisa on the Fertility Friday Website, and on Facebook and Twitter. Resources mentioned: Fertility Awareness Method | Fertility Friday Podcast Cora Tampons | Organic Tampons That Work 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program | Program Details Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.

Savannah and Ari share their experience with infertility and being unable to get pregnant. They talk about the realization that they were dealing with infertility and their current fertility treatments and tests (medication, ovulation tests, HSG, and IUI). They also share how they're feeling and what the future may hold.      

Is there a connection between the MTHFR gene mutation and infertility? Is folic acid found in nature? Join me for an in-depth conversation with Diane Keddy about MTHFR and fertility in today's episode of the 2021 summer replay series! Today's episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Wear the Tempdrop sensor  while you sleep  for accurate basal body temperature readings without the stress of early morning wake ups. Tempdrop's accompanying app enables you to chart an array of symptoms alongside your BBT, including cervical mucus and OPKs. Combine these fertility signs all in one place to identify your fertile window and confirm ovulation. Whether you are trying to conceive, are avoiding pregnancy or want to chart for health reasons, Tempdrop makes fertility awareness accessible to all women - even if you don't have regular cycles or sleeping patterns. Identify your fertility window, in real time with Tempdrop. Follow this link to buy now!  And use code coupon code: FERTILITYFRIDAY at checkout for a 10% discount when your order! Topics discussed in today's episode: What is the MTHFR gene mutation and how common is this gene mutation? Why is the MTHFR gene mutation problematic in both men and women? What impact does the MTHFR gene mutation have on a woman's ability to convert folic acid to folate? What are the symptoms of the MTHFR mutation and how do you test for it? Is folic acid dangerous to individuals with this gene mutation? What type of diet is recommended for individuals with the MTHFR gene mutation? How does the MTHFR gene mutation impact a woman's chances of conceiving? Why is the MTHFR gene mutation linked to repeated miscarriages and birth defects? What are some of the natural sources of folate? What should women be looking for in a supplement to ensure they get the correct type of folate? What is the connection between the MTHFR gene mutation and Iron deficiency? What is the link between MTHFR and heart disease? When should you ask your physician to screen you for the MTHFR gene mutation? Why is the MTHFR gene mutation linked to depression, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome among other medical conditions? What to do if you have the MTHFR gene mutation and you are having trouble getting pregnant? Connect with Diane You can connect with Diane on her website, or via email! Resources mentioned Diane Keddy Is Folic Acid Poison to Pregnant Women? | Diane Keddy 23 and Me | Genetic Testing Dr. Ben Lynch | MTHFR.net Seeking Health | Dr. Ben Lynch Nutritional Supplements Thorne Supplements Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Tempdrop This episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Click here to learn more now! Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.

Join me for an incredible interview with Toni Weschler, author of Taking Charge of Your Fertility! This is the second episode in this year's summer replay series! Today's episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Wear the Tempdrop sensor  while you sleep  for accurate basal body temperature readings without the stress of early morning wake ups. Tempdrop's accompanying app enables you to chart an array of symptoms alongside your BBT, including cervical mucus and OPKs. Combine these fertility signs all in one place to identify your fertile window and confirm ovulation. Whether you are trying to conceive, are avoiding pregnancy or want to chart for health reasons, Tempdrop makes fertility awareness accessible to all women - even if you don't have regular cycles or sleeping patterns. Identify your fertility window, in real time with Tempdrop. Follow this link to buy now!  And use code coupon code: FERTILITYFRIDAY at checkout for a 10% discount when your order! Topics discussed in today's episode: What is Fertility Awareness and how is it different from the Rhythm Method? Why is the Fertility Awareness Method Effective? Is the Fertility Awareness Method complicated to learn? Are women fertile every day? How can women determine when they are fertile each month? Is it possible for women to use the Fertility Awareness Method successfully as a method of birth control? Why do the “rules” work for preventing pregnancy Why are some women more fertile than others? How are certain health issues reflected in a woman's menstrual cycle charts? What is the role of basal body temperature in the Fertility Awareness Method? For women who are trying to get pregnant, when is the best time to have unprotected sex? How useful are ovulation predictor kits versus for a woman who is using the Fertility Awareness Method? When is the best time to take a home pregnancy test Connect with Toni You can connect with Toni on her website! Resources mentioned Taking Charge of Your Fertility | Toni Weschler Cycle Savvy | Toni Weschler Taking Charge of Your Fertility (book) | Toni Weschler Cycle Savvy: The Smart Teen's Guide to the Mysteries of Her Body (book) | Toni Weschler Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Tempdrop This episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Click here to learn more now! Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.

Today's episode is the first in this year's summer replay series! Following up from yesterday's episode about IVF treatments, today's episode takes a deep dive into artificial reproductive technology (ART), more specifically IUI (intrauterine insemination), and the common drugs used (clomid/femara) as well as IVF success statistics. Today's episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Wear the Tempdrop sensor  while you sleep  for accurate basal body temperature readings without the stress of early morning wake ups. Tempdrop's accompanying app enables you to chart an array of symptoms alongside your BBT, including cervical mucus and OPKs. Combine these fertility signs all in one place to identify your fertile window and confirm ovulation. Whether you are trying to conceive, are avoiding pregnancy or want to chart for health reasons, Tempdrop makes fertility awareness accessible to all women - even if you don't have regular cycles or sleeping patterns. Identify your fertility window, in real time with Tempdrop. Follow this link to buy now!  And use code coupon code: FERTILITYFRIDAY at checkout for a 10% discount when your order! Topics discussed in today's episode: How effective is IUI? What is the difference between the pregnancy rate and the live birth rate? How to dissect “success” rates for IUI How do IUI success rates vary with age? What is the cumulative success rate of IUI and how does it differ from the success rate of an individual round? Does having more rounds of IUI increase your chances of conceiving? What are the side effects of Clomid? How do Clomid impact cervical mucus and your endometrial lining? Why up to 25% of women are resistant to Clomid What is Letrozole and how does it compare to Clomid for IUI? How do the pregnancy and miscarriage rates differ in women who use Clomid versus Letrozole? Why it's important to be critical of research studies Connect with Lisa: You can connect with Lisa on the Fertility Friday Website, and on Facebook and Twitter. Resources mentioned: FFP 138 | Post-Pill Amenorrhea | Why It Took 4 Years For Her Period To Come Back | Andrea Petrus FFP 141 | Surviving Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Getting Your Period Back Without Fertility Drugs | Nicola Rinaldi FFP 109 | The Reality of Aging & Fertility | IVF & Assisted Reproductive Technology | The Future of Fertility Treatments | Dr. Marjorie Dixon FFP 127 | What Does a Normal Period Look Like? | How Much Am I Supposed To Bleed During My Period? | Lisa | Fertility Friday http://fertilityfriday.com/fertilityawareness http://fertilityfriday.com/pcos/ FFP 149 | The Truth About Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) | Lisa | Fertility Friday Research Studies: Use of an aromatase inhibitor for induction of ovulation in patients with an inadequate response to clomiphene citrate Extended letrozole regimen versus clomiphene citrate for superovulation in patients with unexplained infertility undergoing intrauterine insemination: a randomized controlled trial A randomized trial of letrozole versus clomiphene citrate in women undergoing superovulation Success Rate of Inseminations Dependent on Maternal Age? An Analysis of 4246 Insemination Cycles   Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Tempdrop This episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Click here to learn more now! Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.

Brett Russo was born and raised in New Jersey. She graduated with a degree in business management from Bucknell University, where she also met her future husband. After graduation, Brett found her passion working beside her twin brother and father for her family's printing company, of which she is now the chief executive officer. She married her husband in 2015, and together they fought the hardest battle of their lives with their journey through IVF. Brett is the author of The Underwear In My Shoe: My Journey Through IVF. Brett lives in New Jersey with her husband and their two sons. Today's episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Wear the Tempdrop sensor  while you sleep  for accurate basal body temperature readings without the stress of early morning wake ups. Tempdrop's accompanying app enables you to chart an array of symptoms alongside your BBT, including cervical mucus and OPKs. Combine these fertility signs all in one place to identify your fertile window and confirm ovulation. Whether you are trying to conceive, are avoiding pregnancy or want to chart for health reasons, Tempdrop makes fertility awareness accessible to all women - even if you don't have regular cycles or sleeping patterns. Identify your fertility window, in real time with Tempdrop. Follow this link to buy now!  And use code coupon code: FERTILITYFRIDAY at checkout for a 10% discount when your order! Topics discussed in today's episode: Brett's fertility challenges Why Brett chose to write The Underwear In My Shoe: My Journey Through IVF Brett's first period and how she managed her period Brett's experience in tracking her fertility How long it took Brett to choose IVF How long Brett and her husband were trying to get pregnant before the Doctor recommended IUI The commonality of IUI and IVF How Brett and her husband coped during IVF The difference in how men and women emotionally handle infertility  Connect with Brett Russo: You can connect with Brett on her website. Resources mentioned: The Underwear In My Shoe: My Journey Through IVF The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility (Book) | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook Fertility Awareness Mastery Online Self-Study Program Related podcasts & blog posts: FFP 286 | Surviving Infertility | Sheridan Voysey FFP 213 | Surviving Fertility Challenges | Lisa | Fertility Friday FFP 160 | Clomid, Letrozole & IUI | How Effective Are Infertility Treatments? | IVF | Lisa | Fertility Friday FFP 139 | The Truth About Infertility | Maintaining Hope After 9 Years of Trying to Conceive | Stephanie Risinger FFP 109 | The Reality of Aging & Fertility | IVF & Assisted Reproductive Technology | The Future of Fertility Treatments | Dr. Marjorie Dixon FFP 088 | IVF Using Donor Eggs | Egg Donation | Infertility | Donor Egg Bank USA | Heidi Hayes FFP 074 | Resurrection Year | Maintaining Hope Through Infertility | Sheridan Voysey FFP 052 | Surviving Fertility Challenges | Infertility, PCOS & IVF | Kym Campbell FFP 040 | Premature Ovarian Failure at Age 28, IVF Using Donor Eggs, and Fertility Coaching | Sarah Clark FFP 011 | Age Related Fertility Decline | Using Reproductive Technologies | IVF IUI & IVM | Dr Melanie McDowall Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.

Cynthia is a Registered Dietitian in the US with a Master's of  science in Nutrition and has been a Registered Dietitian for over 10  years. Cynthia is a non-diet dietitian and believes in Health at Every Size. Helping women recover from Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (no period)  & find food & exercise freedom is a speciality area of hers. Due  to her own struggles with HA, disordered eating & infertility,  Cynthia was driven to specialize in HA. Throughout the years, Cynthia has worked in various areas in the field of nutrition which has led her  to where she is today operating her own virtual practice & working  with women across the world helping them recover their period and find  balance with food and exercise. Today Cynthia shares her experience with HA and how it changed her practice (to focus on HA with her clients). Today's episode is sponsored by Tempdrop! Tempdrop gives you everything you need to effortlessly track your fertility. Wear the Tempdrop sensor  while you sleep  for accurate basal body temperature readings without the stress of early morning wake ups. Tempdrop's accompanying app enables you to chart an array of symptoms alongside your BBT, including cervical mucus and OPKs. Combine these fertility signs all in one place to identify your fertile window and confirm ovulation. Whether you are trying to conceive, are avoiding pregnancy or want to chart for health reasons, Tempdrop makes fertility awareness accessible to all women - even if you don't have regular cycles or sleeping patterns. Identify your fertility window, in real time with Tempdrop. Follow this link to buy now!  And use code coupon code: FERTILITYFRIDAY at checkout for a 10% discount when your order! Topics discussed in today's episode: Cynthia's HA misdiagnosis and her experience How old Cynthia was when she got her first period and if she ever used birth control The common misdiagnosis of PCOS and HA The difference between HA and PCOS The similarities in symptoms of HA and PCOS How the diagnosis for PCOS and HA differ The challenges women face getting the correct diagnosis Cynthia's, body size, eating habits and workout routine that contributed to her late menstrual cycle start Connect with Cynthia: You can connect with Cynthia on LinkedIn and Instagram. Resources mentioned: The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility (Book) | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook Fertility Awareness Mastery Online Self-Study Program Related podcasts & blog posts: FFP 353 | Myths & Facts About Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Dani Sheriff FFP 349 | Overcoming Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Samantha Kellgren [On-Air Client Session] FFP 275 | Recovering from Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Lisa & Catherine FFP 270 | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | How Laura Got Her Period Back 5 Years After Coming Off The Pill | Laura Bruner FFP 223 | Overcoming Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | No Period. Now What? | Dr. Nicola Rinaldi, PhD FFP 173 | Reclaiming Menstruation | The Wisdom and Power of Your Menstrual Cycle | Lara Owen FFP 141 | Surviving Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Getting Your Period Back Without Fertility Drugs | Nicola Rinaldi [On-Air Client Session] FFP | 113 Fertility Awareness Reality Series | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Making Fertility Awareness Work for You | FAM & Breastfeeding | Managing Your Fertile Window | Sarah, Lisa, & Rose Yewchuk FFP 086 | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Period Repair Manual | Healthy Hormones | Dr. Lara Briden FFP 019 | Fix Your Period | Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea and The Pill | Nicole Jardim Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.

Learn how to read an ovulation test (OPK). Sometimes people charting their fertility signs struggle to read their OPKs, occasionally to the point of increasing their stress unduly. The purpose of this episode is to help alleviate this concern and to show how fertility charting can provide a great framework for this issue.

This episode will be my last podcast episode of 2020! I can’t believe we’re already at the end of the year - it’s been a looooong one to say the least!Now you may remember that I released my book about a month ago (I know I keep talking about it, I’m still so excited!). I’ve had some really awesome feedback already but I know that many of you have had follow up questions - and some of you haven’t bought the book yet but have some questions about it!The book covers all things from what PCOS actually is to actually getting pregnant with PCOS and everything in between! Getting pregnant with PCOS is not just a matter of having intercourse and hoping it happens. We need to make sure we tackle that root cause first and foremost but also we need to make sure that we have all of those ‘fertile ingredients’ there so we can actually get pregnant!So if you’ve been thinking about getting the book or have it and have some follow up questions, definitely have a listen to this episode! The hard thing about a book is we can’t bounce information back and forth, so hopefully this episode can help to give you some further guidance. I’ll also be covering a few important things about The PCOS Protocol over the Christmas and new year period so be sure to listen for that if you've been thinking about joining us to work on your PCOS.This episode is for you if:You’re actively / thinking of trying to conceiveYou are thinking of ordering my bookYou want to know whether the book covers general PCOS information that could be helpful for youYou want to know about cycle tracking, OPKs, pregnancy complications, hormonal birth control and moreSome things we cover in this episode:Who the book is useful forWhat the book coversCharting your cyclesYour fertile windowWhat if your LH is low?Whether getting a period means if you’re ovulatingWhether if you can have “severe” or “mild” pcosOPKs and why they don’t work for women with PCOSHormonal Birth ControlInsulin and your fertilityResources and References:My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOSLinks to our programs:The PCOS ProtocolEggducated

In episode 56 of The PCOS Oracle Podcast, I had the honour of speaking with Sylvia Kang, co-founder and CEO of Mira. It is a huge game changer in fertility tracking and will benefit many women trying to conceive or regulate their cycle. This is why I was excited that I had the opportunity to record this podcast interview with Sylvia. Mira is the first FDA and CE registered comprehensive women’s health monitoring platform with 99% of accuracy in clinical trials. Mira is an AI-driven fertility device that tracks your actual hormone levels to tell you exactly when your fertile and infertile days are. Unlike with OPKs and many other trackers or apps, Mira has been designed for women with PCOS and irregular cycles. . Save $25 by using discount code 'PCOS25'. https://bit.ly/2AzracW . Podcast Sponsor Let'sGetChecked I talk a lot about getting to the root cause of your PCOS on this podcast and hormonal testing is one of the most important ways of understanding your condition. Without testing your hormones, it is very difficult to know what type of PCOS you have.Now, many women do not get the PCOS testing they need, whether it is because they're healthcare provider is not very supportive or because they purely do not have the time to visit their doctor. That is why I am excited to announce a new partnership with Let's Get Checked! LetsGetChecked provides you with easily accessible at home testing and professional medical consultations without ever having to leave your home. So the way it works is super simple, you choose a test kit online, Let's get checked then delivers it to you in discreet packaging, with next day delivery.You then activate your test, collect your sample in the morning and return it using the prepaid shipping label provided. From there Lets Get Checked reviews your sample in their lab and shares your results with you, via your secure online account within 2 to 5 days. It is super quick, seamless and your results are confidential.Once your results are available, they will be reviewed by a physician. A nurse will then contact you for a consultation over-the-phone.Finally, in some cases, the physician will provide prescriptions for you to the pharmacy of your choosing.I believe everyone should have access to hormone testing and Let's Get Checked makes that possible. It's never been this simple to stay on top of your hormonal health! Check out Let's Get Checked today. Visit trylgc.com/pcos and use the code 'PCOS20' for 20% off. Your health should never take a backseat! . Connect with: Sylvia Kang and Mira Mira Fertility | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube . Follow me on Social Media Instagram @pcosoracle Pinterest @pcosoracle Facebook @pcosoracle Twitter @pcosoracle YouTube Despina Pavlou Website https://www.pcosoracle.com . Please leave a rating and review letting me know what you think about the podcast. This also helps the podcast grow and reach more people. . Music by MBBhttps://www.youtube.com/c/mbbmusichttps://soundcloud.com/mbbofficialhttps://www.instagram.com/mbb_music  

Rose has been charting her own cycles since 1998 and has been a Fertility Awareness Educator since 1999. She has been a facilitator of the non-profit Fertility Awareness Charting Circle since 2005 and completed a Master’s thesis of original research on Fertility Awareness in 2006. She is a certified Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner and a faculty member at the pioneering Justisse College. She is a member of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research and the Assoc Rose has been charting her own cycles since 1998 and has been a Fertility Awareness Educator since 1999. She has been a facilitator of the non-profit Fertility Awareness Charting Circle since 2005 and completed a Master’s thesis of original research on Fertility Awareness in 2006. She is a certified Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner and a faculty member at the pioneering Justisse College. She is a member of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research and the Association of Fertility Awareness Professionals. Rose has a diverse practice that serves gender and sexual minorities as well as those who are polyamorous or have alternative relationship structures. My Fertility Awareness Programs are designed to help you to master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles. Gain confidence charting your cycles, and gain deep insights into the connection between your health, your fertility, and your cycles. Click here for more information! Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE FAM 101 video series. Click here for access. Topics discussed in today's episode: Clarifying the appropriate terms and defining LGBTQAI The benefits of fertility awareness charting for all women regardless of gender identity or sexuality Using your menstrual cycle as a diagnostic tool How using fertility awareness can help improve your chances of conception outside of the context of a heterosexual relationship What is necessary to conceive for gender & sexual minorities What is social infertility? How can a couple access sperm? What are the options for sperm donation? How can fertility awareness be utilized to optimize the chances of conception for a home insemination with either fresh or frozen sperm? What is the difference between fresh and frozen sperm? What supplies are needed for a home insemination? What are the steps? What is the role of cervical mucus in conception? What are the special considerations to be aware of when using frozen sperm for a home insemination? How can ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) be useful in timing home insemination? What are the barriers to accessing sperm? Are gender and sexual minorities more likely to be offered artificial reproductive technology for conception? The application of fertility awareness to support trans or non-binary persons with natural conception Fertility Awareness charting for trans men and trans women The benefits of charting your cycles even when using artificial reproductive technology The importance of having an informed consent and support for the options that you chose Body literacy and reproductive choice Connect with Rose: You can connect with Rose on her Website, on Facebook, and on Twitter. Resources mentioned: A Guide to Fertility for Sexual and Gender Minorities Charting for Gender and Sexual Minorities Fertility Awareness 101 FREE Video Series Fertility Friday Facebook Group Related podcasts & blog posts: FFP 002 | Fertility Awareness Method Cycle Charting | Rose Yewchuk FFP 003 | Identifying Menstrual Irregularities with Fertility Awareness | Special Charting Considerations | Rose Yewchuk FFP 015 | Fertility Awareness Method Cycle Charting Q&A Session | Common Charting Questions | Rose Yewchuk [On-Air Client Session] FFP | 113 Fertility Awareness Reality Series | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Making Fertility Awareness Work for You | FAM & Breastfeeding | Managing Your Fertile Window | Sarah, Lisa, & Rose Yewchuk FFP 088 | IVF Using Donor Eggs | Egg Donation | Infertility | Donor Egg Bank USA | Heidi Hayes FFP 109 | The Reality of Aging & Fertility | IVF & Assisted Reproductive Technology | The Future of Fertility Treatments | Dr. Marjorie Dixon Fertility Awareness Reality Series Episodes | Fertility Friday Fertility Awareness Podcast Episodes | Fertility Friday Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsor: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here for more information! iation of Fertility Awareness Professionals. Rose has a diverse practice that serves gender and sexual minorities as well as those who are polyamorous or have alternative relationship structures. My Fertility Awareness Programs are designed to help you to master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles. Gain confidence charting your cycles, and gain deep insights into the connection between your health, your fertility, and your cycles. Click here for more information! Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE FAM 101 video series. Click here for access.

October 19, 2016 Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) are popular whether a woman is trying to conceive or using them for contraception. Unfortunately, not every woman is able to use OPKs, especially if they have PCOS. Why? Our luteinizing hormone (LH) levels show different patterns than non-POCS women, so the average kit most often gives a false positive/negative. It leads to confusion and frustration. So what can we do? Expert, Kate Davies, joined the podcast to explain the hows and whys of OPKs and fertility monitoring. Listen as we discuss: How to use OPKs to self-advocate at the doctor’s office Alternative methods of fertility monitoring Which kit works where others fail Her favorite mobile apps for tracking fertility How to prevent the act of trying to conceive from becoming mechanical and losing the intimate connection between you and your partner.

Hour 1: Audio art: Trey Gowdy on the rampage against the DOJ and FBI ..."Grossly negligent...extremely careless." ...Disney just made a big purchase ...Tavis Smiley, come on down! ...Warren Sapp pushing back ...A filmmaker comes clean without being accused publicly ...One listener's Christmas wish ...How do you trust the government anymore? ...Salma Hayek's terrible experience with Harvey Weinstein ...The Clooneys make friends on a flight ...OPKs ...Trouble for Ted Cruz in 2018? ...One listener's solution for dealing with OPKs. Hour 2: GOP tax plan in the home stretch ...Roy Moore still not conceding ...The Class of 2018 for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ...Paul Ryan set to retire next year ...FCC overturns Net Neutrality rules! ...De-Extinction and a 99 million-year-old tick ...Real-life Jurassic Park on its way? ...500-year-old shark?? ...'Yeti' bone belongs to an animal? ...'Therapy Llamas' ...New ways to watch NFL games ...BYU has a new member of its coaching staff! ...Time to clone the founders! Hour 3: Lindsay Marchello from Reason.com discusses the insanities of what is happening on college campuses today ...The subjectivity of 'microaggressions' ...'F%*# Free Speech!!' (at Princeton) ...Abraham Lincoln was a white supremacist??? ...Advocating for suicide ...Defending Young Republicans? ...Is Mark Hamill an overrated actor? ...The new Jurassic World movie looks awesome ...Another movie that looks great: 15:17 to Paris ...President Trump turns back the Democrats DACA threat ...Trump's help for coal companies ...Pay raise for troops ...Supreme Court opening soon? ...The dress codes of DC ...The physics of Santa Claus. Tune in to "Pat Gray Unleashed" weekdays from 12-3p.m. ET on TheBlaze TV! Twitter @PatUnleashed LISTEN https://omny.fm/shows/pat-gray http://www.theblaze.com/radio-shows/pat-gray-unleashed/ https://soundcloud.com/patgrayshow https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-blaze-radio-network/pat-gray https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pat-gray-unleashed/id1280961263?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this solo episode, I am tackling the topic of Ovulation Predictor Kits! I talk about OPKs and why I don’t think they are all they’re cracked up to be. I share why relying solely on OPKs can reduce your chances of conception in some cases, and why your body gives you much more reliable signs to go on when you pay attention to it! Registration is now open for my 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program starting in August/September 2017! Make sure to head over to the group program page and apply today to reserve your spot.  Topics discussed in today's episode: Why relying primarily on Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) can actually lower your chances of conceiving How OPKs can inadvertently lead you to use the rhythm method The impact of stress on your menstrual cycle Why the key to timing sex correctly is not about having sex on ovulation day Why women with PCOS often can't rely on OPKs to identify ovulation How relying on OPKs can result in you ignoring your body signs Why monitoring your cervical mucus observations is more effective than relying on OPKs Why waiting for a positive OPK to have sex will often cause you to miss out on several fertile days prior to ovulation The importance of understanding your fertility signs first and using OPKs second The benefits of using OPKs when you understand and pay attention your fertile signs first Using Fertility Awareness to optimize your chances of conception Connect with Lisa. You can connect with Lisa on the Fertility Friday Website, and on Facebook and Twitter. Resources mentioned Fertility Awareness Method | Fertility Friday Podcast Cora Tampons | Organic Tampons That Work 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program | Program Details Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes! This episode is sponsored by Cora! Made from 100% organic cotton. Cora tampons were designed not only to help you manage your periods. Most importantly it aims to preserve your overall health.  For every month of tampons you buy, Cora gives a month of pads along with menstrual health education to a girl in need in India. Click here to receive your first month's supply free of charge. *Please note that Cora only ships within the United States. Fertility Friday | 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program! This episode is sponsored by my 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program! Master Fertility Awareness in a supportive environment surrounded by an amazing group of like-minded women! Click here to reserve your spot in the group! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic  

Nicole is a Naturopathic Doctor who practices in the Durham Region. She received her medical training from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine after completing a 4-year Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology degree from McMaster University. Nicole welcomes treating a variety of health conditions however she has a special interest in treating women’s health and hormonal issues. Having undergone her own challenges to begin her family, she is passionate about helping others with their fertility concerns. She combines natural medicines with conventional science to create a truly integrative healthcare experience. She is passionate about what she does and enjoys spreading the message of health. She has lectured at local colleges and has appeared on local television programs to educate others on various health topics. In today’s show, we talk about seed cycling and the role it can play in balancing hormones and improving menstrual cycle health. We also discuss realigning your expectations coming off of hormonal birth control because it is really important to know that there is a transition period after using a hormonal contraceptive. We also elaborate the factors that could affect your pregnancy and most especially about having a healthy baby. That knowing about your chart and what a healthy cycle looks like will be beneficial in attaining your overall health. After coming off of hormonal birth control there is a very real transition period until your cycle returns to healthy and normal parameters. Topics discussed in today's episode: Nicole shares her experience with endometriosis and how it led her to become a Naturopathic Doctor. How do ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) work? Is it possible to have endometriosis without having any signs and symptoms? What is laparoscopy? The importance of having the right diagnosis and how you would benefit from it The truth about unexplained infertility What is seed cycling and how can it help balance your menstrual cycle? The connection between the menstrual cycle and the lunar calendar What to expect coming off of hormonal birth control? How long does it typically take for a woman's period to come back after coming off of hormonal contraceptives? Using Vitex to regulate your hormones. How long should you take it for? How to improve your egg quality? The importance of having adequate progesterone production in the body. How diet and lifestyle affect your body and your reproductive health? When is the best time to get off the pill? Connect with Dr. Sandilands. You can connect with Dr. Sandilands on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter. Resources mentioned FFP 140 | Transitioning From Hormonal Birth Control After Long-Term Pill Use | Lisa | Fertility Friday FFP 136 | Endometriosis, PCOS & Fibroids | Surgical Techniques That Preserve Fertility | NaPro Technology | Dr. Kyle Beiter FFP 134 | Optimizing Sperm Health | Motility, Morphology & Sperm Count | Why He Needs To Get Tested ASAP | Marc Sklar FFP 106 | What You Need To Know About Progesterone and Pregnancy | Using Your Cycle To Time Hormone Testing | Fertility Awareness Method | Dr. Nora Pope FFP 096 | Deconstructing Your Infertility Diagnosis | Poor Ovarian Reserve | Practical Ways of Managing Stress | Traditional Chinese Medicine | Mary Wong FFP 014 | What does a Healthy Menstrual Cycle look like? | The Menstrual Cycle as the 5th Vital Sign | Colleen Flowers Cora Tampons | Organic Tampons That Work Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes!  This episode is sponsored by Cora! Made from 100% organic cotton, Cora tampons were designed not only to help you manage your periods but also to preserve your health.  For every month of tampons you buy, Cora gives a month of pads along with menstrual health education to a girl in need in India. Click here to receive your first month's supply free of charge. *Please note that Cora only ships within the United States. Fertility Friday | Fertility Management Masterclass This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Management Masterclass! Gain clarity and confidence using the Fertility Awareness Method and improve your cycle health at the same time! Click here for more information! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic  

Topics: 1.  What’s new for you from Diane & Liz [1:40] 2.  Shout Out: Jen Sinkler [10:58] 3.  This week in the Paleosphere: Autoimmune paleo diet article [22:51] Listener Questions: 4. Holistic dermatologist, the Clarisonic, and cystic back acne [31:12] 5. Autoimmune shopping list has the very items I avoid; tell me why? [37:34] 6. Moving out of the sun of Florida to Boston [42:27] 7. Diane’s Kitchen tip: 3 time saving products in the kitchen  [47:24] 8. Liz’s fertility tip of the week: don’t rely on OPKs [52:14]

OPKs, Fertility Monitors, Saliva Microscopes and other commercial products can provide additional clues about your fertility status. If you use these products, Fertility Friend will take them into account. Learn how to observe and record results from these products and how to make the most of them when you chart your fertility signs.