Food Freedom and Fertility Podcast

PCOS is treatable! Here’s how to start:   Personal Baseline: What do your labs say? What symptoms are you dealing with? Have you had any imaging done? These are all the first things to start looking at when it comes to PCOS. It’s important to note that while Caitlin and Sophia love working with women with PCOS, and we have many years of experience, we are dietitians, not doctors. We don’t diagnose!   So what to do with nutrition:   Balance blood sugar Make sure that there is a higher quality and quantity of protein at each meal and snack “Quality” means it’s not inflammatory and provides more protein than it does any other macronutrient. Examples: meat, cheese, nuts, and seeds Most women with PCOS tolerate high protein dairy products like greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese! SOME women do have fewer symptoms when they eliminate gluten and dairy, but it’s not the magic answer to PCOS management that it’s often believed to be Not everyone needs to be dairy free! Veggies, fruits, nuts, and seeds are your best sources of fiber! Pro tip: artichoke hearts have a ton of fiber! Fiber is great at filling your plate and filling your belly! You’ll find that you get to eat a lot of food while managing your PCOS Eating real food, vs. a protein bar or shake will keep you full for longer. It will help you slow down and feel full, versus slamming down a protein bar in under a minute To succeed, you have to eat enough to feel full! Fiber and protein are keys in making that happen FIBER! Starting your day with nutrients and blood sugar balancing protein! Even though it might seem like a lot of calories to have 3 egg scrambled with spinach and feta, a slice of toast with nut butter, and with a cup of coffee; you will feel full for so long and it will keep your blood sugar steady for hours! Swapping sweet for savory when possible. Eating sweet makes you crave sweet! It’s not your fault, its PCOS! Eating the right fuel first thing in the morning will keep your cravings at bay. Breakfast Try cronometer.com! Plug in what you’re eating and let’s look at your vitamin/mineral/fiber intake in a day! Sometimes you can be eating “healthy” but missing key pieces for PCOS fertility Take a peek at your protein/carb ratio! Typical American diets can have way more carb to protein than is helpful for PCOS fertility Check out your current nutrition status Keto, Atkins, and other super restrictive diets are not needed to boost fertility with PCOS Food is slow medicine; sometimes it takes several months of eating right to balance your cycles and get pregnant! You need to do something that can be sustained long term, not another crash-diet plan. Sustainability Supplements Remember to check with your doc!! Some of these supplements can interact with medications or are contraindicated for certain medical issues. Is there insulin resistance present? How about high testosterone? Or high stress? How’s the thyroid? That’s where we start to dig into what supplements can help. We recommend myo-inositol and not d-chiro. PCOS ovaries can make too much d-chiro, so we are careful not to exacerbate that Inositols Helps improve insulin sensitivity and can boost egg quality, plus helps you make great cervical mucus NAC Another powerful blood-sugar/insulin supportive supplement Berberine Wherever you live in the world, most of us are vitamin D deficient. As levels of vitamin D rise, insulin resistance lowers! It’s also important for maintaining a healthy pregnancy! Vitamin D Support egg quality and improve insulin resistance Zinc Common mineral of deficiency in PCOS, helps with gut health, insulin resistance, and ovulation Magnesium You don’t want to wait until you’re pregnant! Start on a quality prenatal ASAP! (And stay tuned for our episode on prenatals dropping soon!) Prenatal We’re here for the omega-3’s! Omega-3’s are essential fatty acids that are vital for reducing inflammation and supports your body in building new tissues. Eggs, endometrial lining, and babies are all new tissues your body grows! DHA/EPA are the omegas you want! Don’t be seduced by algae oils! They don’t have the same DHA/EPA ratios as fish-based supplements Fish oil Movement and Exercise Sleeping 6-7 hours vs. 4-5 hours is a game changer for PCOS Blackout curtains or a sleep mask can help you stay asleep longer. Here is a link to Sophia’s fave sleep mask Meditation apps and sleep stories can help you quiet your thoughts and get into a deeper sleep Blue-light blocking glasses can help if you’re using screens prior to bedtime Sleep environment is key Sleep and stress management Many times women with PCOS have been told to lose weight in order to get pregnant, that they’re total exercise junkies! All that effort can be misplaced when it’s cranking up your stress hormones and stressing your immune system If you’re dreading your workout and coming up with every excuse not to go, find something else! Keep your own body in mind - if you’re 280 pounds, putting weights on your back and trying to squat is only going to put more strain on your body. Bodyweight exercises can be a lot more helpful! Cardio isn’t always the answer. Strength training and resistance workouts can do wonders for building muscles and changing insulin Find something that you like Stretching and breathing can lower your stress and help your body relax. Quality ovulation is dependent on your body feeling safe enough to become pregnant. Lowering stress hormones can be a big key in this Yoga Exercise Check out Caitlin's program: Find Fertility with the PCOS+ Method. 

This episode of food freedom and fertility is the 3rd installment of TCC friendly swaps! This week we jump into snack and fridge swaps and while we have some good ideas we want the listeners to know that you will need to expand your horizons for snacks because there isn’t always a 1 for 1 swap, but to remember it’s all about balance. It is ok to remember that if you love a snack… make room for it but also keep in mind how much you indulge on this treat. If it something you have daily make sure to see if you can make a more fertility friendly choice. If you need a little snack inspiration  you can try organic grapes and sharp cheddar, berries, fruit with sunflower or other nut butter, you can also create your own trail mix with dark chocolate almonds and other nuts. Being prepared always help you make the best choices so having something prepared is always the goal however sometimes you just need that quick grab and go option and there are healthy items such as Beanie Bops that come in a variety of different flavored and spiced beans or a grass fed, low sugar jerky and the new wisps crackers are a great alternative to a chip! Having something you’ve thought about ahead of time and just having it ready It is also ok to indulge every so often during a period or other situation but remember to make sure you are making choices that fill your cup vs fill a void. When looking in your fridge condiments take up a lot of space and there is plenty of room to make better choices in this area. If you love a sweet salad, instead of choosing a creamy sweet dressing opt to use oil and or vinegar as the dressing but add fruit to your salad for the sweet craving. If you need more flavor options Primal Kitchen offers a healthy and clean option with a line full of different flavors. Eggs are a great snack option and the best version of an egg would be a pasteurized egg so that the chickens are getting all of those rich and healthy vitamins from the earth. Also remember to store those veggies and fruits where you can see them so you don’t waste them! The best place for a fruit or veggie is front and center!   Freezer foods that Sophia and Caitlin keep stocked are frozen meets, organic berries, liver cubes (to drop into sauces) frozen soups, frozen veggies and a favorite Costco Bare Chicken nuggets which are a great Chick-Fil-A dupe! A tip for listeners is instead of focusing on a meal plan thing about your week more broadly and estimate for your life! Some days are busier than others, some days you feel more creative, and some days you just don’t want to cook at all! That’s why host, Sophia suggests to plan your week as follows: 2-3 days of the week with have NO ENERGY quick fix meals available. Such as a rotisseries chicken and bag salad. 2-3 nights that are your all-Star night menu nights, which is a night you are ready to roll out  your best recipes! 2-3 nights for a normal day and that is where you make a meal you’ve made a dozen times and your family likes it. Usually requires medium effort.   1 Night where you try something new! 1 Left over night 1 Take out night Remember that you don’t have to be perfect and it is a process so allow yourself the grace to start transforming your healthy, fertility friendly lifestyle!

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

During this episode of Food Freedom and Fertility, hosts Sophia Pavia and Caitlin Johnson discuss details and important information regarding ovulation. As fertility specialists, Sophia and Caitlin receive tons of questions on ovulation. Today they will touch on the most common questions they receive about the subject.  Our hosts will cover topics like: what is ovulation, ovulation timelines, ways to learn your body’s basic ovulation signals. The 3 big ovulation signs are: Cervical mucus (this being the most reliable) Cervical position Basal body temperature The goal for this episode is to discuss the most common questions regarding ovulation and hopefully helps you understand a few things: Are you ovulating? When are you ovulating? How can you predict ovulation? How can you time intercourse well around ovulation?   For more detailed information on ovulation please check out Sophia and Caitlin’s websites for online course information.   Sophia Pavia’s Website Caitlin Johnson’s Website

On this week’s episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility Caitlin and Sophia are talking about grocery swaps! During this “eat this… not that” episode to help with your fertility journey and overall health! Our hosts start off with organization tips on how to curate your shopping list to fit your life which will help you kick off a successful grocery store trip. They also discuss the EWG’s new list of dirty dozen and clean fifteen. They dive into how important it is to look into your pantry items that carry some of these items and keep that in consideration when you are shopping. They also want to remind you if your budget needs some cushion check out frozen organic fruits and veggies for a healthy and budget friendly substitute.    Sophia and Caitlin tour their kitchens and discuss the good and the not so good options such as which type of oils you should use for cooking and the reason behind it. They also suggest that cooking with fats such as butter, tao, good lard, chicken fat, duck fat are excellent options. If you are used to using Pam spray a good alternative is to swap it out for a spray bottle like a Misto Sprayer and put oil in it. You could also swap your Pam spray for olive oil or avocado spray instead. They also suggest using an actual maple syrup and not something like Log Cabin. Real maple syrup can taste different and may be an adjustment but if you are eating oils or syrup everyday it is best for your overall health.    Other key foods of concern to find healthy alternatives would be your Teas and Coffee. You want to be sure that your tea and coffee are “Fair Trade”. Nut butters are another big flavor switch but totally worth it since most non-organic nut butters are palm oil aka processed seed oil and sugar. Speaking of nuts… it is a good idea to make your own trail mix so that you can include quality ingredients with healthier ratios and variety.    For those of you who have comfort foods and childhood memories of things like hamburger helper and rideroni… their are copycat recipes on the web that you can make from home that are similar to the original product but you will need to plan ahead so these aren’t default options for when you are in need of something quick! Canned goods are another good item to have on hand for quick meal ideas. When you are buying canned goods you want to look at what the cans are lined with and made of. You want a Bisphenal free can: may not last as long but less toxic. Canned foods can be helpful in adding fiber, protein, vegetables to meals that take less work. But you want to make sure you are buying cans with a safer lining. Glass jars are great for tomato products or other products. Boxed products may be a good alternative.    This episode also covers important info on choosing a good pasta option, flours, bone broth, cereals and much more! As always moderation is important. So keep that in mind that if you stray from the BEST option sometimes that is ok!

On this episode of Food Freedom and Fertility we have Aimee Raupp, MS, LAc, is a renowned women’s health & wellness expert and the best- selling author of the books Chill Out & Get Healthy, Yes, You Can Get Pregnant, and Body Belief. A licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in private practice in New York, she holds a Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, a Bachelor’s degree in biology from Rutgers University and is currently working on a master’s level education in functional medicine. Aimee is also the founder of the Aimee Raupp Beauty line of hand-crafted, organic skincare products. She has appeared on The View, and has been featured in Glamour, Allure, Well + Good, GOOP, Shape, and Redbook, and has received endorsements from Deepak Chopra, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Arianna Huffington, and Gabby Bernstein for her work in helping thousands of women to improve their vitality, celebrate their beauty, and reconnect to the presence of their optimal health. Aimee is also the Head of Chinese Medicine at The Well, an active columnist for media outlets such as Thrive Global, Well + Good, MindBodyGreen and is a frequent speaker at women’s health & wellness conferences across the nation. She engages her large community worldwide through her online During this episode Aimee will help walk through a variety of topics around egg quality but one major important thing to remember is that when you are improving the quality of your egg cells you are also improving all the cells in your body, we are amplifying health.   Aimee helps answer the question of if women are born with all your eggs you will ever have, how is it possible to impact your egg quality? Aimee explains that the eggs  you have are not developed. When those eggs mature the environment, you are in is what impacts their quality. The extracellular fluid that surrounds the cells is affected by the environment. Aimee also dives into a variety of other ways your egg quality can be affected.   It is important for women to realize they can control certain things and one of the items that research is pointing towards is a certain type of anti-inflammatory diet lifestyle and diet lowers oxidative stress, which causes cellular abnormality which can lead to poor egg quality. Using food to change the aging process behind your cells will help improve the quality. What you do now will affect the next 2 generations.   Aimee has written a book, The Egg Quality Diet,  which is the culmination of what Aimee Raupp has found, during her two decades of clinical practice, to be the most effective nutritional approach to optimizing fertility. This diet has been proven to work not in a randomized control trial (RCT) but in real life, on thousands of real women like you. The short version of her book is to count your Macros. Your macros should be 40-50% quality fat, 30% protein and the rest good quality carbs (sweet potatoes, beans, fruits). Her thought process is to heal the gut, improve absorption. Her book is meant to be for you to discover the best diet that works for you. Aimee also helps understand why a plant-based diet maybe difficult to hit your nutritional needs to help with your egg quality.   There will be a point in each woman’s life that they decide to stop trying to use their own eggs and decide to go forward with a donor. Aimee says that she thinks the decision is something that each woman and couple needs to make on their own but her gauge is how much more heartache can you handle or how much more can you financially afford. Just remember to emotionally check in with yourself and also have no regrets that you didn’t do everything in your power.   To learn more about Aimee, please visit her website at https://aimeeraupp.com and you can find her book, The Egg Quality Diet on Amazon.

Welcome to the season 2 finale of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin and Sophia embark on an exploration of PCOS labs. They delve into the crucial aspects of what to test for, how to inquire about these tests, and most importantly, how to interpret the results. This episode is a treasure trove of knowledge, designed to empower you to advocate for yourself and ensure that you're armed with the right questions on your fertility journey. Caitlin and Sophia engage in an in-depth discussion about the specific labs that you should request, unraveling the reasons behind their significance. Furthermore, they provide invaluable insights on how to delve deeper into the results and navigate meaningful conversations with your doctor. The results of certain tests can serve as guiding lights on your path to starting a family. This episode carefully dissects these pivotal labs, shedding light on their importance and illustrating how to thoroughly review and apply the obtained results. Be sure to have your notepads ready, as this episode is a goldmine of wisdom that you won't want to miss. Tune in to gain the knowledge and confidence you need to navigate your fertility journey with grace and clarity. Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. Proov Testing Kit and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15   FullWell: FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20% Link from episode: WWW.thebloodcode.com/homa/ir/calculator   You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility

In this episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility we are going to celebrate our 2-year anniversary! Caitlin and Sophia’s main discussion during this episode is all about becoming a mom on purpose. They chat about the sacrifice, the joy and the work that comes along with being a mom.   They candidly share their favorite moments from the past 2 years and some of their not so favorite moments. Over the past 2 years Food, Freedom and Fertility has covered a broad variety of topics to help listeners who are trying to conceive and the hosts recap some of the episodes and really provide a fun and informative wrap up of their podcast over the past couple of years.   Food, Freedom and Fertility will be back in the fall with all new episodes but in the mean time be sure to re-visit some of the past episodes because maybe you are now in a new position and your situation has changed and the information may affect you differently. Listeners have you ever thought that you would love to be a guest on the podcast? Well now is your chance! If you want to enter you must: Write a review or rating Screen shot your review/rating Sent that screen shot via direct message to the Food, Freedom and Fertility IG account. Thank you to all the listeners, we do this podcast for you and we are thankful for your continued support!

Welcome to a bonus episode of season 3 of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Hosts Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia chat about how far this podcast has come and the ways they continue to help women who are trying to conceive. They both give life updates, look back on the early days of starting a podcast and talk about future plans personally and professionally.  This episode has useful information on trying to conceive, working with Caitlin and Sophia, positive highlights from this past season and more! Be sure to stick around during the off season because Caitlin and Sophia plan on releasing more episodes in the weeks to come! Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a

Welcome to the last episode of season 3 of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Hosts Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia speak with Ryann Kipping about prenatal nutrition!  Ryann has helped hundreds of women escape confusing and outdated nutrition information to find a happy, feel-good pregnancy. She believes the old advice to "take a prenatal vitamin" is not enough and if there is any time in your life to make nutrition a priority, it’s now. Eating for two people is different than eating for one. Appetite changes, intense cravings, morning sickness, and heartburn come in waves and you’re forced to lean into your bodies cues like never before. During pregnancy, you have to eat intentionally and Ryann is here to make it easy for you. She has done all the research, so you don’t have to spend another minute debating your every bite. Having the “pregnancy glow” is great and all, but feeling that glow (confidence, nourishment, and energy) on the inside is what matters the most. This episode has useful information on trying to conceive, working with Ryann, debunking outdated nutrition information and more! Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility For more information on Ryann head to her website!

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin Johnson speaks with Michelle Oravitz on acupuncture and infertility care. Michelle Oravitz, began her career as an architect upon graduating from Philadelphia University. After many years of experiencing missed periods and enduring stress at her high demand job in NYC, she decided to go to an acupuncturist named Dr. Li who immediately regulated her cycle. What she didn’t realize was that her life would take a drastic turn in ways that she couldn’t imagine. Not only did her symptoms resolve, but she also felt a renewed sense of well being and clarity. She was unable to recognize just how disharmonious she felt until she experienced a new sense of well being that arose from her treatments. After many years working as an architect, Michelle dreamed of going back to school to learn alternative medicine. When moving to South Florida, she enrolled in an Ayurvedic school which gave her tremendous knowledge about this ancient and rich healing approach. After starting a family, she began researching acupuncture schools in order to expand her healing education with the hope that when her kids began school, she would enroll. She worked from home as a professional artist during her children's early years and when the time was right, she enrolled into school to get her master’s degree in Oriental Medicine. She infused her passion into her studies and graduated Summa Cum Laude and valedictorian of her class. Michelle has a profound desire to heal. She views healing as an immensely sacred act that is a honor and a privilege. Her mission is to bring wellness into the world one being at a time. To aid in the healing process with a hope of not only resolving symptoms, but also returning individuals to their natural state of wellbeing. Michelle believes that if she had not gone to a TCM doctor, she probably would have had a hard time getting pregnant with her two children. This has influenced her to develop a special interest in treating gynecological disorders and infertility. Michelle hosts ‘The Wholesome Fertility Podcast’ where she provides fertility tips and interviews leading fertility professionals. This episode has useful information on trying to conceive, working with Michelle, finding the root cause of your infertility and more! Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility For more information on Macy head to her website!

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin and Sophia give a life update about where they are at with their trying to conceive journey.  This episode is one you will definitely want to listen to if you have been following them throughout the years through this podcast or on social media. Caitlin and Sophia engage in an in-depth discussion on PCOS, weight loss, working out, managing stress and more! This is part two of a two part series where they will continue the conversation and give life updates on what they have been doing to service their health, stress level, fertility and more! Caitlin explains why she wanted to lose some weight and what habits she implemented to do so! Be sure to have your notepads ready, as this episode is a goldmine of wisdom that you won't want to miss. Tune in to gain the knowledge and confidence you need to navigate your fertility journey with grace and clarity. Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin and Sophia give a life update which ends in a new fertility diagnosis for one of them! This episode is one you will definitely want to listen to if you have been following them throughout the years through this podcast or on social media. Caitlin and Sophia engage in an in-depth discussion on PCOS, endometriosis, managing stress, IBS, food intolerances and more.  This is part one of a two part series where they will continue the conversation and give life updates on what they have been doing to service their health, stress level, fertility and more! Be sure to have your notepads ready, as this episode is a goldmine of wisdom that you won't want to miss. Tune in to gain the knowledge and confidence you need to navigate your fertility journey with grace and clarity. Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility

Welcome to a new segment under Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Sophia Pavia speaks with Macy Coleman on detoxing your body from parasites.  Macy has been a registered dietitian for 5 years and specializes in many different populations, most recently women’s health and pediatrics. She is dedicated to functional + integrative nutrition which means she focus on the whole body and root causes rather than just covering up symptoms⁣⁣. This episode has useful information on trying to conceive, working with Macy, finding the root cause of your infertility and more! Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility For more information on Macy head to her Instagram! 

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin Johnson speaks with Sophia Gushee.  Sophia is known as the Healthy home guru" and "clean-living guru" and has been described by Well+Good, the two-time Webby Award-winning website (The New York Times has described the Webby Award as the "Internet's highest honor").  With a successful former career in investment management, Sophia has become sought after for her expertise on practical nontoxic living. Sophia is a graduate of Brown University, and Columbia Business School. She is also a certified yoga teacher. Sophia and her husband live in NYC with their three children and dog, Lola. Detoxing your home doesn't need to be difficult. You can simply work on one thing at a time. For example swapping out your nonstick cookware, cleaning up your beauty products and not microwaving plastic tupperware. Sophia and Caitlin talk about ways to make the detoxing process stress free! Be sure to have your notepads ready, as this episode is a goldmine of wisdom that you won't want to miss. Tune in to gain the knowledge and confidence you need to navigate your fertility journey with grace and clarity. Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility For more information about Sophia or to buy her book head to her website. 

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia speak with Dr. Gary Levy. Dr. Gary Levy is a Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist and is the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of FertilityCloud, America's first and only comprehensive, fertility, telemedicine platform. Through FertilityCloud all evaluation and treatment for fertility can be done from the comfort of your home. Dr. Levy's has a primary focus on treatment of refractory infertility, Assisted Reproduction, Ovarian Stimulation, Endometriosis, and Uterine fibroids with an interest in patients with refractory pathology who have been treated previously, and unfortunately have not achieved the desired result. Dr. Levy takes pride in his detail oriented approach to fertility care, which results in success for the “difficult” patient. Caitlin, Sophia and Dr. Gary Levy speak about tpopular weight loss drugs and how it the pros and cons to taking them. They speak about IVF, endometriosis and so much more! Be sure to have your notepads ready, as this episode is a goldmine of wisdom that you won't want to miss. Tune in to gain the knowledge and confidence you need to navigate your fertility journey with grace and clarity. Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin and Sophia speak with Catherine Staffieri about the importance of blood sugar balance when trying to conceive.  Catherine is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist currently working as a Nutrition Manager at Nutrisense, one of the fastest growing healthtech start-ups aimed to help anyone discover and reach their health potential. Catherine has counseled thousands of clients on their glucose scores reviewing over 750,000 hours of glucose data and recorded meals in the process while recommending nutritional adjustments to improve metabolic health. She holds a Masters in Nutrition Education from Columbia University and completed her undergrad work at the University of Pennsylvania. She enjoys cooking, spending time with her 3 kids, traveling and being active. Catherine’s philosophy is that you’re never too old to make changes in your life to better your mind, your body and your well being. This episode is one you will definitely want to listen to if you are wanting to track how the food in your body impacts your blood sugar levels throughout the day. Be sure to have your notepads ready, as this episode is a goldmine of wisdom that you won't want to miss. Tune in to gain the knowledge and confidence you need to navigate your fertility journey with grace and clarity. Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin and Sophia speak about progesterone and why Sophia made the switch to specialize in this subject when helping women who are trying to conceive.  This episode is one you will definitely want to listen to if you are wanting to start from scratch and learn about all things progesterone as well as how to talk to your doctor if you think you might need some help making enough progesterone to get pregnant. Caitlin and Sophia engage in an in-depth discussion on requesting labs, symptoms of having low progesterone, how to advocate for yourself at the doctor's office and so much more.  Be sure to have your notepads ready, as this episode is a goldmine of wisdom that you won't want to miss. Tune in to gain the knowledge and confidence you need to navigate your fertility journey with grace and clarity. Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia speak with Paulette Kamenecka. Paulette is an economist, a writer and a podcaster interested in women's health. She's written about the science of autoimmunity, what we currently know about different aspects of the immune system, and the immune system in pregnancy. Her podcast, What you Didn't Expect in Fertility, Pregnancy & Birth focuses on the difference between what women expected in this enormous transition and what they experienced. It also includes expert insights on many issues that can visit a pregnancy.  In this episode Caitlin, Sophia and Paulette speak about Paulette's ttc journey and her struggle with infertility. She talks about the process of undergoing IUI which was successful for her and resulted in two pregnancies.  She gives trying to conceive advice, pregnancy advice and postpartum advice for those who have been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. She also speaks about her book that outlines her joueny.  Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility For more information on Paulette or to listen to her podcast click here!

Welcome to another episode of Food, Freedom, and Fertility. Host Caitlin Johnson and Sophia Pavia speak with Ashton Koehlmoos. Ashton is a long time listener of the podcast and has her own unique fertility journey. She is a fitness educator supporting all women in the ttc, pregnancy and postpartum stages.  She now educates and help you find the inner strength your body posses through your breath & inner core unit to create support and stability through all chapters of motherhood. She wants you to feel empowered to make decisions on when you need to scale back your training and when you can advance. ​She helps mamas take the fear out of exercise while trying to conceive, while pregnant, or while postpartum. Even if you've never worked out before, you can start! Being told to "continue what you did prior" or "stick to yoga" is outdated and poor advice for all mamas, but especially those who have have a passion and drive for exercise and competition. In this episode, Ashton speaks about her fitness background and being in the fitness industry for more than 11 years. She speaks about the importance of doing work outs that work with your body and not pushing yourself to exertion five days out of the week.  For her, cutting back in the gym was a pivotal part of her fertility journey.  Thank you to our Season 3 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. The Prenatal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20%   MyFertilityCloud: $25 off first appointment with link: https://bit.ly/Food-Freedom-Fertilitty   Needed: FFF20 for 20% off your order with link: https://www.thisisneeded.com/discount/FFF20?rfsn=7726780.70156a&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=7726780.70156a You can find us on IG at FoodFreedomFertility For more information on Ashton or to download her courses head to her website!