Shemika Whiteside, MSSW, CSW is the co-founder and executive director of Zora's Cradle, a nonprofit organization in Louisville, Kentucky that provides essential services to expectant mothers through a holistic approach. Shemika earned her Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville, and her research interests include maternal morbidity of Black and Latinx expectant mothers and dual-diagnoses. In this conversation, she shares her powerful personal story of giving birth prematurely to her daughter Zora, who only survived for a few days, and who inspired her to help other mothers access the resources they need for healthy pregnancies, healthy births, and healthy babies. She explains how milk banks and milk depots open up access to breast milk for babies in need. Zora's Cradle provides a milk depot in Louisville, KY, among other services.

https://zorascradle.org/

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I share updates for Season 2, introduce this season's them on breast health, and tell my own story of dealing with recurring breast cysts and benign breast lumps in my 30s. 

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In the final episode of Season 1, I share what I learned this season about how to create safe spaces where we can have more open conversations about women's embodied experiences. I offer seven tips for better dialogue, and I look ahead to Season 2, premiering in January.

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Shalah Bottoms is a Self-Care Coach and Founder of Shalah B Coaching. She earned a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky and has over 9 years of experience supporting other women as they create visions of their best selves and work toward making it a reality. As a coach, Shalah empowers women who do it all to prioritize the peace, joy, and structure they need to thrive.  In this interview, Shalah dismantles the commercial trappings of self-care and returns us to the foundational interior resources that help women to tend to their health holistically. Schedule a FREE discovery call with Self-Care Coach Shalah. Follow Shalah on Instagram for self-care inspiration and tips @shalahbcoaching.

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This week's guest is Haley Smith, who is a mother of two and has worked professionally as a childcare provider. In this conversation, she opens up about her experiences with depression, ADHD, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She reflects on the challenges of misdiagnosis, finding interventions that help, and where the joy is in prioritizing her health and her family. Please be aware that suicidal ideation is a topic that comes up in this conversation. If you are having thoughts of suicide, please call the national suicide hotline at 988 and get the help you deserve.

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Callie Allison, RN shares her stories of dealing with a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) as a teenager, as well as undergoing surgery for an imperforate hymen. She reflects on navigating health issues as a teen athlete, what she wishes she had known as a teenager, and how she could have better advocated for herself. She now works as a nurse in Louisville, Kentucky. She has worked in healthcare for the past seven years in a variety of roles. 

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Jessica Mannen Kimmet shares her perspective as a birder, a gardener, and a mother on how to become more attuned to the changing seasons and what our bodies need in each season to live in a more integrated way.

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Allison Jones, a long-time contra dancer, shares her story of developing body confidence through dance, and how that has enhanced her social confidence on and off the dance floor. We talk about nonverbal cues for setting physical boundaries, body sovereignty, and body positivity. Allison has been contra dancing for almost a decade. She has taught the lesson for beginners at community contra dances for six years, and she is a past president of the Board of Louisville Country Dancers, the nonprofit that sustains contra dancing in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville Country Dancers:
http://www.louisvillecountrydancers.org

Country Dance and Song Society:
https://www.cdss.org

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Catie Eichhorn shares about her diagnosis of endometriosis, undergoing multiple surgeries and finding hormonal medications to improve her symptoms. She opens up about how it has impacted her sense of self and her definition of family, and her joyful resilience in the face of a chronic diagnosis.

The Empowered Health podcast also has an endometriosis episode:

https://empoweredhealthshow.com/2019/07/21/ep-19-opening-up-about-endometriosis/

My Endometriosis online support group:
https://www.myendometriosisteam.com/

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If you have feedback or want to be a future guest, please get in touch!

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A conversation with Kristen Drahos, PhD, about the challenges and benefits of eating an anti-inflammatory diet. She offers these resources for more research:
Autoimmune and AIP (Auto-Immune Protocol) specifically:

https://www.thepaleomom.com/start-here/the-autoimmune-protocol/

The Paleo Approach (https://www.ebay.com/itm/274389831320?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1Aqkk_6GkR5W0MucUknEBzA32&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-213727-13078-0&mkcid=2&itemid=274389831320&targetid=4580702891777578&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=418640321&mkgroupid=1233652283797640&rlsatarget=pla-4580702891777578&abcId=9300602&merchantid=51291&msclkid=6e0daae747b011bac7bdc8359f7249f7)

Whole30

https://whole30.com/

Mark's Daily Apple

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Intermittent Fasting 

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/intermittent-fasting-4-different-types-explained/

https://drbrighten.com/intermittent-fasting-womens-health/

A few recipes:

https://minimalistbaker.com/thai-carrot-salad-curried-cashews/

https://www.theroastedroot.net/healthy-4-ingredient-chocolate-mousse/

https://www.justataste.com/sauteed-shitake-mushrooms-and-spinach-with-spicy-garlic-sauce/

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-braised-coconut-spinach-chickpeas-with-lemon-recipes-from-the-kitchn-164551#comments-164551

Contact Femammal:

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