Fertile Minds Radio

Today's mindful moments episode is all about setting your morning right with a quiet continuous breathing meditation. Whether you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes a morning, this will help get you clued into your own body every morning, and set you throughout your day with more positive self-talk and intention.

I recommend this meditation both before and after you take your basal body temperature. Nothing fancy, just quiet continuous breathing and some visualization to start your day out with a connection to yourself and your calmest potential. To share your own fertility story, please email me at [email protected]. I look forward to connecting with you, as you are what this podcast is all about.

Takeaway:

[1:11] Today's Mindful Moments Meditation focuses on the quiet and continuous breath.

[2:31] Watching bad news early in the day had long-lasting effects and set the tone for a negative day. Shawn Achor and his wife Michelle Gielan, as originally reported in Harvard Business Review, found when you're exposed to just three minutes of negative news first thing in the morning, you have a 27 percent higher likelihood of reporting that you had a bad day six to eight hours later, compared to a group exposed to positive, solutions-focused news.

[4:18] If you like these meditations and want to sign up for my free 29-day meditation challenge I'll be offering in April, go to the show notes — click here — and click the link to sign up so you'll know as soon as it is live.

If you are listening to this past April 2018 you can still click the link and you'll be able to purchase the challenge to do on your own.

[6:09] The key is to pay attention and observe the breath. This meditation does 4 x 4 breaths, with observing on the inhale and exhale. This is a technique that I just practiced with my teacher davidji and I absolutely love. I have a hard time following my breath, but this practice had me in a trance in a matter of minutes.

[9:02] It is recommended to do this meditation, take your basal body temperature and then practice the meditation again. Even as little as 5 minutes can be key to setting the tone for the day.

[10:45] You will hear a bell at the 5, 10, 15 and 20-minute mark. This will remind us to gently move our focus back on the breath.

[11:21] Meditation begins and offers a sweet spot of quiet and quickness.

[35:59] Meditation ends and we focus on our physical surroundings and the peacefulness we cultivated.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine

Continue Your Journey:

Link to sign up for free 29-day meditation challenge

fp306.isrefer.com/go/dreamlifea/hillary/

coupon code for $150 discount

"dreamlife2018"

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Today we will be covering one of my personal subjects in life, food! Food therapy has always been part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It can be really easy to initiate your own healing simply by eating for your current TCM disharmony. I will share with you some easy life solutions and three different approaches that you can start with your very next meal. Food has a lot of ties to our belief system, our past, and emotions we have yet to feel. Changing the way you eat can seem very overwhelming, so today I invite you to just pick a few from these three ideas that suit you and your life.

To share your own fertility story, please email me at [email protected]. I look forward to connecting with you, as you are what this podcast is all about.

Takeaways

[4:56] Many of us have some body image issues, myself included, that we've worked really hard to overcome and I don't want you to get stressed with the idea of cutting things out or calorie counting. That's not what today's episode is about.

[6:01] I would rather encourage you to make positive small changes that feel right to you rather than your feeling like your eating is one more thing you have to try and be perfect at. The implications of your DNA occur one full year before you get pregnant.

[8:25] Even a 2% change a day has a cumulative effect. It's important to start small and adopt habits and a diet that feels positive and nourishing.

[10:24] The first approach is from Daoshing Ni, from his book The Tao of Fertility. He thinks of the menstrual cycle as a season, and there is a systematic way to eat accordingly along with the phases.

[12:10] The second is a general list of what not to eat, and a meal order solution like Green Chef or Hello Fresh. This is great for the on-the-go person that is working too much or overwhelmed by the idea of shopping and cooking. However, it can get pricey, especially if you cave and order take out when you have organic food sitting in your fridge.

[13:09] Third is the pattern diagnosis of TCM by symptoms that tell you how to eat based on TCM. This will often help you feel the best the quickest and make your overall constitution stronger helping you to achieve optimal fertility. It can be difficult if you both of you have completely different imbalances or constitutions. It's a win if you love strict rules. It gives a list of don'ts and dos.

[14:20] In the Tao of Fertility approach, you think of your menses as the season of winter. Shedding, ending and contracting. The week after your period is like spring where plants and flowers are budding and blooming, and the ovulatory phase is summer. The luteal phase is akin to autumn, where the temperature is beginning to drop. During the first two weeks of your "seasons", you want to incorporate foods that will strengthen your egg quality and energy. This includes grains, high protein foods like eggs, meat and beans. It's important the food is warm for digestion. If you feel extra fatigued and weak during menstruation, you want to eat a lot of blood-nourishing foods like bone broth. The second phase after ovulation shifts to leafy green vegetables and berries.

[25:44] Always choose full-fat instead of fat-free. Often times when they take the fat out, they replace it with sugar and other unhealthy additives.

[29:22] I go through the patterns of foods and symptoms depending on the body types, symptoms and deficiencies. You can also download the food quiz here on the website for a further dive into what you should be eating for your specific constitution.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine

The Tao of Fertility: A Healing Chinese Medicine Program to Prepare Body, Mind, and Spirit for New Life, by Daoshing Li and Dana Herko

Continue Your Journey:

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Feelings of loneliness, fear, and doubt are universal to a woman during her fertility road trip. It is common to feel hopeful and confident one moment and then isolated and frazzled the next. Today's mindful moment episode will be all about restoring more peace and joy into your space, and to remind you that we are all connected and can send healing energy and love to one another, especially during a time such as implantation.

We will dive deep in a meditation that came out organically as I was working with a lovely woman on her our experience. Today's meditation will help you connect to your heart, let go of attachment, and breathe in faith and gratitude. To share your own fertility story, please email me at [email protected]. I look forward to connecting with you, as you are what this podcast is all about.

Takeaways

[1:53] The difference between a positive and negative stress experience is the beholder's perception of time.

[2:35] This episode is dedicated to Lindsey, who inspired Hillary as she is brave and inspiring along her fertility road trip. This meditation that came out organically as they were working together and Hillary recommends this as a useful tool for relaxation during the implantation process.

[8:02] Meditation begins.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine

Continue Your Journey:

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Today is a very important and relevant topic, as this flu season has been one of the worst in decades! We are going to talk about when to know when antibiotics may be right for you, how over-taking antibiotics may be hurting the future of your children, how to stay healthy during cold and flu season, and what to do if you or your partner gets sick along your fertility journey during an IVF cycle. I also share what herbs and oils can shorten colds and illness, the difference between strains of the cold, and some other natural remedies you can use as preventative measures!

Takeaways

[7:29] In the United States, antibiotics are very overly prescribed. If you do get antibiotics, you want to take some extra special care. Today's episode is all about how to prevent colds and the flu, and what to do if you actually do get the bug.

[9:44] We talk flu vaccine, what it does to our body and some tips for if you and your children do decide to get the vaccine and have some symptoms.

[13:16] I share the differences between strep, sinus infection and bronchitis and some preventative measures to take before you get sick including a garlic neti pot.

[19:49] Acute and complicated bronchitis is the most common complaint that sends people to their primary care physician. It usually resolves in 1-3 weeks. Hot water with lemon and honey and elderberry are two great natural remedies to soothe coughs. If you do feel like it is extremely bad, it is important to get a lung X-ray.

[22:35] Reaching out to herbalists and acupuncturists before and when you get the common cold is a great idea. One herb to help with the common cold is gan mao ling.

[24:52] Strep throat is a bacterial infection and it does require antibiotic treatment. You won't have a cough but you will have a fever. One formula is yin chi and a stronger one is andrographis.

[30:22] If you think you have the flu, the most important things are to stay hydrated, rest and stay home for at least 24 hours, and monitor your fever.

[34:37] One of my favorite immune blends is by Saje, and the oil "Thieves" by Young Living Essential Oils.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine

Saje

Young Living Essential Oils

Continue Your Journey:

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Today we will be diving into lab values, and specifically what it means to have a complete fertility workup. I cover what it means when we say a fertility workup, what they test for and why, what is "normal" to empower yourself in a non-judgmental way so you and your support system can figure out a plan of corrective action. We also discuss a semen analysis and the total, whole picture of the markers you would be looking at there. This episode is a great way to dive in with understanding what tests should be done based on your age and how long you have been trying, along with who in your healthcare network would be able to help you run the tests.

www.ladypotions.com/episode18

Welcome back and happy 2018 to you. I am happy to be back in the new year and to be able to share some insights with you. Today's episode covers the tough topic of giving yourself permission to pause when you or someone you love is experiencing grief. My lovely co-host Erin Gray and I discuss how we help ourselves or another through profound loss, specifically a miscarriage. I provide a mini-meditation to open us up to love and warmth, then we share on the topics regarding ritual, things to say and not say to others that are grieving, and how to reach out when you are feeling most alone and isolated. This show is dedicated to all of those who have recently lost someone. You know who you are and we are here for you.

www.ladypotions.com/episode17

When I thought about creating this episode, I wanted to keep the intro short and sweet. We already spend so much time thinking, processing and worrying. Sometimes we just need to "do it" and this comes to manifesting our dreams. Today's episode features a meditation to help clear clutter internally to manifest the life of your dreams. After today's episode, we encourage you to lighten your load from the inside out and to remember that you have access to your center anytime, at anyplace.

www.ladypotions.com/episode16

Davidji is the voice that woke me up many years ago, and I am forever grateful for finding his work, as it changed my life and path and this podcast would not be here today without him. Today I am honored to have him on as our guest. He graciously gives us tips on how to manifest true transformation in any area of your life from within, and answering the question "How Do I Stop Being Attached to The Outcome of Something I Want So Badly?" It's a talk of rejuvenation, renewal, and rebirth.

www.ladypotions.com/episode15

We are thrilled to have the awesome Dawn Herring of Empowered Birth Series back as our guest today. Like myself, Dawn wants to change the conversation in labor to where it can unfold throughout the process and the woman finds it easier to trust her body through grounded knowledge and preparation. Every woman is different, every birth is different, and we are here to share our full-circle journeys to help empower and free us from an exact perception of what birth should look like. I talk with Dawn about the Bishop Score, placentas, and the importance of taking labels off any judgment of looking at any and all options during childbirth and conception. We hope our talk inspires you to allow what is and listen to your own body as a guide.

https://www.ladypotions.com/episode14

Our guest today is my dear friend, Jen Poll. Jen is a Licensed Massage Therapist in St. Petersburg, Florida. We have a great talk with Jen on the techniques of vaginal steams, abdominal massage, and her inspiration from teachings of Don Elijio Panti and Rosita Arvigo. Steaming and Abdominal Massage can be a great way for women to maintain and achieve uterine health, to reconnect with their own body and reclaim any power they may have previously surrendered. We cover what a vaginal steam is, and why a woman may want to steam her lady parts. The massage and steam can be as ritualized as you want or can be a scheduled simple self-care technique. We also cover what to expect during the process and situations where you may want to wait before jumping in.

https://www.ladypotions.com/episode13