Fertile Minds Radio

Did you know that you can flip the switch on your stress response, turning on a relaxation response in as little as 16 seconds? It's a technique coined by my beloved meditation teacher davidji and it's the quickest way I know to restore calm and clarity to my body. The only trick is, you have to practice it.

This episode is brought to you by the online course- How to thrive with Your Newborn presented by the talented doula Adriana Lozada.

Our periods are signs of how we are interacting with our environment, both internally and externally, and a way for us to use certain signals for fertility. Today, Hillary talks about what to stop and consider about your own period, how to change the quality and quantity of your uterine lining, decreasing inflammation to help clotting and cramping, certain foods to build up the blood, and how to turn back the clock in aging.

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:

[1:45] The symptoms of your period are not something to be flushed and forgotten. They are your body's way of telling you that something is out of balance.

[2:36] The amount that you bleed is important and should be a steady flow with 1 or 2 days that are heavier, for a total of about 4 to 5 days. In order for the embryo to be nourished and grow, the lining has to be thick and well-vascularized. One important thing that often gets missed is the shedding of the lining every single month, so you don't have old blood sitting on top of the lining. If you are a scanty bleeder, it is a good indication that your uterine lining is insufficient.

[5:26] Foods that help build up the blood include eggs with the yolk, clean sources of red meat, full-fat dairy and healthy fats such as seeds and avocado. It is also advised to not over-exercise during this time and resort to light stretching, walking, and gentle movement.

[6:53] The clot that you see in your menstrual blood has been forming way before you have your period. So what's the problem? Implantation depends on establishing a healthy, thriving blood supply. But the whole job of a clot is to stop the flow of blood! A clotted uterine lining is one that is stale and stagnant. It doesn't have the fresh surface it needs to allow implantation to succeed at a high rate. It is important to stay away from inflammatory foods, and employ abdominal massage, and possibly employ a vaginal steam bath.

[9:29] When you feel cramping, it really is your uterine wall spasming. Severe cramping — also called dysmenorrhea — isn't just a drag, it's counter-productive for conception.

[11:07] It is common to have one day of heavy bleeding, but the other days should be more even with bright red blood rather than just one day of intense bleeding then right to spotting. Heavy bleeding can indicate an issue with spleen chi deficiency, where your body doesn't have enough energy to open and shut the uterus and control the blood flow, leading to a feeling of strong fatigue.

[12:02] Red raspberry leaf may be used to tone your uterus, and then Cramp Bark when you are having your period. Some traditional Chinese formulas that include herbs from blood building and breaking categories.

[13:33] Many factors including diet, stress, environment, and even things we were exposed to while in utero can affect our eggs. Even more so for the eggs in our 120-day queue, for what's called a germ cell to become a ripe and fertile egg.

[15:13] You can turn back the clock. The Chinese had the idea of two ages which we can scientifically prove now using telomeres or a structure at the end of a chromosome. If you are interested in seeing what age you are according to this science, you can order a telomere test.

[16:28] The Chinese had a different take on the Western idea of the advanced maternal age of 35. They say men and women mature differently, and every 7 years for a female and 8 years for a male was a huge transition. Age 27 is when we see the first decline in FSH and AMH, two hormones that collectively approximate what a woman's ovarian reserve is. There is an even more steep decline at 35, especially in egg quality increasing the risk for miscarriage or birth defect There is hope if you have waited! Egg quality can be positively affected by things like acupuncture, herbs, meditation, proper nutrition, and other various stress reduction techniques.

[18:31] Paternal age matters as well. You can reference a previous episode with Dr. Zev Williams from Columbia for more information on how much paternal age matters when it comes to single gene mutations that can cause things like autism, bipolar disorder, and other mental/emotional disruptions.

[19:02] There are categories of herbs that are said to have been taken by royalty because they were said to help them live forever. Zinc has been shown to help sperm fragmentation, and alpha lipoic acid has been touted to help egg quality in a woman of advanced maternal age when taken 3-6 months. DHEA is a precursor for the other steroids in our body, and studies have shown it helps the quality of the eggs. It is recommended to get your levels tested before taking this, and talk to your provider to see if it's something to consider.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

Ep #37 — Part 1

Ep #27 with Dr. Zev Williams

Art of Acupuncture

Continue Your Journey:

Link to sign up for free 29-day meditation challenge

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Disclaimer *

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.

Today's mini mindful moment answers the questions...

This week, we are joined again by the very knowledgeable (and one of our most popular Fertile Minds podcast guests) Lily Nichols. Not only is Lily a devoted mom, but she is a stellar author and a registered dietitian/nutritionist with a flair for interpreting scientific data and applying it to the modern-day woman. She speaks with Hillary today on her work helping women learn how to prevent or manage their Gestational Diabetes. She also discusses how we test for it, what makes someone more susceptible to acquiring it, and what the long-term complications are for both mama and baby once they are diagnosed with it.

Lily presents a unique approach in helping women manage their diet and lifestyle in her bestselling books, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and Real Food for Pregnancy.

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:

[2:13] Lily describes what Gestational Diabetes is and is not. It is a type of Diabetes that develops or is diagnosed during pregnancy. Typically, your body is having trouble processing carbohydrates, causing high blood sugar.

[4:06] Lily uses a hybrid approach when screening for Gestational Diabetes, mixing traditional glucose tolerance tests with discussing their diet and lifestyle choices.

[7:08] Diet and lifestyle are two factors we can be proactive about in pregnancy, as well as in pre-conception.

[8:26] We are seeing that even mildly elevated is an issue, so it's important women find out early. 49 to 52 percent have either diabetes or pre-diabetes, and most of them have yet to be diagnosed.

[8:50] We want to use A1C readings in pre-conception and in the first trimester and after that look at blood sugars. If A1C has not gone down later in pregnancy, that is a warning sign that something is going on. We recommend getting an over-the-counter glucometer and monitoring your blood sugar at home first thing in the morning and one to two hours after meals to get an idea of how your body responds to specific foods.

[12:58] Lily discusses the acceptable levels of fasting and non-fasting blood sugars in pregnant women. We naturally see lower blood sugar levels in a typical pregnancy, along with changes in the significant thyroid and the burning of more fat to send fatty acids to the baby.

[17:32] During pregnancy, if your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, there is a direct line from you to your baby to via umbilical cord. There's also a physiological reason that women may not feel like eating during pregnancy, to try and push towards ketosis. This makes sense as to why breastfeeding is the best diet ever, as it pulls all the fat to give to the baby.

[22:19] When we have been on a sugar binge and try to come off of sugar, that is happening to the baby the first couple days, so you can imagine how jarring that is until they reregulate.

[23:34] Even with a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes, the recommendation of allowable daily carbs is still very high. Lily observed her clients blood sugar getting worse when they followed the protocol and found that a lower level of carbohydrates is ideal.

[27:34] The second part of Lily's research was looking at ketones and the different part of ketosis. The benefit of the ketogenic diet becoming popular is now there is more discussion on what it means to be in ketosis and what types of ketosis are safe to be in.

[33:39] Lily observes that most women gain their weight in the second and early third trimester and tend to level out unless there is fluid retention.

[36:06] The pancreas is not accustomed to pumping out a large amount of insulin consistently.

[39:11] While it may be annoying and tedious, testing your blood sugar levels daily is well worth it for acquiring interesting data.

[40:41] We discuss the risk factors of how blood sugar issues may affect our children's fertility and generations down the line. What we may be seeing now may be the epigenetic effect from our low-fat diet from the 1980's.

[45:21] As you tend to get beyond the 35 and 40 BMI, you do see more pregnancy complications and macrosomia with an epigenetic carryover effect through generations and beyond.

[48:59] People feel like they have acquired a disease, but really your body is adapting to the environment in which it is currently in.

[49:18] Plan of action:

• Start monitoring A1C & post-meal blood sugars pre-conception, if possible.
• Pull an A1C in the first trimester and if it's suspect get in touch with someone like Lily to get it under control. Check out Lily's books AND video course, or join her Facebook group.
• Eat real food throughout your pregnancy and a reasonable amount of carbs that works for you.
• Continue to eat the same way, maybe even more good fats while you are breastfeeding to enhance your breast milk.
• Bring up your children on the same diet they were exposed to in utero and educate them about blood sugars and food in general so they can affect the next two generations in a healthy way.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

Pilatesnutritionist.com

Realfoodforgd.com/about/

California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program

PDF Blood Glucose Calendar (Hillary will provide)

Ketosis Harmful in Neurodevelopment of Infants (Hillary will provide [from the 1960s or 1970s!])

Real Food for Gestational Diabetes: An Effective Alternative to the Conventional Nutrition Approach, by Lily Nichols

Does Gestational Diabetes Occur in Pregnant Mares?

Blog Series Glucose Tolerance Test and Results

Twitter.com/LilyNicholsRDN

Lily's Instagram

Continue Your Journey:

Link to sign up for free 29-day meditation challenge

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Disclaimer *

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.

Todays relaxation response technique is technically called Autogenic Training. It's a technique that is credited to Dr. Johannes Schultz and was popularized in the 90's by Dr. Herbert Benson's book - The Relaxation Response and has to do with the power of verbal suggestion. Now these verbal suggestions called orientations, can be thought of as a type of self hypnosis. This is different than an affirmation because we are going to take the verbal suggestions into the body to help it relax, not just repeat something in our minds. Once you've used this phrase though and effectively calmed your body down, you should be able to pull it out in a pinch and repeat it silently to yourself and have some of the same effect. It's perfect to use when your heart is racing before a doctors appointment or during the two week wait when you find yourself extra anxious. When you use autogenic training, you are essentially bypassing your conscious mind in order to instruct your body to relax via your subconscious mind. Autogenic Training sounds so formal and stuffy though- so I decided to rename it today to verbal suggestions so you can calm the frick down.

Today's episode is brought to you by, Pregnancy Brain, by Parijat Deshpande. You can find it anywhere books are sold or at pregnancybrainbook.com.

In this episode I will seek to give the listener a basic understanding of how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnostics work and what TCM has to say about your menstrual cycle when you are trying to conceive. In part one we will discuss how Timing, Length, and Temperature are viewed in regards to TCM diagnostics, how we get certain imbalances and how to treat them from a TCM perspective.

In part 2 of the series, we will talk about what your period is trying to tell you and what TCM has to say about advanced maternal and paternal age.

Today's episode is brought to you by Free 29 day fertility challenge is around the corner. If you missed it last time, or signed up and didn't complete it before time ran out, it will be starting again, August 26th. Doors will stay open until the 29th. Each day you will get an email reminder from me to log in and check out the new mediation. Each meditation will guide you through your chakras, helping you to free stuck emotions, release limiting beliefs and to tone your physical body, readying it for conception. I really want you to experience what a relaxed nervous system can feel like, simply by taking 20 minutes each day to explore your own energetic body. I also want you to see just how easy it is to connect with this part of yourself and to start using it to manifest the life of your dreams, and the only way to do that is to create a habit. So join me in this challenge by going to LadyPotions.com to sign up.

Progressive muscle relaxation is an excellent technique to get you out of your head and into your body so you can learn to be more aware when your body is trying to signal you that something is off. This will help you stay relaxed, and to trust your body while trying to conceive, going through pregnancy, and while giving birth. You get to me your own massage therapist in a quick 10 minute routine. Let's do this!

Need some help getting that meditation practice going? Join us for a another 29 day challenge, beginning August 26, 2018. https://hillary-talbott.mykajabi.com/p/next-meditation-challenge

Parijat Deshpande is the leading high-risk pregnancy expert, perinatal mind-body wellness counselor, speaker, and author who guides women to quickly and effectively release their stress during their high-risk pregnancy so they can give their baby a strong start to life. Her bestselling book "Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy" and popular podcast Delivering Miracles® discuss the real, raw side of infertility and pregnancy in an interesting yet expert manner. Tune in for an episode where we discuss the physical impact of hope, how to surround yourself with a team that feels right to you, and making decisions based on clarity and confidence.

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:

[1:45] Parijat's unique approach has served hundreds of women to manage pregnancy complications and reclaim a safety and trust in their bodies that they thought was eroded forever. Parijat is not afraid to swim in some deep waters and to talk about the tough aspects of infertility and pregnancy.

[3:28] Parijat is both an expert in this field and someone that comes at it from an organic angle. She understands the feelings of fear, isolation, and frustration that are often present in infertility and high-risk pregnancy.

[7:16] It's very easy to shy away from hope when you have experienced health challenges. Hope is trust and faith in the outcome without the evidence to feel it. Our body (and baby) can feel our hope and faith, and it can also feel our fear and doubt. When we trust and know our body, and are connected with it, that is the building block and shining light of hope.

[10:52] Parijat combines her Clinical Psychology background with her own experiences and stories from the thousands of other women that have all felt and gone through the same thing.

[13:21] We can't control the outcome of everything that happens in our life, but we can control our hope, the team around us, and the way we take care of and nourish our mind, body, and spirit.

[16:13] When you are going through high-risk pregnancy and infertility, it's so important to find a doctor and team that conveys information with compassion, hope, and proactive management. Your providers take you much more seriously when you are straightforward and in touch with what's happening in your body.

[21:28] Knowing the difference between anxiety and fear is crucial to how we manage stress and influence the physiological responses in our body. We isolate things in Western Medicine when they are very much intertwined between our emotions, thoughts, and manifestations within the body.

[27:58] The ego part of your brain would often times rather be familiar with what we know, even if that's anxiety and worry. Learning how to relax is like working out a muscle, and something you can practice every day.

[31:11] Processing emotions rather than holding on to them while pregnant can seem daunting, but Parijat invites a gentle approach that works towards uprooting grief from the body so it can safely be let go. [32:47] Parijat is offering a 15% off discount to the Fertile Minds family for her MasterClasses on Pregnancy and Infertility! Use the code fertileminds at checkout to receive discount.

[36:41] Parijat works with women to recognize their bodies' anchor points to guide them in making decisions based on clarity, rather than fear.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy, by Parijat Deshpande

Delivering Miracles®

Parijat Deshpande

Continue Your Journey:

Link to sign up for free 29-day meditation challenge

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Disclaimer *

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or another professional healthcare provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.

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Most of us know what mindfulness is, but do you actually practice it. Today's technique gives you a simple to use questions to take your from your past that dictates that conversation in your head, into the present moment, helping you enhance your fertility by changing your stress response to one of relaxation.

Join the 29 Day Fertility Meditation Challenge at https://hillary-talbott.mykajabi.com/p/next-meditation-challenge

Today we are joined by Michelle Gale, bestselling author, speaker, strategic advisor and mother/member of her lovely Family Council. Michelle and I talk about mindfulness as the number one secret to parenting with a clear head and open heart. She shares the intention and inspiration behind her book, Mindful Parenting in a Messy World, her own transformation from anxiety and fear to acceptance and empowerment, how new parents may find time to weave mindfulness and meditation into their jam-packed schedule, and how she herself practices mindfulness in her own family.

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:

[:42] The Free 29 Day Fertility Challenge is just around the corner, starting August 26! Each day you will get an email from me reminding you to log in and check out the new meditation. Each meditation will guide you through your chakras, helping you to free stuck emotions, release limiting beliefs and to tone your physical body, reading it for conception.

[1:45] Meditation is truly the secret weapon when it comes to parenting with a clear head and open heart. Many parents become so busy that they forget the very practice that is there to help them stay grounded, peaceful and sane during the time right after childbirth when they would need it most.

[2:17] Our guest today is Michelle Gale. Michelle was previously the head of Learning and Leadership Development at Twitter, has a bestselling book titled Mindful Parenting in a Messy World: Living with Presence and Parenting with Purpose, and a podcast, Mindful Parenting in a Messy World. In addition to her board work with Holistic Life Foundation, she is currently a strategic advisor to the Mindful Schools and the Wisdom 2.0 Conference.

[5:45] Michelle makes it a priority for herself to weave mindfulness in throughout the day. She shares the different ways we can practice it, whether it's taking a moment to make eye contact a few seconds longer with our children, meditating in the morning or evening, or using a meditation app for even 5 minutes a day. You can check out Michelle's 7 Day Series on the app Simple Habit.

[8:53] In knowing ourselves, we create the conditions for peace in ourselves and our communities. If we want a generation that is awake, we need to awaken ourselves first.

[11:08] Michelle revealed in her book that so much of her anxiety as a parent came from a fear of screwing up. She reached a turning point when she realized she wanted to focus on the magic that was her actual kids, instead of the story about them and about how things should be, that she was seeing through a "should" filter.

[14:44] Moments where we overreact and make mistakes as parents become an opportunity for growth, and serve as a teaching moment for ourselves and our children on the importance of handling stress and taking care of ourselves.

[20:02] Michelle shares the experience of enlisting her son Tyler as her teacher to help notice patterns of reactivity and then remind her to breathe.

[24:14] I read an amazing excerpt from Michelle's book on her take on teenage behavior, unmet needs, and the evolutionary response to separate in adulthood.

[28:25] Meditation may be the formal practice, and mindfulness can be done everywhere at any time.

[31:18] Michelle teaches Mindful Listening to her family and recommends starting out a Family Council in small bits at a time, so everyone practices getting a chance to both listen and speak. Her own Council has evolved over time and is something that has helped strengthen the family and make each member feel seen and heard.

[35:26] Michelle's first Online Summit has a star-studded, wonderful cast of people talking about all aspects of parenting. For more information, join her online community.

References:

Fertile Minds on LibSyn

Fertile Minds on iTunes

Mindful Parenting in a Messy World: Living with Presence and Parenting with Purpose, by Michelle Gale

Mindful Parenting in a Messy World

Simple Habit 7 Day Series

The Way of Council, by Jack Zimmerman in collaboration with Virginia Coyle

Happily Family

Michelle Gale

Mindfulness in America

Continue Your Journey:

Link to sign up for free 29-day meditation challenge

@ladypotions4u on Twitter

@ladypotions4u on Instagram

My Website: Ladypotions.com

Special Thanks to Christopher Lloyd Clarke for music

Disclaimer *

You must not rely on the information in this podcast as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition you should seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website or in this podcast.