The Whole Pineapple

Healthy eating can feel daunting. Where do you start? And how can you do it without draining your bank account and sucking all your time?

On this short snack, Brea Seaburg (@glucoseandgoodness), who is a doctor of nursing practice with expertise in cardiovascular medicine, metabolic health, and chronic disease prevention, takes us on a tour of the grocery store. Which sections are brimming with health, and which are better to limit? Tune in for some tips, tricks, and hacks for making healthy eating simple, delicious, and fun for the whole family.

What exactly are "insulin resistance" and "metabolic wellness," and why are they part of a fertility discussion?

In this episode, Anne and Ruby tackle these topics with expert Brea Seaburg.

Brea Seaburg is a doctor of nursing practice with expertise in cardiovascular medicine, metabolic health, and chronic disease prevention. Brea has worked as a heart failure nurse practitioner for most of her NP career, but after a personal health "detour" (she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes!), she felt a strong desire to combine her professional interests with her personal health journey.

Brea has a passion for food as medicine, and after learning so much about her own body through continuous glucose monitoring, she started a metabolic wellness practice to help patients at risk for metabolic dysfunction understand the implications of dietary and lifestyle choices.

She has a special interest in women's health and pregnancy, as her own health story began with a diagnosis of gestational diabetes and there is a massive gap in preventive care for these women. She is a culinary medicine specialist, the queen of "food swaps," an insulin-resistance evangelist, and can be found on Instagram @glucoseandgoodness, spreading the word!

If you're facing fertility challenges, there are myriad resources for medical and emotional support. There are podcasts (ahem, like this one!), classes, and…books! On today's short snack episode, Ruby and Anne are reviewing two fantastic reads.

Fertility Walk by Tamara Tobias (@fertilitywalk, @tamaratobias.fertilitywalk), a nurse practitioner, dives into the medical side of infertility. What's it like in fertility clinics? What's the science behind the barriers? What are those gray blobs on your ultrasound?

Make IF Make Sense by Regina Townsend (@brokenbrownegg) shares a deeply personal story about the unpredictability – and all the accompanying emotions – of infertility. How do you make sense of such a big IF? Where are the spots of humor in an otherwise difficult situation? How can you locate solace for yourself?

Both books are excellent companions for your fertility journey.

…Looks like it's time to head to the library!

Take a moment to notice how you're breathing. Is your breath short and shallow? Or long and deep? Our breathing runs on autopilot, but there are ways to control, deepen, and improve it.

Breath is the foundation of a yoga practice. In this short snack episode, Lynn Jensen (@yogaforfertilityLynnJensen) leads us through an ujjayi breathing exercise, which is great for calming down your central nervous system. Get ready to relax and expand your capacity.

Yoga has come a long way from a bit of a "fringe" activity to a popular way to get and stay fit. But can it help with fertility?

Ruby and Anne's guest today certainly believes so – in fact, she wrote a book on it! Lynn Jensen is a Registered Yoga Instructor and a Certified Yoga Therapist.

In 2002, after her own fertility journey, Lynn founded the Seattle-based Yoga for Fertility program, and since then has helped thousands of women and couples on their paths to parenthood.

Lynn is co-author of the book Yoga and Fertility, A Journey to Health and Healing. She designed and taught the yoga portion of a study on Yoga for Menopause funded by the National Institute of Health and the University of Washington.

Lynn currently teaches group Yoga for Fertility classes online, as well as offering private instruction and fertility coaching. Yoga teachers certified through Lynn's Yoga for Fertility Teacher Training programs are now teaching across the U.S. as well as internationally. Find her at yogaforfertility.net.

Highlights:

About Lynn, her credentials and journey The advent of yoga for fertility What is different about yoga for fertility?How do you structure classes for people who are in different parts of their cycles?Overcoming the isolation of infertility The stigma around fertility issues Safe spaces for those dealing with infertility Stress reduction/stress hormones How often should people do yoga? Adding back to your life energy stores The benefit of mind/body and support for fertility

Lynn offers online courses, so if there's not yet a yoga for fertility class near you, you can still enjoy the benefits!

We've covered the initial fertility tests for eggs and sperm, so on this week's short snack, it's time to travel up to the uterus and fallopian tubes. But how?

Ruby and Anne discuss the difference between a Hysterosalpingogram or 'HSG' and a hysteroscopy, and what information can these diagnostic procedures reveal.

When should you consider these tests? What can you expect from the office visit? And what's the deal with the 'wandering womb'? Get it all on this episode.

Between the medical and cultural layers, weight can be a fraught topic. Does it matter for your fertility?

In this short snack, Ruby and Anne chat with Dr. Nichole Barker about if and how weight impacts fertility. They unpack some of the muddiness around BMI, and explore the more nuanced goal: wellness. Are you curious how your weight might affect your fertility? Are you unsure about how to have those conversations with your provider? Let's dig in!

It can take years before people make their first appointment at a fertility clinic. Whether that's because they don't know how long they "should" try before they seek medical help, or because they're embarrassed, or because they're afraid of what they might learn, waiting rarely makes things better.

In this episode, Ruby, Anne and guest Dr. Nichole Barker demystify that first visit: when it's time to make the appointment, what will likely happen at the clinic, how you can prepare beforehand, and more.

If you've been considering seeking fertility help for starting or extending your family, give yourself the gift of greater clarity with The Whole Pineapple.

Exciting news: Ruby just passed her board exams to become a certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional! But, what exactly does that mean?

In this short snack, Ruby and Anne discuss the many different kinds of medicine: conventional, complementary, alternative, functional, preventative, lifestyle, and more. And, they get into some of the systemic issues that prevent a more holistic, patient-centered care model. Your wellcare is unique to you, so let's explore the many options you have!

Close your eyes and take a few moments to relax. A deep breath in. A deep breath out.

It's deceptively simple.

That's why on this minisode, we welcome back Jamie Mammenga, MS, LMHC, a mental health provider at Seattle Reproductive Medicine, to lead us on a guided meditation.

We promise she'll make you feel centered, rejuvenated, and whole. Come sail away with us.