The Wholesome Fertility Podcast Michelle | Fertility Wellness - Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Lifestyle

This solo episode delves into the profound impact of meditation on fertility and overall health. Highlighting the often overlooked aspect of mindset, Michelle explains how stress and the resulting cortisol levels can negatively affect reproductive health. She shares her personal insights from over 20 years of meditation practice and references ancient wisdom as well as modern research, including Dr. Joe Dispenza's work on the mind-body connection.
 
Key Points Discussed:
Introduction to Meditation Mind-Body Connection: Practical Meditation Tips: Overcoming Common Meditation Challenges: Protecting Energy and Boundaries: Meditation Techniques and Benefits:  
Check out Michelle’s latest book here: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility
 
Follow Michelle on Instagram @thewholesomelotusfertility
 
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/ for more tips and updates.
 
For more information about Michelle, visitwww.michelleoravitz.com
 
The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/
 
 
Transcript:
 
Meditation and fertility
[00:00:00] Welcome to the Wholesome Fertility Podcast. I'm your host, Michelle Orvitz, and it's been a while since I have done my solo podcast episode. And today I wanted to talk about the role of meditation and enhancing fertility. And I've talked about meditation before, but it is such an important topic that I want to talk about it again.
 
And so today I'm going to talk about the benefits of mindfulness or just meditation, many different types of meditation. And why it's so important when it comes to overall health and fertility health. It is often one of the things that is really missed and taken off the list. Many people who come to work with me, whether it's online or in person, they share with me that they're eating the right things, taking the right supplements, they did everything.
And most of the time when I ask about the mindset aspect, it is not the same. That really [00:01:00]priority. So it is something that I find myself really taking like a session or two just discussing because it's something that can be very abstract. And of course it's invisible. Our mindset, how we think is often something that runs in the background.
 
And it's kind of like this programming that we have that's in the background of our life. And we often don't pay attention to it. We often actually get distracted and don't even realize that our reaction to things that are outside of us. comes from our mindset. And there are many different ways that we can react.
There's many different ways that we can take it in. And so there are aspects of our mindset that we don't even realize are happening. And we may not even realize that they can impact our hormones, they can impact our sleep, and they can even impact our cravings and what we [00:02:00] eat. So this is why. I say that although it's invisible and although it is very abstract to really look at, it is so important.
And it's probably, if anything, the number one priority that I usually try to address when I work with patients and when I work with my patients. Customers online.
 
So I know that there's also a debate on stress and fertility, and there's always the argument that people at war times are really, really stressful events, get pregnant. And while this is true and a valid argument. That doesn't take away from the fact that when people stress, that increases cortisol, and cortisol is a hormone, and that can impact many different things for both men and women, and we know that men's nervous system can impact male [00:03:00] reproductive health. And for women, cortisol competes with progesterone, and it can impact progesterone. It can also impact sleep, which has a cascade of events. It can impact hormone production and hormone 
regulation. So all of these things are very import

Kathryn Bregman Ed.S. struggled for years to become pregnant.  She tried every diet, lotion and potion she could find.  She endured two rounds of failed egg retrievals until she realized her body was pristine, but her mind did not feel balanced.  She was suffering from stress and information overload. She was exhausted, defeated and depressed. Even though she was already in therapy, Kathryn hired a fertility mindset coach, which changed everything.  Within 6 months she got pregnant naturally and gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 40. After that, Kathryn made it her mission to spread the word of what she learned to completely transform her outcome. Today she is a Certified Life Coach and a Certified Miracle Minded Master Coach. She's also the only fertility coach in the world who trained directly under Marianne Williamson learning exclusive and cutting-edge coaching techniques. She works with private clients across the globe and runs online group programs where women find the authentic support that they need to become the moms they are meant to be.
 
You can find out more about Kathryn at: www.badassfertility.com
Instagram: @BadassFertility
Free ebook: https://badassfertility.com/fb-ad-habits/
 
For more information about Michelle, visit: www.michelleoravitz.com
 
Check out Michelle’s latest book here: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility
 
The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/
 
Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/
 
 
Transcript:
 
Michelle (00:00)
Welcome to the podcast, Catherine.
 
Kathryn Bregman (00:02)
Hi, thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here. It's an honor to be on your show and speak with you today.
 
Michelle (00:10)
I'm so happy you're here as well, Catherine, and I'd love for you to share your inspiring story and how you got to do this work.
 
Kathryn Bregman (00:13)
Thank you.
 
Absolutely, I would love to share I became inspired to be a fertility coach and work with women who are on the journey to their babies because when I was struggling to become pregnant with my daughter, who I had at 40, after struggling for about four years to conceive, after being advised to use donor different things like that, I realized that a huge,
 
part of my struggle in my journey was, well, there were physical things that I'll talk about in a moment. There was a lot going on in my head space that was a huge block for me because when I first started trying to conceive with my husband, I was 36. We got married, you know, 36, and I was like, already felt behind, you know, was super concerned about.
 
whether or not we'd be able to conceive. I'd always had like heavy periods, but never been diagnosed with anything in particular. So I felt like nervous and a little wary. And after about trying for just two months or so, we decided to use an ovulation kit. We used an ovulation kit and I got pregnant right away. And I remember thinking, my God, why do people struggle to conceive? Just use an ovulation kit.
 
Michelle (01:33)
Mm -hmm.
 
Kathryn Bregman (01:41)
Like it's so simple, hello, right? And then a couple of weeks later, we lost that pregnancy. And I did not get pregnant again for several years, no matter how hard I tried, no matter what we did. And I'll talk kind of briefly about that as And so it was like a famous last words kind of a And...
 
So after trying for about another year, you know, we did acupuncture, which I love. I'm a huge fan of acupuncture, a huge fan of herbs. I think it was really integral on my journey, but there was more blocking me that I had to get through, right? And so after about a year of trying, you know, naturally and using acupuncture, we were advised to do IVF. And when we went to do IVF, I got like a laundry list of

Dr. Armando Hernandez-Rey is Conceptions Florida’s medical director and triple-board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility; Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Surgery. Dr. Armando Hernandez-Rey has over 24 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Universidad Autonoma de Ciencias Médicas de Centro America in 1998. He attended medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine for his specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He specializes in treating patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), recurrent pregnancy loss (miscarriage), and severe endometriosis. He is especially interested in fertility preservation (eggfreezing) for patients who must delay childbearing for personal or medical reasons, including cancer and systemic lupus erythematosus. Dr. Hernandez-Rey is an assistant clinical professor at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University and serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for the prestigious peer-reviewed journal, Fertility and Sterility. He has also published several articles and chapters in medical literature.
 
Website https://www.conceptionsflorida.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/conceptionsflorida/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/conceptionsfl Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@conceptionsflorida  
 
For more information about Michelle, visit: www.michelleoravitz.com
 
The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/
 
Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility
 
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/
 
 
Transcript:
 
Michelle (00:00)
Welcome to the podcast, Dr. Hernandez -Ray.
 
Armando Hernandez-Rey MD (00:04)
Thank you, Michelle. Thanks for the invitation. It's really an honor and a privilege to be on your show, on your podcast.
 
Michelle (00:09)
Yes, well, I've heard a lot about you over the years because I've had a lot of patients go to you. And one of the things that I've heard is that you do really well with surgeries and fibroids and you're able to in and
 
but in a way that still preserves fertility. So that was one of the things that I've learned.
 
Armando Hernandez-Rey MD (00:32)
Well, reproductive endocrinology and infertility as a subspecialty is a surgical subspecialty as is OB -GYN, which is a mandatory path to get to the infertility route. Unfortunately, a lot of the newer generation is not operating because they're not taught, not through no fault of their own, they're not taught. The reality is that it is...
 
Michelle (00:47)
Mm -hmm.
 
Armando Hernandez-Rey MD (00:55)
for a myriad of reasons this phenomenon has happened. Number one, the minimally invasive surgery tract has been developed where you have the person who's really just really perfected their obstetrical skills. And then you have the gynecologic oncology route and the pelvic urogynecology or pelvic reconstruction route and the minimally invasive surgical route. And a lot of the reproductive endocrinologists,
 
have said, you know what, I'm going to forego surgery and I'm going to refer it out. My personal philosophy, and this is in no way critical to absolutely anybody, it's just my own, is that I went into medicine to be a surgeon, I actually wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. I ended up not liking it, I had a very bad fracture when I was in my teens playing competitive soccer, and I really had some PTSD from that fracture, so I just couldn't see myself doing
 
orthopedic surgery, but I somehow found my way towards OBGYN, absolutely loved it. And eventually towards the reproductive endocrinology route, which encompasses a lot of surgery, should you allow it. And so yes, like you said, fibroids are an important part of fertility. you, tubal reconstruction used to be much more important than it is now. People are more, are byp

After being told at a young age that she might struggle getting pregnant, without receiving adequate support or guidance, Dr. Kelsey embarked on a mission to offer better healthcare to women. She firmly believes women deserve the information to make quality decisions, the support they need to be successful, and the confidence in knowing they are doing everything within their power to make a baby.
 
Through her 3 pillar Fertility Success System, Dr. Kelsey and her team have helped bring hundreds of babies into the world using evidence-driven medicine and supporting couples regardless of where they are in their fertility journey.
When she’s not helping couples reach their fertility goals, you can find Dr. Kelsey spending time with her 2 kids, watching trashy reality tv when they go to bed, and enjoying time up north by the water. 
 
Free Webinar: Five Strategies to Build Fertility Confidence: https://kelseyduncan.com/ondemand/
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertilityconfidencemethod/
 
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.kelseyduncannaturopathi9750
 
Fertility Confidence Podcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2xctPYL5cxoI1zFwSZJUmf?utm_medium=share&utm_source=linktree Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fertility-confidence-podcast/id1553380342?itsct=podcast_box_link&itscg=30200 Website: https://caredforwellnessclinic.com/podcast/   
 
For more information about Michelle, visit: www.michelleoravitz.com
 
The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/
 
Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/
 
 
Transcript:
 
Michelle (00:01.572)
So welcome to the podcast, Kelsey.
 
Dr. Kelsey (00:04.43)
Thank you so much for having me. It's nice to see you again.
 
Michelle (00:07.236)
Nice to see you as well. So I was on your podcast. Now you're on my podcast.
 
Dr. Kelsey (00:11.566)
Yeah, getting very familiar, which is always good.
 
Michelle (00:16.26)
Yeah, for sure. So I'd love to have you share your story, your background story, which I always love hearing how you got into the work that you're doing today.
 
Dr. Kelsey (00:23.346)
That's it.
 
Yeah, amazing. Well, it started with an acne journey, which I feel is very common as a young woman, but I had really horrible cystic acne. And I went through all the traditional medical route of what can you do to help me? It was a 14, 15, 16 year old girl. I was really looking at anything to make my skin clear. So,
 
I was really just routinely offered various forms of birth control and some different antibacterial creams. And anytime I went on birth control or any of the birth controls they switched me on to, I never felt great. I was incredibly nauseous for a good portion of the month. It was really impacting my quality of life. But like I said, my skin felt like my number one priority. So I just sort of like suffered through that for many, many years.
 
Michelle (01:07.812)
Mm.
 
Dr. Kelsey (01:22.158)
And then I actually saw a naturopath in my journey once I was probably 19 or 20. And I just had one appointment with her. And it was like finally being heard after so many years of feeling like no one was taking me seriously of, you know, she's just another.
 
that doesn't like her skin, like nothing crazy. And it wasn't, you know, this huge, profound like skin clearing experience either, but it was something that made me really start to question my journey and route in terms of how, what I wanted to do with my life. I knew, I always knew I wanted to be in medicine and help people. I just wasn't fully sure at that point what that really looked like. And so it was my first introduction to naturopathic medicine.
 
And it felt really lovely. And I just kind of kept going through I thought

Sophia Ruan Gushée is a nontoxic lifestyle expert and author of A to Z of D-Toxing:
The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures and several detox
workbooks. She is praised by experts in both medical and wellness fields for her
practical approach to avoiding toxins and cultivating a healthier home environment.
Sophia served on the Brown University School of Public Health Advisory Council and Well + Good Council. A graduate of Brown University and Columbia Business
School, Sophia has helped thousands of people enjoy healthier lives by simplifying
nontoxic living, while protecting the ease and convenience of modern life.
 
https://www.ruanliving.com/nontoxic-cleaning-guide-may
 
Website & Social media links (Facebook, instagram, twitter)
- Instagram: @ruanliving, https://www.instagram.com/ruanliving/
- Facebook: Ruan Living, https://www.facebook.com/ruanliving
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srgushee/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ruanliving
 
 
For more information about Michelle, visit www.michelleoravitz.com
 
The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/
 
Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility
 
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/
 
 
Transcript:
 
Michelle (00:01)
Welcome to the podcast, Sophia.
 
Sophia Gushee (00:03)
Thank you for having me.
 
Michelle (00:05)
It's a pleasure to have you and to talk about something that I feel is so important. It's definitely like an uphill battle. I think that a lot of people are facing, but can be done in a easier way and approached in easier way. And I'm really happy to have you on to talk about this important topic. But before we get started, I would love for you to introduce yourself and give us a background and what got you into the work that you're doing.
 
Sophia Gushee (00:34)
I'd be happy to. I never could have imagined that I would be focused on simplifying non -toxic living. I grew up in upstate New York, always interested in eating healthy. I grew up in a tennis loving family. I exercised a lot since I was really young. And yet I always felt poor energy, felt really bad. And since...
 
People always said to me, you're the healthiest person I know. And I felt really bad. I just thought something was wrong with me. I ended up after graduating from college, working on Wall Street for about 10 years in distressed investing. So I would focus on high risk, high return investments with imperfect information. And my job was to figure out.
 
what are the value creation strategies we can execute to create the most value? And when I became a mom at age 34, I started accidentally learning about toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and radiation from what I was buying for my infant. And since I never heard about this before, my like,
 
highly respected physicians never put it on my radar. My reaction ended up being very similar to what I did professionally with distress investing. I had to figure out are there credible sources to back up what I'm reading? What are the good facts? Why do the physicians not know about this? And what's a reasonable level of concern?
 
always I ended up finding enough information that made me want to make a healthier choice. And I ended up developing a platform and a lifestyle to simplify how to make safer choices with shopping and simple things you do at home. So Ruan Living is based on the easy things you can do to reduce your toxic exposures. I ended up
 
spending about eight years sharing the science that I learned about that I wish I knew sooner in a book that was published in 2015 and that's called A to Z of Detoxing, The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures. But since I never wanted to read a book about this, I just wanted an informed mom to tell me what I should know and what I could do in as little time as po

Alexandria DeVito, MS, CNS, is a functional nutritionist who specializes in fertility and
preconception health. She is the author of 9 Months Is Not Enough: The Ultimate
Pre-pregnancy Checklist to Create a Baby-Ready Body and Build Generational Health. She is also the founder and CEO of Poplin, the first pre-pregnancy wellness company. Prior to founding Poplin, Alexandria worked in management consulting at McKinsey & Company. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. She also has a master’s degree in nutrition; extensive training as a doula, yoga teacher, and personal trainer; and is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner, all of which inform her approach to pre-pregnancy wellness.
 
https://getpoplin.com

https://www.instagram.com/getpoplin/

https://www.facebook.com/getpoplin

 
Click here to find out how to get the first chapter of "The Way of Fertility" for free.
 
For more information about Michelle, visit www.michelleoravitz.com
 
The Wholesome FertilityFacebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/
 
Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility
 
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/
 
Summary of this episode:
 
Alexandria DeVito shares her journey from working in the corporate world to becoming a fertility health advocate. She obtained an MBA from Harvard and a master's degree in nutrition while working in healthcare. She then trained in functional medicine and started seeing clients as a nutritionist. Many of her clients were struggling to conceive, which led her to focus on fertility health. The conversation explores the challenges of fertility struggles and the lack of preconception health guidelines in clinical practice. It highlights the emotional, physical, and financial toll of fertility struggles and the need for better preparation and support. The conversation discusses the importance of preconception care and the impact it can have on the health of both parents and future generations. It highlights the challenges faced by females in accessing comprehensive medical care, which often focuses on contraception rather than preconception care. The conversation emphasizes that there is no such thing as starting preconception care too early or too late. Our bodies were designed to conceive, but our modern environments create a mismatch. Factors such as nutrition, supplements, and stress can affect fertility. 
 
 
Transcript:
 
Michelle (00:00)
Welcome to the podcast, Alexandria.
 
Alexandria DeVito (00:03)
Thank you so much for having me.
 
Michelle (00:05)
So we just had a really great pre-talk and we definitely are on the same page on so many things. And what I love about you is that you are here really to empower couples on the fertility journey. I got to look at your book. I was very excited because I feel like I really resonate with the
 
And I just love the fact that you really approach it from such an empowering perspective. Absolutely love that. But for the listeners, I would love for you to share your background, how you got into the work that you do.
 
Alexandria DeVito (00:38)
Hmm, you got it.
 
Yes, I mean, I think there's a lot of alignment philosophically about, you know, just how much more agency we have over our reproductive health and all the different ways that we can prepare to conceive, which I'm sure we will talk all about. So I came into the world of fertility actually, initially through the corporate world. So I was doing corporate consulting and was working in healthcare, largely with pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies. So I kind of learned the healthcare landscape from that lens.
 
enjoyed working in healthcare. I thought it was just such an incredibly impactful field. And at some point I decided that I wanted to switch from what I felt was operating in a more react