Yoga for Fertility with Kendra Tolbert, RDN, RYT

Our special guest Kendra Tolbert is a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and yoga teacher also certified in Aromatherapy with a specialty in Polycystic Ovary System (PCOS) & fertility. Her approach combines traditional wisdom and the latest evidence-based care to help women balance their hormones, prepare for pregnancy and increase their chances of conceiving. While working in the women's health institution, Kendra started to see more and more people with PCOS & infertility. With her 17 years of yoga expertise, Kendra thought yoga could serve as a wonderful way to support people, help them reconnect with their bodies and therefore, improve their chances of conceiving successfully.

Yoga is often thought of as a physical practice but Kendra hopes to share the understanding that yoga can be so much more than just settling into the correct poses and exercises. Yoga also involves elements of meditation as it relates to breath exercises and a system of philosophy around how you interact with the world, including yourself. Other benefits include bringing awareness to how you use your body for everyday tasks including standing or sitting with a supportive posture. By doing yoga, your body naturally discovers its alignment and creates a noticeable awareness allowing simple, yet impactful habits (like poor posture) to improve with regular practice. With these discoveries, Kendra observed a noticeable switch in the way participants find a sense of ownership over themselves in a way that is both meaningful and motivating.

In this episode, Kendra also addresses some common obstacles individuals share when deciding to start their yoga practice. These obstacles can include intimidation or hesitancy due to their environment or belief system. Since yoga classes may be unattainable for some individuals, Kendra explains how to utilize what is available in your existing surroundings in order to accomplish the relaxing and beneficial aspects of the practice. She further discusses the body's need for balance between lower impact exercises like yoga and vigorous workouts such as cardio or strength training. In an effort to address faith or religious hesitation, Kendra referred to her background in Christianity and spent time studying scripture in an effort to draw supportive ideas between her religion and the practice of yoga. Her observations illustrated no conflict and actually, an encouraging role between the two. She recommends people who are on the fence take a similar approach to see if bridges can be made between their own religion and yoga. The practice of yoga holds many benefits, all of which can be summed up by Kendra's description of yoga as an opportunity to take time for oneself by doing something that is also kind for oneself. Kendra also shares some very interesting information regarding the research around yoga, PCOS, and fertility. Yoga is also very beneficial for people during the stimulation process during IVF, at it is an opportunity to encourage blood flow to the reproductive organs.

Kendra offers assistance via her YouTube channel: Live Fertile, and her membership website, livefertile.com. She can also be found on Instagram at @live.fertile.