Food Freedom and Fertility Podcast

Welcome to the 95th episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility! This week we have the founder of FullWell Fertility, Ayla Baummer, MS, RD, LDN. Ayla founded FullWell as an adjunct to her clinical practice at Boston Functional Nutrition because she wanted to make the evidence-based, effective, and high-quality supplement they created for their clients available to the rest of the world. Sophia and Caitlin have been fans of Ayla's and FullWell long before the FFF podcast was born. Ayla has joined numerous times on the podcast but this time the focus is on Omega-3 and Fish Oil and the Importance in Pre-Conception and Pregnancy. In addition to all of the amazing information you will learn in this podcast AND the discount of 10% you will receive using the code : FFF10… Ayla is giving a full set of her products to one lucky winner. To take part in the contest you need to follow FullWell on Instagram (@fullwellfertility), go to fullwell.com join their email list. One lucky listener will win: prenatal multi, men's prenatal, nourish nerves, fish oil. Be sure to enter. During this episode we discuss a few of the products on FullWell's website such as their tincture and why it was created but the big focus today is on Fish Oil. Fish Oil is wonderful because fish are packed with a variety of benefits, they are very nutrient dense. Unfortunately, seafood consumption has been declining over the years, due to supply and contamination. In a perfect world it is ideal to consume whole foods first but it can be difficult due to the above-mentioned challenges. FullWell's fish oil is sourced from small fish such as anchovies and sardines. These fish are raised in a sustainable fishery off of the coast of Peru. Ayla shares more important and transparent details about the manufacturing, the testing and the overall full process. All of the test results are shared so that consumers can feel good about the quality of fish oil they are taking as fish oil is a very fragile oil. The shelf life of FullWell's fish oil is 2 years and meant to be stored at room temp. Sophia, Caitlin and Ayla discuss what amount of fish oil should someone be taking, which they suggested 400mg if you are severely deficient while TTC. Again, getting your fish oil from whole food is always best, but a high-quality fish oil is a wonderful alternative. If you eat fish but you are intimidated by cooking fish, Caitlin suggested using non – bleached parchment paper packets, add olive oil, lemon and steam… this takes away the fishy flavor. Ayla and our hosts discuss ethical concerns about fish. Ayla shares that if you do not consume any fish, taking a Vegan algae-based omega 3 supplement would be better than taking nothing at all. The stakes are very high if you can't meet the Omega 3 levels. This could affect your body's healthy blood flow or the ability to combat inflammation. They also mention that taking the correct level of Omega 3's improves the ability for implantation and it is critical for fertilization. Another vegan alternative to fish oil instead of algae would be Oysters, since they have no central nervous system. Ayla shares with listeners her thoughts on dosage changes throughout your pregnancy and why, how to take a fish oil, the best time of day to take it and should it be taken with food. She also emphasizes the importance of the male partner's need for fish oil too. Ayla has done a wonderful job of creating a fish oil product that is not only thoughtfully sourced, fully tested and transparent, but she manages to keep the price lower than equal competitors because it is only sold on the FullWell's website. In addition to creating a product to help the vitality of your pregnancy… FullWell is also helping to clean up the ocean by removing 1lb of plastic and trash from the ocean for every product purchased. One final message from Ayla is that she looks to empower people with education so they can make the best decision for their family and lifestyle. Always advocate for yourself. If you loved this episode please check out the other episodes that Ayla has joined us for. For more information and discount codes to our sponsors please follow the links to 3 of our most favorite brands that we have raved about throughout our podcast. Special links and codes from this episode Proov Testing Kit and online app 25% OFF in $25 or more FFF25 FullWell: FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men's pre-natal Pre-Natal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20% a monthly or annual membership

Welcome to the second season and 94th episode of Food Freedom and Fertility. This episode jumps in where the last episode left off with our guest and listener Caitlin Dillon. Caitlin was a listener who participated in a contest last season and won the opportunity to be a guest on the podcast. Last episode Caitlin and Sophia discussed what Caitlin Dillon and her husband have been doing in their TTC journey. We pick up as we dive deeper in to Caitlin's data, labs and personal habits. While Caitlin and Sophia give additional suggestions and recommendations for the Dillons they also remind them that they are working very hard on a very emotional task and praise them for the work they have done to this point. Some of the additional information our hosts share are tips on how to help inflammation such as eating leafy green veggies, fish and fruits. They also discuss signs to tell if you have inflammation. Typically, when progesterone is not optimal inflammation is the first place to look. Some of the signs are painful joints or a puffy face. One topic up for discussion was the importance of a pelvic floor therapist in a woman's life and how valuable it is to see one. They suggest that every woman at some point in their life see a PFT. In summary, Caitlin and Sophia share what they would suggest that Caitlin and her husband do next in their journey. First on the list is to dive into Caitlin's progesterone levels, make an appointment with a pelvic floor therapist, move forward with FERTILYSIS, tame inflammation issues, look into Caitlin's husbands high white blood cells in his semen, rule out Caitlin's L-shaped cervix. There is a type of massage technique from central America called "Maya Abdominal Therapy" and it manually repositions the uterus which could help with the cervix. And finally, Caitlin should get her clotting factors tested for Antiphospholipid (an autoimmune disorder that is associated with pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, thrombosis, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, fetal growth restriction, and fetal loss) and a blood test called D -dimer. It was a pleasure having a listener join the podcast for these 2 special episodes and we hope that some of the info shared in this podcast can be valuable in your journey as well. Also, a huge thank you Caitlin for your vulnerability and your confidence in sharing your story with Food, Freedom and Fertility. If you would like more information and discount codes to our sponsors please follow the links to 3 of our most favorite brands that we have raved about throughout our podcast. Special links and codes from this episode Proov Testing Kit and online app 25% OFF in $25 or more FFF25 FullWell: FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men's pre-natal The Pre-Natal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20% a monthly or annual membership

Welcome back to Food Freedom and Fertility! We are kicking off Season 2 with one of a special guest… one of you! Last season we finished with a contest for our listeners to give us a review and you could win a guest spot on the podcast. Caitlin Dillon wrote a great review and she is the lucky winner. Or shall we say we are lucky to have her on the podcast to share her personal fertility journey. During this 2-part episode our guest, Caitlin shares her path and discuss some of the difficulty and confusion surrounding her experience. This episode (and the next) are special because it gives you some insight on what it is to work with Sophia Pavia or Caitlin Johnson. Caitlin and Sophia answer some questions and offer their advice and support to Caitlin. They also her help decipher some of the messages she has been getting from her doctors. This first episode is a 2-part episode because having a listener who is currently going through her journey was so exciting and there was so much to be discussed. Caitlin, our guest, also introduces a new and exciting treatment that she has used from Europe, that tests your menstrual blood and sends a report back. Through FERTILYSIS Female Microbiome testing, they can detect hidden infections of the uterus causing endometritis, which could lead to implantation failure, recurrent miscarriages and pregnancy complications. Towards the end of the episode they start to dive deeper into Caitlin's data, labs and personal habits and share helpful tools and tips. Be sure to come back next week to listen to part 2 of Season Kick Off - Infertility Listener Interview Special links and codes from this episode proov: FFF25 25% OFF $25 or more FullWell: FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men's pre-natal Pre-Natal Nutrition Library: FFF20 20% a monthly or annual membership FERTILYSIS Female Microbiome testing

In this episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility we are going to celebrate our 2-year anniversary! Caitlin and Sophia's main discussion during this episode is all about becoming a mom on purpose. They chat about the sacrifice, the joy and the work that comes along with being a mom. They candidly share their favorite moments from the past 2 years and some of their not so favorite moments. Over the past 2 years Food, Freedom and Fertility has covered a broad variety of topics to help listeners who are trying to conceive and the hosts recap some of the episodes and really provide a fun and informative wrap up of their podcast over the past couple of years. Food, Freedom and Fertility will be back in the fall with all new episodes but in the mean time be sure to re-visit some of the past episodes because maybe you are now in a new position and your situation has changed and the information may affect you differently. Listeners have you ever thought that you would love to be a guest on the podcast? Well now is your chance! If you want to enter you must: Write a review or rating Screen shot your review/rating Sent that screen shot via direct message to the Food, Freedom and Fertility IG account. Thank you to all the listeners, we do this podcast for you and we are thankful for your continued support!

This week on Food, Freedom and Fertility we are joined by Marissa Kai Miluk who is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Body Image Coach. Marissa works with individuals who struggle with their relationship with food and body image. Her specialty is binge eating and through her practice, Behind the Binge, she helps individuals break free from restrictive eating patterns and reclaim trust with their body to move towards a more compassionate and enjoyable approach to health and well-being. When she isn't working with clients she enjoys spreading the Anti-Diet message on Instagram @binge.nutritionist and through her podcast, Behind The Binge Pod. Marissa helps explain to listeners what exactly binge eating is. Binge is a word that has gained momentum over the past few years and Binge eating wasn't a diagnosed eating disorder until 2013. A binge is a situation where you are eating a large quantity of food in one setting to a point of extreme fullness. You are stuffed but you can't stop eating. Overeating is different than binge. Binge is typically paired with a feeling of loss of control or a sensation of almost blacking out. Marissa, Sophia and Caitlin share examples of what overeating looks like and what binge eating looks like. Listener's will get a general idea of what Binge Recovery looks like during this episode but can learn more from Marissa's online course which you can find her. Binge Recovery is supportive of everything, including fertility. One big step is helping clients normalize fear of food and learning what can you add into your life to support your goals. Make other choices that help regulate your blood sugar or to help add value into your life in other ways. A question to ask yourself when recovering from binge eating is "What will help me have more of a fun and free experience?" It is important to remember nothing is one size fits all, you must be sure to try new things and use what works for you and what can support you and also be compassionate with yourself! If you are listening to this episode and it feels very much like your lifestyle patterns one tip that Marissa shares is to notice pattern of your Binge Eating, reflect on what happens and then create a disruption. Remove yourself from that pattern and the environment. To learn more, you can find Marissa via the links below: https://makainutrition.com IG: binge.nutritionist @behind.the.binge

This episode of food freedom and fertility is the 3rd installment of TCC friendly swaps! This week we jump into snack and fridge swaps and while we have some good ideas we want the listeners to know that you will need to expand your horizons for snacks because there isn't always a 1 for 1 swap, but to remember it's all about balance. It is ok to remember that if you love a snack… make room for it but also keep in mind how much you indulge on this treat. If it something you have daily make sure to see if you can make a more fertility friendly choice. If you need a little snack inspiration you can try organic grapes and sharp cheddar, berries, fruit with sunflower or other nut butter, you can also create your own trail mix with dark chocolate almonds and other nuts. Being prepared always help you make the best choices so having something prepared is always the goal however sometimes you just need that quick grab and go option and there are healthy items such as Beanie Bops that come in a variety of different flavored and spiced beans or a grass fed, low sugar jerky and the new wisps crackers are a great alternative to a chip! Having something you've thought about ahead of time and just having it ready It is also ok to indulge every so often during a period or other situation but remember to make sure you are making choices that fill your cup vs fill a void. When looking in your fridge condiments take up a lot of space and there is plenty of room to make better choices in this area. If you love a sweet salad, instead of choosing a creamy sweet dressing opt to use oil and or vinegar as the dressing but add fruit to your salad for the sweet craving. If you need more flavor options Primal Kitchen offers a healthy and clean option with a line full of different flavors. Eggs are a great snack option and the best version of an egg would be a pasteurized egg so that the chickens are getting all of those rich and healthy vitamins from the earth. Also remember to store those veggies and fruits where you can see them so you don't waste them! The best place for a fruit or veggie is front and center! Freezer foods that Sophia and Caitlin keep stocked are frozen meets, organic berries, liver cubes (to drop into sauces) frozen soups, frozen veggies and a favorite Costco Bare Chicken nuggets which are a great Chick-Fil-A dupe! A tip for listeners is instead of focusing on a meal plan thing about your week more broadly and estimate for your life! Some days are busier than others, some days you feel more creative, and some days you just don't want to cook at all! That's why host, Sophia suggests to plan your week as follows: 2-3 days of the week with have NO ENERGY quick fix meals available. Such as a rotisseries chicken and bag salad. 2-3 nights that are your all-Star night menu nights, which is a night you are ready to roll out your best recipes! 2-3 nights for a normal day and that is where you make a meal you've made a dozen times and your family likes it. Usually requires medium effort. 1 Night where you try something new! 1 Left over night 1 Take out night Remember that you don't have to be perfect and it is a process so allow yourself the grace to start transforming your healthy, fertility friendly lifestyle!

On this week's episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility Caitlin and Sophia are talking about grocery swaps! During this "eat this… not that" episode to help with your fertility journey and overall health! Our hosts start off with organization tips on how to curate your shopping list to fit your life which will help you kick off a successful grocery store trip. They also discuss the EWG's new list of dirty dozen and clean fifteen. They dive into how important it is to look into your pantry items that carry some of these items and keep that in consideration when you are shopping. They also want to remind you if your budget needs some cushion check out frozen organic fruits and veggies for a healthy and budget friendly substitute. Sophia and Caitlin tour their kitchens and discuss the good and the not so good options such as which type of oils you should use for cooking and the reason behind it. They also suggest that cooking with fats such as butter, tao, good lard, chicken fat, duck fat are excellent options. If you are used to using Pam spray a good alternative is to swap it out for a spray bottle like a Misto Sprayer and put oil in it. You could also swap your Pam spray for olive oil or avocado spray instead. They also suggest using an actual maple syrup and not something like Log Cabin. Real maple syrup can taste different and may be an adjustment but if you are eating oils or syrup everyday it is best for your overall health. Other key foods of concern to find healthy alternatives would be your Teas and Coffee. You want to be sure that your tea and coffee are "Fair Trade". Nut butters are another big flavor switch but totally worth it since most non-organic nut butters are palm oil aka processed seed oil and sugar. Speaking of nuts… it is a good idea to make your own trail mix so that you can include quality ingredients with healthier ratios and variety. For those of you who have comfort foods and childhood memories of things like hamburger helper and rideroni… their are copycat recipes on the web that you can make from home that are similar to the original product but you will need to plan ahead so these aren't default options for when you are in need of something quick! Canned goods are another good item to have on hand for quick meal ideas. When you are buying canned goods you want to look at what the cans are lined with and made of. You want a Bisphenal free can: may not last as long but less toxic. Canned foods can be helpful in adding fiber, protein, vegetables to meals that take less work. But you want to make sure you are buying cans with a safer lining. Glass jars are great for tomato products or other products. Boxed products may be a good alternative. This episode also covers important info on choosing a good pasta option, flours, bone broth, cereals and much more! As always moderation is important. So keep that in mind that if you stray from the BEST option sometimes that is ok!

In this episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility Caitlin and Sophia are discussing TCC friendly kitchen swaps! Caitlin and Sophia have some great tips on how to make easy swaps in the kitchen to better serve yourself and your fertility. Women with PCOS have increased effects with plastic exposure. By reducing plastic exposure in the kitchen you help control and influence the way your genetics interact with your environment. So how do you determine how to curate your kitchen to support your health and fertility? The question you need to ask yourself is, what is your specific exposure? How often are you being exposed? Items you use more frequently or that have greater exposure risks should be on the short list to swap out. We'll talk about what needs to get out today and what items you may want to swap out down the line when you have the means. In today's episode Caitlin and Sophia explain how certain single use plastics are the biggest offenders of exposure in the kitchen and what they recommended as alternatives to swap out. We are diving into kitchen swaps for hot beverages, storage containers, plastic wrap, non-stick pans, cooking utensils, the microwave, water bottles, water filtration, and much more! The biggest take away from this episode is that you are in control of your health and fertility journey and can make small but important changes to better serve yourself. Don't feel that you need to throw out everything in your kitchen and restart, you can take control by identifying some of your biggest exposures and making changes where you can. To look up ratings on different plastics and exposure check out environmentalworkinggroup.org

On this week's episode e of Food, Freedom and Fertility we are joined by Karly Nuttall a Midwife and Educator. Karly is a certified Professional Midwife who has also launched on online school, Midwifery Finishing School. Today we have Karly here to discuss Midwifery Care for Pregnancy Health specifically focused on pregnancy loss. The Midwifery approach to pregnancy loss is very open and diverse. The thought process is that there is not one correct way to handle this but better yet you must do what is right for you and your family. Karly helps us understand the risk of infection for non-viable pregnancies and the details of a natural miscarriage and letting it pass on its own. Also, she discusses the benefits of this process and how you can truly make this experience something that will help you fell more at peace with the situation better. Karly walks us through how each miscarriage can be extremely different and especially based on how far along you are. One of those options is a D&C. She helps us understand what a D&C is… not to be confused as DNC. A D and C is Dilation and curettage (D&C) is a procedure to remove tissue from inside your uterus. A lot of people assume D&C is specifically for the removal after a miscarriage but it can also be used for other uterine conditions. But she also explains that all medical procedures should have a discussion and informed consent with full explanation of all of a patient's options. Karly discusses that pregnancy loss early is commonly due to genetic abnormalities. Rarely are external causes the root of a miscarriage. Typically, women who are 35 and younger have a harder time requesting genetic testing until 3 miscarriages, however Karly suggests that if you feel the need for any testing you should speak up and find a provider that will support your decisions. Some of the testing to be done is to check for progesterone levels, MTHFR gene mutation and thyroid levels. Having a support team in place and a referral network will assist in your right as a patient to request these tests. The role of a midwife is discussed at length and what role your midwife will have in the scenario that you have a miscarriage at any time during your pregnancy. Traditionally we as a society feel it is expected to hand over our bodily functions to the hospital and doctors. However, Midwives' goals are to help people feel connected to the process. Take ownership of not only decisions but the process. Miscarriage is a difficult topic to navigate, but we want you to remember that you have options, you have support you don't have to do things a certain way. You get to regard the life of your baby however works for you and if your providers do not support that it is ok to find someone else who does. If you would like to learn more about Karly Nuttall please check her out at the links below. www.karlynuttall.com Midwifery Finishing School Podcast Instagram

On this episode of Food Freedom and Fertility we have Aimee Raupp, MS, LAc, is a renowned women's health & wellness expert and the best- selling author of the books Chill Out & Get Healthy, Yes, You Can Get Pregnant, and Body Belief. A licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in private practice in New York, she holds a Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, a Bachelor's degree in biology from Rutgers University and is currently working on a master's level education in functional medicine. Aimee is also the founder of the Aimee Raupp Beauty line of hand-crafted, organic skincare products. She has appeared on The View, and has been featured in Glamour, Allure, Well + Good, GOOP, Shape, and Redbook, and has received endorsements from Deepak Chopra, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Arianna Huffington, and Gabby Bernstein for her work in helping thousands of women to improve their vitality, celebrate their beauty, and reconnect to the presence of their optimal health. Aimee is also the Head of Chinese Medicine at The Well, an active columnist for media outlets such as Thrive Global, Well + Good, MindBodyGreen and is a frequent speaker at women's health & wellness conferences across the nation. She engages her large community worldwide through her online During this episode Aimee will help walk through a variety of topics around egg quality but one major important thing to remember is that when you are improving the quality of your egg cells you are also improving all the cells in your body, we are amplifying health. Aimee helps answer the question of if women are born with all your eggs you will ever have, how is it possible to impact your egg quality? Aimee explains that the eggs you have are not developed. When those eggs mature the environment, you are in is what impacts their quality. The extracellular fluid that surrounds the cells is affected by the environment. Aimee also dives into a variety of other ways your egg quality can be affected. It is important for women to realize they can control certain things and one of the items that research is pointing towards is a certain type of anti-inflammatory diet lifestyle and diet lowers oxidative stress, which causes cellular abnormality which can lead to poor egg quality. Using food to change the aging process behind your cells will help improve the quality. What you do now will affect the next 2 generations. Aimee has written a book, The Egg Quality Diet, which is the culmination of what Aimee Raupp has found, during her two decades of clinical practice, to be the most effective nutritional approach to optimizing fertility. This diet has been proven to work not in a randomized control trial (RCT) but in real life, on thousands of real women like you. The short version of her book is to count your Macros. Your macros should be 40-50% quality fat, 30% protein and the rest good quality carbs (sweet potatoes, beans, fruits). Her thought process is to heal the gut, improve absorption. Her book is meant to be for you to discover the best diet that works for you. Aimee also helps understand why a plant-based diet maybe difficult to hit your nutritional needs to help with your egg quality. There will be a point in each woman's life that they decide to stop trying to use their own eggs and decide to go forward with a donor. Aimee says that she thinks the decision is something that each woman and couple needs to make on their own but her gauge is how much more heartache can you handle or how much more can you financially afford. Just remember to emotionally check in with yourself and also have no regrets that you didn't do everything in your power. To learn more about Aimee, please visit her website at https://aimeeraupp.com and you can find her book, The Egg Quality Diet on Amazon.