The Infertility Stress Podcast: Recent Episodes
Michelle Kapler
Welcome to The Fertility Stress Podcast - where we talk about how to care for your mind and your nervous system during your fertility treatment process, with your host Michelle Kapler - Fertility Acupuncturist, Board Certified Reproductive Specialist and Mindset Coach.
As part of the Fertility Clinic Confidence series of episodes, this episode will help you to have a more empowered and confident experience while you are going through your fertility treatment process.
In this episode, we will be talking about the three ways you can give yourself permission during your fertility treatment process, to create the best possible experience for yourself.
IMPORTANT LINKS
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Expectations not matching the reality of outcomes?
Let’s face it, if you live in a human body, you will experience this in the context of your health at some point in time.
During the fertility treatment process and IVF, this is a theme that we often face over and over and over again.
In this episode, I talk about what to do and what not to do when this happens.
By the end of this episode, you will have a few ideas to help you find some relief when you’re inevitably faced with that theme of “Oh yeah… Sometimes human bodies do weird things and don’t respond in the way we want them to”.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Episode 47 - Dealing With Painful Feelings
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Today Emily Ginn is on the podcast for a conversation about shame, trauma and fertility. Emily is a social worker, life coach and IVF warrior and she is with me today to share her wisdom, experience and colourful analogies!
My favourite “we put a lot of mustard on our thoughts”! - very enlightening moment for me.
If you are doing fertility treatment of any kind - this episode is for you. We discuss:
- Her story and how she came to do this work
- Trauma: what it is and how it occurs in the context of fertility treatments
- Shame: what it is and where it comes from
- Therapy vs coaching and how to know which one to choose
- And many MANY amazing analogies and metaphors.
About Emily: Emily is a certified life coach and a masters-level Social Worker based in Austin, TX. Her cognitive-behavioural approach brings awareness, clarity, and support for her clients. Emily works with women considering, seeking, or undergoing fertility treatment who want to enjoy their lives even in the midst of infertility.
Emily on Instagram
Emily on Facebook
Emily’s Podcast
Emily’s Website
IMPORTANT LINKS
Join The Pineapple Collective
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Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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In today’s episode, learn the five signs that you may be experiencing fertility treatment related burnout. And more importantly, what you can do to begin to heal from burnout or prevent it from happening in the first place.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Join The Pineapple Collective
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Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
Book Your Acupuncture Treatment With Michelle
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Are you new to fertility treatments and IVF? Or maybe this isn’t your first rodeo but you’re curious about the title of this podcast? This is the episode for you!
In my 12+ years of clinical experience, helping thousands of people during their IVF experience, I have found that I have the same conversations over and over again with my patients and clients.
I almost wish that there was a manual for how to do IVF - but we all know that wouldn't work because everyone is different!
This episode outlines the top 5 things I think every human should know before they embark on their fertility treatment process (particularly IVF)
IMPORTANT LINKS
Join The Pineapple Collective
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Today is the first instalment of a new series called Fertility Clinic Confidence Episodes. During this series of quick and easily digestible episodes, we will be sharing bits of knowledge and questions to ask to help you feel more confident, while navigating your fertility treatment process.
This episode is all about the most important questions to ask your care provider when you are offered a new fertility treatment protocol. Today we will cover why you need to know:
- What is the reason for recommending this next step?
- What are the risks and benefits of this next level of treatment?
- What are the risks and benefits of sticking with my current treatment protocol for now?
- What will the entire cost be for this next level of intervention?
- How will I know if this treatment protocol is working?
- How long do you suggest I try this intervention before we know it is time to move on?
- Are there any alternatives to this suggestion?
To download the PDF and print these questions, download the Fertility Stress Relief Toolkit
IMPORTANT LINKS
Join The Pineapple Collective
Connect With Michelle On Instagram
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Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
Book Your Acupuncture Treatment With Michelle
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Today on The Infertility Stress Podcast, we are taking a deep dive into fertility acupuncture and acupuncture for IVF. During the episode, I will answer questions like:
- What is acupuncture?
- How does it help with fertility and conception?
- How does it help with stress and regulating the nervous system?
- How often do people need to come for treatment?
- How do I know that the treatments are working?
- Is acupuncture safe if I am doing medical treatments with a fertility clinic like IVF?
- How do I find the right practitioner?
IMPORTANT LINKS
Connect With Michelle On Instagram
Book Your Acupuncture Treatment With Michelle
Join The Pineapple Collective
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
Sign Up For Michelle’s Email List
Today on The Infertility Stress Podcast, we are talking about the ONE thing that is missing from most people’s IVF or fertility treatment experience. We live in a time when we have access to incredible fertility doctors and medical technology. We have the ability to work with amazing allied health professionals. And there has been no other time in history where we have had unlimited and infinite access to so much information for how we can take our health outcomes into our own hands with lifestyle practices.
But there is still something missing for many folks going through IVF and fertility treatments. The community aspect.
Fertility treatments can be a lonely and isolating experience for many people. In today’s episode, Michelle is going to share some ideas on how to fill that gap.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Episode 43 - The Problem With The Fertility Wellness Industry
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Today Michelle is speaking With Lucy Lines of Two Lines Fertility. They talk about:
- What information is missing in sex ed in highschool
- Why it is so hard to get pregnant
- Egg quality, egg reserve and what happens to eggs over a person’s lifetime
- Lifespan on eggs and sperm
- Ovulation timing with sex
- Embryo health, quality and rating (and if that actually matters)
- Advice for people navigating the IVF experience
Lucy’s Bio
As a fully trained and clinically experienced embryologist Lucy has had the good fortune to travel the world practising her craft in IVF labs in Australia, Sweden, Ireland and the UK.
Over her first 17 years in the fertility ‘industry’ she became increasingly frustrated over the ‘business’ aspect that was creeping into the large IVF companies and the huge gaps that was creating for patients accessing those services.
After a redundancy at 37 weeks pregnant, (and at 44 years of age) she saw an opportunity to fill those gaps - with education, care, support, guidance and space for women and couples experiencing difficulties with their fertility - totally independent of the big businesses!
She now offers her services through Two Lines Fertility - with her signature program; IVF WTF, her website and blog, e-courses and, of course, 1:1 support, she now helps women and couples feel empowered, and more importantly EDUCATED and in control of their fertility, whether they are right at the beginning of considering growing their families, in the depths of IVF treatment, or anywhere in between
LUCY’S LINKS
Lucy’s Website
Lucy on Instagram
Lucy on Facebook
IMPORTANT LINKS
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Have you ever had that moment where you thought to yourself “if I could just figure out the right foods and the right exercise and the right way to meditate and the correct supplements and avoid all of the wrong things, I would get pregnant”?
Have you ever commented on a person’s BFP celebration post in the Fertility Support Facebook Group and asked “what did you do during your cycle”? with the hopes that if YOU do those things, you’ll get pregnant too?
This is classic perfect potion seeking and it happens to so many people during their fertility treatment process.
This is rooted in healthism, which is the idea that a person is wholly responsible for their health outcomes - and therefore morally inferior if they experience health challenges.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Become a founding member of The Pineapple Collective (limited spots available)
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In this episode, Michelle is sharing an interview she did on The Day1 Podcast with Emily Getz.
They talk about:
- Infertility
- Socialisation
- Feminism
- Thought work and coaching
- and the humanness of our brains
Emily’s Bio:
Emily Getz, is a mindset coach, founder of Day 1 Fertility and the host of The Day 1 Podcast. Day 1 was founded because of Emily's own personal fertility journey, which you still find her navigating today. Over the past three years Emily has experienced everything from a late pregnancy loss to three rounds of IVF to years of cycle monitoring and most recently an 8-week miscarriage.
Day 1 is a first-of its-kind fertility support network on a mission to expose the unspoken side of the fertility journey. Day 1 is comprised of a podcast, which takes a no bullshit storytelling approach to the unspoken side of the journey, a unique support membership program, 1:1 mindset coaching with Emily and a highly engaged social community.
Emily’s Info:
Day1 Fertility Website
Day1 Fertility Podcast
Emily on Instagram
IMPORTANT LINKS
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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This episode is all about making hard decisions and really getting to the bottom of why these decisions are so hard to make.
How do you react when you have a decision to make?
Do you voraciously search for data and info to try to create the feeling of knowing that you can make the “right decision”?
Do you ask everyone and their aunt’s sister’s cousin for advice, even though these people can’t possibly make the decision for you?
Do you numb out and avoid making the decision altogether?
If so, what can we do about it?
Here are my top suggestions:
- It’s not about the data or evidence or anything else outside of yourself. Its all about how you want to think and feel about it.
- It ultimately comes down to what you think you’re up for
- Don’t expect to feel good or comfortable about making the decision. These situations often come with a tremendous amount of discomfort.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Sign Up For The Fertility Stress Solution FREE Class
Download the making decisions worksheet from the Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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A baby won’t make you happy and fulfilled.
In today’s episode, Michelle talks about the thought error, that a baby is the way to happiness and fulfilment and why this is not actually the case.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Sign up For The Fertility Stress Solution Live Class
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Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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Today we are offering the audio replay of Michelle’s class Unravelling Infertility Burnout. This class was all about exploring the concept of burnout (which is usually something that people think about when it comes to their job/career). In this class, Michelle teaches about how burnout can happen in the context of fertility treatments too.
She talks about:
- What is burnout
- What causes it (the obvious and the not-so-obvious stuff)
- What we can do to begin to heal from it or prevent it from happening in the first place.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Work With Michelle
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In this episode, Michelle is interviewing Kristina Virro - a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario, Canada. They explore the concept of disenfranchised grief, when it comes to infertility. They talk about:
- What is disenfranchised grief
- When someone is going through disenfranchised grief, what are some of the emotions they might experience?
- Ways that an individual can cope with disenfranchised grief
- How a friend/partner/family member can support someone experiencing disenfranchised grief
Kristina’s Bio
Kristina Virro is a Registered Psychotherapist and Holistic Nutritionist who is dedicated to helping people feel less stuck in life and reducing stigma overall. She honours this mission through providing psychotherapy and nutritional counselling at her wellness clinic, Fresh Insight, which offers support for people of all ages and backgrounds. Kristina's determination to spread her knowledge and passion to others has allowed her clinic to help people nationally and internationally, and she has shared her expertise with a number of media outlets, including FLARE, Canadian Living, ELLE Canada, and a number of podcasts. When she isn't at work, she can be found knitting her 900th pair of socks and forcing affection on her cats.
Kristina on Tik Tok
Kristina on Instagram
Kristina’s Clinic on Facebook
Kristina’s Website
IMPORTANT LINKS
SIGN UP FOR UNRAVELING INFERTILITY BURNOUT
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We are celebrating 50 episodes!
Today, Michelle will be zooming out to explore some of the common themes she has seen come up time and time again, after seeing thousands of fertility patients over the course of her 12-year career as a fertility acupuncturist.
She talks about:
- Body literacy and how our youth are not adequately taught about how women’s bodies operate and how this affects people during infertility
- How it is nearly universal that people experiencing infertility think there is something wrong with them or they are broken
- How perfectionism shows up in many different forms but it is so common to many people going through infertility
IMPORTANT LINKS
SIGN UP FOR UNRAVELING INFERTILITY BURNOUT
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In this episode, we are talking about fertility diets and eating to “optimize” fertility.
We also talk about:
- Diet culture and how it has infiltrated the fertility wellness industry
- What the research has actually shown to support fertility in a sustainable way, when it comes to our diets
- What doesn’t work and what doesn't matter
- Some perspectives to consider when it comes to making food choices when it comes to your fertility and conception
IMPORTANT LINKS
SIGN UP FOR UNRAVELING INFERTILITY BURNOUT
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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Information gathering.
Is this something that you’re done a lot of in your infertility process?
- Gathering information about your own body
- Gathering information about other people’s results
- Gathering information about lifestyle practices and dietary recommendations and supplements and exercise
- Gathering as much medical data as possible.
In this episode, we will talk about how this can be empowering but also anxiety inducing. We also talk about how to begin to unpack it if you find yourself on the more anxious end of the spectrum.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Episode 47 - Dealing With Painful Feelings
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In this episode, we are talking about the four ways that humans deal with their painful or negative emotions during their infertility process.
- Acting
- Avoiding
- Resisting
- Allowing
We will look at this through the rather unpleasant yet relatable dentist chair analogy.
There will also be some useful tools and questions for how you can begin to process your painful emotions during your infertility process, so you don’t lose emotional resilience or burnout.
IMPORTANT LINKS
SIGN UP FOR UNRAVELING INFERTILITY BURNOUT
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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Comparisons are so common when navigating the infertility treatment process.
Sometimes this looks like going down the rabbit hole on Google or Reddit and comparing other people doing fertility treatments to your own treatment process.
- Do they have the same diagnosis?
- What is their treatment protocol and how does it compare to mine?
- What results did they get and how do they compare to my results?
Sometimes it is comparing yourself to other people in your life:
- My sister is pregnant with her third baby, and she is younger than me.
- My best friend has a baby shower next week.
- There is another cake in the break room at work to celebrate another coworker going on maternity leave.
Comparisons are a natural human tendency, especially when experiencing adversity.
In this episode, we break it all down and then give you some tools to find relief from the pain caused by comparisons.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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Have you ever felt like your partner is just doing all the wrong things and doesn’t know how to support you in your infertility process?
If so, this episode is for you.
We are going to unpack the underlying reason why your partner can’t seem to get it right and what you can do about it, without them even having to be part of the conversation!
IMPORTANT LINKS
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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In this episode, we are talking about rehearsing for disappointment. This looks a little like:
- Telling yourself that you will probably only get one embryo from your IVF cycle so you will be prepared for the disappointment
- Taking an early home pregnancy test before your blood test at the fertility clinic so you can prepare yourself for when the nurse calls with the results
- Telling yourself that your PGTA results will probably be that all of your embryos are genetically abnormal so you aren't too surprised when the doctor calls you with the bad news.
We do this because we think that if we rehearse and prepare for disappointment ahead of time, that when the disappointing thing actually happens, it will be less painful.
But it doesn't exactly work that way.
When we do this, it simply means that we are going through the pain and disappointment twice.
Once in our imagination
And once in reality
IMPORTANT LINKS
Work With Michelle
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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In today’s episode, I’m diving into what’s problematic with the fertility wellness industry, where we are basically told that if you:
- Eat the “right” diet
- Do the “right” exercise
- Manage our stress in the “right” way
- Take the “right” supplements and vitamins
- Participate in all the “right” lifestyle practices
- Not to mention all the “wrong” things that you shouldn’t do
That you will get a baby.
This perfectionist fantasy is detrimental to your mental health AND your fertility process.
Tune in to find out why and what you can do about it.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
Sign Up For Michelle’s Email List
In today’s episode, I’m discussing the reasons why infertility is stressful.
I review some of the obvious reasons why people struggle first. And then I dive into some of the deeper reasons including
- Our socialization as women
- Our cultural conditioning about our purpose as women
And then I offer some questions to ask and an exercise for how to start to unpack this.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Grab The Infertility Stress Relief Toolkit For FREE
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Welcome back!
I have taken a break for a while to work on some other projects but I’ll be back now, every week, with a new episode of the Infertility Stress Relief Podcast.
In this newer version of the podcast, I will be talking about how to care for your mental health and your nervous system, during your infertility process.
For those of you who are new to the podcast, I wanted to do an intro episode about myself - and also answer the questions:
Who am I? And why should you listen to me?
IMPORTANT LINKS
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This week, we are back with another episode from our Fertility Stories Series.
I'm going to be interviewing my clinical patient, Amanda G. She’s been doing IVF for nearly five years now and her journey is still ongoing. I want to share her story because I think her resilience and self-awareness will really inspire you.
Important Links:
Book a free consultation call with Michelle
Michelle’s Website
Michelle On Instagram
In this episode, we are talking all about what to eat to optimize fertility - and how to manage the vast amounts of information on healthy eating and fertility diets.
In my conversation with Dr. Liz, we are going to distill down the information available to what’s evidence based and applicable. But also talk about the idea that there is no one-size fits all approach to food and nutrition in any context - not even fertility.
In today’s episode, we talk about:
- The naturopathic model of care and how it relates to fertility
- How our diet influences our fertility
- How long we can expect it to take to see positive changes
- How to navigate the infinite amounts of food advice in the fertility world
- Some specific dietary suggestions
- And so much more!
Dr. Liz’s Professional Bio:
Dr. Elizabeth Cherevaty ND is an integrative fertility, women’s & children’s health expert with a passion for successful feminine leadership. She is the creator of the Well-Conceived Fertility Method™, an evidence-based program designed to help women & couples build fertile foundations, break through obstacles to pregnancy, and bring their healthy, happy babies’ home. Dr. Liz is also the founder of Fempowered Global™, a movement that inspires women globally to embrace their feminine power and create their own definitions of “having it all.”
Dr. Liz is a graduate of the University of Guelph and the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She founded Two Rivers Health, an integrative fertility & family care clinic in the heart of Guelph, Ontario, and also serves clients globally through telemedicine, online programming, and coaching. She hosts the “Natural Fertility BOOSTCamp Private Chat Group”, a positive space for women restoring confidence and self-care in their fertility journey. Her first book, IVF Meal Plan, shows us how to nourish egg quality and fertility success through the power of food.
Important Links:
Dr. Liz on Instagram
Dr. Liz’s Clinic Website
Buy Dr Liz’s Book IVF Meal Plan
Michelle’s Website
Michelle on Instagram
In this episode, I’m going to share my interview with Dr. Olivia Rose, one of my Naturopathic colleagues. In this conversation, we are going to talk all about the uterine lining and how to support it naturally.
We will discuss:
- What are the hormones behind lining development and how do they work?
- What is the purpose of the uterine lining?
- How does a normal uterine lining behave?
- What are some reasons why someone's lining might not be developing properly?
- What are some lifestyle and dietary factors that can contribute to the health of the uterine lining?
- And so much more!
Dr. Rose’s Professional Bio
Dr. Olivia Rose is a naturopathic doctor, writer, and speaker with 15 years of experience under her belt. She has built a thriving private practice centred around evidence-based and traditional naturopathic medicine and has a special interest in digestive and immune health, infertility, weight management, skin rejuvenation and chronic disease prevention. In addition to being the clinic director and founder of Rose Health Clinic, she is also the CEO of ReLiv Organics, a natural and organic skin care line. Before the pandemic, Dr. Rose and her team, Fertility Acupuncture Services would support couples and individuals undergoing IVF and IUI with acupuncture onsite at fertility clinics across the GTA. Dr. Rose is consistently featured in television segments, podcasts and publications reaching thousands of people with her natural health expertise and wellness advice.
Important Links
Dr. Rose’s Website
Dr. Rose on Instagram
Michelle’s Website
Michelle in Instagram
Today I’m going to talk about some common thought errors that I see happening for my clients when they are going through fertility challenges, and these thought errors can often lead to a lot of suffering.
A thought error is part of a greater cycle that we talk about in the system of life coaching that I apply in my practice when working with my clients.
In this episode I talk about:
- How thought errors fit into the think, feel, act cycle
- Some of the most common thought errors I hear about when working with my clients
- What to do about thought errors
- A simple exercise to get started
- So much more
Important Links:
Take The Free Video Course - Fertility Stress Solution
Sign Up To Get Your Free 20 Mini Coaching Session
Michelle on Instagram
Michelle’s Website
Today I’m going to share my conversation with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack. She is the expert that I often refer to when people want to learn more about cycle awareness and cycle health. I have been listening to her podcast, the Fertility Friday Podcast, for years!
I love her approach to education on menstrual health and her work in teaching people body literacy and self-advocacy. She is such a powerhouse of knowledge on this (and many other subjects), and I have so much respect and appreciation for the movement she has created and is continuing to grow.
Lisa’s Bio:
Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner who teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and monitoring overall health. In her book The Fifth Vital Sign, Lisa debunks the myth that regular ovulation is only important when you want children by recognizing the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Drawing heavily from the current scientific literature, Lisa presents an evidence-based approach to fertility awareness and menstrual cycle optimization. She hosts the Fertility Friday Podcast, a weekly radio show devoted to helping women connect to their fifth vital sign by uncovering the connection between menstrual cycle health, fertility, and overall health.
Important Links:
Lisa’s Website
Lisa on Instagram
Lisa on Facebook
Lisa’s Podcast - Fertility Friday
Michelle’s Website
This episode is all about making hard decisions and really getting to the bottom of why these decisions are so hard to make.
How do you react when you have a decision to make?
Do you voraciously search for data and info. to try to create the feeling of knowing that you can make the “right decision?”
Do you ask everyone and their aunt’s sister’s cousin for advice, even though these people can’t possibly make the decision for you?
Do you numb out and avoid making the decision altogether?
If so, what can we do about it?
Here are my top suggestions:
- It’s not about the data or evidence or anything else outside of yourself. It’s all about how you want to think and feel about it.
- It ultimately comes down to what you think you’re up for.
- Don’t expect to feel good or comfortable about making the decision. These situations often come with a tremendous amount of discomfort.
You can also download the making decisions worksheet at www.michellekapler.com/decisions to help you work through this.
Important Links:
Making Decisions Worksheet
Book Your Free Mini Coaching Session With Michelle
Get The Free Course - The Fertility Stress Solution
Michelle’s Website
Michelle on Instagram
Today, I’m going to be sharing another installment of the fertility stories series. I’m talking with my patient Melanie today who is going to tell us her story of persistence. After 12 years, 6 miscarriages, surgeries, medications, all of the testing, poking, and prodding, and a whole lot of self-awareness, she is finally feeling like her family is complete.
I really admire Melanie’s intuition and gut instinct and how she continually insisted that it be her main guidepost.
Important Links:
Michelle’s Website
Fertility Academy on Instagram
In this episode, we are going to dive into some ideas to help you navigate the two week wait. And this is applicable no matter how you’re conceiving, whether it's without medical intervention, with IVF, or even through surrogacy.
The two week wait is the period of time after you have potentially conceived when you are waiting to find out if a conception has occurred. This might mean that you had intercourse around ovulation. This might mean you’ve had an IUI. It might mean that you’ve just completed an embryo transfer in an IVF cycle. Or it might mean that you’re waiting to see if a transfer was successful in a surrogacy relationship.
Regardless of how you are making the baby, this two week wait is notorious for being stressful, anxiety ridden, and just an all-around hard time. During this waiting period, the brain likes to offer us many thoughts; some of them useful and most of them not. It’s easy to feel like the insanity is setting in.
There are 4 main strategies I offer people who are going through this time:
- Allow your thoughts and feelings. But don’t make them mean anything.
- Stay off the Google. Stay out of the chat rooms.
- Take Rest.
- Say NO to Toxic Positivity.
On July 1, I’m going to be releasing my brand new free video course called The Fertility Stress Solution.
In this course, I’m going to break down a really simple method for working through anxiety and stressful emotions during your fertility experience. This course is applicable during any stage of your experience, whether you’re just starting out and are feeling overwhelmed or maybe you’re about to do your first (or fifth!) round of IVF and your anxiety feels like it’s taking over. No matter where you are, I can help.
This course is totally free. And it’s going to be available on July 1, 2021. Follow the link below to sign up for instant access the day it comes out!
Important Links:
Sign up for the FREE Fertility Stress Solution Video Course
Book a Free 30 Minute Fertility Stress Coaching Mini Session with Michelle
Connect with Michelle on Instagram
Michelle’s Website
Michelle’s Clinical Practice
In this episode, I’m going to be talking with Dr. Jodie Peacock ND about preconception planning. That is, getting your body ready to conceive before you start trying.
Dr. Jodie and I are going to talk about:
- What is preconception
- What aspects of health you need to consider
- What to eat and how to exercise
- What blood work might be a good consideration
- How to choose a good prenatal vitamin
- How to approach preconception for male fertility
- And so much more!
Dr. Jodie’s professional bio:
Dr. Jodie Peacock is a naturopathic doctor, author and public educator.
Jodie is passionate about educating couples on the role of the environment and lifestyle to help optimize their fertility and the health of their future children. She authored Preconceived to support as many couples as possible through the wealth of research on the impact of diet and lifestyle changes with regards to conception. Preconception health is critical to ensuring the optimal health of our future generation.
She feels very strongly about the opportunity to educate patients and the general public in the use of effective alternative treatments, empowering them to take control of their own health. This is one of the reasons she started the Canadian Fertility Show to educate the general public.
Jodie is also the Chief Medical Officer at Enhance Fertility.
She is also the proud mom of 3 boys, Maddox and twins Cooper and Carter.
Important Links:
Dr. Jodie’s Article: How to Choose a Prenatal
Enhance Fertility
The Canadian Fertility Show
Michelle’s Website
In this episode, I’m talking about preparing for IVF. I’m going to be offering this info. to you as if you were brand new to the IVF experience. But if you’ve already done some treatment with IVF, there will be lots of good info for you here too!
I want to talk about a few important aspects of preparation for IVF. It can be an all-encompassing experience, especially if you don’t have all of the information. People who go into it knowing little about it can sometimes find themselves feeling overwhelmed. So, I want to offer some suggestions today for things to consider.
This top 5 list is certainly not exhaustive. And some may need to lean into certain aspects more than others. This list is coming from 10 years of clinical experience and the conversations I have over and over, every day, with my patients.
My Top 5 Considerations For IVF Prep:
- Be sure to FULLY understand what will be happening medically.
- Get On The Same Page As Your Partner
- Prepare Your Body Physically
- Find Community and Set Yourself Up With a Support System
- Think About How You Want To Show Up For This Experience
Important Links:
Book a free consultation call with Michelle
Michelle’s Website
Michelle On Instagram
In this episode, I’m going to be sharing my interview with health coach Kayla Smith, who has an amazing online fertility optimization program called The Hormone PUZZLE Method. She is a wealth of knowledge and has loads of experience helping people optimize their fertility.
Kela’s Bio
Kela is the CEO and program director of a company she created called the Hormone Puzzle Society – a women’s health hub for fertility and hormones. She helps women get pregnant, stay pregnant, and eliminate their hormonal symptoms through her hormone puzzle method. Her mission is to help 100k women/couples get pregnant, stay pregnant, and eliminate hormone symptoms. This is truly her passion and why she’s on this earth.
Important Links:
Kela’s Website
Kela on Facebook
Kela on Instagram
Kela on Youtube
Seed Cycling For Fertility
The Hormone PUZZLE Podcast
Michelle’s Website
Michelle on Instagram
In this episode, I discuss a truly integrative model of healthcare where we take multiple practitioners, with multiple lenses and skill sets, with different recommendations, and apply each perspective when appropriate.
I also give you some tips on how to get the most out of your medical experience while on your path to building your family.
Important Links:
Book a free consultation call with Michelle
Michelle’s Website
Michelle On Instagram
I'm going to be talking with Kristina MacRory in my interview today. She is a Registered Nurse in a fertility clinic here in Toronto. With many years of experience working in Fertility Medicine and seeing thousands of people through their fertility cycles, she has a lot of really good insight to share.
Today we are going to talk about:
- Her role as a fertility nurse
- What to expect when attending a fertility clinic
- Some of the challenges she sees coming up for people
- How to make the best of your IVF cycle
- Loads of good advice along the way
Kristina’s professional bio:
Kristina MacRory has been practicing nursing for almost 6 years now, which five of those years have been a focused practice specializing in fertility. Prior to becoming a nurse, she had a background in Kinesiology, in which she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science from Laurier University. Apart from her career, she lives a life with her husband and two boys and another set of twins on the way!
Important Links:
Michelle’s Website
Michelle On Instagram
I’m so excited to share my conversation with Nicola Salmon today. She is a fertility coach and activist for better fertility care for people of size. I’ve been following her work for a few years now - I first heard her on Amanda Laird’s podcast called Heavy Flow - obviously all about menstrual health and periods. I was so inspired by her passion for advocacy for a high level of health care at all sizes.
Today we are going to dive into some important topics around Fat Positive Fertility such as:
- Some of the common myths surrounding fertility for fat folks
- What the research says (and what it doesn’t say)
- Why weight loss and dieting is not helpful
- What people can do instead to help their fertility process
- How people can advocate for better care
- Any much more
Nicola’s professional bio:
Nicola is a fat-positive fertility coach and author of “Fat and Fertile.”
She helps fat folks navigate getting pregnant in a weight-obsessed world and advocates for change in how fat people are treated whilst accessing help with their fertility.
Nicola uses her unique fat positive framework to support people in finding their own version of health (without diets), advocating for their bodies, relearning how to trust their body, and believing in their ability to get pregnant.
Important Links:
Nicola’s Website
Nicola’s Book
Nicola On Facebook
Nicola On Instagram
Michelle’s Website
Fertility Academy on Instagram
On today’s episode, I’m going to be talking with Amrit Singh - a fellow registered acupuncturist in Toronto. She and I go way back, over a decade ago. We went to acupuncture school together and I remember always really admiring Amrit’s knowledge of pop culture and social media. She was definitely one of the cool kids in class. And now, over ten years later, she is still one of the coolest acupuncturists I know! She is super active on her social accounts and has a huge following. And the reason why I love this so much is because she is spreading the word about the benefits of acupuncture and natural medicine!
Today, we are going to talk about her experience in treating many women’s health cases over the years and her observations about what might contribute to modern day health struggles. And she gives some really basic yet unexpected tips for optimizing fertility according to Chinese Medicine. This is such a great conversation!
Amrit’s professional bio:
Amrit Singh is a Registered Acupuncturist and 'Healthcare Professional of the Year' Notable Award winner. She has been working with women and their health for over a decade and is passionate about bringing Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to the forefront. Through her experience as an Acupuncturist focusing on Cosmetic Acupuncture, fertility, and digestive issues, Amrit began to see the impacts of how lifestyle, societal expectations, and numerous relationships were taking a toll on women's health, self-esteem, and mental health. She continues to educate through her Instagram account (@6babebeauty) and through her practice to help bring natural solutions to women’s healthcare.
Important Links:
Amrit on Instagram
Amrit’s Website
Michelle’s Website
Michelle on Instagram
Today, I’m going to be talking with you about miscarriage - which is a topic that frequently comes up in my clinical practice. At this point in my career, I have seen hundreds of women go through miscarriages and infant loss. It's a really hard thing for people to go through. And it’s not talked about enough.
In today’s episode, I’m going to talk about:
- Miscarriage rates by week and what those numbers mean
- How miscarriage can be a normal part of physiology
- How to determine if you are experiencing recurrent miscarriage
- What having a miscarriage is really like
- My top three recommendations for how to navigate life post miscarriage
Important Links:
Miscarriage stats by week
Causes and Treatments for Recurrent Miscarriage
Book A Free Call with Michelle
Michelle’s Website
Michelle on Instagram
Today, I’m going to be chatting with my friend and colleague Dr. Meghan MacKinnon - a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on women’s health and hormones. We work together at the Women360Care obstetrics and gynecology practice in Aurora.
We are going to talk all things birth control in this episode. If you are on the pill, have recently come off the pill, or if you have ever been on the pill at any time, you don’t want to miss this episode.
Today we will discuss:
- How the pill actually works
- Consequences of being on the pill
- Ways to support your body while you’re on the pill
- What to do when you want to come off the pill
- And, of course, the discussion that always comes up on the podcast, around deeper cultural conditioning, gender dynamics and how that affects women’s healthcare in our modern medical system.
Dr. Meghan’s bio:
Dr. Meghan MacKinnon helps women harness their hormones for optimal energy, mood, and performance at all ages and life stages. Meghan is a women's health and hormone naturopathic doctor. She works with women in a fully integrative manner, both in-person and virtually, helping them achieve their health goals. Meghan has a background in comparative physiology, which nourished her analytical and curious mind. This curiosity and drive to understand 'how things work' is now something that she applies daily to patient care.
Dr. Meghan is particularly interested in how hormones affect mood and brain health and is a passionate advocate for women to have true informed consent regarding their healthcare decisions. She is a regular lecturer and guest speaker and she has advanced training in bioidentical hormones, registered acupuncture, natural fertility support, and environmental medicine.
Important Links:
Get Dr. Meghan’s Free Guide
Dr. Meghan’s Website
Dr. Meghan on Instagram
Dr. Meghan on Facebook
Michelle’s Website
Contact Michelle for a Free 15 min consultation
Today, we are going to talk all things male fertility - sperm, semen, men’s health. All of it!
In my clinical practice, most of my patients are women and people with eggs and ovaries. I would say close to 90% of the people I work with. Yet, the data shows that of all infertility cases, approximately 40–50% is due to “male factor” infertility.
And yet, 90% of the people seeking clinical fertility care from me are women and people with eggs and ovaries. They are doing all of the work (going to acupuncture, taking the supplements, eating healthfully AND they are carrying the vast majority of the emotional labour in the process. They are managing doctors appointments and schedules, attending appointments, doing research, getting therapy and so much more.
I think that's really interesting…and is likely to be rooted in a lack of education. And that’s what this episode today is all about.
Important Links:
Male Factor Infertility Rates Research
Episode 7 - Fertility and Sleep
Sleep Deprivation, Late Bedtime and Anti Sperm Antibodies
Research on Smoking and Sperm
Research on Cannabis and Sperm
Research on Alcohol and Sperm
Today, I’m talking with one of my dearest friends, Renee Pilgrim. She and I went to acupuncture school and she is my GO-TO referral for folks who are needing extra support in the emotional health part of things.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Managing expectations
- Sitting with limitations
- Managing expectations of others
- Expectations for the care providers you are working with on your journey
Renee’s Professional Bio:
Renee Pilgrim began her Acupuncture Practice in Toronto in 2009. Since then, she taught at TCM schools, mainly Eight Branches Academy of Eastern Medicine, produced training opportunities for professional development, taught workshops and continued to build her knowledge and practice. In the last several years, she began coaching, connecting people to the wisdom on their own bodies.
Recently, Renee moved back to her hometown on the island of Newfoundland. Reconnecting to her roots, nourishing yin, cycling closer to the rhythms of the seasons while watching the tides wash in and out.
Currently, she is establishing an Acupuncture practice on the GNP, Great Northern Peninsula. She’s building a community, travelling the 4-hour coast, planning workshops and retreats for locals and eventually the Come From Aways’.
Renee Pilgrim is registered with the NLCHP and the CTCMPANL. She is dedicated to the education and accessibility of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine for those that can benefit with in-person treatments, events, and online coaching.
Important Links:
Renee’s Website
Renee on Instagram
Michelle’s Website
Michelle on Instagram
Work with Michelle In-Person or Virtually
Today, in this solo episode, we are going to talk about relationships and how fertility challenges can impact relationships. In this episode, we talk about:
- What common scenarios I see between couples when they are going through fertility challenges.
- Some of the larger cultural and social dynamics that can contribute to how these scenarios play out.
- Some mind shifts that might help to improve the dynamic between you and your partner.
- Managing expectations.
- And some tools that might be useful to you.
How did the episode sit with you?
Are you interested in continuing the conversation with me? Let's set up a call to see if we could do some work together - either in person or virtually. Head on over to the contact form on my website and fill it out. (Linked below)
Important Links:
Episode 6 - Nikki Bergen
Brook Castillo’s Podcast
Work with Michelle - fill out the contact form
Michelle’s website
Fertility Academy on Instagram
trigger warning - infant loss and fertility trauma
In this episode, I'm sharing a conversation with Leah Micallef. Leah and I met when she was my patient years ago. She is now someone who I not only consider a colleague in the fertility world, but also a friend. This is both an educational and fertility-story based episode. Leah is a social worker and mental health professional and has been for many years. Her own path to parenthood has inspired her to professionally offer her support to those going through reproductive challenges. And the fertility community is lucky to have her.
Today, we are going to talk very honestly about her story, and she is going to share some insights about mental health and the tools she found helpful along the way.
Leah Micallef’s Bio:
Leah lives in Milton Ontario. She is a mother and a Social Worker with a Bachelor and Masters degree in Social Work. She is a registered member of The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers and also the Ontario Association of Mental Health Professionals. Leah has been in the business of helping people for more than 16 years and has worked in community mental health, harm reduction, and substance use programs serving homeless and economically marginalized populations in Toronto.
Parenthood began in the most challenging and painful way possible for Leah and her partner Brendan. In 2015, after struggling with fertility and using Assisted Reproductive Technologies for about 4 years by that point, Leah went into premature labour at 19 weeks and 2 days gestation and their firstborn daughter Aibhlinn (pronounced Ave-leen) died. After subsequent IVF treatments, their son Finnlay was born in 2016, and twins Charlotte and Adelynn completed their family in 2019. Leah is considering a compassionate embryo transfer for her two remaining frozen embryos.
Leah founded Conceive Resilience to meet an unmet need that she herself struggled with when she couldn't find the right providers or programs to support her mental health in the ways she needed it at the time. Leah is committed to ensuring Conceive Resilience helps to fill the gaps by providing one to one support, education and counselling, and free and easy access to coping and resiliency support for people who are using ART to build their families.
These days, when she is not busy in a house full of noise and energetic kids, Leah is either talking with her own therapist or using her mindfulness tools to recover from her traumatic fertility related experiences. Learning to live with the grief of losing her firstborn child is a work in progress and for now, her hobby. That and learning how to grow a Square Foot vegetable garden with her kids and finding time to hike the beautiful trails in and around Halton Region.
Important Links:
Leah’s Website
Leah’s Instagram
Leah’s Free Workbook
Michelle’s Website
Fertility Academy on Instagram
Today, in this solo episode, we are going to dive into a topic that comes up a lot in the fertility world. Stress.
There is a lot to unpack with this topic. Far more than I could possibly hope to cover in one episode. But I want to try to at least touch briefly on a few aspects that might be interesting for you to consider today, while you are going through your current stage of your family building.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The definition of stress and what it means
- The physiological impact of stress
- The parasympathetic vs sympathetic nervous system (and which state you want to be in for making babies)
- Perspectives on thought work and how we can impact our physiology with our thoughts and feelings
- Some good hacks to help support your nervous system
Important Links:
Episode 7 - Sleep and Fertility
Find an ABORM certified Acupuncturist
Work with Michelle - fill out the contact form
Michelle’s website
Fertility Academy on Instagram
Today, my guest is Dr. Jessica Dupont, a naturopathic doctor with years of experience in the fertility specialty. We are going to be talking specifically about toxins and heavy metals and how exposure to these things might negatively impact your fertility.
We will walk about:
- How people are exposed to these toxins
- The role they might play in unexplained infertility
- How it doesn't just stop with us but may affect future fertility, future pregnancy, future health, and the health of our future children
- How people can get started with minimizing exposure to toxins and repairing past effects from toxins
- How far in advance people should address this issue before trying to get pregnant
- And so much more!
I’m really excited to share today’s interview with you because I believe that environmental health is a really important consideration when it comes to fertility. And it is rarely discussed in the typical medical fertility clinic setting.
Dr. Jessica Dupont’s Bio
Dr. Jessica Dupont is a Naturopathic Doctor, Birth Doula, Fertility Strategist, and a mother of 2 boys. Her practice focuses on Hormonal Regulation, Women’s Health, Fertility, & Perinatal Care. Dr. Jessica has made it her mission to empower women worldwide to embrace their divine feminine power, take control of their health, and realize their optimal health potential so they can feel energetic, vibrant, and beautiful inside and out. It is her belief that by educating and supporting healthy women and mothers, we will have healthier children and healthier communities.
Dr. Dupont is founder of York Region Naturopathic Doulas, and is the Creator of the noteworthy online fertility program Baby Bloomers.
Important Links:
Dirty Dozen Clean Fifteen
Dr Jessica's Website
Fertility Detox Program
Baby Bloomers Online Comprehensive Fertility Program
Dr Jessica on instagram
Dr Jessica on Facebook
The Missing Pillar of Health Podcast
Michelle Kapler’s Website
Fertility Academy Facebook Group
Today on this solo episode, I’m going to be answering some of the most common questions I get in my clinical fertility practice. You might be wondering about a few of these questions yourself. I haven't done a solo episode in a while - so its time!
Today, I want to dive into a few questions I commonly get from patients in my clinical practice. Each time I do a new patient intake, I end up answering these questions - so I figured that some of you out there might have the same thoughts.
I answer:
- When should I seek a referral to a medical fertility specialist?
- I had a miscarriage. Does this mean there is something wrong with me?
- I’m trying the new supplement or acupuncture or dietary protocol or stress reduction technique. How long will it take to know if it's working?
- I’ve been offered IVF as a next step for treatment. What do I need to know?
Important Links:
Contact Michelle for a Free 15 min consultation
Michelle’s Website
Miscarriage Stats Canada
Top 10 Causes of Miscarriage Blog Post
Episode 2 - Mastering Health Basics To Optimize Fertility
Episode 4 - IVF Questions
Today my guest is Dr Sarah Mickeler. She’s a prenatal chiropractor in Toronto - and our bond was originally formed over discussions of clinic ownership. We both own wellness clinics in the west end of Toronto - and our friendship has grown over discussions of patient care, human resources trials and tribulations, and the inevitable “interesting” Google reviews we have received over the years.
A few years ago, Sarah came to me and asked if I would treat her for fertility as she and her husband had decided that they wanted to try for a second. It turned out that it wasn’t a simple path for Sarah, and it ended in a way that some might say was unexpected.
Important Links:
Fertility Academy Facebook Group
Michelle Kapler’s Website
West End Mamas
Trigger warning: infant loss and death
Today I’m talking with Michelle O’Brien who has generously offered to share her story of losing her daughter, Harper, a few days after birth. This one is a tough one, so I would like to offer a trigger warning for those who might have been through miscarriage or infant loss.
Michelle lives in Toronto, Ontario. She is a mother to four girls, three in her arms and one in her heart. Her first daughter, Harper, passed away due to complications three days after birth. She aims to bring awareness, compassion, and hope to other women's lives who have also suffered heartbreak in regards to pregnancy through Well Together Health. Well Together is an online platform that aims to provide resources for families who have experienced pregnancy related loss. Through mindfulness, nutrition, and movement, she hopes to help other women navigate their own journeys.
Important Links:
Well Together Health
Michelle O’Brien on Instagram
Michelle Kapler
Fertility Academy Facebook Community
On this episode, I’m talking with Amira Posner, a therapist and social worker, with an exclusive focus in the area of fertility and infertility challenges.
Amira and I have known each other professionally for years and I refer local patients to her all the time. They always have good feedback about her programs and offerings.
Today we talk about:
- Her Mindbody Fertility Group
- What type of techniques she recommends to her clients for mental health support and resilience
- Her own journey with secondary infertility and IVF
- Stress and how it relates to fertility
- Relating to your partner when going through fertility challenges
- And so much more
About Amira:
Amira and her husband experienced secondary infertility. After several failed in uterine inseminations, Amira conceived her twins through IVF. It was her own personal experience with infertility that was the catalyst for healinginfertility.ca.
She is a therapist with a private practice in Toronto, Ontario. Amira has both a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Manitoba. She works with individuals and couples who are struggling with infertility. Amira developed and now facilitates the Mind-Body Fertility Group and co-facilitates the Online Mindfulness Fertility Series.
In addition to working with individuals, couples, and families -- providing therapy in a secure and safe setting -- Amira is a member of the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW) and Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). Amira is a certified Hypnotherapist and Reiki practitioner. Amira is also the mother of three miracles. She supports couples worldwide.
Important Links:
Amira’s website
Amira on Instagram
Michelle’s website
Fertility Academy Facebook Group
On today’s episode, I’m going to be chatting with Dr Jennah Miller who is one of the incredible naturopathic doctors that I have had the pleasure of working with at my clinic, The Toronto Reproductive Acupuncture Clinic.
We are going to be diving into a topic that’s mysterious and frustrating - unexplained infertility.
Today we talk about:
- What is unexplained infertility and what does it mean?
- How is someone diagnosed with unexplained infertility?
- What are some of the most common underlying causes of unexplained infertility?
- What types of treatments are typically offered to people with an unexplained infertility diagnosis?
- How a Naturopathic Doctor assesses and treats unexplained infertility.
- And Dr Jennah shares some good advice for people who have just received an unexplained infertility diagnosis.
Dr. Jennah’s bio:
Dr. Jennah Miller is a Naturopathic Doctor with a passion for co-creating the health of weird, wild, and badass women. Focusing strongly on fertility and menstrual health, Dr. Jennah understands that women are not simply small men and is resolute in her belief that you deserve more than one size fits all medicine. Dr. Jennah provides a female-centered healthcare model that empowers women and allows them to feel safe and heard, while working through their health and fertility concerns in a sustainable way.
Dr. Jennah graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine with a special interest in fertility and reproductive health, as well as a passion for teaching women how to connect with the shifting tides of their own bodies. While finishing her degree, Dr. Jennah completed additional training though a fertility and reproductive health-focused internship, where she learned how to support couples and individuals from pre-conception to pregnancy.
Important Links:
Toronto Reproductive Acupuncture Clinic
Dr Jennah Miller’s Website
Dr Jennah on Instagram
Book a free virtual consultation with Dr Jennah
Michelle Kapler’s Website
Fertility Academy Facebook Community
Today I’ll be having a conversation with Sonam Patel, who is one of my brilliant acupuncture colleagues at my Clinic The Toronto Reproductive Acupuncture Clinic. She and I have been working together for a few years now and have seen many patients together.
Today we are going to talk about the ins and out of fertility acupuncture.
- What it is and how it can help
- How it works
- Safety considerations
- What it might look like if you’re doing fertility acupuncture as a supportive therapy within an IUI or IVF cycle
- What the research says
- And how to find the right practitioner to provide fertility acupuncture
Sonam’s Professional Bio:
Sonam is a Registered Acupuncturist, licensed with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario. Her practice is at the Toronto Reproductive Acupuncture Clinic
Her main interests are in treating hormonal health and fertility issues, and supporting pregnancy & labour. She is committed to helping both women and men with their conception goals, and works to understand all the fear, frustrations and concerns surrounding them. Sonam will support your journey in fertility whether it be natural or alongside Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART).
Important Links:
Toronto Reproductive Acupuncture Clinic
Book a Free 30 Min Virtual Consultation with Sonam
Sonam on Instagram
Sonam on Facebook
Michelle’s website
Fertility Academy Facebook Community
Today, I’m talking with Tanya Smith, a fellow TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) practitioner and ABORM fellow. I invited her on the podcast, because she is someone who I've really looked up to over the years. I met her when I did a summer student internship at her clinic, over 10 years ago and she has been a mentor, colleague, and friend ever since. I’ve even seen her for treatments over the years.
Today, we talk a lot about fertility, grief, and movement through the process.
We discuss expectations and body image.
TCM vs conventional medical ways of looking at the body and the type of clinical experience you might have in either of these models.
We talk about her own fertility journey as part of a same sex couple and the ebbs and flows of that experience.
And she shares a WHOLE lot of wisdom and advice.
Links:
Tanya Smith
Michelle Kapler
Fertility Academy Facebook Community
Today, I’m talking with Dr Jodie Peacock all about the Canadian Fertility Show. I have had the pleasure of being an exhibitor and a speaker at the Canadian Fertility show, a number of times, since its inaugural year in 2018. It generally happens in person - but with Covid happening this year, many event organizers have had to pivot to create online events.
Today we are going to talk about:
The Change in format of the Canadian Fertility Show
How it works
Who can attend
Speakers and Exhibitors
And then we have a great conversation about preconception, as well as male health and fertility and how it’s often overlooked.
Important Links:
Dr Jodie Peacock’s Website
Dr Jodie on Instagram
The Canadian Fertility Show Website
Register for The Canadian Fertility Show
50% Discount on Show Tickets
Michelle Kapler
Fertility Academy Facebook Group
I have the pleasure of working with Sarah at my clinic. In addition to her awesome skills as a doctor, she’s a woman empowerer who works with women to heal their fatigue, stress, and abnormal menstrual cycles and help them get the energy, happiness, and flow they need for their careers and families. Whether you’re struggling with crushing mood swings, crippling period pain, or pro-actively preparing for your future family, she guides you in using the treatments she discovered and used to heal herself and others like you. Her message to all: you do have options and are totally worth it!
In this episode, Sarah and I unpack PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and how it relates to fertility. We talk about diagnosis and types of PCOS, different treatment approaches (both from a conventional and a naturopathic perspective), and other conditions that can present themselves like PCOS but warrant further investigation. We also discuss menstrual cycle tracking, body literacy, and how our culture doesn’t give us the tools to know about our bodies from a young age.
Show Notes:
[02:15] - Michelle welcomes Sarah who begins to tell us a little about herself.
[03:04] - Sarah describes her first really painful period and how she got on the road to healing.
[06:03] - What is the connection between PCOS and fertility? Sarah reveals one of the main symptoms which is also one of the most common causes of infertility.
[08:39] - PCOS can set you up for a higher risk of other diseases. Yet, it gets less priority unless you’re trying to get pregnant despite its impact on health overall.
[09:39] - What exactly is PCOS, though, and how does Sarah diagnose it? She breaks down the diagnostic criteria.
[11:28] - You don’t necessarily need multiple cysts to be diagnosed. The name is a bit of a misnomer that others are looking to change.
[12:39] - Sarah talks about the different combinations of symptoms and types of PCOS and reveals the number one root cause.
[15:23] - A decision to stop using birth control after a period of time can also cause post-pill PCOS.
[17:03] - Next on the list is inflammatory PCOS. Which signs of inflammation can serve as potential warning signs?
[17:45] - This type doesn’t get enough recognition. Sarah describes what happens with adrenal PCOS.
[19:26] - Michelle asks for advice about tracking menstrual cycles with a more reliable method than ovulation predictor kits.
[21:37] - How long does Sarah recommend people give themselves after getting off the pill before trying to get pregnant?
[23:54] - As women, we’re just not being taught about our bodies properly. It doesn’t feel like we truly give informed consent when going on the pill.
[26:19] - Sarah discusses conventional PCOS treatments available and how she treats the syndrome holistically.
[28:47] - Women with insulin resistance PCOS tend to focus on cutting out carbohydrates, but they should focus on this instead.
[29:19] - Sarah also gives tips for holistically treating post-pill and inflammatory PCOS.
[30:51] - For those with symptoms but not the blood test results to match, Michelle asks about other conditions Sarah might consider.
[32:25] - With hypothalamic amenorrhea, the root cause usually lies in stress and low-calorie consumption. In which type of women do Sara and Michelle see this condition the most?
[34:32] - Sarah’s number one recommendation for those hearing this information for the first time or just starting their journey.
[35:35] - Use the information you learn to better advocate for yourself. Seek a second or third opinion, if you must.
Links and Resources:
Toronto Reproductive Acupuncture Clinic
Endometriosis
PCOS
Fertility Awareness Method
Fertility Friday podcast
Anovulation
Post-pill PCOS
Inflammatory PCOS
Adrenal PCOS
Insulin Resistance PCOS
Hypothalamic amenorrhea
@drdimunnond on Instagram
Dr. Sarah DiMunno
Michelle Kapler
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Fertility Academy Community
Do you know what rarely gets the spotlight when it comes to optimizing your fertility? Research shows that sleep is foundational and essential to our health. Yet, it’s seldom discussed in the fertility clinic experience and isn’t up there among diet and exercise in the standard fertility optimization recommendations.
Now, I’ve done a lot of research and extra learning on sleep. Sleep has become a bit of an Achilles heel for me since the birth of my daughter five years ago. When I became a terrible insomniac, the change in my hormones and my nervous system created a downstream effect and negatively impacted my sleep. I was one of those people who would fall asleep, no problem, and then wake up at 2 a.m. and toss and turn for hours, because I couldn’t shut my mind off. It significantly impacted my quality of life.
After learning everything I could about sleep, I’m now able to manage my insomnia and it really isn’t a thing for me anymore...most of the time. What I learned from my many months of research is astounding. The level of impact that sleep has on our overall health is surprising and staggering. Since we focus on a holistic and full-body view of fertility on the show, I’ll be talking all about sleep in this quick episode.
Show Notes:
[02:12] - Let’s start with a foundation of understanding for how much sleep we need to achieve an optimal baseline of health. Here’s what a National Sleep Foundation study found out.
[02:52] - Chronic sleep deprivation affects every aspect of how the body functions.
[03:04] - If you get less than this many hours of sleep regularly, you’re at a significantly increased risk for these health problems.
[03:15] - Let’s discuss a few ways sleep can affect our fertility. Michelle dives a little deeper into why optimal health equals optimal fertility.
[03:48] - Chronically sleep-deprived individuals produce lower levels of this hormone which may contribute to lower egg quality.
[04:51] - Another consideration for how sleep affects fertility is through immune system regulation.
[05:48] - What does seven to nine hours of healthy sleep look like? Michelle breaks it down quickly.
[06:19] - If you’re giving yourself enough time to sleep but still experience problems, here’s what you can adjust to get better sleep.
[07:23] - These pieces of technology wreak havoc on our ability to sleep. Here’s how to handle them before you go to bed each night.
[08:08] - Michelle discusses this surprising fact about the life of caffeine and how it affects quality sleep.
[08:45] - People often use these two substances to help them fall asleep, but they actually negatively impact the deepest, most restorative sleep cycle.
[09:39] - Michelle gives acknowledgment and a piece of advice to those who may not be able to implement the previous suggestions due to lifestyle obligations.
Links and Resources:
National Sleep Foundation study
Leptin study
Why We Sleep by Dr. Matthew Walker
“The Secret to Improving Your Metabolism, Reaction Time and Longevity” Trained podcast episode
Michelle Kapler
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Fertility Academy Community
When I brought Nikki onto my show, I thought we were going to talk mostly about exercise, pelvic blood flow, and optimizing fertility through movement, but she’s very open about her past struggles with fertility. So, we ended up talking about some really interesting and important topics regarding her personal journey with IVF.
Nikki happens to be one of Canada’s most sought-after health and fitness experts. With a background as a Pilates instructor and former professional dancer, she serves as an inspirational trainer and creative educator with a passion for encouraging women to lead happier, healthy lives. I also cherish her as part of my amazing group of local female entrepreneurs kicking ass in my neck of the woods!
She’s dedicated her life to creating fitness programs with creative choreography from science. Each is specifically designed to enable women to ditch the guilt and bring balance into their bodies. The methods combine physical therapy with Pilates-style functional movement, which helps women improve incontinence, prolapse, and diastasis recti.
In today’s episode, we discuss Nikki’s experience with IVF due to male factor infertility. We dive into her unhappiness with her clinic and switching doctors, advocating for herself, and being a Type A personality embracing surrender. Also, she shares some great tips regarding exercise and body movement during fertility struggles.
This is a great interview with an expert trainer who displays her passion for helping women feel confident and strong throughout their pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
Show Notes:
[02:41] - Michelle welcomes Nikki to the show and asks her to tell us a little about herself.
[05:21] - Michelle recalls how she and Nikki met and wants to hear more about her fertility journey.
[06:13] - Why did Nikki feel like she and her husband had to get tested?
[07:49] - Before her first IUI (intrauterine insemination), Nikki had to undergo an unexpected surgery to get rid of this.
[08:46] - Find out why Nikki felt like her old clinic was just throwing darts at a board to see if something stuck.
[09:39] - Nikki switched clinics and started trying IVF instead. It made a huge difference for her mentally too.
[10:07] - Michelle has frequent discussions with her patients surrounding trust issues with fertility recommendations from other experts.
[11:14] - Hear the response Michelle often gets from her patients and the advice Nikki offers on how to advocate for yourself.
[13:48] - Nikki describes the fertility process at her new clinic. She and her husband had fairly good luck at this point, but not in the way she expected.
[15:18] - After a frank discussion, Nikki decides to take her chances despite the odds of success against her favor. Listen to what happened next.
[18:02] - Michelle explains ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) for those unfamiliar with the term.
[19:07] - The word “surrender” was a mantra for Nikki that didn’t come easily to her, especially because of her Type A personality.
[19:55] - Nikki recounts a conversation with a friend who asked her this important question.
[20:42] - Feeling like her husband wasn’t as diligent, Nikki describes how she felt resentment toward him.
[21:40] - Michelle shares some Canadian statistics about male and female factor infertility and other observations based on her clinic experience.
[23:09] - Michelle and Nikki describe how people express a patriarchal attitude towards women in fertility-seeking partnerships.
[24:36] - Nikki emphasizes pragmatism and working together, not playing the blame game. Yet, it’s entrenched in society.
[25:25] - Seeking an end to unsolicited comments from her father, Nikki recalls telling him about her first false pregnancy alarm.
[27:24] - Nikki offers some advice on how to deal with unsolicited comments from others.
[28:56] - Surprisingly, Nikki found a lot of support in an unexpected place. She found the women here truly a lifeline for her.
[29:44] - How are you supposed to exercise if you’re looking to conceive? The answer differs for everyone, but here’s what Michelle and Nikki do and don’t recommend.
[32:33] - Nikki sees this as the perfect exercise and asks these questions of people who insist on doing something strenuous.
[34:25] - What does Nikki regard as the key to exercise? She shares this sentiment with women when they’re postpartum too.
[35:50] - There’s a tendency to have less and less trust in your body the further you go in the process. Nikki shares how to listen to your body and the ways we’re trained to ignore it.
[38:05] - Michelle urges Nikki to tell us about her Belle Method and the inspiration to create it.
[39:39] - Nikki discusses progressive overload versus what she calls “progressive underload.” She guides her clients to slowly scale things up and down.
[42:29] - Before signing off, here’s Nikki’s advice to someone who’s just getting started in their fertility journey.
[45:02] - Hear what Nikki admitted after Michelle stopped recording.
Links and Resources:
Diastasis recti
Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
Progressive overload
The Belle Method
@thebellemethod on Instagram
The Universe Has Your Back by Gabrielle Bernstein
Michelle Kapler
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Fertility Academy Community
Imagine someone telling you at 14 years old that you’ll find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to have children. Surprisingly, this isn’t as uncommon an occurrence as you might think. Millions of desperate women struggle to conceive thanks to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). My guest today, who’s also a former patient of mine, found herself in that group but managed to overcome the odds.
As a teenager, Valentina McCachren knew her developing body differed in a major way in comparison to other girls her age. As an adult, she’s sharing her story online, forming connections across the globe, and making a difference for other women through a relatively new technique.
Val and I started working together seven years ago. She created her website to share her own experience in healing her body of PCOS to beat her diagnosis and get pregnant. Through hard work and some pretty wild adventures, she managed to balance her hormones and eventually give birth to two daughters.
Now, Val helps other women heal their bodies naturally. She completed a continuing education course through the Institute of Holistic Nutrition with a focus on the body’s ability to nurture a baby through nutritional and holistic practices. As a certified Breathwork Facilitator through David Elliot’s Healer Training series, she uses breathwork to support her clients. With her guidance, they learn to honor the big and small things facing them and help them move through it all while learning to love themselves.
She prides herself on her honesty about fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood which has helped other women have the courage to openly share their journeys about feeling ashamed or anxious about their diagnosis. Listen as Val recounts her own experiences with fertility, mindset, the tools she used, and the work she did to help her conceive, give birth to, and take care of her children despite PCOS and postpartum issues.
Show Notes:
[01:22] - Val supports women primarily through fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum with a relatively new tool.
[03:28] - Why did Val start Lovefestjourney?
[04:44] - As a young woman, Val’s body never produced a menstrual period. Her parents and fertility specialists asked some pretty point-blank questions of her to discover why.
[06:55] - Michelle asks Val how she felt to be given a diagnosis without any real guidance about root causes or solutions beyond a pill.
[08:28] - Val describes walking out of the office knowing that the birth control hormone prescription in her hand wasn’t the answer. This eventually led her to Michelle.
[10:26] - Val’s story isn’t uncommon in women. Michelle hears some version of it on an almost daily basis.
[11:52] - Val believes everyone possesses the capability to change but acknowledges that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
[13:18] - Having connections and forming a bond with her practitioner is important to Val. Here’s what her biggest struggle was before getting pregnant with her first child.
[14:59] - Michelle wants to know what Val personally did to take care of and nourish herself. Hear how she implemented slow living into her life.
[16:39] - Val describes her 21-day holistic eating and living journey where she’d write to women and share what she was doing for her physical and mental body.
[18:25] - Val teaches an active breath pattern to the women she works with. Calling it a breathwork meditation, she walks us through the process.
[20:41] - Breathwork can be done in smaller or larger time frames. Val practices it for herself for 5-10 minutes in the morning.
[22:56] - Val expresses her love of working with Michelle and creating a space for people to comfortably show up.
[25:06] - There’s so much we don’t know about how conception really works. Michelle believes an aspect of surrender needs to occur to make it easier.
[26:41] - Val swears by ayurvedic medicine. It restores the balance of what you need.
[28:45] - Michelle urges Val to recount her postpartum expectations and how they compared with the reality of it.
[30:00] - These issues with her first child, Agatha, particularly triggered serious postpartum anxiety for Val.
[31:20] - Surprisingly, Val’s non-maternal mother came to her aid by hiring help. Here’s how the doula who showed up on her doorstep got her through it.
[33:28] - With the second child, Val set aside resources to give herself full support.
[35:38] - Val tried these two popular activities to restore herself during early postpartum--and they failed her.
[36:57] - Michelle and Val touch on the guilty feelings of having a hard time with postpartum difficulties.
[38:24] - The biggest community built for Val wasn’t through her fertility journey but this instead.
[39:53] - Before signing off, Val speaks to people at the beginning of their journey who’re feeling lost or overwhelmed.
Links and Resources:
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Slow living
Breathwork meditation
Ayurvedic medicine
What is a doula?
The Slow Home podcast
David Elliot’s Healer Training series
Val McCachren
@lovefestjourney on Instagram
Michelle Kapler
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Fertility Academy Community
You’ve heard the stories before. Perhaps you’ve even watched videos online of women discussing how they’ve tried for years to get pregnant, only to keep facing disappointment year after year after year with each negative test result. Maybe you’re in this situation yourself. If so, what can you do?
While some alternative practitioners and allied health professionals are anti-IVF, Michelle isn’t one of them. Still, you have a lot of factors to consider before you take that leap. What do you ask your fertility doctor when he or she recommends IVF as a next step? Michelle goes over her top 10 questions she recommends that people ask when presented with it as a treatment option.
Your reason for doing IVF, however, might inspire even more questions to ask. For instance, using donor eggs or sperm will require a different level of clarification. Or perhaps you’re doing it because of a cancer diagnosis or for genetic reasons.
No matter the reason, you as the patient have the right to fully understand exactly what your body will go through and what principal outcomes might exist. So don’t hesitate to ask questions and ask for clarification if there’s something about the process that doesn’t feel right to you or confuses you. Ultimately, you’re the one in the driver’s seat, and you have rights to that information as a patient.
Do you have more questions that you’d like to add to the list? Michelle would love to hear about them, so post them in the private Facebook group Fertility Academy Community.
Show Notes:
[02:19] - Michelle asks questions of her patients and clients to clarify this decision-making process. Here’s the first suggested question.
[03:21] - How does in vitro fertilization work? This complex process often takes a lot longer than people anticipate. Here’s everything involved and what to ask your doctor.
[03:56] - As with any therapeutic intervention, risks and side effects always exist. Make sure you’re making a truly informed decision when moving forward.
[04:29] - How long does it usually take to get pregnant when using IVF? Find out what Michelle discovered by working with many patients through their IVF cycles.
[05:23] - Question number five concerns the cost of the procedure. Funding may be available from your local government, but you need to ask about what it actually covers.
[05:59] - Michelle mentions additional testing and procedures besides IVF. Just be aware of the out-of-pocket costs since funding isn’t available for most of them.
[06:41] - What kind of support is available after a successful conception? This is especially important if you’ve had multiple miscarriages previously.
[07:08] - The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how clinics operate. Get clear on any policies that may impact the treatment experience.
[07:44] - It can take a whole team of dedicated professionals to make a healthy baby. Does your clinic recommend and welcome this support?
[08:23] - IVF is a heavy investment on many levels, including mentally and emotionally. Michelle lays out which tools may be available to help you.
Links and Resources:
Michelle Kapler
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Fertility Academy Community Facebook Group
We’re exposed to environmental toxins everywhere. They lurk in the air we breathe, in the food and water we consume, and in the personal care and cleaning products we use. Today, I and my guest Emma Rohmann talk all about these environmental toxins and how they relate to your fertility. You’ll learn about the specifics of where these toxins come from and the various ways we get exposed to them.
Emma moved from making workspaces greener and healthier communities to putting into practice at home what she learned on the job. It was parenthood, however, that really set her on the path to permanent green living. Frustrated from the lack of practical and balanced information available during her research, she felt compelled to create her own blog to counter the one-sided perspective she kept seeing.
Emma proudly calls herself an environmental engineer, founder of Green At Home, and mom of two. She combines her education and corporate career experience to offer science-based and practical guides, courses, and programs that help moms and moms-to-be reduce toxins at home without a lifestyle overhaul, feeling overwhelmed, or spending time and money on what doesn’t work.
Her credentials include coaching as part of David Suzuki’s “Queen of Green” program, guest lecturing at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine on reproduction and environmental health, and holding a certificate on environmental health from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson.
During our conversation, Emma and I discuss hormone disruptors, their impact on fertility and the human body, how we’ve gotten used to feeling unhealthy, and how we can decrease toxicity in our bodies. Concerning fertility, different chemicals act in different ways and she provides specific examples. One of them, found in plastic bottles, you’ve probably heard of but it hides in another surprising source as well.
We’ll also take you point-by-point through common rebuttals to purchasing non-toxic products for use on yourself, your family, and your home. Research is still evolving, so the exact mechanisms of how chemicals work aren’t clear yet. But with the evidence mounting, we can still take a proactive approach and become more conscientious consumers.
Show Notes:
[02:03] - Michelle introduces her guest, Emma, with a little background information.
[03:25] - Emma tells us how working in commercial spaces served as her education about environmental toxins.
[04:48] - Emma took what she learned in the workplace and brought it into her home space. Parenthood especially opened her eyes and eventually led to the creation of her blog.
[07:03] - What are hormone disruptors and how do they affect us? Emma talks about a few ways in which they impact us.
[09:22] - Emma clears up some terminology and gets into the specific impact of hormone disruptors on fertility.
[10:15] - Different chemicals affect fertility in different ways and Emma gives a specific example.
[11:35] - What are some of the sources of these toxins? How do we get exposed to them regularly?
[12:44] - Emma reveals a source of the chemical BPA (banned in baby bottles) that you may be surprised to learn.
[13:40] - Another common chemical called phthalates is found in personal care and cleaner products with synthetic fragrances such as candles and even scented garbage bags.
[15:42] - Michelle sometimes gets push-back when she talks about using green products. Emma responds point-by-point.
[17:00] - Some chemicals are used for decades before we find out they’re detrimental. So we can’t just go on what’s on the shelves; we have to be our own test subjects.
[18:35] - Toxins, particularly hormone disruptors, act in the body in incredibly low concentrations. But it doesn’t take very much to do damage.
[20:34] - Michelle recalls a conversation with an older lady at a sauna about using her own special, chemical-free lotion. This demonstrates a difference between generations.
[22:21] - Discover Emma’s big a-ha moment as a triathlon athlete that really exposes how unhealthy we actually are, despite thinking otherwise.
[24:23] - A variety of health problems are so common now we don’t think of them as major. Our version of healthy has been skewed.
[26:23] - It’s important to consider what authorities in these fields tell us. Michelle talks about semen analysis parameters determined by the World Health Organization.
[28:24] - What are the top three things people can do to reduce their exposure to hormone disruptors and optimize their ability to conceive?
[29:40] - The one thing Emma recommends that, while not free, can go a long way to reduce your intake of chemicals.
[31:03] - Get into the habit of reading the labels on your personal care and cleaning products. The easiest way to start is by avoiding those with synthetic fragrances.
[32:48] - Reduce your use of plastic, especially microwaving your food with it. Chemicals in the plastic leak into the food during the heating process.
[33:57] - Emma reveals how you can work with her if they want to get more support on this topic.
[35:31] - Michelle asks Emma what she’d tell every total beginner who wants to get started today.
Links and Resources:
Green At Home
The Missing Pillar of Health Podcast
@emma_greenathome on Instagram
The Green Product Forum Facebook Group
Free Guide - 4 Hormone Disruptors to Avoid Before Having a Baby
“Hormone Disruptors & Pregnancy” by Emma Rohmann
Free Training - How to Read Labels
“How to Find a Water Filter” by Emma Rohmann
Prepping for Pregnancy Course
Michelle Kapler
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Fertility Academy Community Facebook Group
Nutrition, movement, sleep, and mental health form the four facets critical to getting your body as healthy as possible. Like legs to ensure the sturdiness of a square table, each is as equally important as the others. If one goes unattended then the others don’t have the same integrity they normally would.
You don’t need to complicate the process. You only need to implement simple changes. These add up to get you to a state of optimal health and with it, optimal fertility.
When it comes to designing a fertility diet, I remind people of several principles to follow that lead them in the right direction. Some are obvious and seem simple like eating local, fresh, and whole foods. Others are seldom, if at all, thought of but have a surprising impact on your ability to conceive.
In addition, I also recommend a first step for everyone before working with a qualified practitioner, regardless of diet. You want to have more days than not where you forgo consuming the foods that can cause you issues.
As far as movement, you don’t have to go for a long run or do a spin class for an hour every day. Your main goal here isn’t to lose weight or train as an athlete. In fact, that kind of exercise habit can work against your fertility efforts. In the context of fertility, your biggest considerations include pelvic blood flow and nervous system regulation. So focus on finding the right form of movement for you, one that you enjoy
Surprisingly, sleep doesn’t get mentioned as often as even mental health these days as an important aspect of health. Therefore, most people don’t prioritize it. Instead, they’ll wear their lack of sleep as a badge of honor, practically bragging that they can get by just fine on a few measly hours of shuteye.
But good, quality sleep is just as, if not more, important than nutrition or exercise. Your body completes certain physiological processes only during this time, as well as goes through its various detoxifications. If you’re having trouble sleeping, that’s your signal that something’s off so you’ll want to see a qualified expert.
More often, mental health is associated with stress. When the stress factors turn on your nervous system, other parts of your body like the digestive and reproductive systems fall to the wayside in the meantime. You can’t eliminate stress forever but you do want to pay attention to how you process and deal with it. Use any stress regulation tool or strategy you desire to regulate the nervous system and bring it back into balance.
If all of this seems overwhelming, just start working on one facet. Let it become ingrained and go from there.
Show Notes:
[01:08] - I’ve made a lot of observations over the years. One of the most obvious ones involves the habits of those who tend to get better fertility results.
[02:09] - Health is always evolving and perfection doesn’t exist. Attaining the “ultimate” level of health in order to conceive isn’t a reasonable use of your time.
[02:41] - Do you think you have to go through rigid regiments, like unreasonable diets or long daily meditations? Think again. Here’s how I coach people instead.
[03:44] - Food has a huge impact on the quality and integrity of ourselves, including egg and sperm cells.
[04:08] - Nutrition isn’t a “one size fits all” facet. Here’s how I always encourage people under my care when it comes to what they put in their body.
[04:51] - Prioritize choosing foods that offer the greatest nutritional density. I provide a couple of examples to demonstrate.
[06:23] - The inflammation impact of food is more about what you can leave off of your plate. You vote on this particular scale with every food or drink you consume every day.
[07:12] - People can have different reactions to different foods, but processed sugar guarantees to have an impact on more than just your blood sugar.
[08:49] - Health facet number two is movement. But caution: in some cases, exercising too much can work against your goal of conceiving.
[09:43] - You can move in a way that is simple and not overwhelming. Here are some recommendations, including an easy one that most of us can do.
[10:39] - Sleep is the missing pillar of health that we don’t talk about enough. Sleep habits can have an even greater effect on your health than the previously mentioned facets.
[11:36] - According to sleep research, you need this many hours of good quality sleep each night for optimal health. Getting less can lead to a whole host of medical problems.
[13:09] - Mental health, otherwise known as stress, does NOT cause infertility (in case you were worried).
[13:56] - When your nervous system tunes into survival mode, other body systems aren’t as important. If you want to conceive, rest and digest is the stage you want to be.
[15:04] - Engage in activities that reset your nervous system and reduce the stress. Free apps are available out there to help, including fertility-focused ones.
Links and Resources:
Michelle Kapler
Fertility Academy Podcast
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Sign up for the FREE Feeding Fertility Online Course - www.michellekapler.com
Are you looking to start or expand your family? Congratulations! You’ve found access to information and tools to help you optimize your fertility to grow your family, no matter where you are on your fertility journey. I’m Michelle Kapler and through Fertility Academy I offer interesting, creative, and evidence-based information and give you practical tools to help you get closer to your goal of building a family.
Why should you trust me, though? I’m a fertility-focused registered acupuncturist, Chinese medicine practitioner, and certified fertility coach. I own the Toronto Reproductive Acupuncture Clinic that focuses exclusively on fertility, pregnancy, gynecology, and hormonal health. I’m one of a handful of practitioners in the Ontario province serving as a member of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine, the governing body for fertility specialists in the United States. For more than 10 years now, I’ve helped thousands of patients start and expand their families.
My knowledge comes from education and personal experience. Growing up in Ontario, I found myself surrounded by family that embraced alternative medicine and living a healthy lifestyle. From my youth, I knew my future lay in helping to heal others. I ended up graduating with a diploma in acupuncture from the Institute of Traditional Medicine in 2010.
After working some time in the dental profession, I desired a deeper, more creative approach to health care. Struggles with hormonal health and difficulties navigating the traditional medical system gave way to my current career of providing customized care. I not only want to help others build their families but encourage a sense of self-advocacy in my patients as well.
I’m so glad you’re with me today. Every Wednesday, you’ll hear from myself and special guests on subjects related to fertility, family, and health. But this short, first episode is all about introducing myself, including my personal story, and my expertise to the wider world.
Show Notes:
[00:44] - This podcast has been in the making for quite some time. This first episode is all about introducing myself before really launching into things next week.
[01:07] - Based in Toronto, I’ve helped thousands of people get closer to their goals of building their families.
[01:29] - My team and I see patients personally, using several tools to help them get as healthy as possible and optimize their fertility.
[02:08] - I practiced what I preach. I’m a mother of two kids who I conceived while embracing acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and naturopathic medicine after suffering an unfortunate reproductive issue.
[02:45] - I live with my family off the grid and commute to Toronto a few days a week to see patients at my clinic. My practitioner team, who you’ll hear from in future episodes, help all the other days.
[03:09] - We’re nine months into the global pandemic. While my clinic was lucky to only be shut down temporarily, access to care and treatment is still not where it should be in Canada.
[03:45] - COVID has exposed the weak spots in our health care systems. There’s an inspiring silver lining to this situation, though.
[04:25] - This podcast is all about offering simple, actionable steps that add up to big results with consistent application.
[04:41] - I have experts lined up to speak on their areas of genius. You’ll be hearing a range of topics: from fertility diets to the effects of hair care products on fertility and more.
[05:13] - I’m really looking forward to sharing past and current patient fertility stories with you, both the good and the bad.
Links and Resources:
Michelle Kapler
Fertility Academy Podcast
@fertilityacademy on Instagram
Sign up for my free online course - www.michellekapler.com