My Experience with the DUTCH Test by Precision Analytical

Hi friends! Several months ago - back in the spring - I told you guys that I was taking the DUTCH Complete test and then life got crazy and I never really mentioned it again, so in today’s episode, I’m going to give you an update on my experience with the DUTCH test, what I’ve learned from it, and how it’s benefited my health.  

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The DUTCH test is a functional hormone test made by a company called Precision Analytical, a CLIA-certified laboratory. DUTCH stands for Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones and as the name indicates, their tests evaluate various hormone levels. Some of their tests evaluate sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (as well as their metabolites - more on this later), and some look at adrenal hormones like cortisol and DHEA-S, and some tests look at all of it. Their tests also evaluate oxidative stress markers as well as certain vitamin and organic acid markers. 

My Experience

I chose to go with the DUTCH complete test as it was the most comprehensive test at the time. I wanted an overall look at my sex hormones as well as my adrenal hormones. Some of you may remember that I posted a few stories on Instagram right before I sent my test back in where I showed you what all was included in the test, what it looks like, etc. (those are still in my Endo highlight if you’d like to go back and see those). As I mentioned, this is a dried urine test, so the kit includes cards for you to collect several urine samples over a 24-hour period. It also includes a health history form for all of your medical history as well as places for you to indicate any symptoms you’re experiencing or concerns that you have. Once you’ve completed all of your samples, you seal everything up and mail it back to Precision Analytical in a prepaid package envelope. It’s honestly very easy to do and the instructions are very detailed and clear. 

My full report with my results was emailed to me within two weeks of when I mailed in the test.

Who is the DUTCH test for?

In my opinion, this test can be beneficial for anyone, because I always think that more information about your body and how it’s functioning is helpful. Mainly, I think that the DUTCH test can be very helpful for anyone experiencing hormonal imbalance symptoms or a hormone-driven condition like PCOS, Endometriosis, Uterine Fibroids, infertility, etc. Also, this test can be helpful for anyone with a history of estrogen-driven cancer in their families such as breast or prostate cancer, or anyone who is concerned about their risk.

DUTCH Results Report

I’m going to walk you through some of my results so you can better understand what this test looks like and how you can use the results to support your health. I will say that this is a very in-depth report, so unless you are trained in hormone health and detox pathways, you will need the help of a physician trained in these areas - likely a functional medicine doctor. The report does provide a summary at the end of each section of the results, but for an in-depth understanding and how to address/treat any issues that are found, you will need the support of someone trained in this. I do have a few functional med Drs that I can refer you to, if you’d like to send me an email or DM, I can help you with that. 

• The first page starts with a summary of the main 3 sex hormones - Estradiol (E2), progesterone, and testosterone - and adrenal hormones - total DHEA and free Cortisol. (So for me, it showed that my overall estrogen was on the high end of normal, my progesterone was on the low end of normal, and my testosterone was right in the middle of the normal range. My cortisol pattern looked good, although the free cortisol was a little more on the low end. My total DHEA also looked good. No real surprises here for me - it’s pretty much what I expected)

• Page 2 of the report lists the hormone metabolites (the liver breaks down active hormones into water-soluble metabolites in order to be excreted from the body). There are different metabolites for each hormone and measuring these helps you to know how your body is clearing excess hormones. If your body isn’t doing this well, it can increase your risk for hormone-driven disease and cancer. For example, the hormone estrogen actually has 3 primary forms - Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2), and Estriol (E3) and each can be broken down and pass through a few different metabolite pathways to be eventually excreted from the body. The ideal pathway is called the 2-OH pathway and it is considered the safest or most protective, meaning it’s the least likely to bind to something it shouldn’t or cause any damage to your DNA on its way out. On the other hand, there is the 4-OH pathway that is the least desired pathway because when not properly detoxified these metabolites are more likely to cause damage. When your body seems to prefer this pathway and doesn’t do a good job of detoxification, this can increase your risk of estrogen-driven cancer, specifically breast cancer. This is a big deal and something that is important to know. There are ways that you can support your body’s detoxification pathways but you need to know as soon as possible, rather than waiting until it’s becoming a problem to address it.

• Page 3 is a visual representation of each hormone and its metabolites and their pathways. It also allows you to see how your body prefers to metabolize hormones. 

• Pages 4 and 5 give you a similar structure as 3-4 but with adrenal hormones as well as a helpful diagram that shows the process of how our stress hormones are triggered and the pathways that they follow throughout the body. 

• Page 6 lists the organic acids that are tested which include markers for vitamins B12 and B6, and glutathione (a major antioxidant that is very important for detoxification) as well as metabolites for dopamine, norepinephrine/epinephrine, melatonin, and a marker for oxidative stress/DNA damage. 

• The remaining pages provide a summary of a few clinical notes that would be made on any out-of-range results that you have, as well as explanations for each marker and how to read the report. 

As you can see, this is a very in-depth report that goes into way more detail than a normal hormone panel that your PCP or GYN would order. I also love the fact that since this test is measured with urine, it can look at how your body is detoxing the hormones. This is something that a serum or blood test can’t evaluate in the same way. 

Again, I highly recommend this test for anyone who feels that there is something off with their hormones as well as anyone who knows that they have estrogen dominance issues or who may have elevated risk factors for hormone-driven disease or cancer/has a family history of breast or prostate cancers. 

You can order the test through a DUTCH-affiliated provider by searching their website or you can order the test online for yourself and have it sent to your home. DUTCH gave me a coupon code to share with you if you want to order it for yourself - use the code adhc100 for $100 off the cost of the test. 

If you have any questions about the test or need help getting in touch with a physician that could help interpret your results, feel free to send an email to info@yourhealthforward.com or send me a DM on Instagram. 

Listener Question Mini-Series: Hormone Cycles

Hi friends! We have one last episode left of our summer - listener question series where I have been answering questions that you sent in for me to discuss here on the podcast. I’ve really enjoyed this series and hearing the questions that you guys have and the topics that you want to talk about. Today’s question is about hormones, which oddly enough is a topic that I really enjoy talking about! So let’s dive in!

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This listener asked a very intriguing question. She said she had seen a post talking about men’s hormones being compared to the sun’s cycle and women’s hormones being compared to the moon’s and was wondering if there was any truth to that. 

So here’s the deal. Women’s hormones and our hormone cycle are discussed a lot, but many people don’t realize that men also have a hormone cycle. They also don’t realize that men have the same main sex hormones as women - estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone - in very different amounts. 

So let’s talk about the male hormone cycle for a minute. Unlike women, men’s hormones operate on a 24-hour cycle and their primary sex hormone is testosterone. Generally speaking, a man’s testosterone levels peak in the morning, shortly after waking, and then gradually decline throughout the day, with their lowest levels occurring in the evening. Then their cycle starts all over the next day. However, in men, testosterone levels can be affected by their environment and emotions as well, so there can be fluctuations in levels during the day due to external circumstances. 

Women’s hormone cycles are quite a bit more complex. Generally speaking, women’s hormones operate on a 28-day cycle (although we know that number can fluctuate quite a bit) and estrogen and progesterone are the star players. Our cycles are broken down into 3 main phases: 

• The follicular phase begins on cycle day 1, or the first day of our period. During this phase, estrogen levels are rising and typically peak around cycle days 10-17. Testosterone levels also typically rise within this time leading up to ovulation. 

• Ovulation is the second phase of our cycle and only lasts for 1 day or a 24-hour period.

• After ovulation comes to the third phase which is called the luteal phase. During this phase, progesterone starts to peak and there is another rise in estrogen. If fertilization doesn’t occur, then all hormone levels decrease to their lowest points which triggers menstruation, and the cycle starts all over again. 

So in this way, the analogy used in this question is decently accurate. Men’s hormone cycles are often compared to the sun’s 24-hour cycle and a women’s is often compared to the 28-day cycle of moon phases. 

If you are interested in learning more about hormone health and specific hormonal conditions, check out these past episodes on PCOS, Endometriosis, and Infertility.

Why Optimal Magnesium Levels Matter with Kristen Bowen

In today's episode, Kristen Bowen, from Living the Good Life Naturally, is sharing the importance of optimal magnesium levels and how it affects the body. She also explains how we can know if we are deficient and how to get back to optimal levels to support our health.

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Questions answered in this episode…

How did you start helping people with their health and specifically focusing on magnesium?

Why do you think it’s so important for overall health to really own your own health journey? 

Let’s talk about magnesium for a bit: Why is magnesium so important and what does it do in the body?

Is magnesium deficiency common among women? How can someone know if they are deficient?

Can magnesium deficiency contribute to hormonal imbalances or reproductive challenges? 

What is transdermal magnesium and why is it better than an oral magnesium supplement?

Can Epsom salts help in a similar way to transdermal magnesium?

What protocol do you typically recommend for transdermal magnesium supplementation?

Where can people learn more about ordering magnesium? 

Resources mentioned in this episode: Magnesium soak, magnesium muscle cream, magnesium lotion - USE CODE HF10 for 10% off your order.
Living the Good Life Naturally youtube education videos; follow Kristen on Instagram

Find more from Kristen here.

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Why Liver Health Matters

Hi friends! In today’s episode, we are talking about our livers and why it’s so important that we take good care of them! The health of our livers is probably not something that often crosses our minds, but it is one of the most important organs in our bodies both for everyday function and long-term health. So let’s get into talking about the liver…

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The liver is the unsung hero of our bodies. It performs over 500 essential functions and unless something is going wrong, it rarely ever gets noticed. Most people I know don’t go around thinking about their livers throughout the day, yet it’s functions are vital to all other body systems’ ability to function. 

For example, here are a few of the essential functions the liver is responsible for:

Digestion and absorption

Our livers help turn our food into energy. It stores and distributes both fat and glucose, as well as metabolizes both cholesterol and protein.  It produces bile which is vital for digestion and absorption of key vitamins and nutrients and then distributes those nutrients out to the body. It also produces key enzymes that are needed for other chemical reactions all over the body. In addition to distribution, it also stores vitamins and minerals that will be needed in the future. So just by listing these few things, this shows that our livers help regulate our blood sugar, cholesterol, and hormone levels. 

Immune Function

Our livers produce of certain proteins and components of the immune system such as cytokines as well as various other immune cells. Our livers maintain a certain amount of controlled inflammation which assists the body in detoxification, but when this becomes uncontrolled or dysregulated, it can lead to systemic inflammation which damages the immune system and can even lead to auto-immunity or cancer. 

Hormone Function

The liver is hugely important for hormone health. Our livers create proteins and cholesterol that carry hormones all over the body. In addition, it also helps deactivate hormones and assist with ridding our bodies of excess hormones, or ones that we no longer need. This process is vitally important. For example, with the hormone estrogen, our livers actually regulate which kind of estrogens our bodies produce, as well as help with the processes that remove excess estrogen from the body. Without this essential function, an excess of estrogens can build in the body leading to estrogen-dominant diseases and cancer.  

Detox 

The function that our livers are best know for is detoxification. The liver is responsible for the movement of the blood in our bodies. As a matter of fact, almost 1½ liters of blood pass through our liver every single minute in order to be filtered. Through this process it extracts toxins and stores nutrients for later use (which we discussed when talking about digestion and absorption). The liver detoxifies in three phases that must stay in sync with each other. 

Phase One is bioidentification. This is when your body sends out enzymes that put a red flag on all toxins. Phase two is conjugation. This is when the body attaches molecules to those flagged toxins to make them either water soluble or fat soluble. Phase three is elimination. This is when the body actually flushes the toxins from our bodies when we use the bathroom (and sometimes through sweat). If one of these phases isn’t working correctly, it can damage our body’s cells and allow the toxins to continue to circulate in our bodies, further taxing our livers and creating a loop of inflammation. Every single substance we breathe, ingest, or absorb through our skin will pass through our liver, which creates a huge workload for it every single day. 

The point here is that every other system in the body is dependent on the function of the liver and when our livers are healthy, and functioning well, this works great! However, the truth is that the majority of Americans are walking around with less-than-healthy livers. 

What happens when our livers aren’t healthy

It’s estimated that up to 90 million Americans (that’s almost ⅓ of the American population) has Fatty Liver Disease, which is basically inflammation of the liver that occurs when apprx. 5% of cells in the liver are replaced with fat cells. This causes the liver to be unable to keep up with it’s 500+ essential functions and add to systemic inflammation in the rest of the body, which can lead to other chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, even Alzheimers and Dementia. 

If Fatty Liver Disease is left untreated, it can progress into Fibrosis, and even Cirrhosis of the liver, which leads to liver failure (fatal). Liver Disease doesn’t just occur because of alcohol or drug use or Hepatitis. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common form of liver disease and is caused by a combination of lifestyle and genetics - most commonly high-starch/high-sugar diets, insufficient protein intake, intake of trans fats and artificial chemicals, unresolved emotions and trauma, lack of movement in the lymphatic system, and overexposure to environmental toxins. It’s not usually only too much fat, as the name would suggest.

Symptoms of an unhealthy liver or fatty liver disease

There aren’t always immediate symptoms, which can make it tricky. When symptoms do occur, some common ones are:

• Abdominal pain, fullness in the upper right side

• Nausea, loss of appetite (especially in the AM)

• Swelling in legs/abdomen

• Fatigue

• Brain Fog/confusion

• Waking up at night in the 2-3 am range regularly

You can ask your provider to run labs to check enzyme levels most commonly found in the liver ALT and AST. If either level is over 30, especially ALT, this can be indicative of a damaged liver. It’s important to note that by the time these levels are above normal, damage to the liver is already happening. So we don’t want to wait until then to care for and support the health of our liver. 

The good news is that livers regenerate and that our body has an amazing ability to heal. It will need some support from us, but an unhealthy liver, even most diseased livers, with the exception of cirrhosis, can be become healthy and well-functioning again. 

In the next episode, I am going to share ways that you can support your liver health to prevent an unhealthy, sluggish, or diseased liver, as well as ways that you can help your liver to heal if you are already experiencing liver dysfunction or disease. Make sure you stay tuned for that episode! 

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PCOS 101

September is PCOS awareness month and so for today’s episode, I wanted to do a quick deep dive into some basics about PCOS. It is actually the number one hormonal imbalance condition among reproductive-aged women and sadly, the leading cause of female infertility. So, this condition affects a lot of women and like many other hormonal issues, it can take a long time to get a proper diagnosis. So I want you to be informed about what PCOS is, what some of the common symptoms are, and if you or someone you love has PCOS, what we can do to help with it!

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PCOS is a common hormone and metabolic condition that affects up to 15% of reproductive-age women. It is associated with a higher risk for long-term health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, and infertility. Higher instances of insulin resistance, IBS, and depression/anxiety are also reported with PCOS. 

Symptoms often associated with this disorder are absent or infrequent menstrual cycles, excess weight gain or inability to lose weight, excess facial or body hair, head hair thinning or loss, severe acne, and often (but not always) insulin resistance and polycystic ovaries. 

PCOS is the most common form of hormonal imbalance and while experts know that it is rooted in inflammation and insulin dysregulation, what actually triggers PCOS is not understood. There seems to be a genetic factor, as women with moms or sisters diagnosed with PCOS are likely to have it as well. Also, as with any hormonal condition, gut health plays a major role. Some believe that it can possibly be linked with a combination of imbalanced gut flora and increased intestinal permeability, which leads to increased inflammation in the body. This can cause cells to become rigid and unable to receive the signal from insulin to let glucose into the cell (which leads to your pancreas continuing to pump out more insulin, and left untreated eventually becomes insulin resistance). Although ovaries do not become insulin resistant, when bombarded with insulin, the ovaries can respond by secreting testosterone. An excess of insulin can also inhibit the secretion of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) which is the protein that binds excess sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen. This creates a perfect storm for these common PCOS symptoms.

PCOS is a clinical diagnosis, which means that it’s based on having a grouping of some PCOS symptoms and ruling out other diagnoses. Often a physician may want to perform an ultrasound to check the ovaries for cysts, but it is important to note not every woman with PCOS will have polycystic ovaries (despite the name). Most women with PCOS do have insulin resistance, but again - not all. It’s important that you work with your physician and be informed on the recommended lab tests that can be helpful for making a diagnosis. Functional medicine practitioners recommend a full thyroid panel, a full hormone panel including estrogen, testosterone, DHEA, SHBG, progesterone, prolactin, LH, FSH, and AMH, as well as a lipid panel and fasting blood glucose and insulin, and A1C. There may also be other tests as well as research about PCOS continues to be published. 

Once someone receives a PCOS diagnosis there really aren’t a lot of great conventional treatment options. The most common option is to take hormonal birth control and while that can help with symptoms, unfortunately, it doesn’t do anything to actually heal the cause of the symptoms. Not only that, but some believe that it may actually worsen the condition over time. Metformin is also a common medication given to women with PCOS. Just be sure to research and speak with your doctor about the common negative side effects that can be associated with it. 

While there is no cure for PCOS, there are things that a woman diagnosed with PCOS can do to help with symptoms as well as target the underlying known contributors to PCOS - blood sugar dysregulation, poor gut health, and inflammation. 

When I work with clients who have PCOS the first two things that we work on are supporting balanced blood sugar and healing their gut. So let’s talk about some foods, supplements, and lifestyle modifications that can help with those things.

When it comes to food, the first thing to remember is that your body needs to feel safe and know that it can count on adequate fuel throughout the day. The best way to do this is to eat a balanced meal (meaning fiber, protein, and fat) about every 3-4 hours. So that typically looks like breakfast, lunch, dinner, and at least 1 snack, maybe 2. You don’t want to eat continually or fall into grazing throughout the day, but also don’t skip meals or go long periods of time without eating. 

Some specific foods that can help:  

• clean sources of protein: wild-caught, omega-3 rich fish such as salmon, cod, trout or sardines; bone broth, grass-fed beef

• High fiber carbs:  cruciferous veggies, pumpkin, beans, rice, berries, goji, cherries, onion, parsley, garlic, freshly ground flax seeds 

• Healthy fats: walnuts, coconut, olives, 

• Herbs, spices, teas: cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, decaf green tea, Holy Basil tea, liver support teas - like milk thistle or dandelion 

There are some supplements that may also be helpful. I do just want to remind you that everyone’s body is different and may respond differently to herbs/supplements. It’s really best to work with a practitioner who is knowledgeable about these supplements and your particular healthy history. With that said, Vitamin D and methylated B-complex can be helpful because a lot of women (in general), especially with PCOS, are deficient in these. Herbs like Vitex, Dong Quai, saw palmetto, nettle root, and licorice can help with some of the common PCOS symptoms. Inositol is another common supplement given to help with insulin sensitivity and other common issues with PCOS.

There are also some lifestyle recommendations and alternative therapies that can be helpful as well. We all know that regular exercise is good for us, but especially for women with PCOS daily movement is vital for reducing inflammation, balancing blood sugar, and supporting gut and liver health. It’s also important to participate in weight training at least 2x per week (either bodyweight or added weights) which has been proven to help increase insulin sensitivity, allowing it to be more useful in the body. It’s also recommended that women with PCOS prioritize getting 8-9 hours of sleep each night and commit to stress-reducing routines like daily walks and downtime from social media and other emotional stressors. Acupuncture can also be helpful. Many women have also found seed cycling to be helpful - and that probably needs its own episode but essentially is eating certain types of seeds in the follicular phase of your cycle and then switching to other seeds in the second type of your cycle. This can help the body get rid of excess hormones more efficiently and may support more balanced hormone levels. It also provides a great source of fiber which is helpful for gut and liver health  

Ultimately, if you or someone you love has PCOS it’s important to know that even though there isn’t a cure, symptoms can be managed and your body can be supported in such a way that the condition doesn’t have to take over your life. Make sure to get a good team of healthcare professionals on your side that can help you with all aspects of your health and really take the time to learn about PCOS and about how your own body responds - what works for you and what doesn’t. 

Friends, I hope that this episode has been helpful for you. If you’re struggling with PCOS know that you aren’t in this alone and that there is help available for you. Start with some of these things that I’ve mentioned today and build a team of people around you that can support you in this journey. As always if you have any questions, you can send an email to info@yourhealthforward.com. 

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Intermittent Fasting: Helpful or Harmful?

Hi friends! Today we are talking about Intermittent Fasting (IF). It’s been a buzzphrase in the health and wellness industry for a while and there are wildly different perspectives and opinions on it. In this episode, I want to look at exactly what IF is and what are the ways it can be helpful, as well as how it can be harmful and who may not benefit from it.  I’m also going to throw my own opinion into the mix and share why I haven’t adopted this practice for myself. Let’s get into it! 

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What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?

Intermittent fasting is a term used to describe a certain approach to eating that includes abstaining from food for short periods of time. Time-restricted eating Is the most common method of intermittent fasting. For this type of in a minute fasting you eat during a shortened window of time during the day, which extends the amount of time you’re not eating overnight. This can be anywhere from a 12 hour fast to a 16 - 18 hour fast, and often includes skipping a meal either breakfast or dinner. You can choose to eat three meals while using this method but they will be closer together than usual. 

How it can be helpful:

A quick search on Google or Pinterest will list out multiple health benefits from intermittent fasting. Things such as helping with weight loss, burning fat for energy instead of glucose, lowering insulin levels, improving insulin sensitivity, benefiting cognitive abilities, and supporting the circadian rhythm and leading to better sleep.

Sounds amazing, huh? Well, before you decide to skip breakfast forever, let’s look at some of the ways IF can be harmful. 

How it can be harmful:

While it’s true that some people to do well with intermittent fasting, it’s also true that certain people may not do well with it, particularly women. Fasting, while possibly having short term benefits, can also lead to long-term ramifications. IF leads to higher amounts of cortisol to be produced in the body, which again can be good short term (like as in exercise), but in the long-term can lead to chronic inflammation (just as in exercising too much). This spike in stress hormones can cause the body to feel unsafe. Our bodies thrive and function their best when they feel safe. Food is a signal of safety to our bodies - that’s the way we are wired. So when we go longer amounts of time, or even days, without eating that can signal to our bodies that something is wrong and that we aren’t safe enough to eat. Again, this can lead to chronic inflammation in the long term, which is the exact opposite of what we’re trying to achieve. 

For this reason, IF can have negative effects on women’s hormone health and fertility. When a woman’s body does not feel safe, having a well functioning reproductive system is not a high priority. Some studies have shown that by simply extending the fasting window to 14 to 16 hours, or quickly reducing the amount of food that someone takes in during the day, the body can start to shut down some of the communication between the brain and the reproductive system. 

Also, while some say intermittent fasting can help with insulin resistance and blood sugar issues, the flipside to that is that it can also lead to blood sugar dysregulation in the long term. 

An increase in stress hormones can lower  insulin levels, but also increase blood sugar (glucose) levels. Insulin is the hormone that allows our body to use up glucose or blood sugar, so having an increase in glucose while also having a decrease in insulin can lead to having higher blood sugar levels overall - which again is the opposite of what we are wanting. 

The other issue that can sometimes happen with intermittent fasting is that because you’re eating your meals closer together, in a shorter window of time, this can sometimes lead to not having enough space in between meals for proper digestion and good gut health. 

In a healthy gut, the MMC (migrating motor complex) - sometimes also called the housekeeper of the gut - sweeps through the small intestine, moving any food or waste along into the large intestine for further digestion about every 90 minutes (Think of it as our gut’s clean up crew). The problem Is that any eating or drinking of something that has calories (even a cup of coffee) can interrupt that process. Ideally we would be spacing our meals apart about every 4 hours, but that becomes very difficult to do in an 8-hr or shorter window. 

When this mechanisms can operate as it should, it can create an environment for Dysbiosis, SIBO, and overall poor gut health. 

So as you can see, there are both possible pros and cons to intermittent fasting.

Why I don’t practice IF, personally: 

Personally, I’ve chosen not to practice structured IF. As a woman who has an inflammatory condition- an inflammatory hormonal condition, at that, the risks outweigh the possible benefits for me. I also don’t recommend it to most of my clients, as most are women also dealing with underlying chronic inflammation, gut issues, and hormonal imbalances.

Also, an Interesting note - an ISSA article states that most of the studies done on Intermittent Fasting have been done on men. It states that *“Out of seventy-one studies found in Harvard’s database for intermittent fasting, only thirteen include women at all. Beyond that, absolutely none of the controlled studies focus on the female population in general. There are no controlled studies that allow us to draw intelligent conclusions about how intermittent fasting affects the female population.” 

The article goes on to say that women are less likely to lose weight or experience positive health benefits from IF and seem to experience the best health when they maintain an unchanging flow of nutrient intake throughout the day. 

This is what I recommend to my clients and implement in my own life as well. I think a 12:12 model can work really well for women - a 12 hour eating window and a 12 hour fasting window at night. That pretty much follows our natural circadian rhythm of eating while it’s daylight. I advise my clients to eat a balanced meal that includes carbs/fiber, protein, and fat within an hour of waking - and then ideally eating balanced meals every 4 hours. I also think it’s important to listen to your body and follow your hunger cues. Again, it’s important to make your body feel safe, and restricting food will likely have the opposite effect. 

At the end of the day, remember that food is nourishment and fuel for the body. It’s not something to restrict and/or reward yourself with.

*https://www.issaonline.com/blog/index.cfm/2018/this-hot-diet-trend-is-not-recommended-for-women

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What I Wish I Could Have Known at the Beginning of Our Infertility Journey

Infertility can be a long journey and as with anything difficult or challenging, there are certain things that you learn as you go through it. So often I hear people say, “if I only knew then what I know now”, so as we observe #infertilityawarenessweek, I want to share some things that I wish I could have known at the beginning of my infertility journey. Not because I think it will change your outcome or really even your timeline, but because I hope that it will help you find a little more joy in the journey (and yes, I do believe that is possible) and because I hope it will encourage your heart, whether you are walking through infertility or some other hard time in your life. 

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What I Wish I Could Have Known

Some things about myself...

• My body isn’t broken. My body, my health, and my fertility are not projects. While there are things I can do to support the functions of my body, that’s not my sole purpose in life. 

• It’s better to have all the information instead of spending time being too scared to find out. Just go ahead and get the labs done, make the fertility appointment, see what the options are, and then make an informed decision. 

• I am a whole person, outside of being a mom. Infertility doesn’t define me and neither will motherhood.

Some things about marriage… 

This is going to be very hard on our marriage, but we can choose to be all in, no matter how ugly and challenging it may get, and have a stronger marriage because of it. Do the work and don’t expect it to just be okay. 

• Go to counseling

• Have open communication with each other without expecting one another to handle things perfectly. Don’t try to fix each other. 

• Learn to be okay with the other person not being okay sometimes - just be there for each other

• Keep intimacy fun and not only for purposes of “trying”

• Enjoy being with each other and doing all the things that come easier without kids - take the trips, never skip date night, do home projects, etc. While wonderful in every single way, a baby makes everything more complicated.

• Don’t miss what we have now because we are so focused on the future.  

Some things about other relationships...

• I cannot do this by myself. I need to let some people into it to walk along with me. They won’t completely understand and that’s okay. Your people will love you even when you aren’t okay. 

• Finding a support group or at least another couple or two that are walking the same road is so helpful (online resources if none local) 

• Take some of the pressure off. I don’t have to attend every single baby shower or gender reveal party. I don’t need to isolate and wallow in self-pity but I also can’t hold myself to an impossible standard either. I can love people well and still hold healthy boundaries. 

Some things about God...

• God isn’t being cruel or holding out on me and He isn’t punishing me for something. He doesn’t treat his kids like that. My grief and heartbreak break His heart too. 

• God made my body good because it’s made in His image. Even if the brokenness of this world is affecting the way it’s functioning, it is still a creation of the Father, and He cannot make bad things. 

• There is beauty within this pain and if I lean into trusting God through it, there is treasure on the other side of this journey. I can trust Him with this deep desire. 

• That void that I feel, that hole in my heart - it’s a God-shaped hole and only He can fill it.

Friend, there is nothing that I can say that will make this journey easy. Nothing that will take the pain away but my hope and prayer is that something I’ve said here today will resonate with you and help you know that you aren’t alone. You are seen and loved and there are a lot of other people out there feeling the same way that you do. 

If you ever need to reach out and connect with someone who understands, feel free to send me an email or a DM on Instagram. I’d be happy to connect with you. 

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How Acupuncture Can Improve Fertility with Sarah Prater, L.Ac

Hi friends! I’m so excited to welcome Sarah Prater back to the podcast today! Sarah is a Reproductive Acupuncturist specializing in infertility. She the founder and acupuncturist at the TN Center for Reproductive Acupuncture here in Knoxville and is just an amazing resource for those navigating their infertility journeys. 

Sarah has been a huge part of my personal journey with both infertility and endometriosis, so I asked to her share the effect acupuncture can have on fertility as well as any other health benefits that can come from it. She also explains the details of what an acupuncture appointment is like as well as what kind of fertility journeys are best paired with treatment by a licensed acupuncturist.

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Questions found in this episode:

What is acupuncture?

How does acupuncture affect fertility? What are the benefits?

Does acupuncture only work with natural cycles or can it help with advanced reproductive treatment options as well?

Can you give us an idea of what a typical cycle with acupuncture would look like?

Is there anyone that acupuncture may not be a good choice for?

Are there any other resources you suggest for those walking through infertility?

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Prioritizing Your Health as a Teacher with Savannah Pratt

Welcome, friends! In today’s episode, I’m interviewing my good friend Savannah Pratt. Savannah is sharing with us how she has learned to prioritize her health while navigating the challenges that come from her rewarding, yet very demanding and stressful job as an Elementary School Special Education Teacher. She shares tips for how to start making your health a priority as well as encouragement for others with similar demanding work schedules. Listen to the full episode below!

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As a teacher, who is also trying to improve your health, what are some obstacles you often encounter?

Do your coworkers seem to share in those same obstacles? 

What are a few things you have done to overcome or work around these challenges?

Do you feel that prioritizing your health has allowed you to be more focused or more productive in your work? 

What would be your encouragement to anyone listening who is either a teacher or in another stressful, demanding role and wanting to improve their health?