Food Freedom and Fertility Podcast

A fun, honest conversation about food, fertility, and women’s health. The Food Freedom Fertility podcast started when Caitlin’s mom overheard a conversation between Caitlin and Sophia about fertility nutrition. As registered dietitians and experts in their field discussing fertility nutrition and human health, their banter was funny, honest, and insightful. Sophia and Caitlin both specialize in prenatal, fertility, pregnancy, and postnatal nutrition, and invite you into their conversation about all things food, freedom, and fertility!

Pivot to Progesterone 04/29/2024

How to Prepare for Pregnancy with an Autoimmune Diagnosis 04/22/2024

Win Wednesday: Success Story with Kaile 04/17/2024

Pelvic Floor Exercise with Ashton Koehlmoos 04/15/2024

Navigating Infertility and TTC in the Social Media Era 04/08/2024

Follow Up With Listener Caitlin and her Pregnancy Update 04/01/2024

Pregnancy Loss And Options For Care 03/26/2024

Know Your Options on Reproductive Health Care with Dr. Gary Levy 03/18/2024

Why RDA's Aren't Cutting it with Ryan Woodbury 03/11/2024

Midwifery Care Thrive Wellness with Dr. Jordi - ND Pediatrician 03/04/2024

Male Factor Infertility with Dr. Leah Gordon 02/26/2024

Alcohol & Mocktails with Sarah Jeltema 02/19/2024

Intracervical Insemination & At Home Fertility Treatments 02/12/2024

Reopening Tubes with MD Naomi Whittaker 02/05/2024

Physical Therapy Techniques & Manual Manipulation for Fertility 01/29/2024

Prepping Your Kitchen for Nutrition 01/22/2024

Overview of Functional Medicine Testing & Benefits 01/15/2024

Folate vs Folic Acid with RD Lily Nichols 01/08/2024

Back to Basics - PCOS 01/01/2024

PCOS Labs 06/06/2023

Importance of adequate progesterone in pregnancy with reproductive endocrinologist from Fertility Cloud 05/29/2023

God's Design for Sex and How to Hold to The Goodness Sex Brings Marriages In Hard Seasons 05/22/2023

God's Design for Sex and How to Hold to The Goodness Sex Brings Marriages In Hard Seasons In this episode of Food, Freedom and Fertility, we discuss God's Design for Sex and how to hold the goodness sex brings marriages during the hard season. We delve into the topics of sex and intimacy, challenges when trying to conceive and exploring a deeper understanding of connection within relationships. We have Francie Winslow, host of Heaven in Your Home Podcast that talks about sex, marriage and the mission of God. The discussion begins with Francie sharing her personal story of her relationship wiht god and the concept of purity and the potential challenges faced by individuals who struggle to embrace their sexuality after marriage, leading to feelings of disconnection and how to get through those. Francie invites listeners to consider God's purpose and intent for intimacy, drawing inspiration from the biblical account of Adam and Eve. The idea that becoming "one flesh" extends beyond physical union is explored, highlighting the notion that fruitful living encompasses bringing forth goodness and benefiting the world through intimate connections. Moving forward, the episode discusses how sex can feel more like a job or chore within the infertility community. Caitlin and Francie also discuss intimacy with your partner and offer practical thoughts for those who feel exhausted or stuck in a sexual rut. The importance of viewing intimacy in a broader context is emphasized, with an emphasis on understanding that sex is more than a mere act. Genuine connection, vulnerability, and prioritizing one's unashamed, authentic self are vital aspects of nurturing and nourishing each other in a relationship.This concept can get lost when a couple's focus is trying to conceive. The discussion continues by stressing the significance of building and maintaining connection and intimacy, particularly during challenging seasons. Practical tips for jump-starting marital connections are shared, aiming to reignite passion and intimacy. Shifting gears, the podcast delves into a candid conversation about female pleasure, providing insights into women's anatomy, such as the clitoris, and the importance of understanding individual preferences and pacing in order to experience pleasure. The episode mentions resources like ," which offers guidance on enhancing intimacy and exploring pleasure within relationships. Concluding the episode, the focus turns to nurturing intimacy during pregnancy when individuals may not feel their most beautiful. Francie and Caitlin disucss various ways to build intimacy during this transformative period, encouraging listeners to explore the different facets of connection beyond physical appearance. Overall, this episode serves as an enlightening and thought-provoking exploration of sex, intimacy, and connection, encouraging listeners to stay connected during the more difficlt times. If you would like to learn more about Francie Winsow you can visit her website: Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15 : FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal : FFF20 20% You can find us on IG at /episode/index/show/foodfreedomfertility/id/26907837

Sophia's Birth Story 05/15/2023

Sophia's Hormonal Health Journey and TTC 05/08/2023

Interstitial Cystitis and Fertility with Callie Krajcir, RD 05/01/2023

Interstitial Cystitis and Fertility with Callie Krajcir, RD On this week’s episode of Food Freedom and Fertility we are going to discuss Interstitial Cystitis and Fertility with Callie Krajcir, RDN, Nutrition Coach. Callie has lived with IC since she was very young. Elementary through college her symptoms would cause her pain and put her on a rollercoaster of emotions as she continued to see a variety of doctors who did not know what was wrong with her. During college she tried a variety of treatment methods and learned to advocate for herself because doctors would eventually give up. She felt isolated and learned how to alleviate a lot of her symptoms through her diet. She entered the field of nutrition in hopes of being able to help others suffering from the same condition. Today, Callie shares with us her story and her symptoms, which started with burning while urinating. She also helps provide insight to what a flare up could look and feel like and how it affects her personal life and how to be a supportive partner/friend to someone who maybe suffering with IC. She also shares how her journey about how nutrition helps keep her symptoms minimal and exactly what foods and other triggers that can be bothersome for IC. IC is somewhat of a taboo topic because some people feel awkward with the discussion but 4-8 million women and 1-3 million men have IC in the US. There are subtypes of IC and Callie helps break down the differences. The onset of IC is more common around the age of 30-40. Callie shares a quick list of foods that may cause a flare up and also supplements that can support IC patients, along with suggestions of what type of treatment team would be helpful. She also shares strategies that can be put into place to help with sex. If you or someone you may know maybe suffering from IC, please visit Callie’s website: to learn more. Callie has a signature program that is called Road to Remission, which she teaches about IC and nutrition After the 6 months of the program (Identifying diet triggers, elimination diets, etc.) the client gets a lifetime membership to the program. IC is a condition that requires a lot of community and support. When in Callie's program people feel as if a 50lb weight have fallen off their shoulders which helps them in the mental health arena as well as reducing the stress response in their bodies associated with that stress. You can find more information about Callie at the following links below: Website: IG: Podcast: Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15 FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal : FFF20 20% You can find us on IG at /episode/index/show/foodfreedomfertility/id/26700450

Red Meat and Fertility with Diana Rodgers of Sacred Cow 04/24/2023

Red Meat and Fertility with Diana Rodgers of Sacred Cow Welcome to Food, Freedom and Fertility. Today we have Diana Rodgers. She is a dietitian and the author of Sacred Cow. She is an expert on the intersection of nutrition and sustainable agriculture. One thing in her book that she discusses is that there are there are three separate buckets: nutrition, environment, and ethics. They are separate butintricately intertwined. Those buckets are: 1. Nutrition 2. Environment 3. Ethics Diana shares how they chose the bucket topics and how the order was chosen. In her book, Sacred Cow she does a wonderful job explaining it in the most understandable way. You can find her book We have all heard the rumor that “Americans eat too much meat”, well Diana debunks that myth and shares some other shocking numbers with the listeners and she also explains the optimal amount of protein needed and why beef is such a great option. She also explains why meat is so important in fulfilling your micronutrient dietary needs. She likes to use Chronometer to track micronutrients. You can find the Cronometer . Another topic that comes up often is that red meat is considered a carcinogenic. She breaks down the scale of how the rating compares to other daily activities and the percentages so that listeners can make an informed decision on if the value of red meat outweighs the risk. Spoiler alert… Diana, Caitlin and Sophia all agree that red meat has some extremely wonderful prosperities that our bodies need especially when TTC or breastfeeding. Should you spend the extra money on grass fed beef? Today’s episode covers this topic from a nutritional perspective and an ethical standpoint. Diana shares her advice on what you should be eating if you are trying to conceive. She recommends fatty fish, eggs, and fatty cuts of meat. 4-6 oz of meat three times per day, or 30 grams of protein per day. Cronometer is important to keep track of your dietary intake. If you enjoyed this episode you can find Diana Rodgers and would like to learn more you cna find her at the following: Website: IG: Amazon: Watch in your Amazon Prime Video App Other show links: Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15 FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal : FFF20 20% You can find us on IG at /episode/index/show/foodfreedomfertility/id/26629230

Minerals and Hormonal Health with Robyn Johnson, RD and Creator of Rayvi 04/17/2023

Minerals and Hormonal Health with Robyn Johnson, RD and Creator of Rayvi Welcome to another episode of Food Freedom and Fertility. This week we have Robyn Johnson, RD as a guest to discuss minerals and hormonal health. Robyn’s expertise is as follows: · Registered Dietitian Nutritionist · Bachelor of Science from University of Nebraska · Master of Science from Kansas University Medical Center · Trainings in clinical nutrition, women’s health, skin health and functional & integrative medicine therapies This is a very educational episode as Robyn and our hosts discuss the way minerals work in your body, specifically focused on hormonal health. Robyn’s journey with Rayvi started when she created a mineral mocktail that went viral on social media and she realized there so many people need to give attention to their mineral intake. Robyn wanted to help deliver a nutritious solution to match clinical needs with convenience. After working with clients for years, she has seen first-hand how powerful optimizing mineral intake can be. From supporting energy levels, to gut health, skin and hormones, minerals are foundational to good health. Robyn shares with us how minerals work in the body. Minerals allow all the signals in the body to work, without them…body signals would not be able to communicate properly and for the most part… we don’t make the minerals our body needs, we should be getting them from our food intake but with the stress of daily life and the declining levels of minerals in our food supply majority of us are deficient and our cells (and health) are left to struggle. During this episode as we discuss different minerals and all that surrounds them, keep in mind that majority of the studies done to test the soil quality are not current, most of the studies were completed in the 1970’s so the data isn’t up to date. Sodium is a feared mineral but Robyn helps clear up myths about it and also shares with you some symptoms that point to mineral imbalance. Some of those symptoms are: fatigue, afternoon crashes, constipation, feeling puffing, and drinking water but still feeling puffy. She also discusses the difference between trace mineral drops and Rayvi. Rayvi is Robyn’s company that makes mineral intake easy. It supports energy and vitality by properly hydrating your cells and providing an antioxidant boost. If you are unfamiliar with trace mineral drops, they have a little bit of a lot of minerals where as Rayvi has a lot of potassium and focuses on macro minerals. Rayvi also has high standards in place, such as ingredients are sourced from regenative farms, that are taking care of the land and the soil. Rayvi’s current flavors include Hibiscus Raspberry, Passion Pineapple and Ginger Turmeric. An at home DIY mineral cocktail could be: Coconut water, pinches of salt, splash of cranberry. Minerals in relation to trying to conceive, pregnancy and men’s health is a hot topic and this episode supplies info on all of those areas. Robyn explains why it is hard to overdose on minerals why you are pregnant. It also shares tips about how minerals can help any vomiting during pregnancy and other helpful facts. As a breastfeeding mother it is important to ensure you have quality mineral absorption as your needs are high because breastfeeding is a demanding process, hydration is boosted by proper minerals which allows you to produce milk. You are your babies entire nutrient support as a breastfeeding mother. Robyn also discusses how minerals affect the sex hormones and how certain levels of minerals can fluctuate your hormones. Water carries a lot of minerals in it so this is broken down for you so that you can understand the quality of minerals in your drinking water. It all depends on your water source and your city. Certain water filters should be chosen to minimize contaminates but you must be careful and research your water source because some filters can also filter out minerals and you will need to replace them. To learn more about your local water check out the . You can also have your water tested through the company . While listening to this episode you will ask yourself… how can I be more proactive in choosing foods that might also be helpful in my mineral status… well don’t worry! That question is answered. The easiest way to remember is : Roots and Fruits! We all know fruits but these are some great roots to include in your diet: potatoes, beets, carrots, rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, and squashes. If you can source your veggies and fruit from nutrient dense soil that will help your mineral intake as well. Animal based foods will help your mineral intake along with adding brewer’s yeast, coco powder or bee pollen to recipes, smoothies and meals. If you would like to try out the Rayvi products checkout the links below and be sure to try out some of their at home mineral mocktail recipes. However, if you feel like you are running on survival mode and have some of the symptoms discussed in this episode you should consider talking to a medical professional for additional help. Connect with Rayvi: Website: Use Code FFF10 for a special discount Rayvi Recipe guide: Mineral mocktail guide with at home recipes: Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15 : FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal : FFF20 20% You can find us on IG at /episode/index/show/foodfreedomfertility/id/26560290

Meal Prep Hacks and Healthy Delicious Kitchen Tips with Cassy Joy of Fed and FIt 04/10/2023

Meal Prep Hacks and Healthy Delicious Kitchen Tips with Cassy Joy of Fed and FIt Welcome to our 100th episode of the Food Freedom and Fertility podcast. We celebrate this episode with the one and only Cassy Joy Garcia who is a recipe developer. Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit. Eager to share her healthy living secrets with the world, she started Fed & Fit in 2011. Since then, she became a holistic nutrition consultant and transitioned her personal blog into a tremendously supportive and nimble online wellness editorial, backed by a small but mighty team of writers, researchers, and editors. After realizing that her own struggles to get a healthy homemade dinner on the table overlapped with the same struggles experienced by her readers, she decided that there must be a better way. The Cook Once method was born and it has revolutionized how people cook. Cassy currently resides in San Antonio, TX with her husband and three children. During this episode Cassy describes the difference from her earlier books and her most current but she also shares with us some of her helpful tips in the kitchen. Some tips such as how to make a budget go further in the grocery store and how to store your foods so they last longer. She also helps you understand the difference between batch cooking vs meal prepping and breaks it down so that it is palatable for the novice at home cook. Cassy shares numerous resources to help you figure out how to shop once and eat all week. Cassy shares that a quick and easy win in the kitchen when you just don’t feel like you aren’t doing enough is KEEP IT SIMPLE. You do not have to dive into the most difficult recipe, keep it exciting, fun and easy… making it doable for you is the most important part. Majority of Cassy’s at home cooking is doing with the stove and oven, however a lot of her recipes on her site and in her book explain how to use other kitchen gadgets such as an air fryer or toaster oven. She also shares some special fridge hacks on how to not let food go to waste. Cassy and Caitlin emphasize during this episode how important it is to stay true to yourself and acknowledge what you are capable of so that you do not get stressed trying to do too much all at once in the kitchen. For those of you currently TTC or you are pregnant (yay) Cassy shares that eating a colorful meal was her goal during that time in her life and even now as she helps create nutritious meals for her cookbooks, website and her own children. The goal at Fed and Fit, is to simplify wellness through quick and tasty recipes, unbiased, easy-to-understand nutrition and fitness advice, and simple swaps for safer home and beauty. If you loved this episode and want to find out more information on Cassy Joy Garcia and all of her delicious books and recipes head over to You can also sign up for some free meal plans! Or find her on IG at Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. Proov Testing Kit and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15 FullWell: FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal Prenatal nutrition library: FFF20 20% You can find us on IG at /episode/index/show/foodfreedomfertility/id/26492148

Birth Control Options - Post Partum 04/03/2023

Birth Control Options - Post Partum On this week’s episode of Food Freedom and Fertility we are discussing how to avoid pregnancy until you want to get pregnant! We will discuss all of the potential forms of birth control. Sophia and Caitlin will help you understand what options are out there and give their feedback from a profession and personal viewpoint. One of their favorite methods of birth Control is a non-hormonal option. They remind women that you will always ovulate before you get your first period post-partum. Condoms are a fairly efficacious form if you use it correctly and there are also non-toxic brands that have quality ingredients and steer clear of no oil-based lube with a condom. Fertility awareness method is the form of a wearable and observing cervical mucus . Some other forms of Birth control discussed this episode are the following: Copper IUD Intrauterine device Insert during period, so cervix is open and more pliable Copper is toxic to sperm Acts as a spermicide Doesn’t prevent ovulation and fertilization, just implantation Is there a connection between copper IUD and autoimmune onset? Some research suggests: Immune system will always react to foreign device in body Mechanism of action for IUD is to get immune system to react It can cause, trigger, contribute to severity of autoimmune disease If you have any complications, can cause injury or scar tissue which may affect fertility Most people don’t have these problems, just a risk to be aware of. Diaphragm and Sponge: · Women inserts it through vagina up towards cervix · The sponge soaked in spermicide · Diaphragm doesn’t impact sensation while having sex (not like condom) · You can insert in advance · Spermicides aren’t always very healthy for women · Don’t want to alter vaginal pH Withdrawal Method: · This method is exactly what it sounds like · Not very effective, higher risk · Relies very heavily on responsibility of man · May take some of the pleasure out of it Surgical Options: · If you are having a C section, they can do this at the same time · Partial hysterectomy, remove ovaries and/or uterus · Benefit to leave ovaries · Want to ovulate · For long term health (think bones) · Want to keep ovaries if able · These are essential organs · Women can die from hysterectomy Tubal Ligation: · Ectopic pregnancy risk is higher · Impartial or partial non-closing · Body can regrow an opening · Can cause health risk if pregnancy occurs after · If not having a planned C-section, it is a MAJOR surgery Vasectomy: · Cutting the tubes that carry sperm · Making sure that sperm doesn’t enter future ejaculate · Not 100% effective · Think about long term life, what would happen if relationship dissolves Hormonal Options: · Can be very easy to use · They work by shutting down ovulation · Shut down feedback system of YOU creating your own hormones of you creating follicles and getting ready to ovulate · OR drastically decreasing estrogen · Thick cervical mucus, sperm has a more difficult time getting through · OR impact uterine lining · Sperm have more difficult time getting through uterine lining · Can be pill form, injection, or inject object into vaginal anatomy. Can also be patches, implant to skin into arm · Some can be more localized towards sex hormones · Arm injection doesn’t always stay put and doctors may “lose” it. Can’t find it, “sorry, you may never get pregnant” · Also, risk of plastic in body · Any hormonal BC WILL get into your breast milk IUD: Hormonal: · Made of plastic · Contain hormones · Typically lose your cycle · Significant increase for infection · For ANYTHING that you put in your body · Direct route right into uterus! Much more dangerous than just a vaginal and vulva yeast infection. · Have a conversation with your doctor about how long you plan to be on the pill/contraceptives for! A takeaway from this information would be that you must do what works best for you and your life. Informed consent is important so that you can make the best decision for you. Be sure to understand the benefits, risks, and alternatives you have. Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. Proov Testing Kit and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15 FullWell: FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal Prenatal nutrition library: FFF20 20% You can find Food Freedom and Fertility on Instagram /episode/index/show/foodfreedomfertility/id/26422332

Planning to Conceive After a Baby- Getting Your Cycle Back and More 03/27/2023

Planning to Conceive After a Baby- Getting Your Cycle Back and More Welcome to Food Freedom and Fertility, this week we are talking about planning to conceive after a baby- getting your cycle back and much much more! Caitlin and Sophia discuss the landscape post-partum territory looks like. The first topic of discussion is how soon after my baby is born should I be trying for my next. Sophia and Caitlin share the different research on the different reasons why it is important to wait a certain amount of time and how your body can still be recovering from nutrient deficiencies, C-section trauma, postpartum depression and other things your you need time to heal from. They also share how your risk can increase the closer together your pregnancies are and what that means for your baby. We realize that sometimes pregnancy can happen unexpectantly and they also say how to take care of yourself, your unborn baby and your baby out of your belly if you do become pregnant if you are under 1-year post-partum (which is the least amount of time that is recommended between births) Another question to consider is your lifestyle, how you parent, how you feed, how you sleep. Our hosts walk you through the different scenarios and how each one could be affected by having another baby. They want you to know that if you are breastfeeding that relationship may change with your non-utero baby, your body will prioritize the baby inside, your supply will decrease but there are ways around that such as donor milk. This episode also discusses the question of “Is my cycle back?”. Some women with PCOS can be confused by the new cycle and can’t tell the difference between a standard post-partum cycle return and PSOS, so they suggest getting lab work done to give a definitive answer. They also mention that once your baby starts sleeping longer, women typically start to get their cycle back or if there is another source of hormonal feedback it can trigger your cycle to start again. To wrap up the episode Caitlin and Sophia want you to work on your thoughts about yourself and do what is best for you and your body. Also consider that your most healthy self isn’t necessarily your most fertile self. Continue to stay on your prenatal and remember that your body is not a trash disposal for you to dump junk into, so continue the healthy eating and be sure to check in on your mental health. You can also get lab work done to check your Vitamin D, iron and immune levels to ensure you have recovered from your blood loss from your previous pregnancy. Review your life without judgement and prioritize your health and the health of your family, there is no need to rush your timeline. Listen to your intuition and do what is best for your body. Thank you to our Season 2 Sponsors. Be sure to use the code on their site for a Food, Freedom and Fertility discount. and online app 15% OFF in $15 or more FFF15 FFF10 10% pre-natal, fish oil or men’s pre-natal : FFF20 20% You can find Food, Freedom and Fertility on Instagram @ /episode/index/show/foodfreedomfertility/id/26357730

Food Freedom and Fertility Podcast

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