In this episode of The Hormone Café, Dr. Sarah Pederson breaks down how to evaluate a prenatal vitamin from a clinical perspective and why many prenatals on the market fall short.

She walks through exactly what nutrients matter, what forms your body can actually use, what’s commonly missing, and what to avoid so you can confidently choose a prenatal that truly supports your hormones, fertility, and early pregnancy.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

🧬 Why Prenatals Matter More Than You Think Prenatals support critical processes like: • DNA synthesis and cell division • Hormone production • Egg quality and early development They should nourish your body, not just “check a box”

⚠️ Why Many Prenatals Fall Short The term “prenatal” is not well regulated. • Quality and dosing vary widely • Some use poorly absorbed forms • Labels can look similar but function very differently

🧠 Folate vs Folic Acid One of the most important distinctions: • Folate is the active, usable form • Folic acid must be converted by the body • Many people cannot convert it efficiently Look for methylfolate (5-MTHF) for best absorption

💊 Key Nutrients to Look For A high-quality prenatal should include: • Methylated folate (600 to 800 mcg) • Methylated B12 (50 to 150 mcg) • Iron (at least 18 mg, ideally bisglycinate form) • Iodine (150 mcg) • Zinc (around 10 mg)

🧠 Common Nutrient Gaps Many prenatals are missing key nutrients: • Choline (goal ~450 mg daily) • Omega-3s (DHA/EPA, ~1000 mg) • Magnesium (400 to 600 mg) These often need to be supplemented separately

🌞 Vitamin D & Personalization Vitamin D needs vary by person: • Important for immunity, mood, and implantation • Aim for levels above 50 • Often requires individualized dosing

🚫 What to Avoid Watch out for low-quality ingredients: • Folic acid instead of methylfolate • Poorly absorbed minerals (like oxide forms) • Added sugars or artificial sweeteners • Dyes and unnecessary fillers Gummy prenatals are often lower quality

🥗 Food Still Comes First Prenatals are meant to supplement, not replace: • A nutrient-dense diet • Gut health and absorption • Whole food sources of vitamins and minerals

Weekly Challenge Audit your current prenatal. Check the ingredients, forms, and doses and see if it truly meets your needs.

Key Takeaways • Not all prenatals are created equal • The form of nutrients matters just as much as the dose • Many prenatals are missing key nutrients like choline and omega-3s • Avoid added sugars, dyes, and low-quality fillers • A prenatal should support real physiology, not just meet a label

Resources & Next Steps If you’re unsure whether your prenatal is right for you, we can help you evaluate and personalize your supplement plan based on your needs.

📍 Westminster, Colorado 🌐 verafertility.com 📧 @verafertility

In this episode of The Hormone Café, Dr. Sarah Pederson breaks down why sleep is one of the most powerful, yet overlooked, tools for hormone balance and fertility.

She explains how poor sleep directly impacts ovulation, egg quality, blood sugar, cortisol, and overall energy and shares simple, practical ways to improve your sleep starting tonight.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

😴 Why Sleep Is Critical for Hormones Sleep directly regulates your brain-to-ovary communication system. • Impacts ovulation and cycle regularity • Affects hormone production and balance • Supports uterine lining and implantation

🔁 The Link Between Sleep & Cortisol Poor sleep disrupts your stress hormone patterns. • Cortisol should be high in the morning, low at night • Sleep deprivation can cause fatigue or feeling “wired” • Leads to energy crashes and stress imbalance

💉 Blood Sugar & Insulin Effects Lack of sleep can worsen blood sugar control. • Increases insulin resistance • Leads to more cravings and energy dips • Especially important for PCOS and metabolic health

🧬 Sleep & Egg Quality Your body repairs and restores while you sleep. • Melatonin supports egg quality • Reduces oxidative stress • Improves overall reproductive health

⚠️ Signs Your Sleep May Be Affecting You • Fatigue despite “enough” hours • Weight that won’t budge • Irregular cycles • Poor energy or mood Sleep may be the missing piece

🌙 How to Improve Your Sleep Key habits that make the biggest difference: • Consistent sleep and wake times • Going to bed around 10 PM • Reducing screen time before bed • Morning sunlight exposure • Avoiding late-night eating and caffeine

🛏️ Create a Sleep-Friendly Routine • Cool, dark, quiet bedroom • Calm nighttime routine • Magnesium or calming teas if needed • Limit reliance on sleep aids

Weekly Challenge Pick one sleep habit to focus on this week, whether it’s an earlier bedtime, reducing screens at night, or getting morning sunlight.

Key Takeaways • Sleep directly impacts hormones, fertility, and energy • Poor sleep can disrupt cortisol and blood sugar • Egg quality improves with better sleep and recovery • Consistency matters more than occasional “catch-up” sleep • Small changes to your routine can make a big difference

Resources & Next Steps If you’re struggling with sleep, fatigue, or hormone imbalance, this could be a key piece of your health journey. Vera Health & Fertility offers personalized support to help you optimize your hormones and energy.

📍 Westminster, Colorado 🌐 verafertility.com 📧 @verafertility

In this episode of The Hormone Café, Dr. Sarah Pederson dives into one of the most overlooked tools in hormone and fertility health: learning how to truly listen to your body.

Through a powerful patient case, she explains how ignoring symptoms, pushing through discomfort, or following “one-size-fits-all” advice can actually delay healing and how tuning into your body can change everything.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

🧠 Why We’re Taught to Ignore Our Bodies Many people are conditioned to: • Push through fatigue • Ignore hunger or gut signals • Normalize painful cycles or PMS • Stay on medications that don’t feel right Your body is always communicating, we just have to listen

⚠️ Signs You’re Not Listening to Your Body Common patterns include: • Exercising too much or too little • Ignoring pain or discomfort • Forcing diets that don’t feel good • Powering through side effects These can lead to more imbalance over time

💛 Your Body Is Always Giving Feedback Symptoms are not random, they are signals: • Fatigue may mean you need rest or nourishment • Gut issues may point to food sensitivities • Painful cycles may indicate deeper imbalance Listening builds trust with your body

🧬 Why Personalization Matters What works for someone else may not work for you: • Supplements and medications should feel supportive • Diets should match your body’s needs • There is no one-size-fits-all approach

🔁 When to Go Back to the Basics If you feel overwhelmed or reactive: • Simplify your diet • Remove unnecessary supplements • Reintroduce things slowly • Track how your body responds

📊 The Power of Tracking Simple tracking can help you connect patterns: • Energy levels • Sleep quality • Cycle symptoms • Food reactions Awareness leads to better decisions

🌱 Gentle Adjustments Over Time You don’t need to fix everything at once: • Make small changes • Give your body time to respond • Build consistency and trust

Weekly Challenge Start a simple daily check-in. Write down your energy, mood, and any symptoms. Use this as your starting point to better understand your body.

Key Takeaways • Your body is always communicating with you • Symptoms are signals, not problems to ignore • You should not feel worse on treatments or protocols • Personalization is key to healing • Small, consistent adjustments create lasting change • Listening to your body builds long-term health

Resources & Next Steps If you feel disconnected from your body or unsure what your symptoms mean, we can help guide you. Vera Health & Fertility offers personalized care and cycle tracking support.

📍 Westminster, Colorado 🌐 verafertility.com 📧 @verafertility

In this episode of The Hormone Café, Dr. Sarah Pederson walks through one of the most discouraging parts of a health or fertility journey: feeling like you’re doing everything right, but nothing is changing.

Through a real patient case, she explains why progress can stall and how to reset your approach without burning out or giving up on your body.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

😔 Why Feeling “Stuck” Is So Common Even when you’re doing all the right things, you may still experience: • Fatigue and low energy • Irregular cycles • Difficulty getting pregnant Feeling stuck does not mean nothing is working

🧬 There May Be More Than One Root Cause Sometimes multiple issues are happening at once: • Hormone imbalances like PCOS • Chronic infections • Nutrient deficiencies like low iron • Ovulation issues Looking deeper can reveal what was missed

⚠️ Don’t Assume It’s Just One Diagnosis It’s easy to blame everything on one condition, but: • Multiple factors can exist at the same time • Treating only one issue may not resolve symptoms • A full-picture approach is key

⏳ Give Your Body Time to Heal Healing takes time, especially when: • Hormones need to rebalance • Infections need to clear • Nutrient stores need to rebuild Rushing the process can lead to frustration

⚖️ Avoid the “Do Everything” Trap When nothing feels like it’s working, it’s easy to: • Try too many things at once • Change plans constantly • Burn out Instead, simplify and focus

🔁 Go Back to the Basics Revisit the foundational habits: • Eating enough protein and balanced meals • Supporting blood sugar • Managing stress and cortisol • Getting quality sleep • Exercising appropriately

📊 Use Data to Guide You Tracking can help you adjust your plan: • Hormone tracking • Sleep tracking • Symptom tracking Use your data to refine, not restart

Weekly Challenge Pick 2 to 3 foundational habits to focus on this week. Keep it simple, stay consistent, and avoid overhauling everything at once.

Key Takeaways • Feeling stuck does not mean nothing is working • There are often multiple root causes to address • Doing more is not always better • Consistency and simplicity are key • Give your body time to respond • Stay grounded and trust the process

Resources & Next Steps If you feel stuck or overwhelmed in your health journey, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Vera Health & Fertility offers personalized support to help you move forward with clarity.

📍 Westminster, Colorado 🌐 verafertility.com 📧 @verafertility

In this episode of The Hormone Café, Dr. Sarah Pederson breaks down artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and “healthy” sugar substitutes that may be disrupting hormones, cravings, gut health, and fertility.

If you reach for diet soda, sugar-free snacks, flavored protein powders, or low-sugar treats thinking they’re healthier, this episode explains why those products may be sending mixed signals to your body.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

🍬 What Counts as Fake Sugar?

Common examples include:

• Aspartame
• Sucralose (Splenda)
• Saccharin
• Stevia
• Monk fruit blends
• Xylitol
• Erythritol
• Sorbitol

Many sugar alcohols end in -ol.

🧠 Why Sweeteners Can Increase Cravings

Sweet taste tells the brain energy is coming. When sweetness arrives without real fuel, it may lead to:

• More cravings
• Increased hunger
• Desire for sweeter foods
• Poor appetite regulation

💉 Blood Sugar & Insulin Effects

Some people still experience blood sugar spikes or insulin responses from sugar substitutes.

This may impact:

• Insulin sensitivity
• PCOS symptoms
• Ovulation
• Energy crashes

🦠 Gut Health Concerns

Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols may contribute to:

• Bloating
• Gas
• Microbiome disruption
• Digestive discomfort

🔥 Inflammation & Hormone Stress

Dr. Sarah explains that heavily processed additives may create extra stress on the body, which can affect:

• Egg quality
• Implantation environment
• Hormone balance
• Overall wellness

🚨 Where They Commonly Hide

Audit labels on:

• Protein bars
• Protein powders
• Diet sodas
• Gum and mints
• Electrolyte powders
• Coffee creamers
• Nut milks
• Yogurts
• Keto snacks
• Gummies
• Toothpaste
• Supplements and vitamins
• Sauces and dressings

Better Options

When choosing something sweet, consider real food sources in moderation:

• Fruit
• Dates
• Honey
• Maple syrup

The goal is reducing dependence on sweetness overall, not replacing sugar with fake sugar all day.

Weekly Challenge

Flip over labels this week and check what you use daily. Look for hidden sweeteners and choose cleaner, simpler ingredients when possible.

Key Takeaways

• “Sugar-free” does not always mean healthier
• Artificial sweeteners may increase cravings and disrupt balance
• Many products marketed as healthy still contain fake sweeteners
• Real food and moderation often beat processed substitutes
• Hormones thrive on consistency, not mixed signals

Resources & Next Steps

Need help simplifying nutrition, hormone health, or fertility support? Vera Health & Fertility offers personalized care plans.

📍 Westminster, Colorado 🌐 verafertility.com 📧 @verafertility