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The Wholesome Fertility Podcast

The Wholesome Fertility Podcast

By: Michelle | Fertility Wellness - Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Lifestyle
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Fertility podcast providing fertility boosting tips from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective along with fertility expert guests.The Wholesome Fertility Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • EP 393 The Iron Myth: What Every Woman Trying to Conceive Needs to Know with Samantha Chandler

    EP 393 The Iron Myth: What Every Woman Trying to Conceive Needs to Know with Samantha Chandler
    Jun 30 2026
    In this episode, Michelle sits down with Women's Wellness Coach Samantha Chandler for a conversation that may completely shift the way you think about iron, blood loss, and your body's wisdom. If you've been told you have low iron or low ferritin, especially while trying to conceive or during pregnancy, this episode offers a perspective that is rarely shared in mainstream care. Samantha walks us through how iron actually moves in the body, why bloodwork can be misleading, and why so many women are taking iron supplements without truly absorbing them. She explains the role of copper, vitamin A in the form of retinol, and ceruloplasmin in regulating iron, and why the body recycles iron rather than needing more of it from supplements. We also explore how heavy periods, postpartum hemorrhage, fatigue, hair loss, and even thyroid issues can all be connected to iron not moving properly through the system. This conversation is a beautiful reminder that the body is intelligent, that symptoms are messages, and that real healing often comes from supporting the body's natural rhythms rather than overriding them. Key Takeaways: • Why low iron on bloodwork does not always mean the body is actually low in iron • How copper, ceruloplasmin, and vitamin A in the form of retinol work together to move iron through the body • Why iron-fortified foods and iron supplements can interfere with the body's natural ability to recycle iron • The role of blood loss as one of the body's primary ways of regulating iron • How heavy periods, hair changes, fatigue, anxiety, and skin issues can all point back to iron dysregulation • Why whole food sources like beef liver, cod liver oil, and adrenal cocktails support the body better than synthetic supplements • A grounding reminder that the body is always communicating, and symptoms are messengers, not malfunctions Guest Bio: Samantha Chandler, also known as Wellness & Womb, is a Women's Wellness Coach who focuses on iron's movement in the body. Many women are told they are low in iron, but as Samantha teaches, low iron in the blood does not mean iron is low in the body. She coaches clients, health providers, and doctors on how iron actually moves so they can get to the root of the issues women are experiencing in their health. Samantha has worked with over one hundred women and consistently sees transformative results, all without iron supplements or iron infusions. Connect with Samantha: Website: wellnessandwomb.com Instagram: @wellnesswomb_ TikTok: @wellnessandwomb YouTube: @wellnesswomb_ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or fertility care. Ready to discover what your body needs most on your fertility journey? Take the personalized quiz inside The Wholesome Fertility Journey and get tailored resources to meet you exactly where you are: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/the-wholesome-fertility-journey For more about my work and offerings, visit: www.michelleoravitz.com Curious about ancient wisdom for fertility? Grab my book The Way of Fertility: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility Join the Wholesome Fertility Facebook Group for free resources & community support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/ Connect with me on social: Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertilityFacebook: The Wholesome Lotus
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    39 mins
  • Ep 392 The Second Clock Inside Your Body: The Rhythm Women Were Never Taught to Read

    Ep 392 The Second Clock Inside Your Body: The Rhythm Women Were Never Taught to Read
    Jun 23 2026
    Most women have been told their cycle is something to manage, track for fertility, or push through. What almost no one is saying is that your cycle is a second biological clock running inside your body at all times. The circadian rhythm is roughly 24 hours and is governed by light. The infradian rhythm is roughly 28 days and is governed by the menstrual cycle. Men have one main rhythm. Women have two. This is not a flaw in our design. It is added intelligence. In this solo episode, Michelle walks you through what is actually happening underneath the surface of each phase. Your brain structure shifts across the cycle. Your immune system, metabolism, insulin sensitivity, microbiome, and nervous system are all moving with you. You will learn why the same stressor can feel completely different from one week to the next, why luteal phase cravings are real signals and not willpower failures, and how to begin matching your work, food, and rest to the phase you are actually in. Whether you are trying to conceive or simply want to stop fighting your own body, this episode offers a more accurate map of how you are designed to function. Key Takeaways: Women have two main biological rhythms. The circadian rhythm is roughly 24 hours. The infradian rhythm is roughly 28 days and is governed by the menstrual cycle. Most lifestyle and research advice is built around the male 24-hour clock, which is part of why so many women feel exhausted. Your brain structure literally changes across the cycle. The hippocampus shifts in volume, connectivity between regions changes, and verbal fluency, spatial reasoning, and pain perception all move with the phases. Feeling like a different person at different times of the month is neurobiology, not emotional volatility. Your immune system is rhythmic. It is more active in the first half of the cycle and shifts after ovulation, when progesterone becomes mildly immunosuppressive to prepare the uterus for a possible embryo. This is why colds, autoimmune flares, and allergies can shift across the month. Basal metabolic rate rises slightly in the luteal phase, and insulin sensitivity changes. The same meal can land differently depending on where you are in your cycle. Luteal phase cravings are often a real signal of higher energy needs. The gut and vaginal microbiomes also shift cyclically with hormones. You are not a static system. Everything inside your body moves with you. Heart rate variability tends to be higher in the follicular phase and lower in the luteal phase. The same stressor can land very differently depending on when in the month it arrives. Your nervous system is operating from a different baseline. From a TCM perspective, the liver works harder in the luteal phase to prepare for menstruation, which can show up as more irritability, less energy, and stagnation when qi is not flowing freely. Working with the cycle is not just a fertility tool. It is a way of living that supports energy, focus, mood, and recovery across the entire month. Practical starting points: track more than your period (energy, sleep, mood, focus, hunger, stress response), match the work to the phase when possible, and eat in a way that responds to what your body is actually doing in each phase. Host Bio: Michelle Oravitz, L.Ac., FABORM, is a board-certified fertility acupuncturist, Ayurvedic practitioner, and author of The Way of Fertility. She is the host of The Wholesome Fertility Podcast, where she explores the intersection of Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern fertility science, nervous system health, and the deeper, often overlooked terrain of mind-body fertility. Through her clinical practice and online programs, Michelle works with women trying to conceive and with practitioners who want to bring a more holistic, integrated approach into their work. Research and Resources Cited: Brain structure and function changes across the menstrual cycle (hippocampal volume) Cyclical changes in hippocampal volume across the menstrual cycle Menstrual cycle effects on cognition: verbal fluency and spatial reasoning Pain perception and threat sensitivity across the menstrual cycle Progesterone and immune modulation in the luteal phase Basal metabolic rate variation across the menstrual cycle Insulin sensitivity and the menstrual cycle Gut microbiome variation across the menstrual cycle Vaginal microbiome shifts across the menstrual cycle Heart rate variability across the menstrual cycle Cortisol and HPA axis response across the menstrual cycle Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or fertility care. Ready to discover what your body needs most on your fertility journey? Take the personalized quiz inside The Wholesome Fertility Journey and get tailored resources to meet you exactly where ...
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    13 mins
  • Ep 391 The Hidden Conversation Inside Your Body That Could Be Affecting Your Fertility

    Ep 391 The Hidden Conversation Inside Your Body That Could Be Affecting Your Fertility
    Jun 16 2026
    There is a quiet conversation happening inside your body that may be shaping your fertility more than almost anything else you have been told to focus on. It is happening in your gut, your reproductive tract, and your uterus. Until recently, science assumed the uterus was sterile. We now know it is not, and the bacterial communities living in these three places are in constant communication with one another, influencing your hormones, your immune response, and your ability to conceive and carry a pregnancy. In this solo episode, Michelle walks you through what the research actually shows about the gut, vaginal, and uterine microbiomes, why this is one of the most overlooked pieces of the fertility puzzle, and what you can realistically do to support these ecosystems without falling into fear or expensive supplement spirals. You will learn why diversity is wonderful in the gut but not always ideal in the reproductive tract, how the estrobolome regulates your hormones, and how nervous system regulation, sleep, fiber, and fermented foods quietly shape the entire system. This is a grounded, science-backed conversation that gives you a clearer map of your own body. Key Takeaways: The uterus is not sterile. It has its own microbiome that influences implantation, pregnancy, and live birth rates. A reproductive tract dominated by Lactobacillus is associated with significantly better fertility outcomes, including higher IVF success and lower miscarriage and preterm birth rates. Diversity in the gut microbiome is healthy. In the uterus and lower reproductive tract, the opposite is true. A quieter, Lactobacillus-dominant environment is what supports fertility. The estrobolome, a collection of gut bacteria, regulates how your body metabolizes and clears estrogen. When it is off, estrogen can recirculate and contribute to issues like endometriosis, fibroids, and irregular cycles. Roughly 70 percent of your immune system lives in your gut, and gut inflammation can show up as uterine inflammation, affecting implantation. Antibiotics, hormonal birth control, chronic stress, poor sleep, and harsh products like douches and scented washes all disrupt these microbiomes. Foundational support is simple and accessible: a wide variety of plant fibers, real fermented foods, consistent sleep, nervous system regulation, and leaving the lower reproductive tract alone. Microbiome testing is now far more accessible and gives you specific information about your own body, so you can stop guessing and make targeted choices instead of throwing every wellness tool at the problem. Host Bio: Michelle Oravitz, L.Ac., FABORM, is a board-certified fertility acupuncturist, Ayurvedic practitioner, and author of The Way of Fertility. She is the host of The Wholesome Fertility Podcast, where she explores the intersection of Traditional Chinese Medicine, modern fertility science, nervous system health, and the deeper, often overlooked terrain of mind-body fertility. Through her clinical practice and online programs, Michelle works with women trying to conceive and with practitioners who want to bring a more holistic, integrated approach into their work. Research and Resources Cited: The endometrial microbiome and its impact on reproductive outcomes Evidence that the endometrial microbiota has an effect on implantation success or failure Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal microbiome and pregnancy outcomes The vaginal microbiome and preterm birth Estrobolome: the gut microbiome and estrogen metabolism The gut microbiome and the female reproductive system Vagus nerve, gut-brain axis, and reproductive health Antibiotic use and the female microbiome Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or fertility care. Ready to discover what your body needs most on your fertility journey? Take the personalized quiz inside The Wholesome Fertility Journey and get tailored resources to meet you exactly where you are: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/the-wholesome-fertility-journey For more about my work and offerings, visit: www.michelleoravitz.com Curious about ancient wisdom for fertility? Grab my book The Way of Fertility: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility Join the Wholesome Fertility Facebook Group for free resources & community support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/ Connect with me on social: Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility Facebook: The Wholesome Lotus
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    14 mins
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