How to Prepare for Pregnancy Mentally & Physically
Episode 133
Originally launched as a webinar, this week Integrative Wellness Radio is giving you an episode on how to prepare for pregnancy. Dr. Nicole and her guest discuss the best nutrients to facilitate fertility, how you may need to detox before “trying”, and the all too common topic of infertility. Dr. Nicole explains the potential root causes of infertility & how mentally preparing for pregnancy is just as important as preparing for it physically. This episode debunks some of the widespread misinformation around pregnancy and gives you an inside look at Dr. Nicole’s very own pregnancy. Interested in working with IWG? Book a complimentary consult call to learn more using this link: https://bit.ly/IWRcall2021 Noteworthy Time Stamps: 01:30 Dr. Nicole’s personal story 08:38 You can’t give what you don’t have 10:30 The elephant in the room (it’s stress) 11:40 Coreen’s pregnancy journey 15:03 Uncommon causes + contributing factors of infertility 18:15 Infertility is not just a hormone issue 21:55 Systemic inflammation and endometriosis 25:48 Everyday toxins and hormone disrupters 41:00 Morning sickness? Bad blood sugar 43:14 Infertility is not bad luck 44:50 Asking for help 46:32 Q&A
Topics: unknown, pregnancy, infertility, nicole, integrative, mentally, detox, root
Key takeaways from this episode
- Nick and Dr. **Unknown:** Nicole to learn more about the top trends in integrative medicine, to learn about what the limitations are with testing, and what you can do to start your health journey.
- So we work side by side here at Integrative Wellness Group- Mm-hmm ... and we are actually bringing you two very different stories about pregnancy, pregnancy preparation, fertility, infertility, really all of the above.
- So it's really a matter of understanding this is potentially happening for a reason, or it is happening for a reason, um, and how this is also can coincide with things that are happening mentally and emotionally, and not just physiologically.
- So we're definitely excited about talking about this, um- But before we do, I have to congratulate you and Dr. **Unknown:** Nick.
- I don't know this story. **Unknown:** Um, so it was over a year ago that, you know, we, we started trying.
Pull quotes
Imagine if medicine actually looked at you as a whole opposed to looking at you as a bunch of separate systems.
Nick and Dr. **Unknown:** Nicole to learn more about the top trends in integrative medicine, to learn about what the limitations are with testing, and what you can do to start your health journey.
Sometimes I tend to lose myself when I'm out here on the- All right, everyone Welcome ... welcome. **Unknown:** Uh, so I'm Dr.
Transcript
**Unknown:** I been up all night, no sleep. Imagine if medicine actually looked at you as a whole opposed to looking at you as a bunch of separate systems. Dive into Integrative Wellness Radio with Dr. Nick and Dr.
**Unknown:** Nicole to learn more about the top trends in integrative medicine, to learn about what the limitations are with testing, and what you can do to start your health journey. I'm always dreaming. Sometimes I tend to lose myself when I'm out here on the- All right, everyone Welcome ... welcome.
**Unknown:** Uh, so I'm Dr. Nicole. I am here with Corrine. Hey, guys.
**Unknown:** I'm Corrine. So we work side by side here at Integrative Wellness Group- Mm-hmm ... and we are actually bringing you two very different stories about pregnancy, pregnancy preparation, fertility, infertility, really all of the above. Um, so our goal tonight is to have you guys walk away with some really interesting insights, uh, because unfortunately, infertility is becoming such a prevalent thing.
**Unknown:** Um, and women are often feeling extremely powerless and not knowing what's happening, and it's a very defeating and disempowering- Yeah ... feeling. So it's really a matter of understanding this is potentially happening for a reason, or it is happening for a reason, um, and how this is also can coincide with things that are happening mentally and emotionally, and not just physiologically. So we're definitely excited about talking about this, um- But before we do, I have to congratulate you and Dr.
**Unknown:** Nick. You know, she announced her pregnancy- Yes ... so this is very exciting news, and I think that's one of the way... m- one of the main reasons as why we wanted to do this for- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** everybody to kind of, you know, watch your journey and- Yeah ... and then explain, like, I have a total, like you said- Yeah ... totally different journey. So this will be, um, a really fun webinar, I think.
**Unknown:** Yeah. So we have two totally different stories, and we're definitely excited about sharing that. And obviously, our goal is not to gloat about the fact that I am pregnant, but to really share the story around it because it's... You know, I'm going to just honestly be very transparent and very vulnerable about it because it wasn't just like, "Oh my God, it happened," and it was amazing and everything, all the stars aligned.
**Unknown:** Um, so with that being said, let- let's just get into it. So for myself, uh, you know, I- I'm 14 weeks now, but, uh, Nick and I tried over a year ago. I don't even think you know this story. I don't know this story.
**Unknown:** Um, so it was over a year ago that, you know, we, we started trying. And obviously, you all know what I do- ... or most of you know what I do, and I am a master of, you know, integrative health, and I have all the testing in the world, and I know, you know, how to figure out some of the most complex cases. The human computer.
**Unknown:** Um, yeah, the hu- The human computer is what they call me. Baby calculator. And, um, you know, I really pride myself on, on what I do. So in the event that I was trying and nothing was happening was a very interesting scenario, and it really plays on your emotions.
**Unknown:** But an interesting sidebar is that when I was young... I don't think many people really know this. I remember when I was young saying... And this was after I started having my cycle.
**Unknown:** I remember saying, "I think that the day that I try to get pregnant, it's not gonna happen." I said the same thing. Yeah. Yeah. I, I don't know why.
**Unknown:** Did you know why? Um, I think it was an instinctual, uh, feeling. I... But I was also very athletic, so having- Mm-hmm ...
**Unknown:** a baby was, like, something just not in the cards for me. I was like- Yeah ... "Oh, it'll just ruin my life." Yeah. Well- It's just not gonna be easy, so I just listened.
**Unknown:** I also kind of felt the same way. You know, it was definitely not something that... I never even thought I was gonna get married. I was just such, you know, entrepreneurial focused and really just kind of selfish, honestly.
**Unknown:** Not necessarily emotional component, but- Yeah. So, you know, I had this lingering in the back of my mind, so when it wasn't happening, I was like, "Oh my gosh, I was right. My intuition was right." And then obviously, I started, you know, doing my own testing and realizing, you know, I, I, I have some work to do, but I've already done so much work on myself. Like, you know, what's wrong?
**Unknown:** Like, what's wrong- Yes ... with me? Did I cur- did I curse myself by saying that- Yeah ... too many times?
**Unknown:** Yeah. And I know that that's a lot of the verbiage that, you know, women are using is, "What's wrong with me?" And it's... They're, they're at least saying that before they even consider, you know, "Is there something maybe going on with my husband as well?" Like, "What's wrong with me? This is what I'm supposed to do.
**Unknown:** I am supposed to be able to, you know, reproduce." And we spiral mentally into- Mm ... you know, what could be, you know, wrong with us. And it's interesting because I feel like I was really close to getting to that place of, "What's wrong with me?" And, "I need to do more testing," and, "Maybe I will have to do fertility treatment." And I took a step back, and I just was like, "No, I know better than this. There's something...
**Unknown:** There's a reason. There's a reason why this is happening. Maybe it's my health. Maybe it's physiological.
**Unknown:** Maybe it's timing." Mm. You know? Maybe it's something along those lines. And we took a pause, and it was interesting because through that time, you know, Corrine knows, I ended up going on a protocol totally by default- ...
**Unknown:** because I got introduced to a company that everyone was raving about, and I started taking some of their products. It's parasites. I'm gonna totally gross you guys all out so hard right now. It's, it's a good story.
**Unknown:** But literally, I passed a two-foot parasite twice. Yes. So- But this... Yeah.
**Unknown:** This... People are like, "What the hell?" Like, "This is not even real." So yes, parasites are real. Yes, they come from sushi. They come from swimming in the water.
**Unknown:** They come from contaminated water. They come from-... eating beef and fast food. They come from a million things.
**Unknown:** Oh. But parasites are very interesting because they have a tendency to also play a role on your mental and emotional state. Yeah. And what did you say when we were reading that by Louise Hayes?
**Unknown:** Oh, gosh. The, for the parasites? Yeah. It w- I can't even remember what I said.
**Unknown:** It's, they're primarily, like, leeching... They're, they're, you're holding onto something that is leeching energy- Sucking ... from you. Yeah, like the worm.
**Unknown:** And yeah. And it's just interesting because when that happened and I was able to clear that out, I remember just feeling this sense of, I just released shit that I was holding on emotionally. Yeah. Because everyone's like, "Wow, you must feel amazing.
**Unknown:** Your gut must feel great." And I was like, "No, I don't really feel any different in that realm. What I feel different with is I feel like I was finally ready to release things that were sucking me energetically and emotionally." Yeah. Not even the nutritional aspect of it. No, not at all.
**Unknown:** So that was a really interesting thing that happened, and I really feel like that was kind of step one. And then step two was I started, um, actually taking some different supplements that I tested for that were more in, like, the nutritional family, and these were things that I just felt, like, subtle changes. And, like, my hair started, you know, changing, and my mood started changing. And it was really just giving my body nutrients that it was missing, and this was just basic vitamins and minerals.
**Unknown:** But also, the biggest thing that I, that shifted for me was the business. Yes. And I took myself out of the business. Yeah.
**Unknown:** You let go- Um ... you let go a little. Yeah, I let go. I started to become a leader to my people.
**Unknown:** I delegated things off my plate, and I really started to... I, you know, I was working 90-hour weeks. I was, I was killing myself. You think that that was the right time to get pregnant?
**Unknown:** Like, I- I- I intuitively wanted it, but I would've panicked. You didn't, you weren't, you didn't prep your life. No. You were prepping your body, but you weren't prepping your life.
**Unknown:** And then There... And then it would've just been such an added stressor because there was no foundation for it. Mm-hmm. Like, I was one of the primary people running a program here, and if I was out, then there was gonna be a lack of revenue.
**Unknown:** Like, there were so many things from a timing perspective, from a life perspective. I didn't even have health insurance. Like, there were so many things. So what I challenge you to think about is are there factors in your life that are the limiting factor for why this is happening?
**Unknown:** Because we often want a child to fill a void that we have. And I'm not saying this in a bad way, don't get emotional about it. What I mean by that is we might have a void that we feel abandoned from our childhood. We might have a void that we don't feel like we're getting nurtured or loved, and we are looking for that in a child.
**Unknown:** But what we don't realize is that that child is just gonna be a reflection of the things that are not healed within us. And then this is going to lead to different issues down the line. But one of the things we were talking about is you can't give what you don't have. Yeah.
**Unknown:** Emotionally, physically, everything. And that's one of the things that I really do, uh, see a lot. I have a lot of parents that are, are always saying, "Oh, you know, I didn't know, uh, love until I had a child," and I, I don't really think that's the truth. I know very many people with- without children that have a huge capacity to love.
**Unknown:** Yeah. I really do believe once you have that child, that child is the mirror- Mm-hmm ... to any kind of inadequacies, any kind of... Well, so your strengths as well.
**Unknown:** But if you haven't dealt with your shit- Yeah ... it's, that, that, that child will be the mirror for that. Yeah. And so that's where we have to prep- Mm-hmm ...
**Unknown:** prioritize yourself, prio- prioritize your health- Yeah ... your, your relationships, your community, before you go ahead and target, um, something that is gonna be growing inside of you. 100%. And we're gonna get more into the physiological components as to what can be going on in your body from deficiencies to toxicities, so on and so forth, that can limit the ability to have a pregnancy and hold a pregnancy.
**Unknown:** But we do not want to overlook the elephant in the room because there are many women that I have worked with that their goal was to become pregnant, but when I started to dig into their stress level and the, the patterns of their life, they were... I was like, "It doesn't really sound like a baby fits into the mold right now. As much as you want it, your stress level's through the roof. You're burning the candle at both ends.
**Unknown:** You're taking care of everyone else except for yourself. This visit you have today is the first time that you've taken care of yourself or taken a step for yourself in the past 10, 15, 20 years, and you're literally working 90 hours a week, commuting, so on and so forth. Like, this is not... Like, you can take all the supplements in the world- Right ...
**Unknown:** and you can detox, and you can do all of those things, but you will hit into a roadblock, and you're going to continually be disappointed." Yeah. And the baby isn't going to fix it. You're not gonna, uh... "Well, when the baby comes, I'll slow down." Yeah.
**Unknown:** When the... But it, it's just like- Yeah ... hey, I said that about my business for, like, 10 years. Yeah.
**Unknown:** No, it's a different- Next year I'll slow down. Yeah, it doesn't work that way. Yeah. It doesn't work that way.
**Unknown:** No. Well, I want you to share a little bit about yourself because your story is completely different. Yeah. And I...
**Unknown:** Well, and that's where it's like, you know, love is love. Once you realize that there is this spirit baby that is coming to you, it doesn't matter how that child comes in- into play. Yeah. So I know a lot of people who are fighting with their infertility, and they're fighting and fighting and fighting for this child, and then they forget what they're fighting about.
**Unknown:** Yeah. Um, I actually, um, tried, uh-Pregnancy through, um, in IVF. Mm-hmm. Um, my husband and I, and that did not work for me.
**Unknown:** Um, we actually tried that with, um, donated, uh, eggs. Mm-hmm. So when the donated eggs didn't work, they wanted to try donated o- um, embry- uh, embryos. Mm-hmm.
**Unknown:** And then I'm like, "Well, I'm, I- I'm basically a- adopting an embryo, so I will adopt a child." Yeah. Um, and I had to go through a lot of, um, uh, soul searching to try and get over that feeling of I... Well, I just... It wasn't about, uh, if, it was about when.
**Unknown:** They just tell you- Mm-hmm ... "You're, you're a woman. You'll be able to get pregnant." Yeah. "It's not gonna be a problem." So I thought, you know, by the time I'm gonna have my pregnancy, I'll, I'll have my...
**Unknown:** I'll have a baby, and it'll be in my belly, and then it'll be fine. But, um, I, I had a lot of growing up to do to try and get rid of that, uh, thought process that it had to come through- Mm-hmm ... my body. And about that time, um, they'll probably hear, "Hey, girls" I had two really, really close friends get pregnant at the same time when I was trying to ha- go through IVF.
**Unknown:** They had miserable pregnancies. They had really, really hu- tough time. Yeah. And it helped me actually to look at them and realize that it's not all moon- like moonbeams and rainbows and unicorns.
**Unknown:** It was... It's, it's, it's sometimes very difficult. And for me, it helped me to let go of having to have my own child. And we went through the adoption process, and I have a beautiful, uh, son, Max.
**Unknown:** Hey, Max. And you look at this child, you hold this child, and you are sucked up into this vortex, and it does not matter. He has no blood of mine or my s- my husband's, and he is my son. And so I've been able to go through that whole journey of letting it go, and, and moving on.
**Unknown:** And not... And, and, and not blaming, and not, um, guilting my- Yeah ... myself or my family- Mm-hmm ... for this because, yeah, maybe it wasn't my choice, but it ended up being the best thing in the...
**Unknown:** for the best timing and the best- Mm-hmm ... uh, connection and, uh, match that could ever... I've ever hoped for. But you can rec- correct me if I'm wrong, but, like, through your journey, like, there was such a focus on fertility- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** but no one was really looking beyond that, correct? Oh, gosh, no. There was no quality of life. Yeah.
**Unknown:** Like, if, if I, if I would've gotten pregnant, I would've probably not survived- Yeah. Yeah ... because, um, of just nobody really was checking on, um- The other layers ... the, the huge amount of physical, um, ailments that were going on inside of me at the time.
**Unknown:** Yeah. And that's something that I wanna get into now is, like, as we're, you know, navigating this conversation, and really one of the things I wanna preface with is that you don't know what you don't know. And there is a lot of information out there, but there's a lot of misinformation that's out there. And, you know, we are living in a world right now where infertility is extremely prevalent, and it's becoming kind of a normal conversation when you're meeting new people or out to dinner.
**Unknown:** And it's amazing that women are able to share these vulnerabilities with each other. But there's no one necessarily out there speaking on behalf of why. Why is this happening? And why is this happening within the past decade to even past 15 years?
**Unknown:** Because this was definitely not as prevalent, you know, 20 years ago. Well, and with IVF, that's the fix. Yes. Yes.
**Unknown:** And, and that's the fix. And it's not really fixing anything. It's actually adding to a lot of the issues. So we have definitely worked, um, in tandem with a variety of different cases that have come through our doors.
**Unknown:** And, you know, we have had the ability to do further diagnostic testing with individuals to really see, like, what is going on in this person's body? Like, what could be the factor that is limiting their ability to get pregnant? And this has been interesting 'cause it really has been different across the board. Yeah.
**Unknown:** And really getting into some of that. So first and foremost, this is just foundational information that's really important for you guys as we get into the next few slides. But first and foremost is that when we are talking about fertility, we are talking about a specialty. We're talking about a specialty of obstetrics and gynecology, and then we are talking about a specialty of fertility.
**Unknown:** So they are focused on hormones, hormones, hormones, and they might be also looking at if there is, um, anatomical or physical roadblocks like endometriosis or fibroid tissue, so on and so forth. But they're often not considering is there some type of infectious disease? Is there some type of toxicity? Is there something else that's happening that could contribute to the body being in a place that it's going into protective mode?
**Unknown:** That it's saying, "No, no, this is not a good environment for a baby to develop"? So that's something that you need to keep in the back of your mind as we are navigating through this conversation, is that fertility issues is not bad luck and bad genes. It is about there is something going on in your body that your body is throwing up a red flag saying, "No, no, this is not a good environment" or, and/or, "You do not have enough to give because you are already depleted." So what did we say? Yeah.
**Unknown:** Going back to the same. You cannot give what you don't have. So this is going to be physiologically, but this is also mentally and emotionally. So if that baby is to help you finally feel joy or finally feel love or finally feel nurture- Fix a marriage.
**Unknown:** Yes. Doesn't work that way. It doesn't work that way. I think we, we know this deep down, but sometimes, like you said, is we, we forget what we're fighting for- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** and we, we lose track of it. So-Hormones. This is gonna be the big conversation is, well, it's hormones, hormones, hormones, and that's all you're gonna hear is there's something wrong with your hormones. And yes, there might be, but I will say this with confidence, is that your hormones are always a byproduct of something else that is dysfunctioning in your bodies.
**Unknown:** Yes. So one, is that your liver's jacked up. So guess what? Uh, I would say you look at the blood work with me, and I would say we're probably- Right ...
**Unknown:** at, like, 90% of people that have autoimmune liver conditions. Yeah, liver's a big one. Yeah. Um, gallbladder, liver.
**Unknown:** Yeah. So your liver- It's like a constant filter ... it's ... Yeah, it's the giant filter.
**Unknown:** So you get exposed to something in your environment, which unfortunately we all are getting exposed to things in our environment. There are pesticides on everything we eat. There's contaminants in our water. There is chemicals in your personal products.
**Unknown:** Your liver's the giant filter that's constantly filtering out the crap, but it's like using a vacuum, and filter gets more and more full, and then the ... It's really nothing wrong with the vacuum, it's just- It's backed up ... it's maxed. It's just backed up.
**Unknown:** Yeah. It's getting ... It's ... And then it's gonna affect everything, uh, downstream.
**Unknown:** Exactly. So your liver metabolizes extra estrogen. So if you cannot metabolize that, you go into what we call hyperestrogenism. And then it's a toxin on top of a toxin.
**Unknown:** So estrogen- Exactly ... is always And that's what leads to PMS, really uncomfortable periods. It can lead to breast tenderness, fibrocystic breasts. It can even lead to polycystic ovarian syndrome.
**Unknown:** So you have a cascade effect when you have an excess amount of estrogen. And it doesn't even have to be an excess amount, it just imbal- an, an imbalance between that and progesterone- Exactly ... and testosterone. Exactly.
**Unknown:** Because it's a seesaw with a lot of them. Right. Is that if one's out of range, then the others are going to come out of balance. Right.
**Unknown:** And this is kind of going into the cortisol. Mm-hmm. So think of cortisol, keep it simple. It's a stress hormone.
**Unknown:** Yeah. So it's also the hormone that wakes you up in the morning. So all of you that have sleep troubles, you could easily have an imbalance in your cortisol, and then what happens is that you get a condition called pregnenolone steal. So what that means is pregnenolone either makes your progesterone or it makes your cortisol.
**Unknown:** And again, if you're running on empty and your body's, like, pretty much running on adrenaline- Fight or flight ... fight or flight- Yeah ... or your sleep is terrible, then it's like, "Sorry progesterone, we don't have time for you. We gotta make more cortisol because this person is not slowing down." Right.
**Unknown:** Your progesterone goes down, estrogen in turn looks a lot higher than it should be. 100%. So this is going back to stress and lifestyle. This was my situation is I was running myself ragged.
**Unknown:** I don't even know if I had cortisol to give anymore. It was just like my adrenals were, like, dead in the water. Yeah, I think that was me. Yeah.
**Unknown:** So it was just like my body was like, "No." Yeah. Like, "You have nothing to give, sorry." Yeah. Another big one too is systemic inflammation. So for those of you that have chronic pain or you just kind of feel like there's a lot of aches, pains, stiffness, you know, people always say like, "I feel like I'm 80 years old in the morning." Yeah.
**Unknown:** Like, it's really hard to get moving, is that your systemic inflammation is actually going to deplete your progesterone levels. Well, and that's that ... And endometriosis is which I, what I had. Mm-hmm.
**Unknown:** And so that is inflammation. And a lot of women have endometriosis, don't even know they have endometriosis, won't know- Mm-hmm ... and you can't find out from a pelvic exam. So, um, that is the, one of the main inflammations that I had.
**Unknown:** And for those of you that don't know what endometriosis is- It doesn't help ... uh, for those of you that don't know what endometriosis is, that's really when you have an abundance of tissue that it, it's really not even around the uterus. It could be around the uterus, the ovaries. Sometimes the tissue is so thick that it could bind to your bladder.
**Unknown:** Yes. It can bind to your intestines. And that's what happened to me. Yep.
**Unknown:** It is, it's the, like, the lining of the uterus is growing outside of the uterus and it's- Yep ... almost, like, squeezing. And- So that's the thing though is because for you, you know, we obviously didn't work together at that point in time- Oh, yeah. Way before ...
**Unknown:** but did you have gut issues that was causing inflammation there which was then translating leaching out of the gut, getting into the pelvic bowl and enhancing that tissue growth? Was it in the bladder that you had reoccurring UTIs? So many women have that. Or reoccurring yeast infections, u- reoccurring bacterial vaginosis, and then that is contributing to the inflammation and the tissue growth.
**Unknown:** So- And y- and I even think it was a spinal injury too. Yeah. That- 100%. So, like- 100%.
**Unknown:** There's so many different, uh, different areas that can affect, um, just the nerve endings that then have the- Mm-hmm ... fallopian tubes. The blood flow. You know?
**Unknown:** The blood flow. Yeah. 100%. If you're not getting proper blood flow, then you're not getting proper detox of those organs.
**Unknown:** Oh, yeah. For sure. So that's the thing. And, um, and even, like, veins.
**Unknown:** Like, if you have bulging veins in your legs or even in your groin, that's a sign that you're not getting proper, uh, detox- Right ... away from your reproductive organs. So this is something that you really need to take more seriously because I feel like vein issues are kind of like, "Oh, if they get bad enough, we'll just do a vein surgery- Yes ... and we'll laser them," end of story.
**Unknown:** And it's like your veins are your garbage disposal essentially. And it's next to the lymph, which is another huge- Yep ... like, component to, to getting things out. And, um, and when you got w- the razor burn and the, and then the just that inflammation in the groin.
**Unknown:** Yes. Bumps on the bikini line I always say. And don't freak out. If you have bumps on your bikini line, everyone, it's just if you have bumps on the bikini line- It could be bad or it's just- ...
**Unknown:** and then you're pressing in there, 'cause, like, I was a l- lunatic when I was young and I was like, "I have cancer again." And I was just like- The nodules. Yeah. The little nodules. Yeah.
**Unknown:** But it was, it was my lymph nodes that were constantly inflamed 'cause I had chronic UTIs.So these are things to all take into con- consideration. Another thing too is I highly recommend checking out our podcast that we did. Um, it was actually, it- I was talking about CEOs, but it wasn't really just about CEOs, it was about individuals that are just, like, busy. Wow.
**Unknown:** You could be a busy mom, you could be a busy business owner, you could be a busy executive, you could just be busy, which is most people, and how that can mess with your blood sugar, but how you're completely unaware. 'Cause everyone's thinking like, "Oh, if I go to get my physical, they would tell me if I'm pre-diabetic, diabetic." But what's happening is most people are low blood sugar- Right ... putting themselves on the, the- Spikes ... the spikes.
**Unknown:** Mm-hmm. And then this is something that will completely destroy your hormones. Right. 100%.
**Unknown:** And it, and it's also something that does... It, it takes a while. It's sneaky. Yeah.
**Unknown:** So you can go long-term, probably years of spiking your, your blood sugar, and it's... and then you're like, "Ah." Like, you know, it's- One of the signs is you're not hungry in the morning. If you're the person that's almost, like, nauseous in the morning, aversion to food in the morning, like, you have serious blood sugar issues. So definitely listen to the podcast 'cause it's, it's a whole topic in itself, but that can play a very specific role in your hormones.
**Unknown:** Because if that happens, you become insulin resistant. This ramps up your testosterone and you're more likely to get endometriosis or cysts on your ovaries. And it compounds any inflammation. Yes.
**Unknown:** 100%. Just makes it so much worse. 100%. So one of the things that we briefly mentioned before is that we are getting exposed to things every day.
**Unknown:** And like, I don't say this to freak you guys out, but you have to really understand the reality of what we are working with in this world. And there are so many things in our food industry that are ramping up our exposure to estrogen. And we're not talking soy and soy milk. Right.
**Unknown:** No. It's, I mean, it's within the cans, it's within, uh, you know, how they prepare the food, and then it's within the way they treat the food. So the- Yeah ... the treating of the food, even before it's, it's coming into the market.
**Unknown:** Yeah. Well, one thing too that I thought was really relevant, when I was in school, I remember a teacher said, "Oh, if you have bad cramps, go vegan the week before your diet." And I started thinking- Before your period? Or... Yeah.
**Unknown:** Go, uh, go vegan the week before your period and it'll decrease your cramps. And I did it, and it worked wonders. Interesting. And it wasn't just about the hormones that they give the animals, 'cause they do give growth hormone to the animals so that they grow larger- Right ...
**Unknown:** and they get more money for them. But secondary to that, an animal has hormones. Oh, true. So if you end up eating a female animal, then you are definitely getting exposed just to the hormones of the animal.
**Unknown:** Mm-hmm. And also, when animals are getting slaughtered, they have heightened- Stressed ... cortisol, heightened adrenaline. So yes, I'm not a vegetarian or a vegan, but I definitely try to be conscious of where I'm purchasing meat from, uh, because of the farming practices.
**Unknown:** Well, and I took a big, I took a big year break and I- uh, right after my last surgery, I was a vegan, and I think that really did help clear some things up. But now, you know, I'm back to eating meat. Well, one of the interesting things is when you all sit, sit here are like, "I'm going vegan." Um, so if you're a wine drinker, um, something that I personally learned, but I was very sad about, is that- ... when you're dealing with, um, wines that are not grown with the best practices, is that a lot of wine will grow with, um, mold on it, or what we call mycotoxins.
**Unknown:** And there are certain mycotoxins that are classified as mycoestrogens. Ooh. So you could just be like, "I'm completely a vegan, but I love my wine," and you can actually be exposed to mycoestrogens specifically through that. Wow.
**Unknown:** So this is something to keep in mind. And personally, for myself, uh, well, not anymore, but, um, I focus more on Italian and French wines because their practices are completely different when it comes to, um, monitoring for fungus and mold invasion of the vines. Ooh. Yeah.
**Unknown:** That's really cool. So it's not, you know, the organic is not, um... It's organic grapes, but they're not necessarily monitoring for the fungus. The molds and the fungus.
**Unknown:** Exactly. So we talked about how, you know, mentally and emotionally not being in the best place can be a m- like, major limiting factor to getting pregnant. And yes, circumstances play a role. So that could be, you know, you're working 90 hours a week or you're like so stressed about the pregnancy or you have anxiety about, "Will my kid be healthy?
**Unknown:** Will my kid not be healthy?" Or like, "Does my husband really want this baby?" Or whatever your thought process is. But there's also just the general, you know, the general imbalances that can happen that can lead us to feel lack of joy or can f- uh, have us feel, um, not motivated- Right ... or have addictions to wine or- ... cigarettes or whatever the case may be.
**Unknown:** Um, we're bringing this up because one of the things that's really interesting is having excess serotonin- Mm-hmm ... which everyone would be like, "That would be awesome, 'cause wouldn't I be super happy all the time?" But excess serotonin can actually make you very anxious. So someone who has a long-standing use of antidepressants, if you have excess serotonin, you can have excess estrogen buildup. Mm.
**Unknown:** And as we've stated before, is that this can cause issues. So another big one is, is dopamine. So having low dopamine can affect your luteinizing hormone, which will then affect your progesterone levels. So dopamine is one of the typical things that is low with addiction.
**Unknown:** Yeah. Um, and some people have good addictions and some people... Or I should say good addictions. Well, or even just a mindset addiction.
**Unknown:** Yeah. You know, something that just keeps playing over and over and over and over. Yes, 100%. Yeah.
**Unknown:** But it's just some people are, like, crazy addicted to exercise even. Yes. And it's like, you know, exercising is a healthy practice, but if you're like, "I have to exercise three times a day," that becomes an unhealthy, unhealthy mental practice. Yeah.
**Unknown:** And I, and I truly believe that it's when your heart and your mind are not congruent- Mm-hmm ... that addiction really comes into play. So it's, this is... And that's where it's-Prepping your life and prepping your emotions for something is, is deep as a child.
**Unknown:** Yeah. No, 100%. And as we mentioned before is one of the biggest driving forces behind testosterone imbalances is going to be blood sugar issues. Yeah.
**Unknown:** And that will ramp up your testosterone, uh, which one of the typical things you'll see as a female is hair growth, um, on your chin, even if it's one little dangly one. Um, and very often you can even see, um, hair on, like, your nipple area, and this is very typical of your testosterone going up, but this makes you more susceptible to developing cysts on the ovaries. Yeah, and then the PCOS is a lot, a lot of the, um, doctors we... they really see them adding birth control into the mix- Mm-hmm ...
**Unknown:** for that, and then sometimes that can cause a different kind of storm. 100%. And we've talked about this a little bit so far, but, um, some of these specific hormones, uh, or the some of the specific toxins that are gonna affect your hormones, there are, um, things in your personal products that are actually classified as hormone disruptors. Um, I don't know which app you like, but Think Dirty is- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** the one that I like. That's the one where you can take the picture? Yeah. Mm-hmm.
**Unknown:** Yeah. That's the one I like. So Think Dirty is a free app that you can download, and you can actually start analyzing the personal products that you use, and we're talking shampoos, conditioners, lotions, perfumes, so on and so forth. And this will actually tell you if you're using things that have hormone disruptors in it because unfortunately most things have hormone disruptors in it.
**Unknown:** Yeah. So this is why you're seeing shampoos now with paraben-free, phthalate-free. You're seeing your water bottles BPA-free. Right.
**Unknown:** Um, and just remember, we all used this stuff before we heard that it was bad. Yeah. So you usually need to detox it out of your body even despite you might not be doing it anymore. Right.
**Unknown:** That's true. It sticks around for a while. And then- Yeah ... and that's, and that's a thing too.
**Unknown:** It's like, uh, you're not gonna be able to find the face wash at the dollar store. It's just- Yeah ... not gonna happen. Yeah.
**Unknown:** Yeah. Yeah, the overpriced crap that I buy. Yeah. Oh, gosh.
**Unknown:** I mean, it's gonna be a little pricey. Castile soap, guys. Dr. Bronner's.
**Unknown:** It's like, I don't know, 10 bucks. Go for that. And then I went and got a facial, and she was, like, horrified that that's what I use on my face. She's like...
**Unknown:** I think she wanted to be like, "What are you, like, a child?" Like- "Like, who does this?" ... Irish Spring or something. Nobody does that. I was like, "I use Dr.
**Unknown:** Bronner's for everything." Oh, cool. She's like, "Okay." She's like, "Why don't you buy this lotion?" For hundreds of dollars. Yeah, pretty much. She's like, "Get out of here.
**Unknown:** Don't come back." Um, so another thing that I wanted to make note of, and, and we briefly grazed over this. So we were talking about, you know, your endometriosis, and something else that's really important to understand is that there is a role in surgical procedures- Right ... C-sections, and even, even the use of tampons, honestly. But when we're talking about scar tissue that can build up, like, women sometimes will have a child, have an emergency C-section, have a botched C-section- Oh, yeah ...
**Unknown:** scar that's, you know, kind of jagged, and they have a lot of that scar tissue, and now they're finding that their second go-around, it's a little harder- Right ... to get pregnant. Well, and the white blood cells are always checking in on those scar tissues. Yes.
**Unknown:** It's never, it's never ending for those white blood cells. And then the white blood cells can have intracellular bacteria. They can have, uh, heavy metals. Yes.
**Unknown:** So they may be going there and just checking in on a, on a scar but causing a little bit more, um, havoc than needs to, to happen. 100%. And then the scars go so deep. I mean, you're just seeing the line that's superficial, but, um, it has been cut.
**Unknown:** Mm-hmm. So there is a... There are deep scars within, um, the pelvic area. Yeah.
**Unknown:** No. And, and even someone who's had to get a laparoscope surgery, like, there's definitely potentially scar tissue from that. Oh, yeah. Definitely.
**Unknown:** Um, hernia. Mm-hmm. Um, I know hernias are definitely more prevalent in men, but, um, these are all things to, to take into consideration. And like you said is, you know, I can't tell you how many times I messed up my tailbone from snowboarding and falling like a dumb-dumb.
**Unknown:** But anyway Yeah. Um, like, things like this can seem so small to you, and it can seem, like, absolutely irrelevant. I'm like, really? Like, the fact that I cracked my tailbone when I was 10, can that really mess with my fertility?
**Unknown:** Yes, it can. Yeah. 'Cause all the nerves that come from those areas control those organs. So sometimes it's as simple as getting an adjustment- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** or having some type of soft tissue work or having some type of scar release- Mm-hmm ... that will actually take the, the burden and the pressure off of those organs. Right. Or at least allow more blood flow to it.
**Unknown:** Yeah. Absolutely. So 100%. And then one other thing kind of on this note that I wanna mention is that we're also living in an epidemic of thyroid issues.
**Unknown:** Mm-hmm. Uh, I think that, you know, majority of the women that come here, they are, are... have had a thyroid issue at some point in time. And what we often bring to the table is that they have either chronic sinusitis or chronic dental issues or- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** chronic dental issues, or they have, um, swollen glands, or they have, uh, congested lymph in their neck. And it's almost like the thyroid is in a bad neighborhood. Yeah. That's our, that's our, our usual...
**Unknown:** what we find. It's not... I mean, we, we know that, that, uh, we've been told, "Thyroid, thyroid, thyroid"- Yeah ... but it's like we've really gotta take a look at everything around the thyroid- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** because that's really what's play-playing a lot of parts on that. Yeah. And if your thyroid is, is off, it's a massive signaling. You know, it's a signaling up to the pituitary, which is where all those stimulating hormones come from.
**Unknown:** That's your follicle-stimulating hormone, your luteinizing hormone. So if that's not working, that's not signaling to the ovaries. Right. That's not, you know, signaling proper ovulation.
**Unknown:** So it's just understanding that, you know, a simple thyroid condition could also be playing a significant role in how well your hormones are being produced as well as your reproductive system is being signaled. Right. So- But then it al-always comes back to symptom, cause, symptom, cause. Yeah.
**Unknown:** The thyroid could be a symptom of some deeper cause. And a lot of the times that we've been told, "Uh, thyroid's the cause," and then you just stop it there, when it's like, it's sometimes- It's pretty much never the cause. It's... Yeah.
**Unknown:** Sure. So yeah, we'll, we'll just say it. We'll say it. It's never the cause here.
**Unknown:** Um-You know, e- even going into deficiencies with thyroid- Mm ... uh, most of the population, despite... It's when someone says, "Oh, there's iodine in the salt." Yeah. You can't absorb it- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** 'cause it's synthetic. Anyway, um- Yeah ... iodine deficiency is one of the- Yeah ... primary reasons why- Get on that ...
**Unknown:** individuals are, they have thyroid issues. Right. So, you know, and one of the reasons why that happens is because iodine gets depleted by bromine. So brominated flour, which is pretty much how they make bread, and, um, packaged breads, packaged, uh, what is it?
**Unknown:** Entenmann's- No ... Tastykakes, all that crap. What I grew up on. O- Oreos.
**Unknown:** Yeah. We've all had that stuff. And then in addition is fluoride. So fluoride is in our drinking water.
**Unknown:** We're often giving fluoridated supplements- Right ... to our kids. So fluorine, bromine are displacing iodine. That's one of the reasons.
**Unknown:** Chlorine. And chlorine. Yeah. Um, you know, swimming in water and showering, uh, chlorine is one of the primary things that's in our city water, tap water.
**Unknown:** So these are things that are causing iodine deficiencies. This will compromise fertility. This will also mess with the mental development of the baby. Mm.
**Unknown:** So, um, so just understanding that. I know we talked about some specific things today, but you could easily not be getting pregnant because of deficiencies. Right. If you do not have enough iron and calcium and folate, you will not get pregnant.
**Unknown:** And I know that sounds ridiculous, but those are some of the primary nutrients that are needed for the development of the brain and the spinal cord of the baby. The bones. The bone development, the cartilage development. So if you don't have that, you don't have an- even enough for your own body, let alone what you need as a, as a storage unit- Right ...
**Unknown:** for the development of the baby. That is going to limit your ability to get pregnant. And a lot of the recommended dosages or the recommended, um, uh- Yeah, the RDA ... the, yeah, is, the evaluation is, is really just to keep you from- To not die.
**Unknown:** To keep you from getting rickets, basically. Yeah, yeah. You know, it just keeps you from getting a major disorder from, from the deficiencies. Yeah.
**Unknown:** I know- Not, not to live, uh, just- How often does it happen when people are like, "Is this dose right?" I'm like, "Yes." Yeah, she gives some big doses. Yeah. Well, but when you do things like, like the MTHFR, as an example... So I know that this was something that was requested, and I don't wanna dive too deep into it because it is a complex topic.
**Unknown:** Yeah. But it's actually not as complex as people may think. So- I have it. Oh, so do I.
**Unknown:** So with MTHFR, like this should just help you gauge how to customize your prenatals. Right. So, like, for me, the type of MTHFR mutation that I have, all that that tells me is that I need more folate than the average person. And not folic acid.
**Unknown:** Not folic acid, folate. Specifically methyltetrahydrofolate. Very fancy. It's MTHF.
**Unknown:** So I need to take that, and I shouldn't be taking the synthetic folic acid, which is in all of your prenatals that are your- Yeah ... prepackaged all-in-one. I'm taking- I'm sure that's a lot too ... eight different prenatals, guys.
**Unknown:** That is because that's what tested for me. That's one of the really cool things that we do in Corrine's- Yeah ... program, is that we use DNA testing to figure out exactly what you need and what dosages you need. But in addition to that is I know how much folate I, I need, but I, we're also testing it through the trimesters.
**Unknown:** So, like, your first, my first trimester, I was taking five milligrams of folate. That's a lot of folate, but that's what I needed, and now I'm tapering down. But in my second trimester, I need a lot more iron, a lot more calcium. Right.
**Unknown:** So you can- It does shift in the, in the- 100%. Yeah. And you're, you know... And, oh, another side thing that I wanna, like, tell all of you guys, and this will be a separate thing- ...
**Unknown:** like, once you are pregnant, but being nauseous and having morning sickness is bad blood sugar, people. And- And B6, right? What? And B6.
**Unknown:** And B6, and choline. But it's- It's ... it's, above all, it is bad blood sugar. Yeah.
**Unknown:** Once I got my blood sugar in check, I had zero issues. And people were like, "That's crazy." And then everyone has their, like, theories, like, "You're having a boy," and I'm like, "No, I just knew how to balance my blood sugar." Um, but so many women, they, they- Mm ... actually feed into the blood sugar issue because they start eating bread, and, like, rice 'cause it m- like, it doesn't hurt their stomach. Right.
**Unknown:** And it's like you can't do that because you're just perpetuating the problem. Yeah. So, um, so there's a lot of great tips. We're actually putting together a series, um, 'cause I'm in the second trimester, so I'm, we're trying to put together things, like, as we go.
**Unknown:** Um, but definitely the Already Pregnant program that Corrine's running is just amazing because going through this experience is, like, realizing, like, kind of like what you need. I remember when I used to work with women that were pregnant, I'm like, "Yeah, you should do, like, chiropractic. It would be good. You don't have to, but you should.
**Unknown:** Maybe craniosacral would be good." And I'm like, I get work done, like, every week. Oh. I'm just like, my body is just so, like- It's constantly shifting and changing. Yeah.
**Unknown:** It's like you need that support. So now I'm just like, how do people live without this? I think my husband does, like, energy work on me every three minutes of the day, so. Oh.
**Unknown:** Yeah, he's like the secret energy guy. Yeah. It's, it's interesting. But, you know, it's definitely...
**Unknown:** Like ha- like, having that empowerment of, like, having testing to say, "This is what you should do." Yeah. "This is what you should eat. This is what you should take," is awesome. Yeah.
**Unknown:** Like, it's just- It simplifies- So amazing ... it simplifies things a lot. And then it also, um... And I think it keeps, uh, a check on, um, trying to get as much as you need per a trimester.
**Unknown:** Yeah. And that's what's important is because it does shift and change so dramatically. 100%. 100%.
**Unknown:** So our biggest thing that we want you guys to walk away with is that infertility is not bad luck. It is not bad genes. There is something that is happening either in the bodyOr to the body that is not allowing for a viable pregnancy. And not to discount the emotional, uh, component of this.
**Unknown:** 100%. I mean, uh, there's a lot more to be said that is not said- Mm-hmm ... when it comes to emotions and, um, trying to get pregnant. Yeah.
**Unknown:** And, you know, and going down the rabbit hole of just something's wrong with me, something's wrong with me, and just take that step back and really reflect like, okay, is there, is there something that I need to acknowledge about, you know, my current lifestyle- Mm-hmm ... about, you know, my current emotional state, and, you know, is, is the world saying like, "This is going to... This isn't the right time." And it's just like letting yourself, like just honoring that and letting yourself be free of the guilt. And then also including your community.
**Unknown:** You're gonna get people that have comments. You are going to get Grandma Tilly's advice. Everybody's gonna give you advice. And instead of, um, taking it and, and pushing it away, which is a lot of, of like, uh, people's first, um, initial response, um, take a different perception of it, a different perspective.
**Unknown:** We are supposed to be doing this, um, as a community. When you are impregnated and you are having this baby, you are supposed to do this with, uh, generations- Mm-hmm ... and, uh, family, friends, neighbors. It is supposed to be a, a, a big community where you get that advice.
**Unknown:** Yeah. 'Cause we do not have the instincts to, uh, raise children. Yeah. We have to be taught.
**Unknown:** So reach out. I love what you're saying. We have to reach out, ask for help. Right now it's very difficult because we've been in isolation for so long.
**Unknown:** Yeah. So that is compounded into the fact that community is at a minimum right now. Yeah. So be okay with not being okay, and then ask for help.
**Unknown:** And ask for help in not your conventional sources, I feel like. Like, I, you know, everyone's like thinks I'm absolutely out of my mind because I am not seeing a conventional gynecologist. I have a midwife. Mm-hmm.
**Unknown:** I have a doula, and I have integrative wellness group. Yeah. And- And you haven't had an ultrasound yet. No, I have not.
**Unknown:** Uh, and I'm not going to. So unless my husband really thinks I'm having twins, then I'm gonna kind of freak out. But anyway Um, but it's, it's primarily I'm, I'm trying to really focus on who is the expert in certain fields and, you know, asking questions to those individuals, you know. What, what do I need to do to prep?
**Unknown:** And, you know, who is the best at hypnobirthing? And who is going to be the best at, at, you know, nutrition for the baby once the baby's born? And, you know, all of these different things. I'm like, I don't know, you know, even, you know, what's the proper way to maintain so that I can produce milk.
**Unknown:** Like, there... It's, it's- Yeah ... I'm not trying to figure it all out on my own, I'm really trying to hone in on the people that are really going to guide me. Right.
**Unknown:** And, um, and I'm really grateful for you and the program that you're gonna be, or you are running. And it, it just... And even like Dr. Kyle, he's the doula that we refer, refer to.
**Unknown:** Mm-hmm. And just having this community of people. And, like I'm just grateful to share my experience with those of you because I... Everyone's like, "How are you doing?
**Unknown:** How are you feeling?" I'm like, "I feel good. I feel good. I feel happy. I feel-" Yeah.
**Unknown:** I forget she's pregnant half the time. The only thing that, that tips me off is that she doesn't drink wine or coffee right now. That's it. Like, but she's pretty much the same Oh, so funny.
**Unknown:** I, we have some questions in here, and I wanna make sure to answer them. So, um, Elizabeth was asking a question, uh, in relation to, um, just having a, a surgical procedure and, uh, you know, one of the risks that was presented was miscarriages and then the need for a C-section. Um, l- listen, I will say is that, you know, there's a certain level of protocol that has to happen depending on who you're working with. But just know that you always have a choice to seek out a second opinion, um, that doesn't force you to say- Mm-hmm ...
**Unknown:** you have to have a C-section. You know, in some scenarios that is the, the best option. Um, but if you have had a surgical procedure, it's, um, it's a matter of what can you do to release some of that scar tissue. So like for us, um, we do this with all different types of patients, um, including patients that are, are getting ready for pregnancy.
**Unknown:** But we do superficial scar release, um, so like the scar on the skin, but we also have s- uh, uh, therapy called sound wave therapy that will deal with deeper scar tissue. So this is really great for someone who has any type of adhesions in their bowel, um, or scar tissue that might be deeper into the pelvic bowl. So these are things that you can do that will help your gastrointestinal system tremendously, but then also remove physical roadblocks to your actual, um, reproductive system. And then when it comes down to, uh, C-sections and things of this sort, I like to go back to my story of like you can have all the best laid plans.
**Unknown:** And I, and I- Yeah ... will give a shout-out to Lan and Spa too. Yeah. Like she had, like she had such a great spirit of going in with s- a plan.
**Unknown:** Yeah. But, you know, sometimes the best laid plans are going to divert into- Yeah ... a different direction. And you have to sometimes- And don't expect the worst, but be prepared for anything.
**Unknown:** Yeah. And then r- roll with the punches because- Yeah ... you don't know, you don't know what, um, beauty may lie ahead with what, what journey you're gonna go down. 100%.
**Unknown:** 100%. Um, so there's a couple questions about prenatals. Um, again, please, uh, just keep in mind that the dosages in your combination prenatals are not usually sufficient for what a female really needs. Um, secondary to that is most prenatals that are being given as a prescription are going to contain harmful additives like heavy metals, dyes, um- And synthetics too ...
**Unknown:** and synthetics. It'll be synthetic. Exactly. So, um, fluor- uh, fluorine, or I'm sorry, uh, yeah, fluorine and fluoride are, are two of the biggest that are in those as well.
**Unknown:** Um, so taking prenatals, uh, so prenatals are-Essential nutrients for the body. It's everything from folate, to your B vitamins, to calcium, iron, um, iodine. So these things are... You can take them in the long term, um, but it's probably getting some different testing to make sure that you're not becoming toxic in any of those nutrients.
**Unknown:** That is pretty rare, um, but I will say is like something like iodine is if someone starts taking iodine, they might all of a sudden have a goiter, a l- enlarged thyroid, and that's because the, um, the iodine will start detoxing you from the fluoride, and the bromine, and the chlorine. So you can actually induce a, um, detox effect by taking certain nutrients. So you have to really know what you're doing, um, so... And really have some guidance so that you're, you're doing it properly.
**Unknown:** Well, and starting, and starting ahead of time. Yeah. I mean, this is the, the soil and the seed. We can't just put a, a seed into some soil that, you know, hasn't been nurtured- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** and hasn't been, um, supported. So it's like, maybe, you know, making sure that the soil that you have is your body, is- I think everyone needs to detox before they even try- Yeah ... to take prenatals. Liver.
**Unknown:** Yeah. The liver and gallbladder, I mean, the kidneys, all of these things- Yeah ... um, need to be detoxed so that y- when you, uh, are going to implant a seed- Yeah ... it's going to grow in the most nutrient, um, body there is.
**Unknown:** Your firstborn will get a dumping of your toxic load, and I'm sorry, you're not exempt. You're all toxic. That's the reality of it. So you need to understand that you will pass that on, and then you'll have a colic baby or a baby that is having reflux.
**Unknown:** And again, these things are not normal. These things are happening for a reason. So understanding that detox is probably something that is essential. And if you wanna do it on your own, I would highly recommend getting on the phone with somebody from the CellCore company.
**Unknown:** Um, they're really, really fantastic. But overall, um, you know, you really should be getting some testing so you know exactly what your body actually needs, and then being able to know what types of prenatals or, or deficiencies you may have. So it's really just a matter of, of knowing exactly what that looks like. Okay.
**Unknown:** So how long before we start prenatals? Like I said, is you should definitely be taking prenatals for at least a month- Mm-hmm ... um, ideally maybe up to three months. It, but again, this depends on how deficient you are.
**Unknown:** But this should usually be following some type of detox. And then thinking about the, the male component as well. Like, uh, the, the man is not exempt. 100%.
**Unknown:** So, um, the sperm that he, uh, is, you know, using- Producing ... is producing is se- like 72 days- Mm-hmm ... made, 72 days prior. So it's, it's something that- And men also...
**Unknown:** Um, women when they have, like, a UTI, they know. That's true. Men have no idea, and that is something that I see on a regular basis with the men that I work with, is that they usually have some type of bacteria in their... So your, your, their urinary tract and ejaculatory duct are connected.
**Unknown:** So they could easily be producing, um, you know, or excreting bacteria that could be affecting you. So that is definitely something to, to keep in mind. Um, if you have no active issues, would you still suggest having a blood panel? Yes, please.
**Unknown:** But I would also get a comprehensive blood panel and not just your basic CMP, CBC through your physical because that's probably gonna give you zero information. Um, by the way, for you guys that are wanting kind of like more intricate information, but definitely know that you can hop on a call with our team, um, to talk this through a little bit more. And, um, like, what do, what does a comprehensive blood panel actually entail? And a- a- are we giving away something nice, uh- Yes ...
**Unknown:** so you can see? Oh, gosh, I never announced it. I'm so sorry, guys. We're gonna give you some, uh, of my top favorite brands for prenatals.
**Unknown:** Yes. I'm a chemist working with chemicals. Um, it depends on what type of chemicals you are working with. It depends on how long you've been doing that type of work.
**Unknown:** Um, but I would highly recommend, uh, maybe looking at, or looking at getting done the Environmental Toxin Panel by Vibrant America. That will give you some insight as to, you know, what your levels look like. Red light therapy during pregnancy, um, I do it on myself. That's all I'll say.
**Unknown:** And then husband, what can your husband do getting, uh, ahead? The same thing that we were talking about for you. Detox and then get on some essential nutrients. And men are always like, "I feel fine." Yeah.
**Unknown:** And they're never fine. So just, like, just force him. Yeah. Um, and a detox protocol, I, you know, I wish that I could give you guys, like, really blanketed, uh, recommendations here.
**Unknown:** One of the things you will learn about me, um, as a practitioner is that nothing that any of us do is cookie cutter because every single person is super different. So, like, I could give you a recommendation on a detox, but I don't know what you've been exposed to. I don't know where you've grown up. I don't know how many toxins that you have in your system.
**Unknown:** Um, so, you know, you could easily... You, you could maybe benefit from a month-long detox, and some of you might need a year. Um, so I really recommend get the information so you, you know what you're working with. And then to be clear, once you start in the program with me, uh, pregnancy already, we do not detox you.
**Unknown:** You're not being detoxed, like- Yes. Yes, yes, yes ... when you are pregnant. Yeah.
**Unknown:** No, no, no. No. No. Just so you know.
**Unknown:** Yeah. Um, international link for blood tests. Uh, so when we work with people internationally, Angel, we actually, uh, use Vibrant America. So we actually...
**Unknown:** It's a blood spot kit, which is fantastic. So we ship it to you, you do the blood spot, and then send it back, and it gets processed. So we work with people all over the world. Um, and then we'll usually work with, um, any...
**Unknown:** If you have a actual primary care provider, we could always do, um, some, like, traditional blood that way. But we usually will use the Vibrant, uh, testing just because it's super convenient and it is internationalAll right, guys. Mm. So as we're kind of wrapping up here, um, you know, one of the biggest things that we always say is that you don't match the textbook, hence why we're struggling to say detox for a month or two months or three months.
**Unknown:** Yeah. So just- Everyone's different. Everyone's different. Everyone's super different, and, you know, some of the evolutions that we've had here, and Corrine has been part of that even with her own program, is that, you know, we went from the functional medicine side, which was like we did really great testing.
**Unknown:** Right. But then we felt that the tools were really limited, hence, you know, hearing about sound wave and scar work. So we got into this integrative approach because we wanted more tools for the person. Yes.
**Unknown:** As opposed to just like, "Here's your detox, here's your supplements, here's your strict diet," is what else is out there? And for our international people or long distance people, we've created something really cool that I always forget to mention. Oh, boy. It's called Home Care in a Box, and we literally ship you a box of medical equipment.
**Unknown:** Someone asked about the red light. The red light is in there, as well as amp coil, a, a bioresonance device, and a foot bath. And you get to actually do your own home care for a couple of weeks and then ship that back. So it's a pretty amazing- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** thing. Those rentals are amazing. So and then it's- Yeah ... and it's nice too because especially like with the amp coil, the whole family can benefit from it.
**Unknown:** Yeah. And that's where my love is. I'm, I'm definitely, um, with the pediatrics. It's like- Yeah ...
**Unknown:** especially, you know, we have people that are trying for their second child, and- Mm-hmm ... you know, we're really, um, coming into the pediatric program and seeing how wonderful this integrative program works, uh, on children. And, um, and- The kids are the best. They get better so fast.
**Unknown:** They're like little sponges. It's amazing. I know. But, uh, yeah, so that's, that's been a very exciting to, to watch and see.
**Unknown:** And she's the master of getting supplements in your kid. I'm the worst at it. I have to I'm like, "I don't know, get him. It's, just tell him to take it." Oh, my God.
**Unknown:** The, I'm like, I open up the capsule- Yes ... and I'm tasting things. And it's like I'm mixing it with jellies. It's, it's, it's a science.
**Unknown:** No, it's awesome. Um, so the, uh, the link here, I think they already posted it for you, but it's going to be the bit.ly\iwgprenatals. So check out that list. That's gonna be some of the top prenatal that I recommend.
**Unknown:** So it's a great starting place for you guys. And then if you wanna hop on a call with our team, please make sure to take advantage of that. Um, you can talk to them and, you know- Mm-hmm ... really just give them the rundown of what are you trying to achieve and what has been your journey so far, and then we'll see how we can help.
**Unknown:** Um, so thank you for being here. Yes. Uh, this is obviously such an amazing educational experience. Yeah.
**Unknown:** But, um- And it's an exciting one for you too. It is. It's like, you know, you're our little guinea pig. It's fun.
**Unknown:** Things are going well so far. So far, so good. But, you know, I think it's pretty amazing once people come through, and they get their answers, and they get their roadmap, and that's when they're, you know ... That's when they have the breakthrough experience.
**Unknown:** Yeah. And so- And it doesn't have to ... I mean, you're living proof it does not have to be as hard as, as, as it seems. No.
**Unknown:** No, it's, and it's just, I think it's just a matter of getting specific is really what it comes down to. All right, guys. Have a great night. Thanks for being with us.
**Unknown:** Have a great week. Bye. We thank you for being a listener and subscriber to Integrative Wellness Radio. If you're looking to learn more about Integrative Wellness Group as well as Dr.
**Unknown:** Nick or Dr. Nicole, you can check out integrativewellnessgroup.com. All night, no sleep. 'Cause I feel like I'm always dreaming.
**Unknown:** Wide awake, that's okay
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About Integrative You Radio
Integrative You Radio is a root cause medicine and integrative medicine podcast hosted by Dr. Nicole Rivera and Dr. Nick Carruthers — two integrative doctors who build personalized wellness protocols from your DNA, minerals, hormones, gut, and nervous system rather than from a population template. Looking for an integrative doctor who reads your labs together instead of in isolation? This is the show.
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