Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Mastery for Women's Health Professionals

I've had many requests to share some behind the scenes info about the process of bringing my new book The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility to life! Today I pull back the curtain and share what the writing process was like, and some of my key takeaways now that the book is finished and out in the world!

I share what it was like going through thousands of research papers to provide the depth of information you'll find in this mammoth book, my reflections after seeing what the data shows — and after reviewing the researchers' interpretations of that data.

Today’s episode is sponsored by The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility. The Fifth Vital Sign is available for purchase on Amazon, and you can head over to thefifthvitalsignbook.com to download the first chapter for free.

• What the process was like researching for this book, and how that affected the writing process
• The importance of thinking critically about scientific research
• The relationship between hormonal birth control and fertility
• How hormonal birth control affects menstrual cycle parameters
• How hormonal birth control impacts the time it will take you to become pregnant when you stop taking it
• Why many researchers conclude that this well established (temporary) delay in the return of fertility is no big deal
• Why I had to give myself some grace and let go of my expectations of the timeline (writing, editing, etc.)
• Managing the range of emotions that sparked up as I wrote this book
• Why it's up to us to demand better medical care

• The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility (Book) | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
• Get The First chapter of The Fifth Vital Sign for FREE | thefifthvitalsignbook.com

Related podcasts & blog posts:

• Fertility Awareness Podcast Episodes | Fertility Friday
• Pill Reality Series | Fertility Friday

Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts!

Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic

This episode is sponsored by my new book The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility. Follow this link to purchase your copy today.

Rose has been charting her own cycles since 1998 and has been a Fertility Awareness Educator since 1999. She has been a facilitator of the non-profit Fertility Awareness Charting Circle since 2005 and completed a Master’s thesis of original research on Fertility Awareness in 2006. She is a certified Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner and a faculty member at the pioneering Justisse College. She is a member of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research and the Assoc

Rose has been charting her own cycles since 1998 and has been a Fertility Awareness Educator since 1999. She has been a facilitator of the non-profit Fertility Awareness Charting Circle since 2005 and completed a Master’s thesis of original research on Fertility Awareness in 2006. She is a certified Justisse Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner and a faculty member at the pioneering Justisse College. She is a member of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research and the Association of Fertility Awareness Professionals. Rose has a diverse practice that serves gender and sexual minorities as well as those who are polyamorous or have alternative relationship structures.

My Fertility Awareness Programs are designed to help you to master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles. Gain confidence charting your cycles, and gain deep insights into the connection between your health, your fertility, and your cycles. Click here for more information!

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE FAM 101 video series. Click here for access.

• Clarifying the appropriate terms and defining LGBTQAI
• The benefits of fertility awareness charting for all women regardless of gender identity or sexuality
• Using your menstrual cycle as a diagnostic tool
• How using fertility awareness can help improve your chances of conception outside of the context of a heterosexual relationship
• What is necessary to conceive for gender & sexual minorities
• What is social infertility?
• How can a couple access sperm? What are the options for sperm donation?
• How can fertility awareness be utilized to optimize the chances of conception for a home insemination with either fresh or frozen sperm?
• What is the difference between fresh and frozen sperm?
• What supplies are needed for a home insemination? What are the steps?
• What is the role of cervical mucus in conception?
• What are the special considerations to be aware of when using frozen sperm for a home insemination?
• How can ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) be useful in timing home insemination?
• What are the barriers to accessing sperm?
• Are gender and sexual minorities more likely to be offered artificial reproductive technology for conception?
• The application of fertility awareness to support trans or non-binary persons with natural conception
• Fertility Awareness charting for trans men and trans women
• The benefits of charting your cycles even when using artificial reproductive technology
• The importance of having an informed consent and support for the options that you chose
• Body literacy and reproductive choice

Resources mentioned:

• A Guide to Fertility for Sexual and Gender Minorities
• Charting for Gender and Sexual Minorities
• Fertility Awareness 101 FREE Video Series
• Fertility Friday Facebook Group

Related podcasts & blog posts:

• FFP 002 | Fertility Awareness Method Cycle Charting | Rose Yewchuk
• FFP 003 | Identifying Menstrual Irregularities with Fertility Awareness | Special Charting Considerations | Rose Yewchuk
• FFP 015 | Fertility Awareness Method Cycle Charting Q&A Session | Common Charting Questions | Rose Yewchuk
• [On-Air Client Session] FFP | 113 Fertility Awareness Reality Series | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Making Fertility Awareness Work for You | FAM & Breastf...

Today I am sharing 8 tips for surviving fertility challenges. These are themes that frequently come up in my client work, and have come up in podcast interviews over the years.

Today's episode is sponsored by my free FAM 101 video series. Click here for access.

My Fertility Awareness Programs are designed to help you to master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles. Gain confidence in charting your cycles, and gain deep insights into the connection between your health, your fertility, and your cycles. Click here for more information!

• The importance of seeking professional support from a team of practitioners who specialize in the challenges you are facing
• Why you would benefit from support from both a medical doctor, a fertility specialist, and a functional practitioner
• Don't forget to have your male partner fully evaluated, given that 40-50% of the time, fertility challenges are related to male factor infertility
• The difference between infertility and a delay in conception
• The role of charting your menstrual cycles for both identifying your fertile window, and identifying any possible menstrual cycle issues
• The important role of cervical mucus in identifying your fertile window
• Utilizing your menstrual cycle as a diagnostic tool
• The role of stress in the menstrual cycle
• Why it's important to have sex for fun (outside of your fertile window)
• Surround yourself with women who are also facing similar fertility challenges

Resources mentioned:

• Fertility Awareness 101 FREE Video Series
• Fertility Friday Programs
• Fertility Friday Facebook Group

Related podcasts & blog posts:

• FFP 149 | The Truth About Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) | Lisa | Fertility Friday
• FFP 097 | Managing the Stress of Infertility | The Physiology of Stress | Meditation & Guided Visualization | Hypnotherapy | Mind + Body Stress Reduction | Helen Adrienne
• FFP 099 | HPA Axis Dysregulation, Adrenal Fatigue & Fertility | Stress Management | Kelsey Kinney (Marksteiner) RD
• FFP 096 | Deconstructing Your Infertility Diagnosis | Poor Ovarian Reserve | Practical Ways of Managing Stress | Traditional Chinese Medicine | Mary Wong
• Fertility Awareness Episodes | Fertility Friday

Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts!

Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic

This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here for more information!

Colleen is a Chiropractic Doctor who utilizes a functional medicine approach to menstrual cycle and reproductive health challenges. Combining her functional medicine background and her passion for women’s health, Colleen embarked upon her own discovery of healing and reconnection to fertility. She began charting her cycles and completed certification in The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal TherapyTM while pursuing continuing education to deepen her understanding of endocrinology, the microbiome, and reproductive health. Before long, she enrolled in Justisse College to become a fertility awareness educator and holistic reproductive healthcare provider. Now, Colleen teaches charting and uses her patient's cycle charts as a valuable diagnostic tool to help women regain their fertility while empowering them with a connection to their cycles and control over their family planning desires. It is her goal to help women have robust fertility, healthy pregnancies, thriving babies, and effective birth control without compromising their health and vitality.

In today’s episode, we focus on sex steroid metabolism & how to support your liver to ensure your hormones are balanced.

My Fertility Awareness Programs are designed to help you to master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles. Gain confidence charting your cycles, and gain deep insights into the connection between your health, your fertility, and your cycles. Click here for more information!

• How is your menstrual cycle related to your hormone cycle?
• How are your main reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone, metabolized by your liver?
• The role of cholesterol in sex steroid metabolism
• What is the relationship between progesterone and cortisol?
• How does stress affect the menstrual cycle?
• What is the pregnenolone steal?
• What role does the liver play in your body?
• What nutrients does your liver need to function normally?
• How would you know if your liver is impaired?
• How to improve your liver health and support hormone metabolism
• How does alcohol impact your liver?
• How does caffeine affect liver metabolism?
• How can issues with liver metabolism show up on your menstrual cycle chart?
• How fertility awareness can connect you with your body on a deeper level

Resources mentioned:

• Nourishing Fats: Why We Need Animal Fats for Health and Happiness
• Detoxify or Die (book) Sherry Rogers
• Fertility Awareness 101

Related podcasts & blog posts:

• FFP 172 | Nourishing Fats | Why You Need Animal Fats For Fertility & Pregnancy | Sally Fallon Morell
• FFP 054 | The MTHFR Gene Mutation and Fertility | Recurrent Miscarriage, Nutrient Deficiencies, and Folic Acid | Diane Keddy
• FFP 154 | Managing Your Toxic Load | Optimizing Digestion and Liver Function | Dr. Joseph Pizzorno | Dr. Joe Klassen
• FFP 122 | Liver Function, Fertility, & Menstrual Health | Xenoestrogens | Liver Detoxification | Fatty Liver Disease | Lisa Leger, HRHPE
• FFP 065 | 6 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Xenoestrogen Exposure with Lisa | Fertility Friday
• Fertility Awareness Podcast Episodes | Fertility Friday

Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes!

Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic

This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here for more information!

Nicole is a Naturopathic Doctor who practices in the Durham Region. She received her medical training from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine after completing a 4-year Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology degree from McMaster University. Nicole welcomes treating a variety of health conditions however she has a special interest in treating women’s health and hormonal issues. Having undergone her own challenges to begin her family, she is passionate about helping others with their fertility concerns. She combines natural medicines with conventional science to create a truly integrative healthcare experience. She is passionate about what she does and enjoys spreading the message of health. She has lectured at local colleges and has appeared on local television programs to educate others on various health topics.

In today’s show, we talk about seed cycling and the role it can play in balancing hormones and improving menstrual cycle health. We also discuss realigning your expectations coming off of hormonal birth control because it is really important to know that there is a transition period after using a hormonal contraceptive. We also elaborate the factors that could affect your pregnancy and most especially about having a healthy baby. That knowing about your chart and what a healthy cycle looks like will be beneficial in attaining your overall health. After coming off of hormonal birth control there is a very real transition period until your cycle returns to healthy and normal parameters.

Topics discussed in today's episode:

• Nicole shares her experience with endometriosis and how it led her to become a Naturopathic Doctor.
• How do ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) work?
• Is it possible to have endometriosis without having any signs and symptoms?
• What is laparoscopy?
• The importance of having the right diagnosis and how you would benefit from it
• The truth about unexplained infertility
• What is seed cycling and how can it help balance your menstrual cycle?
• The connection between the menstrual cycle and the lunar calendar
• What to expect coming off of hormonal birth control?
• How long does it typically take for a woman's period to come back after coming off of hormonal contraceptives?
• Using Vitex to regulate your hormones. How long should you take it for?
• How to improve your egg quality?
• The importance of having adequate progesterone production in the body.
• How diet and lifestyle affect your body and your reproductive health?
• When is the best time to get off the pill?

Connect with Dr. Sandilands.

You can connect with Dr. Sandilands on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Resources mentioned

• FFP 140 | Transitioning From Hormonal Birth Control After Long-Term Pill Use | Lisa | Fertility Friday
• FFP 136 | Endometriosis, PCOS & Fibroids | Surgical Techniques That Preserve Fertility | NaPro Technology | Dr. Kyle Beiter
• FFP 134 | Optimizing Sperm Health | Motility, Morphology & Sperm Count | Why He Needs To Get Tested ASAP | Marc Sklar
• FFP 106 | What You Need To Know About Progesterone and Pregnancy | Using Your Cycle To Time Hormone Testing | Fertility Awareness Method | Dr. Nora Pope
• FFP 096 | Deconstructing Your Infertility Diagnosis | Poor Ovarian Reserve | Practical Ways of Managing Stress | Traditional Chinese Medicine | Mary Wong
• FFP 014 | What does a Healthy Menstrual Cycle look like? | The Menstrual Cycle as the 5th Vital Sign | Colleen Flowers
• Cora Tampons | Organic Tampons That Work

Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group

Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes!

This episode is sponsored by Cora! Made from 100% organic cotton, Cora tampons were designed not only to help you manage your periods but also to preserve your health. For every month of tampons you buy, Cora gives a month of pads along with menstrual health education to a girl in need in India. Click here to receive your first month's supply free of charge.

*Please note that Cora only sh...