On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D. speaks with Dr. Tayyaba Ahmed, a doctor of physical medicine and rehabilitation. She was born and raised in New York, completed the BS/DO program at New York Institute of Technology, and was trained at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, Northwell Health Plainview Hospital and the NYU Langone Medical Center/RUSK Institute for Rehabilitation. A board-certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician, Dr. Ahmed is also a fellow of the Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a member of the International Pelvic Pain Society. Dr. Ahmed is a contributing author to a textbook which is considered a staple during every Physiatrist’s training.  This full chapter title reference is: Ahmed T, Chan I:  “Pelvic Pain”,  which is included in, Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 4th edition by Frontera W,  Silver J, Rizzo T; Elsevier, Philadelphia, In Press. She has been treating pelvic pain since the inception of Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine in early 2017. She was nominated to New York Rising Stars in 2019 and 2020. She has advocated on the importance and need for pelvic education on a variety of podcasts including RUSKS Insights.

On this week's episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., speaks with Dr. Marissa Long who began her doctorate with a plan to complete specific education, research and training in reproductive health. Fourteen years later, she is a sought after expert in the field with a wealth of knowledge and experience in reproductive psychology. She is dedicated to helping individuals and couples who are going through fertility treatment, and women with high risk pregnancies and pregnancy loss to manage or relieve the emotional distress associated with these challenges. She has completed research exploring the different types of distress experienced by fertility patients, and has developed and implemented a model of care attending to the mental health and support of fertility patients in the REI department of a large scale medical setting in Central California.   Her work with fertility patients incorporates a mind-body approach to wellness and she often works closely with medical providers to maximize the support patients receive.   Dr. Long is the owner and Clinical Director of ARC Counseling and Wellness, a private practice in Southern California. ARC Counseling and Wellness has 4 offices staffed by multiple providers across various disciplines, specialties and areas of expertise. Dr. Long is trained and educated as a Health Psychologist, and thus tends to work with clients who are managing serious health issues or complications. With regards to her fertility work, she enjoys working with clients at any and all points along their journey whether that be during fertility treatments, assessment for gestational carriers and donors, transition to pregnancy and postpartum. In her personal life, Dr. Long loves to travel, design spaces, cook for her loved ones and has been a dancer since the age of two. She even performed during the halftime show of Super Bowl 32 and in the Sydney Opera House a year later! For more information follow the links below http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-marissa-long-arc-counseling-wellness-two-offices-one-claremont-one-irvine https://www.arccounselingandwellness.com/fertility-and-reproductive-health/  https://www.arccounselingandwellness.com/marissa-long-maob-psy-d/   

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., speaks with Parijat Deshpande, the leading integrative high-risk pregnancy specialist, somatic trauma professional and speaker, and author who guides women to improve their pregnancy complications so they can reduce their risk of preterm birth. Her unique neurobiological approach has served hundreds of women to manage pregnancy complications and reclaim a safety and trust in their bodies that they thought was eroded forever. Parijat is the author of the bestselling book Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy. She is also the host of the popular podcast Delivering Miracles®️, that discusses the real, raw side of family-building including infertility, loss, high-risk pregnancy, bedrest, prematurity, and healing once baby comes home. https://parijatdeshpande.com Instagram: @healthy.highriskpregnancy

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., speaks with Dr. Natasha Stamper, a clinical pharmacist and online fertility coach. She found her love for all things fertility while living in a remote Alaska village navigating her own IVF journey alone. After many miscarriages, two ectopic pregnancies, and one cervical ectopic, she had her two miracle babies. Now with over 12 years of clinical pharmacy experience and her own experiences, she is so excited to be helping families all over the globe fulfill the dream of making their families complete. You can find her on: Instagram @fertility_pharmacist or www.fertilitypharmacist.com

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., takes a deep dive into meditation with Dr. Rashmi Schramm, M.D., a board certified family physician and a certified Integrative Health Coach and Meditation Teacher. She is the founder of Optimal Wellness, where she incorporates evidence-based meditation techniques into her individual and group coaching programs. Dr. Schramm helps busy women to ditch guilt and tap into inner peace and power so they can live more energetic and purposeful lives.     Website: (Dr. Schramm offers all visitors a free 5 minute meditation) https://optimalwellnessmd.org     On Demand and Live combo Meditation program is here... https://www.optimalwellnessmd.org/meditation   Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/drrashmischrammoptimalwellness   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.rashmischramm/   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dr.rashmischramm   LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rashmi-schramm-md/    

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, MD, has an in-depth conversation with Dr. Christine Maren, D.O. a board-certified physician and the founder of a virtual functional medicine practice in Colorado, Michigan, and Texas.   Dr. Maren was introduced to functional medicine after struggling with pregnancy complications and recurrent miscarriages. A functional medicine approach helped her address her own underlying health issues associated with gut infections, hypothyroidism, hormone imbalance and mold toxicity. Now a mother of three, she’s devoted her professional life to helping women optimize their health before pregnancy, thrive postpartum and get their lives back. Dr. Maren is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner (IFMCP). She is also the co-founder of Hey Mami (pronounced: “Mommy”), a platform dedicated to helping women navigate a healthy and happy motherhood. She is a compassionate clinician, speaker, and wellness advocate. Married to a surgeon, together they balance rewarding careers with raising three beautiful children. Learn more at drchristinemaren.com.

On this episode of the Fertility Journeys podcast, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., welcomes Zermina Akbary, MSN, BSN, RN- a Registered Nurse and Holistic Nutritionist with graduate training in Functional Medicine and Nutritional Science. Her journey to becoming a Women's Health Nurse specialist was rooted in her own health challenges. Her Diagnoses of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Hashimotos, and ultimately thyroid cancer were barriers faced when she wanted to start a family. She decided to turn to functional medicine to understand and mitigate the root causes of these diseases, instead of merely treating the symptoms associated with them. Zermina's practice focuses on hormones, gut health, and conception. She identifies the root causes through comprehensive lab testing and helps patients thrive through lifestyle medicine. Her passion lies in empowering and educating women on taking control of their health and fertility.   Instagram:  @living_wholelistic

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem MD, welcomes Lily Nichols, RDN, a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women’s Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily’s bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of mamas (and babies!), are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally. She writes at https://lilynicholsrdn.com/ Instagram: lilynicholsrdn

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem MD, talks with Dr. Kalea Wattles, ND  a Naturopathic Physician specializing in fertility and Functional Medicine. She earned her doctorate from Bastyr University and is certified as a Functional Medicine Practitioner by the Institute for Functional Medicine. Dr. Wattles combines her Naturopathic and Functional Medicine training to treat patients with a “Functional Fertility” perspective, using a root-cause, science-based, body-systems approach to cultivating a fertile body. She is dedicated to using this patient centered method to support patients anywhere on their fertility journey – whether they are thinking about getting pregnant for the first time or exploring advanced fertility treatments. Instagram: @functionalfertility

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, MD, speaks with Narissa Roper, a Wife, Mom and Infertility Advocate. Narissa and her husband Kenneth began their IVF journey in 2018  with a male factor, and after a few tests following two failed transfers, Narissa was diagnosed with Chronic Endometritis. After treatment they had a successful transfer and their daughter Kennedy was conceived. Their next transfer sadly ended in a early miscarriage and they began again on a 2nd retrieval round which produced 2 beautiful embryos ready for transfer. They are thankful to God for all of His Blessings, and are in constant prayer for everyone in the infertility community. Narissa has a blog called a "Bundle of Faith" that documents their journey and focuses on the ups and downs of infertility. She can be found on instagram under the handle @narissaroperart where she documents and vlogs about their journey and advocates for the infertility community.

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D.  speaks with Rima Chahbar .  Rima shares her personal fertility journey, her diagnosis of endometriosis,  recurrent pregnancy losses and how she is managing the grief of infertility and loss. Rima is a second generation Lebanese-Canadian secondary school teacher, and staunch infertility, loss and human rights advocate. She firmly believes in the importance of representation and inclusion in all avenues and works hard to break the stigma associated with infertility in racialized communities. 

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., talks with Dr. Aly Cohen. Dr. Cohen is the co-author of the bestselling consumer guidebook, Non-Toxic: Guide to Living Healthy in a Chemical World, Non-Toxic, published by Oxford University Press, and part of the Dr. Weil Healthy Living Guides. Dr. Aly Cohen is triple board-certified in rheumatology, internal medicine, and integrative medicine, as well as an environmental health expert in Princeton, New Jersey. She has collaborated with the Environmental Working Group, Cancer Schmancer, and other disease- prevention or­ganizations, and is coeditor of the textbook, Integrative Environmental Medicine, part of the Oxford University Press/Weil Integrative Medicine, Academic Series. In 2015, she created TheSmartHuman.com to share environ­mental health, disease prevention, and wellness information with the public. She lectures nationally on environmental health topics for el­ementary/ high schools, colleges/ universities, medical schools, and physician- training programs, and she is a regular expert guest for tele­vision, print, and podcasts. She has been the recipient of countless awards, including Top Docs NJ in rheumatology from 2016-2021, the NJ Healthcare Heroes Award in Education for The Smart Human educational platform in 2015, and the 2016 Burton L. Eichler Award for humanitarianism.    Dr. Cohen is working to educate and empower the next generation to make safer, smarter lifestyle choices through the creation of en­vironmental health and prevention curricula for schools nationally. Her TEDx talk, “How to Protect Your Kids from Toxic Chemicals", can be found on YouTube, and you can follow her health and wellness tips and recommendations on Facebook at The Smart Human, Twitter, and Instagram: @thesmarthuman. Sign up for The Smart Human newsletter, read her latest posts at TheSmartHuman.com, and listen to her podcast The Smart Human.   Dr. Cohen lives on a farm in New Jersey with her husband, two sons, and lots of furry friends.

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., speaks with Sayeda Abbas, a racial justice lawyer living in New York City. She is an infertility advocate and the face behind Brown Girl Infertility, a social media platform to raise awareness and create a space for women of color in the infertility community. She started the page to diversify the conversation around infertility and to break the stigma on this topic in her community. She shares her own journey through IVF cycles and raises awareness around the topic. She has also created a private Facebook support group called “Brown Girl Infertility and Loss,” for women to have a safe space and feel that they are a part of a community on their fertility journey.

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem M.D., interviews Kezia Okafor, a Fertility Mindset Coach and infertility counselor, working with women struggling with the emotional distress of infertility.  She helps them take charge of their emotions and mindset, so they feel in control of their infertility journey and life, which maximizes their chances for a successful and healthy pregnancy. Kezia's own experience with infertility and experiencing the lack of emotional support has spurred her to plug the gap on mental and emotional health knowledge within the fertility community.  Kezia is also author of the book "Flipping the Script on Infertility- Taking Back Control of Life and Purpose."      website : www.keziaokafor.com  instagram : @iamkeziaokafor

Today's guest on this episode of Fertility Journeys with Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., is Jennifer Robertson, a fertility coach who has helped women all over the world transform their mindset and take back control of their life in the midst of infertility.  She is also author of "The Injustice of Infertility," a deeply inspiring and raw account of her own seven-year fertility journey. Throughout her own fertility journey, Jen discovered that her old ways of pushing and working hard weren’t serving her. She is now using the lessons learned along the way to develop programs and support women throughout their journey to motherhood - from the moment they start trying to conceive, until they hold their baby in their arms.  You can follow Jennifer on Instagram @msjenniferrobertson or @yourpregnancyhaven Or via her website www.jenniferrobertson.co or www.yourpregnancyhaven.co 

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, talks with nutritionist, mother, researcher and educator, Nimisha Gandhi who is well-known for her work and life passion for women’s health issues. Nimisha Gandhi is a functional medicine nutritionist, Ayurvedic counselor, Yoga Nidra/meditation teacher, and former tech founder. She holds a B.S. in pre-med Psychobiology from UCLA and has years of additional education in her field. In Nimisha’s private practice, Moon Cycle Nutrition, she specializes in fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum care with an emphasis on the mind, body, and soul. Nimisha combines functional medicine nutrition with ancient Ayurvedic principles to help her clients find deeply personalized eating and lifestyle plans. Her clients learn to awaken their untapped healer and empower themselves about their own health journey. She also uses the innate wisdom of changing hormones and cycles of nature to help her clients flow with their body. Moon Cycle Nutrition is a conscious evolution practice that draws on deep inner inquiry, food as medicine, meditation, sleep, rituals, lab work, movement, and insight that she has picked up along the journey. Nimisha serves as a board member of several health and wellness companies and organizations, including FemTech Collective and Conscious Kitchen. She speaks regularly at conferences, retreats, and private events. You can also find Nimisha teaching workshops and classes in-person and virtually. Her work is research-based, intuitive, and from the soul. Website: www.mooncyclenutrition.com Instagram: @mooncyclenutrition Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mooncyclenutrition/  

This episode of Fertility Journeys features Dr. Shala Salem,M.D.,  interviewing Dr. Jenna Hua, RD, MPH, Ph.D. An environmental health scientist and dietitian by training, Jenna is passionate about the environment, public health and everything food. Frustrated by the lack of data for how harmful chemicals (like BPA, phthalates and parabens) from plastics and everyday products affect our health and clinical outcomes, and the absence of personalized approach to mitigate harmful chemical exposures, Jenna is set out on a mission to change these. From there, she founded Million Marker, a health-tech startup dedicated to empower everyone with the data and tools to determine how the products they use, the food they eat, and the water they drink negatively or positively influence their health. Million Marker helps people understand what chemicals are inside of them—and then provides simple solutions for quickly reducing harmful chemicals through mail-in test kits, lifestyle audits, product recommendations, and counseling. "Our mission is to get one million people to take our test—building the first ever dataset on how environmental exposures like microplastics impact our bodies. Starting with a few markers of harmful exposures, our vision is to discover over a MILLION MARKERS to inform and improve individual health and to advance precision medicine." Jenna holds a BS in Nutrition and an MPH and PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from UC Berkeley. Jenna also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in chronic disease prevention at Stanford Medicine.  Japanese claypot mentioned in the interview:  Toiro.  Website : www.millionmarker.com IG @million_marker

In this episode of Fertility Journeys with Dr. Shala Salem; Aisha Balesaria shares her fertility journey – where a late diagnosis of stage IV endometriosis revealed the primary cause of Aisha’s infertility. Over 11 unsuccessful IVF attempts and many miscarriages later,  Aisha and her husband Billahl decided to embrace their childfree-after-infertility life. With real courage and determination, they eventually got to a place of healing and acceptance. Aisha shares her infertility journey in the hope that it will inspire others without children - she is living proof you can have a happy life beyond being a parent, even if it’s not the one you planned.  Instagram : mindbodyrevival_coach  www.mindbodyrevivalcoach.com

On this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem, MD, sits down with Faiza Shireen. Faiza shares her experience and decision to freeze her eggs. Faiza is a corporate philanthropy professional in New York City. A second generation Pakistani American, Faiza shares her experience navigating her hyphenated identity, as well as coping with anxiety and grief through personal essays and poetry which she shares on her blog faizashireen.com. She also co-hosts a podcast, The Femmedamentalists, with her friend Mehak Jamil, where they break down taboos in the South Asian community and dissect desi culture across the diaspora. You can follow along her journey @faiza_shireen on Instagram.

On this episode of the Fertility Journeys Podcast, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., speaks with Allison Schaaf, founder of Miscarriage Hope Desk, which she created as the resource she wanted during her years long struggle with recurrent pregnancy loss. Miscarriage Hope Desk provides evidence-based research articles, stories of hope and community for those struggling with recurrent loss.  Allison has a background as a chef and dietitian and is also a serial entrepreneur. She founded the meal planning website, PrepDish.com which helps busy moms get healthy, delicious meals on the table! Allison currently lives in the Texas Hill Country outside of Austin, TX with her husband, 2 sons, 2 cats, 2 pups, lots of chickens and a few bee hives. Instagram: @miscarriagehopedesk www.miscarriagehopedesk.com

On this episode of the Fertility Journeys Podcast, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., talks with Lisa Pineda, an advanced yoga and meditation instructor, host of The Dismantling You Podcast, documentary Executive Producer of The Yogi, a two-time TEDx speaker, wellness coach, and global yoga retreat leader.  She advocates for individuals and families who are struggling to start a family with Yoga For Fertility. Yoga For Fertility was created from her own personal experiences while struggling to conceive. Lisa has over 2000 hours completed in acute and clinical care, as she was considering a medical career.  She is also certified as a Mindfulness Meditation guide.     Podcast : The Dismantling You Podcast  Website: https://www.lisapinedayoga.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoga4fertility/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGQjvi9EZMGTG-Exvradm6g

In this episode of Fertility Journeys Dr. Salem speaks with Dr. Jessica Chen, L.Ac., DAOM, about supporting fertility with acupuncture.   Dr. Jessica Chen is a Board Licensed Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Licensed Acupuncturist with a speciality degree in women’s health and reproduction Originally from Taipei, Taiwan, Dr. Chen grew up with a strong herbal tradition — her mother often used medicinal herbs in seasonal dishes when preparing the family’s daily meals.  As a result, Dr. Chen continued studying the healing properties of food and plants, a journey that eventually led her to devote 12 years to practicing Traditional Chinese Medicine at the prestigious Tao of Wellness in Santa Monica, California. In 2017, Dr. Chen left to start her own practice where she offers herbal medicine, nutrition, acupuncture, cupping and facial rejuvenation among many other services. Dr. Chen's extensive work with fertility, obstetric and gynecology has enabled her to help many many patients suffering from postpartum symptoms and other fertility-related struggles. These interactions also inspired her to co-author the book, “Sitting Moon” with Dr. Daoshing Ni, which touches on important themes relating to how a new mother must be cared for in the first month after giving birth. Dr. Chen earned both her Masters and Doctoral degrees at Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Los Angeles, and her Bachelors in Psychology from Boston University. She also completed a post-graduate residency in the Chinese Orthopedics and Traumatology Department at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. Dr. Chen is certified in Chinese Nutrition, Cosmetic Acupuncture and is a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. www.myqi.com Instagram:  @restore_myqi

In this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem speaks with Brandon Johnson, LCSW about male infertility and mental health.   For men on the fertility journey it can be extremely difficult to find the support they need. Brandon discusses the challenges men face on the fertility journey, and how a couple can navigate a male infertility diagnosis. Brandon also discusses his own fertility journey and how his infertility diagnosis made him realize there was minimal support available to men. Brandon Johnson is a  licensed Social Worker working with those on their fertility journey. For over two decades, he has provided several specialized therapeutic services to those dealing with grief and loss, infertility, depression, anxiety, and even mental disabilities. After dealing with his own fertility journey  and feeling like he had no one to turn to, he realized there was a great need for mental health support for men. He has since helped many men and couples on their own journey.  Brandon has an 8 week program called Barren Battles that walks couples through the emotional ups and downs of the fertility journey. Instagram: @brandon.therapist www.infertilityisntinferior.com

In this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem speaks with Dr. Meredith Broderick, a neurologist and sleep specialist, about all things Sleep.  Sleep is arguably the most important pillar of health and wellbeing yet it is still not given the attention it deserves.  Dr. Broderick addresses what you can do to support optimal sleep and dispels several myths around sleep.  In addition, she also speaks about the conditions of insomnia and sleep apnea.    Dr. Meredith Broderick, MD, is a neurologist who specializes in sleep medicine and behavioral sleep medicine.  She received her neurology training at Case Western Reserve University where she served as an assistant professor early in her career.  She obtained her sleep medicine and behavioral sleep medicine training at the world renown Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic.  She is the founder of Sound Sleep Guru, a telehealth based holistic sleep service serving Washington, California, and Alaska.  She is also an accomplished recreational climber, wife, and mother.   IG: @sleepdoctormer Website: www.soundsleepguru.com In the Tip of the Day segment, Dr. Salem shares her own PCOS journey with you, and hopes that you feel connected and encouraged by her experience.  

In this episode of Fertility Journeys Dr. Shala Salem, MD, speaks with Michelle Byrd a licensed therapist and fertility coach about how to prepare both mentally and emotionally for fertility treatments.  Research has shown that one of the most common reasons for a patient to drop out of fertility treatments is stress.  And while we know that infertility is a condition that can prove to be as stressful as dealing with cancer, there is still a gap in the mental support for those struggling. Michelle reviews some of the common struggles couples may encounter during fertility treatment and how best to navigate them.     Her mission and passion is to not let others feel broken down from the waves that building a family can bring. Michelle is a mother, military spouse, and a therapist who has found a way to turn pain into purpose.     For over a decade she has been helping people through the things they did not see coming.  Michelle helps to guide her clients through the life struggles that knock us off our feet and take our breath away.    Her journey into private practice and coaching just felt right to accomplish the goal of being the light of hope for others. Having the right support in place has been instrumental to her own personal growth.    Michelle firmly believes that your experience with your journey will be forever changed with the right support.    Michelle Byrd MSW, LCSW www.byrdcounseling.com Instagram @theemichellebyrd   Also in this week's "Tip of the Week," I discuss the 4-7-8 breathing technique I learned from Dr. Andrew Weil, at the University of Arizona, during my integrative medicine training. It's simple and very effective. 

In this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem interviews Josephine Atluri about the practice of mindfulness and meditation.  Josephine has been helping clients to use mindfulness and meditation to cultivate calm and improve their mind body connection on the fertility journey. She also takes us through a guided meditation proving you only need to set aside 5 minutes a day to create a little calm in your life. Josephine Atluri is an expert in meditation and mindfulness, helping thousands of people overcome adversity to find joy. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Josephine couples her business background with her meditation training to teach corporate mindfulness sessions. Her experience creating her modern day family of seven children via in vitro fertilization, international adoption and surrogacy, inspires her work as a highly sought-after fertility and parenting mindfulness coach.  Josephine hosts a popular podcast, “Responding to Life: Talking Health, Fertility, & Parenthood,” and interviews guests on their inspiring responses to life’s challenges. Her infertility and parenting mindfulness expertise has been featured in Motherly, MindBodyGreen, The Bump, Prevention Magazine, and Woman’s Day. Josephine offers private sessions and online mindfulness courses at jatluri.com For daily inspiration follow her on: IG @josephineratluri and on YouTube for free meditation videos. Instagram:  @josephineratluri  @respondingtolifepodcast  Responding to Life Podcast on Apple: https://apple.co/2W6YlQ1  Mindfulness Journal for Parents Book & Online Course: www.mindfulparentclass.com  Discount for Fertility Podcasts:  PODCAST25  Enter the code for 35% off the online fertility mindfulness course.  https://josephine-atluri-meditation.mykajabi.com/pl/2147485847 

On today's episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Salem sits down with environmental toxins expert Lara Adler to discuss how environmental toxins can negatively impact hormones and fertility. Lara discusses the lack of regulation in the chemical industry and how you can protect yourself from the dangers of environmental chemicals we are all exposed to on a daily basis.   Lara Adler is an Environmental Toxins Expert & Educator and a Certified Holistic Health Coach who teaches health coaches, nutritionists, and other health professionals how to eliminate the #1 thing holding their clients back from the results they are seeking – the unaddressed link between chemicals and chronic health problems. Combining environmental health education and business consulting, she’s helped thousands of health professionals in over 25 countries around the world elevate their skillset, get better results for their clients, and become sought out leaders in the growing environmental health and detoxification field. Lara is a member of the National Association of Environmental Medicine, and the American Holistic Health Association. Also, in the Tip of the Week segment, Dr. Salem gives a few tips for those dealing with infertility while navigating the holiday season, which can be a difficult time with all the parties and family gatherings. Website: www.laraadler.com Instagram: @environmentaltoxinsnerd

In this episode of Fertility Journeys, Dr. Shala Salem’s guest is Dr. Vivian Chen, a UK Physician with 15 years of clinical experience. She is board certified in the UK in both internal medicine and family practice.  They explore the importance of supporting your gut microbiome, the health of which is key to promoting optimal overall health, and the evidence emerging that it plays a large role in fertility.  Dr. Chen reveals how your diet, stress, and exposure to toxins can negatively impact your gut health.   Dr. Chen's world turned upside down when her daughter was hospitalized soon after being born with symptoms no doctor could figure out. Through doing her own research, she was able to help her daughter recover. She also realized that the many years of chronic fatigue, acne and brain fog she had was due to environmental toxicity. This opened the world of root causes she had never considered before as a conventional medical doctor.  She now coaches clients back to health virtually by identifying root causes and implementing lifestyle solutions. She is also on a mission to help people reduce their toxin load, one important root cause of many chronic health conditions. On the Truth About Toxins segment, Dr. Shala Salem explains why the health of the microbiome is important for optimal fertility.  She also discusses some of the research of the role of microbiome health in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. Dr. Vivian Chen-  Website: www.platefulhealth.com Instagram: @plateful.health Dr. Chen has a starter guide on how to detox your home and can be found at https://www.platefulhealth.com/reduce-toxins For information on Dr. Chen's course  - The Detox Right course :   https://www.platefulhealth.com/waitlist-detox-course

In this episode of Fertility Journeys with Dr. Shala Salem, Marilyn Gomez shares her fertility journey, and how she healed the trauma of infertility through therapy, Reiki and advocating for herself. Marilyn Gomez is a speaker, self-advocate, podcast host, and entrepreneur who got her Reiki certification to help her heal through the trauma of infertility. She had her daughter in 2016, from her 3rd IVF transfer. In 2019, she attempted to expand her family with transferring the last two of her frozen embryos. That transfer failed. She closed the chapter of expanding her family to focus on healing, and embracing and normalizing having one child, in a society that asks for one more. Marilyn partners with several organizations that focus on Infertility coverage and maternal mental health. She owns an online store Infertile Tees- statement tees for your infertility journey, that encourage women to talk about their story and feel less alone. She also hosts Mama Vida Podcast and interviews women discussing all topics related to womanhood, purpose, and life.  In the Truth About Toxins segment, Dr. Shala speaks about Bisphenol A (BPA). She reviews its history, how it impacts fertility, and how you can protect yourself. Instagram @marilynbgomez,  @infertiletees Podcast : Mama Vida Podcast  www.Infertiletees.com

In this premier episode of the Fertility Journeys podcast, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., welcomes Dr. Loree Johnson, Ph.D, LMFT.  Dr. Johnson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Coach in private practice with more than 25 years of experience as a clinician, educator, and clinical supervisor.  Specializing in women’s mental health and reproductive health, Dr. Loree helps her clients overcome the emotional challenges that come with infertility - including pregnancy loss and emotional trauma. She also helps couples, who have become divided by their fertility journey, strengthen their connection.  Dr. Salem and Dr. Loree discuss the impact of mental health on the fertility journey. They explore topics including the differences between infertility stress and infertility trauma, navigating grief, how to maintain connection with your partner while struggling with infertility, how to navigate social media, and EMDR therapy.   Dr. Loree is a clinical fellow of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and has served on its state and national boards. She is also a member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s Mental Health Professionals Group.

A preview of episodes to come on Fertility Journeys. Dr. Shala Salem interviews expert guests about how to support optimal wellness on the fertility journey. She also speaks with individuals who share their own stories about their struggles with infertility.