EP58: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack on the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign, Fertility, and Holistic Reproductive Health

What Lisa Shares:      Her journey to understanding female fertility more fully after receiving incorrect information in school      How to determine when you're actually fertile      The biology of the menstrual cycle and how different birth controls alter this      The importance of male fertility in conception and how to boost male fertility What You'll Hear:      The recent expansion of scientific literature to more fully include the female body      Learning about the biology and physiology of the female body and basing health decisions on science      The hormonal cycle is intertwined with the rest of your biology      Embracing your body through the lens of pleasure rather than fear      Developing personal agency around your fertility decisions      The difference between the rhythm method and fertility awareness      The importance of familiarizing yourself with cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and cervical positioning      The difference between pre-ovulatory and post-ovulatory mucus      When practiced *properly,* the efficacy of fertility awareness is up to 99.4%      The importance of learning and practicing the method, especially when coming off the pill      Understanding the importance of male fertility for natural conception      Average count and mobility of sperm has declined in the last century, and ways to improve sperm health      Why you might lose your period and the importance of balancing health in order to bring it back      Why the menstrual cycle is an important vital sign about your health      How vaginal steaming might interact with fertility awareness      The long-term health implications of hormonal birth control      Being familiar enough with your cycle to notice when more systemic issues are at play      How stress affects your menstrual cycle      How relating to your body in this way can empower you