The roots of a fertile body (and healthy hormones): '9 Months is Not Enough' with Alexandria DeVito

Fertility is a reflection of your overall health, wellbeing, vitality, capacity. I think it's common to pigeonhole "trying to conceive" as all about hormones, but actually our body's reproductive resilience is a mirror of what else may be going on in our bodies. There are so many factors at play, from nutrition to movement to environmental exposures to stress levels to blood sugar to egg and sperm health and beyond.Yes, sperm too! They are 50% of the equation after all.And contrary to common perception, male partners actually have a HUGE role to play in the fertility journey (it's NOT just about menstrual cycles and womb care). Infertility is more of a thing than it's ever been these days, but there's an incredible amount you can do to prepare for an optimal preconception environment which is what clinical nutritionist Alexandria DeVito shares all about in this week's episode.Combining her clinical practice and extensive research into current scientific literature, she wrote a book called '9 Months is Not Enough." And our conversation explores some of the most poignant topics covered in it.Something I appreciate is how she embraces both the importance of preconception lab testing AND the immense information our menstrual cycles tell us, too. Learning to listen to your body wisdom can be equally as powerful as test results.And she also speaks to the distinction between chronological age and biological age, which is an essential factor in the fertility puzzle whether you're 29 or 43 years old. Listen to learn:how the fertility rates have changed over timewhy sperm health should ALWAYS be considered part of the fertility picturethe difference between chronological and biological ageAlexandria's thoughts on essential nutrition for fertilitywhy preparing a year or more before TTC is extremely helpfulhow fertility is not ONLY an age or hormonal issueResources:Today's shownotes: Get links to Alexandria's book + lab testing companyFree Guide: Track Your Cycle Naturally using FAMEpisode 5: Are you ovulating? And why it mattersEpisode 38: Your cycle is a vital sign - learn to listen to what it's telling youEpisode 66: What are your irregular cycles telling you?If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.Click here to send me a quick message :)