Ep 403 Genetics, Epigenetics, and Fertility: What Your DNA Can and Can't Tell You with Natalie Samson

In this episode, Michelle sits down with licensed acupuncturist and certified herbalist Ariele Myers for a conversation that moves from clinical fertility care into something deeper. Ariele shares how two decades of practice slowly reshaped her own approach, from reading labs and chasing balance toward honoring the feminine, the nervous system, and the quiet intelligence the body already holds. The heart of it is a single shift: what happens when we stop treating the body as broken and start meeting fertility as an experience to enter rather than a problem to fix. Together they explore the difference between surrender and defeat, why staying present can soften even the most reactive moments, and how many women on the fertility path quietly carry the belief that if they could just fix the one right thing, everything would fall into place. Ariele and Michelle talk about pleasure as a form of activism, the way our attention has become our most valuable currency, and what it means to keep loving yourself through a journey that does not always move on your timeline.

What if the missing piece in your healing is not another protocol, but energy itself? In this episode, Michelle sits down with Harry Massey, founder and CEO of Energy4Life and a pioneer in the field of bioenergetics. After a series of climbing accidents left Harry bedridden for nearly a decade, he discovered that Western, holistic, and functional medicine all fell short. His recovery began only when he started studying energy in living systems, the same life force Chinese medicine has called qi for thousands of years. Together they explore how the body works like a battery that needs more energy in reserve than it spends, why that matters so deeply for fertility, and how light, breath, structured water, and the fascia all carry information that shapes our health. This is a grounding and expansive look at healing from the level most medicine never reaches, and a reminder that the body is intelligent, not broken. Key Takeaways The body runs like a battery. When more energy is going out than coming in, it shifts into survival, and conception becomes a low priority for a body that does not feel safe or resourced.

What if so much of what stands between you and your goals, including your fertility, is not physical at all, but the state your nervous system is living in? In this fascinating conversation, Michelle sits down with Dr. Patrick K. Porter, PhD, founder of BrainTap and author of Brain Fitness Blueprint, to explore the profound connection between the mind, the brain, and the body. Patrick has spent more than thirty years studying brainwave entrainment and how frequency, light, and thought physically shape our biology. Together they talk about how chronic stress locks the body into survival mode, why the subconscious runs far more of our lives than we realize, and how deep, restorative sleep may be one of the most overlooked pillars of health and fertility. They also explore the science that is catching up to ancient wisdom, from the body's energy field to the generational patterns we carry without knowing it, and gentle, practical ways to shift out of fight or flight and into the calm, receptive state where the body can do its own healing work. This is a rich, expansive conversation for anyone who senses that the mind holds far more power over the body than we have been taught. Key Takeaways: • Your physiology drives your psychology. When the body is stuck in stress, it cannot reach the calm, receptive states where healing and creativity happen. • The subconscious runs the vast majority of our patterns, so lasting change begins with awareness, not willpower. • Deep sleep is a cornerstone of health and fertility. Quality matters more than hours, and the brain does much of its repair work during those deep cycles. • Chronic stress and the freeze response disrupt the nervous system, while intentional recovery, breath, and relaxation help the body rebalance. • Modern science is validating what ancient traditions have long taught about energy, frequency, and the mind-body connection, giving us real tools to work with the nervous system.

When you are trying to conceive, few topics feel more overwhelming, or more contradictory, than nutrition. In this episode, Michelle sits down with registered dietitian Lisa Moskovitz, founder of The NY Nutrition Group and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, for a grounded and refreshingly realistic conversation about how food actually supports fertility. Lisa shares her own path to motherhood, which included irregular cycles, PCOS-like symptoms, pregnancy loss, and eventually three children through a mix of IUI, IVF, and natural conception. Drawing on that lived experience and years of clinical work, she offers a nuanced look at what truly moves the needle. Together they talk about why being too restrictive can work against fertility, the research behind Mediterranean-style eating and full-fat dairy, the nutrients that support egg quality, how digestion determines whether your body can even use the food you eat, and why meal timing and your circadian rhythm matter more than most people realize. This is a conversation about doing less of the wrong things, meeting your body where it is, and finding a middle ground you can actually live with. Key Takeaways: • Nutrition genuinely supports fertility, but the aim is nourishment and balance, not perfection or control. • Extremes on either end backfire. Being too restrictive, too underweight, or over-exercising can disrupt hormones as much as the opposite. • Mediterranean-style eating with full-fat dairy has the strongest research behind it for fertility and hormone health. • Digestion matters as much as the food. A food is only as healthy as your body can absorb it, so bloating and GI issues are worth addressing. • Simple foundations move the needle most: a few fertility-friendly foods (avocado, whole eggs, lentils, wild salmon, leafy greens), a twelve-hour overnight window instead of aggressive fasting, and a prenatal started a few months before conceiving. Guest Bio: Lisa Moskovitz, RD, is the founder of The NY Nutrition Group, a large group nutrition practice in NYC, and the author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, a guide to finding your healthiest, happiest weight. As an experienced dietitian based in Manhattan, Lisa has first-hand insight into what people struggle with the most and what moves the needle. She has a no-nonsense, evidence-based, and realistic approach to nutrition that sets her apart from the average influencer. Lisa also speaks from personal experience, having navigated her own fertility journey through irregular cycles, pregnancy loss, and ultimately three children. Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or fertility care.

On this episode of The Wholesome Fertility Podcast, I sit down with Ken Swartz, also known as Ken the Scientist, to explore a molecule that has quietly become one of the most fascinating topics in cellular health: Carbon 60, or C60.