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