Fertility Journeys

Fertility Journeys

The Fertility Journeys Podcast features diverse stories of women who have navigated infertility helping to break the silence and stigma that still surrounds infertility. While infertility is a disease that impacts 1 in 8 couples and is not uncommon, most stories are never shared and thus it can be terribly isolating and lonely. In this podcast, Dr. Shala Salem, M.D., discusses topics to support you on your fertility journey, while optimizing health and wellness using integrative techniques. Dr. Salem has worked with patients on their fertility journey for over a decade. She was fellowship trained in Integrative Medicine under the world renowned expert Dr. Andrew Weil, and now uses her training to support those struggling with infertility. Integrative Medicine takes into consideration all factors that influence health and wellness: the mind, body, spirit and community and combines alternative and conventional methods to facilitate the body‘s own healing response. On the Fertility Journeys Podcast you will hear from experts who specialize in mental health, mind-body, nutrition, acupuncture, environmental toxins and more, to help educate you on the things that not only will support optimal fertility, but achieve optimal wellness for you.

Episodes

May 24, 2022 45 mins

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 Ph...

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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 treat...

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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 trus...

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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 h...

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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 in...
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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 he...

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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 barrier...
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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 Pre...

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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” pe...

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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 i...
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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 representati...

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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 med...
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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 h...

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February 15, 2022 60 mins

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 in...

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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 ...

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February 1, 2022 49 mins

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 addit...

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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 ...

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January 18, 2022 54 mins

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 heal...

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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 sh...

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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 b...

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