The Hormone Genius Podcast

What determines the health of our eggs, and can we do anything to support them? In this fascinating episode of The Hormone Genius Podcast, Teresa and Jamie welcome Dr. Alison Ermisch, PhD, Education Programs Manager at FACTS About Fertility, to explore the incredible science of ovarian physiology, egg quality, and the earliest moments of human development.

Dr. Ermisch holds a PhD in reproductive physiology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, with research focused on oocyte metabolism and ovarian physiology. She explains how egg development begins before birth, why the final months of an egg’s maturation matter, and how our metabolic health can influence the environment in which eggs grow.

We dive into the role of mitochondria, the energy-producing powerhouses of the egg, and how oxidative stress and inflammation may disrupt the delicate cellular processes necessary for healthy development. You'll also learn what happens when sperm meets egg, how fertilization initiates early embryonic development, and the fascinating science behind the “zinc spark” associated with fertilization.

So, what can women do to support their reproductive health? Dr. Ermisch emphasizes the importance of understanding your menstrual cycle, getting adequate sleep, eating well, and recognizing how metabolic and hormonal health are interconnected. Teresa and Jamie also discuss lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, and nutrients often explored in conversations about egg health.

Dr. Ermisch shares her own experience with miscarriage and progesterone support, highlighting why identifying and treating underlying reproductive health concerns matters. Her work with FACTS About Fertility is helping educate future physicians about fertility awareness, cycle charting, and the menstrual cycle as a vital sign.

Whether you're preparing for pregnancy, navigating infertility, or simply want to understand your body more deeply, this episode offers a remarkable look at the biology of fertility and the importance of whole-body health.

FACTS About Fertility: Upcoming Virtual Conference

Join FACTS About Fertility November 20–21, 2026, for its virtual conference featuring research and clinical insights into fertility awareness and reproductive health. Dr. Ermisch is among the featured speakers! Healthcare professionals, medical students, and fertility educators are encouraged to attend. CME options are available.

Register: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/2026-facts-virtual-conference/

Our Sponsors

We Heart Nutrition — Thoughtfully formulated supplements to support your wellness journey. Visit https://www.weheartnutrition.com and use code GENIUS at checkout for 20% off!

Radiant Clinic — Looking for personalized support for menstrual concerns, hormone health, infertility, or recurrent pregnancy loss? Radiant Clinic uses a restorative reproductive medicine approach to investigate underlying causes and support women's health. Free discovery calls are available.

Learn more: https://radiantclinic.com

Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your healthcare professional before making changes to your care or starting supplements.

Have you registered for the fall FACTS virtual conference yet?

Do not miss this two-day educational event featuring expert presentations, networking with like-minded medical professionals, and connecting with exhibiting organizations in this space! November 20th-21st.
Register now at https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/2026-facts-virtual-conference/

Join us on Friday, November 20th in the evening and Saturday, November 21st during the day.The postpartum period can be beautiful, challenging, unexpected—and a time when women need more support than they realize. In this episode of The Hormone Genius Podcast, we’re joined by Anne Marie Williams, host of the Postpartum on Purpose podcast, to discuss how women can prepare for postpartum with greater understanding, intention, and community.

Anne Marie shares her personal journey through postpartum struggles, including panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and her eventual diagnosis of postpartum OCD. Her story reminds us that frightening, unwanted thoughts can happen to many new mothers, and experiencing an intrusive thought does not automatically mean you want to act on it.

We discuss the importance of recognizing when postpartum anxiety, depression, or OCD may need professional attention. Anne Marie explains exposure and response prevention (ERP), an evidence-based therapy for OCD, and why it’s important to consider both mental health support and possible physical contributors, such as nutritional deficiencies or other medical conditions.

We also explore the dramatic hormonal changes that occur after birth, how women can support themselves through this transition, and why preparing for postpartum should include more than stocking the freezer with meals. Building a community of support, what Anne Marie calls a “grandma tribe”—can help mothers feel less isolated and give them the practical help they need.

Plus, Anne Marie shares three simple practices for navigating postpartum: free things to be grateful for, one small change to notice, and a daily dose of discomfort. These reminders can help mothers approach this season with greater perspective, flexibility, and purpose.

Find Anne Marie’s postpartum plan and habit tracker at PostpartumOnPurpose.com or follow @postpartumonpurpose on Instagram.

OUR SPONSORS

We Heart Nutrition : Support your nutritional wellness with quality supplements, including postnatal nutrients, iron, omega-3s, and magnesium. Visit WeHeartNutrition.com and use code GENIUS for 20% off.

Radiant Health Clinic : Looking for a root-cause approach to women’s health, fertility, PMS, PCOS, or perimenopause? Learn more about Dr. Monica Minjeur and telehealth services at RadiantClinic.com.

Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your healthcare professional about your specific needs. If you experience frightening or distressing postpartum symptoms, seek professional support promptly. If you believe you may harm yourself or your baby, seek immediate emergency help. Call 988 for immediate mental health concerns.

Who’s on your healthcare team? In this episode of The Hormone Genius Podcast, Jamie Rathjen and Teresa Kenney discuss why achieving better health often takes more than one healthcare provider. From medical professionals to hormone coaches and fertility awareness instructors, the right team can help you understand your symptoms, investigate root causes, and take an active role in your health.

Through three real-world case scenarios, we explore where to begin when you need answers:

🌸 The Teen with Painful Periods: When a 17-year-old misses school because of severe menstrual pain, it’s time to look deeper. We discuss cycle charting, lifestyle and nutritional factors, and when to investigate endometriosis with an appropriately trained specialist.

🌸 The Woman in Perimenopause: Sleep disturbances, mood changes, irregular cycles, brain fog, and fatigue can affect quality of life—even when you're told everything is normal. Learn why listening to a woman's concerns, assessing her symptoms, and building a team that may include hormone and health coaches can make a difference.

🌸 The Couple Struggling with Infertility: Regular periods don't necessarily tell the whole story about ovulation and fertility. We discuss fertility awareness charting, appropriately timed hormone testing, thyroid and other health assessments, lifestyle support, and when further evaluation for conditions such as endometriosis may be needed.

Our goal? To help you find professionals who will listen, work collaboratively, and look beyond symptoms toward the underlying causes. To get a list of directories to find a more restorative minded health care professionals, go to www.hormonegenius.com and you will find a pop up link to all the directories for your holistic health care team!

Interested in Jamie's Hormone Coaching Program through Fiat Institute?

OCT 26 at 8pm CST, Jamie is hosting a webinar to learn more about her Hormone Coaching Programs!
Join FREE using this link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/l-Wc0QKdSNq_eVwu0oHHYg. You can also visit www.fiatinstitute.com to find registration details. For more information email jamie@fiatinstitute.com

We Heart Nutrition
Looking for thoughtfully formulated supplements? We Heart Nutrition offers targeted nutrients for women and men through different life stages, with an emphasis on quality ingredients, bioavailability, and third-party testing. Take their supplement quiz to explore your options!

Visit weheartnutrition.com and use code GENIUS for 20% off.

Radiant Clinic with Dr. Monica Minjeur
Looking for restorative women's healthcare? Dr. Monica Minjeur and her team use Restorative Reproductive Medicine to investigate underlying causes of menstrual cycle concerns, PCOS, endometriosis, infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and perimenopause and menopause symptoms. In-person and virtual care are available, depending on location and licensing.

Visit radiantclinic.com to learn more about their services and find out how they can support your healthcare journey.

Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your qualified healthcare professional regarding your health concerns.

Have you heard that PCOS is getting a new name? In this episode of The Hormone Genius Podcast, we unpack the new terminology—PMOS: Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome—and, more importantly, why this change matters for women.

For decades, the name “polycystic ovarian syndrome” has placed a lot of emphasis on the ovaries and the presence of “cysts.” But the reality is much more complex. It’s not just the cysts—it’s the systems. PMOS is a whole-body endocrine and metabolic condition involving insulin, hormones, ovulation, and communication between the brain and ovaries.

We discuss the history behind the name change, what those small follicles actually represent, and why not every woman with PCOS/PMOS will have polycystic-appearing ovaries. We also break down how the diagnosis is made, including the Rotterdam criteria and the role that AMH may play as an additional diagnostic tool.

You’ll hear why PMOS can look very different from woman to woman—including women who don’t “look like” they have PCOS at all. We share a powerful fertility story illustrating why it is so important to evaluate both partners and to look beyond the obvious when infertility is present.

Then we get practical: What can you actually do if you have PMOS?

We talk about improving metabolic health and insulin sensitivity, lifestyle as a first-line approach, nutrition, exercise, strength training, walking after meals, continuous glucose monitors, glycemic index, weight loss when appropriate, myo-inositol, vitamin D, omega-3s, and the importance of tracking your menstrual cycle and understanding whether ovulation is actually occurring. We also discuss the emerging research surrounding GLP-1 medications and PMOS—and why this is an area to watch, while recognizing that more research is needed.

Most importantly, we want women to know that a diagnosis doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Understanding your body, identifying the underlying dysfunction, and having the right support can change the trajectory of your health.

Our Sponsors

We Heart Nutrition
Looking for high-quality, bioavailable nutritional support? Visit weheartnutrition.com and use code GENIUS for 20% off your order.

Radiant Clinic with Dr. Monica Minjeur
Radiant Clinic provides restorative women’s health and fertility care, including support for PCOS, irregular and painful cycles, infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, PMS/PMDD, menopause, and other reproductive health concerns. Dr. Monica Minjeur, DO, is a board-certified family medicine physician and NeoFertility Medical Consultant. Radiant Clinic offers in-person and virtual care, and you can book a free discovery call to learn whether their approach is right for you.

The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.

What if your fertility chart looks great, your LH surge is positive, your progesterone rises, and yet you still aren’t actually releasing an egg?

In this episode of The Hormone Genius Podcast, Teresa and Jamie welcome back Krista “CJ” Johnston to dive into one of the most frustrating and misunderstood causes of infertility: luteinized unruptured follicles (LUFs).

CJ spent four years navigating infertility, endometriosis, recurrent LUFs, surgeries, and the emotional exhaustion that comes with feeling like you’re doing everything “right” without getting answers. Her story eventually led to a deeper understanding of what was happening in her ovaries, and, ultimately, to her first pregnancy.

Together, we explore:

✨ What exactly is a luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF)?
✨ Why a positive LH test or rising progesterone does not necessarily confirm that an egg was released
✨ Why a follicle study/ultrasound series can provide information that charting and laboratory testing cannot
✨ The possible relationship between LUFs, endometriosis, PCOS, inflammation, scar tissue, and ovarian function
✨ CJ’s experience with recurrent LUFs before and after endometriosis surgery
✨ How pelvic inflammation and postoperative adhesions affected her ovaries
✨ The role of nutrition and iodine in CJ’s personal fertility journey—and why more research is needed
✨ Emerging approaches to healing and inflammation, including the unique use of PRP during surgery
✨ The emotional toll of infertility—and knowing when to keep pushing and when it’s okay to pause
✨ Why trusting your instincts and advocating for yourself matters

Perhaps the most important takeaway? An ovulatory event is not necessarily the same thing as confirmed ovulation.

Connect with CJ:
Dignity Empowered — hormone coaching and writing focused on infertility, women’s health, and spiritual motherhood.
Email: info@dignityempowered.com

We’re so grateful to have We Heart Nutrition supporting The Hormone Genius Podcast!

Ready to check them out? Visit weheartnutrition.com and use code GENIUS at checkout for 20% off your order.

Thanks to our sponsor Dr. Monica of Radiant Health. Please check them out for all your women's health needs. They do telehealth, specialize in all fertility and reproductive health concerns, as well as perimenopause & menopause.

Dr. Monica Minjeur
Neo Fertility Medical Consultant
FertilityCare Medical Consultant
FEMM Medical Provider
Podcast Host: “Cycle Wisdom"

P: (319) 804-8321 | F: 319-465-0081
3705 River Ridge Dr NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Mon – Thu, 9am to 3pm
radiantclinic.com

Medical Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace individualized medical care. Fertility concerns and treatment decisions should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional who can evaluate your individual history and circumstances. Information discussed about supplements, iodine, PRP, LUFs, and other treatments should not be interpreted as medical advice or a recommendation for self-treatment.