456: How Chronic Inflammation Blocks Conception - Inside the Fertility Puzzle with Dr. Kela Smith

In episode #461 of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our guest, Jess Tims talks about What Is a Fertility Doula and Why Do You Need One? 💚 Ovulating, timing everything right…and STILL not pregnant? Find out what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Fertility Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Fertility Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You're Still Not Pregnant: The 5 Most Overlooked Fertility Roadblocks 🧩 Ready for personalized fertility support? A Fertility Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your fertility journey, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help uncover what you may be missing and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Fertility Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/fertility-consultation-promo This episode is brought to you in partnership with Fertility Class. Learn more at http://www.thefertilityclass.com and use code DRKELA when signing up for 15% off your first month About the Guests: Jess Tims is a certified Fertility Doula, Reiki Master, and founder of Her Fertility Support. She hosts Her Fertility Podcast and serves as a peer advisor with RESOLVE, advocating for inclusive, accessible fertility care. Follow Jess on Instagram: @‌herfertility.support About the Host: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #460 of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our guests, Katie Bressack & Stasha Washburn talk about Are You Undernourished? How Food, Sleep & Stress Impact Your Hormones. 💚 Tired, gaining weight, waking at 2 AM and wondering WTH happened to your hormones? If you just don't feel like yourself anymore and have no idea where to start, take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment to discover what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Hormone Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You Still Don't Feel Like Yourself: 5 Missing Pieces in Women Struggling With Hormone Imbalances 🧩 Ready for personalized hormone support? A Hormone Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your symptoms, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help you better understand what may be contributing to how you're feeling and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Hormone Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/hormone-consultation-promo This episode is brought to you in partnership with Fertility Class. Learn more at http://www.thefertilityclass.com and use code DRKELA when signing up for 15% off your first month About the Guests: Katie Bressack and Stasha Washburn. The hosts of Period Besties Podcast, and Nourish & Flourish Workshops. Two board certified (American Association of Drugless Practitioners) coaches specializing in women's health. Stasha is The Period Coach. Founder of Period Coaching School, international speaker, author of The Revolution Will Be Bloody, Bloody Brilliant Business, and Enter the Red Circle. Inventor of the world's first Period Oracle Card Deck, Board Certified with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and a Certified Provider with the International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine. Katie Bressack is a Board-Certified Holistic Health Coach supporting busy women with nutrition and wellness counseling one-on-one or in group programs with a specialty in hormonal health, such as painful periods, PCOS, heavy/irregular periods, amenorrhea and thyroid imbalances, prenatal, postnatal, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause. Follow Katie and Stasha on Instagram: @‌katiebressack and @‌theperiodcoach About the Host: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #459 of The Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our guest, Rebecca Rumsey talks about The Truth Behind 'Advanced Maternal Age. 💚 Ovulating, timing everything right…and STILL not pregnant? Find out what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Fertility Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Fertility Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You're Still Not Pregnant: The 5 Most Overlooked Fertility Roadblocks 🧩 Ready for personalized fertility support? A Fertility Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your fertility journey, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help uncover what you may be missing and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Fertility Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/fertility-consultation-promo This episode is brought to you in partnership with Fertility Class. Learn more at http://www.thefertilityclass.com and use code DRKELA when signing up for 15% off your first month About the Guest: Rebecca Rumsey holds a Master's degree in holistic health and multiple certifications in nutrition, fertility, and fitness. After years of working as a nutritionist and personal trainer, she felt ready to pursue motherhood at 40. At 41, a severe concussion significantly affected her hormones, and five months later she was told she was no longer fertile and might be facing early menopause. After exploring fertility treatments, including IVF, Rebecca chose to focus on natural fertility and spent a year holistically preparing her body for pregnancy. She went on to conceive naturally at 43 and deliver a healthy baby at 44, then conceived and gave birth again at age 46. Today, Rebecca combines her professional background with her personal fertility journey to educate and support women who are navigating fertility and motherhood after 40. Follow Rebecca on Instagram: @‌fertileafter40 About the Host: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #458 of The Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our host, Dr. Kela Smith, talks about Is It Perimenopause...or Is Something Else Going On? 💚 Tired, gaining weight, waking at 2 AM and wondering WTH happened to your hormones? If you just don't feel like yourself anymore and have no idea where to start, take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment to discover what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Hormone Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You Still Don't Feel Like Yourself: 5 Missing Pieces in Women Struggling With Hormone Imbalances 🧩 Ready for personalized hormone support? A Hormone Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your symptoms, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help you better understand what may be contributing to how you're feeling and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Hormone Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/hormone-consultation-promo More about Dr. Kela: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #457 of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our guest, Erica Ziel talks about Prenatal Through Postnatal Exercise. 💚 Ovulating, timing everything right…and STILL not pregnant? Find out what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Fertility Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Fertility Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You're Still Not Pregnant: The 5 Most Overlooked Fertility Roadblocks 🧩 Ready for personalized fertility support? A Fertility Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your fertility journey, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help uncover what you may be missing and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Fertility Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/fertility-consultation-promo This episode is brought to you in partnership with Fertility Class. Learn more at http://www.thefertilityclass.com and use code DRKELA when signing up for 15% off your first month About the Guest: Erica Ziel is the creator of Core Athletica®, is a Core Athletica® Movement Specialist and Pilates Instructor with over 20 years of experience, plus a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Practitioner. She helps women restore core and pelvic floor function so they can return to an active, pain-free life, and she educates movement professionals through her Core Athletica® Movement Specialist and Prenatal & Postnatal instructor courses. Follow Erica on Instagram: @‌knockedupfitness About the Host: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #456 of The Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our host, Dr. Kela Smith, talks about How Chronic Inflammation Blocks Conception. 💚 Ovulating, timing everything right…and STILL not pregnant? Find out what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Fertility Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Fertility Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You're Still Not Pregnant: The 5 Most Overlooked Fertility Roadblocks 🧩 Ready for personalized fertility support? A Fertility Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your fertility journey, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help uncover what you may be missing and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Fertility Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/fertility-consultation-promo More about Dr. Kela: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #455 of The Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our guest, Alease Barnes talks about Inside the IVF Lab: What Your Embryologist Wants You to Know. 💚 Ovulating, timing everything right…and STILL not pregnant? Find out what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Fertility Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Fertility Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You're Still Not Pregnant: The 5 Most Overlooked Fertility Roadblocks 🧩 Ready for personalized fertility support? A Fertility Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your fertility journey, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help uncover what you may be missing and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Fertility Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/fertility-consultation-promo About the Guest: Alease is an experienced embryologist, educator, and content creator. She obtained a  Bachelor's degree in Genetics from NC State University and has been in the IVF lab for more than 7 years. Alease is passionate about fertility education and has been leveraging social media since 2021 to advocate for fertility awareness, dispel misinformation, and support those on their infertility journey. She continually strives to make complex scientific concepts accessible to a broad audience. This episode is brought to you in partnership with Fullscript. https://fullscript.com/welcome/drkela Follow Alease on Instagram: @‌alease_the_embryologist About Dr. Kela: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #454 of The Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our host, Dr. Kela Smith, talks about You're Not Lazy, Your Hormones Are Talking: 10 Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore. 💚 Tired, gaining weight, waking at 2 AM and wondering WTH happened to your hormones? If you just don't feel like yourself anymore and have no idea where to start, take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment to discover what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Hormone Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You Still Don't Feel Like Yourself: 5 Missing Pieces in Women Struggling With Hormone Imbalances 🧩 Ready for personalized hormone support? A Hormone Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your symptoms, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help you better understand what may be contributing to how you're feeling and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Hormone Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/hormone-consultation-promo About Dr. Kela: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #453 of The Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our guest, Rafaella Elias talks about Shifting Your Emotions From Fear, Grief Into Hope. 💚 Ovulating, timing everything right…and STILL not pregnant? Find out what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Fertility Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Fertility Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You're Still Not Pregnant: The 5 Most Overlooked Fertility Roadblocks 🧩 Ready for personalized fertility support? A Fertility Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your fertility journey, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help uncover what you may be missing and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Fertility Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/fertility-consultation-promo About the Guest: Rafaella Elias has always been passionate about improving public health. With a background in Nutrition, Health Sciences and Epidemiology, her career path was focused on understanding health from a scientific perspective. However, when she faced Type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism and infertility, she embarked on a transformational healing journey—one that extended beyond medicine. Along the way, she discovered the profound power of the mind-body connection, emotional healing, and shifting beliefs to manifest what the heart desires. By embracing these principles, she transformed her pain into power, turning what once felt impossible into reality: the gift of motherhood. Inspired by her journey, Rafaella developed Little Miracle Creations, an initiative to share meaningful offerings that support women on their journey to motherhood. Through creative expression and heartfelt insights, she continues to expand this growing collection, beginning with her poetry book and guided journal. With more to come, each offering is created to inspire women to believe in their own miracles. Rafaella's debut book, Little Miracle Milestones, is a collection of affirmation-infused poetry, written as an intimate dialogue between mother and baby. Accompanied by a guided journal, this collection provides a space to release limiting beliefs and step into the energy of manifesting a little miracle. Thank you for listening! This episode is brought to you in partnership with Fullscript. https://fullscript.com/welcome/drkela Follow Rafaella on Instagram: @‌littlemiraclecreations About the Host: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through The Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of The Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.

In episode #452 of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast, our guest, Bria Gadd talks about Peptides in Perimenopause - What's Safe, What's Hype, and What's Next. 💚 Tired, gaining weight, waking at 2 AM and wondering WTH happened to your hormones? If you just don't feel like yourself anymore and have no idea where to start, take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment to discover what you may be missing. 🔍 Take the FREE 3-Minute Hormone Puzzle Assessment: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/quiz Plus, when you take the assessment, you'll get: ✓ Your personalized assessment results ✓ Your Healthy Hormone Meal Plan ✓ FREE access to Why You Still Don't Feel Like Yourself: 5 Missing Pieces in Women Struggling With Hormone Imbalances 🧩 Ready for personalized hormone support? A Hormone Deep Dive Consultation with Dr. Kela is a 1-on-1 look at your symptoms, health history, lifestyle, and past labs to help you better understand what may be contributing to how you're feeling and what to focus on next. 📞 Book Your Hormone Deep Dive Consultation: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/hormone-consultation-promo About the Guest: Bria Gadd is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Practitioner, holistic health coach, and certified personal trainer, who specializes in female hormones, helping women with weight release and energy gain in pre and post menopause, and finding clarity in hormonal chaos. Thank you for listening! This episode is brought to you in partnership with Fullscript. Follow Bria on Instagram: @‌bria_period_whisperer Watch FREE Training and get the exact 5 steps to feel amazing in midlife HERE. About Dr. Kela: Dr. Kela Smith, PhD is a Women's Health Expert specializing in fertility, hormones, and root-cause health. After navigating her own unexplained infertility journey, she developed the Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E. Method and has dedicated her work to helping women and couples better understand the many pieces that can influence fertility and hormone health. Through the Hormone Puzzle Society, Dr. Kela helps women identify and address potential underlying factors contributing to fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, and the changes that come with perimenopause so they can feel informed, supported, and empowered at every stage of their health journey. She is also the host of the Hormone Puzzle Podcast and author of the bestselling book Solving Your Infertility Puzzle. 📲 Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌drkelasmith 📩 Sponsorship & Media Inquiries: [email protected] Disclaimer: Some links may be affiliate links, meaning a commission may be earned at no additional cost to you.