Taking a Functional Approach to Balancing Hormones: Comprehensive Hormone Testing, Peptides, And More with Dr. Carrie Carda

Ever find yourself looking for a snack even though you ate lunch a couple of hours ago?In this solo episode, I’m talking about the difference between eating because you’re hungry and reaching for food out of habit, boredom, stress, or a need for a break. Snacking can be a helpful way to fuel your body.The key is noticing what you need and making a choice that supports it.Listen in to hear me share:When a snack can help, especially if your meals are far apart, you’re exercising, or you’re pregnant or breastfeedingSimple snack ideas that offer more lasting nourishmentHow afternoon grazing and late-night snacking can affect your appetite, sleep, and health goalsA way to pause and identify what you need before reaching for foodHow to find other ways to rest, connect, or enjoy yourself when hunger isn’t the reasonA seven-day challenge to notice your snacking patterns—without judging yourself or having to change what you eat+so much moreConnect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Dr. Carrie Carda is a board-certified OB-GYN with nearly 30 years of experience. After realizing that conventional medicine often focuses on managing symptoms rather than identifying their underlying causes, she earned a master’s degree in nutrition and metabolic medicine from the University of Florida and pursued additional training in functional and integrative medicine at Georgetown University. Today, she combines traditional medical care with a whole-body approach to help women better understand their hormones, fertility, and overall health.Listen in to hear Dr. Carda share:Why “normal” lab results don’t always mean your body is functioning optimallyThe importance of comprehensive hormone testing before fertility or perimenopausal symptoms become severeWhy vitamin D, ferritin, thyroid hormones, blood sugar, sleep, and gut health all matter for hormonal balanceWhat peptides are, how they signal the body, and their potential role in fertility and women’s healthWhy peptides remain investigational and should only be used with qualified medical supervisionHow poor blood-sugar regulation can interfere with ovulation, conception, and pregnancyWhy women should address perimenopausal symptoms early rather than waiting until menopauseHow flaxseed, soy, colostrum, glutamine, and zinc carnosine may support gut and hormone healthThe importance of active forms of nutrients such as folate and vitamin B12How women can become more informed and proactive participants in their healthcare+so much more!This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

The Jewish holidays can be meaningful and joyful, but they can also feel incredibly overwhelming. Between cooking, cleaning, hosting, traveling, disrupted routines, heavy meals, and children being home from school, many women feel like they have to choose between enjoying the Chagim and taking care of their health.In this episode, I share how I’m approaching the holiday season without expecting myself to maintain a perfect routine. Instead, I’m focusing on realistic ways to support my health while remaining present for my family, my faith, and the experiences that make this season special. I also speak to anyone navigating infertility or pregnancy loss, acknowledging how emotionally difficult this time of year can be when prayers from the previous year still feel unanswered.Listen in to hear me share:Taking care of yourself during the Chagim is not selfishAdjust your health goals without abandoning themWhy I avoid thinking of the holidays as being “on track” or “off track”Practical ways to enjoy special foods without feeling restricted or physically uncomfortableHow to build balanced meals that leave you satisfied without feeling overly heavyThe importance of hydration and electrolytes, especially before Yom KippurSimple ways to prioritize movement when regular workouts aren’t realisticSleep should be treated like medicine during busy seasonsWays to simplify menus, repeat dishes, prepare easy meals, and reduce unnecessary pressureWhy you don’t need to wait until “after the Chagim” to begin prioritizing your healthLet go of perfection and create a holiday experience that feels healthy, meaningful, and joyful for you+so much more!Connect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Dr. Kayla Smith is a holistic women’s health expert who helps women uncover the root causes behind hormonal and reproductive health challenges.After receiving an unexplained infertility diagnosis at 36, she began exploring factors that conventional testing had overlooked—including being very thin and possibly experiencing hypothalamic amenorrhea. She later became pregnant twice and now uses both her personal experience and professional expertise to help women optimize their health and fertility.Listen in to hear Dr. Kayla Smith share:Why “unexplained infertility” often means the root cause simply hasn’t been identified yetHer personal journey from an infertility diagnosis at 36 to becoming pregnant twiceHow thyroid function, hormone metabolism, adrenal stress patterns, and mineral status can affect fertilityWhat DUTCH testing and hair mineral analysis may reveal beyond conventional testingHow gut and vaginal microbiome imbalances—including issues affecting a partner—may influence conceptionCommonly overlooked basics like timing intercourse correctly, tracking ovulation, and evaluating luteal phase lengthWays to reduce inflammation through nutrition, cleaner products, stress reduction, and better sleepHow gratitude, visualization, and healthy circadian habits can support the fertility journeyWhy optimizing overall health may improve the chances of both natural conception and IVF successHow peptides and hormone replacement therapy may be used as additional toolsPerimenopause strategies, including eating more protein and prioritizing strength trainingDr. Smith’s clinic, book, podcasts, and additional women’s health resources+so much more!Connect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Today, I’m sharing my personal breastfeeding journey across all three of my children—and how dramatically different each experience has been. After relatively smooth breastfeeding experiences with my first two babies, I went into my third postpartum journey assuming breastfeeding would be the easy part. Instead, it became one of the most challenging and humbling parts of my postpartum experience.I share how my third baby suddenly stopped latching during the day at just three weeks old, despite continuing to nurse perfectly at night. I tried lactation consultants, different nursing positions, craniosacral therapy, pediatric physical therapy, stretches, courses, and more, but nothing seemed to fix the problem. Eventually, I transitioned to pumping throughout the day and nursing at night—and lived that way for months. Then, completely unexpectedly, around nine months old, she began nursing normally during the day again.Throughout this journey, I’ve developed so much more compassion for how complicated and emotional feeding a baby can be. I’m passionate about breastfeeding and incredibly grateful I was able to continue, but I also believe a mother’s mental health matters tremendously and that there is no single “right” way to feed or bond with your baby.Listen in to hear me share:How I prepared for breastfeeding before becoming a mom and why I think prenatal education can make such a differenceWhat my relatively easy breastfeeding experiences with my first two children looked likeHow infertility affected my ability to trust my body during early motherhoodWhy my third breastfeeding journey completely humbled meWhat happened when my baby suddenly refused to latch during the day—but continued nursing normally at nightThe lactation consultants, therapies, positions, stretches, and other approaches I triedWhy I eventually stopped trying to force daytime nursing and created a pumping routine insteadThe mental and logistical load of pumping multiple times every day while caring for three childrenHow a wearable pump gave me back some freedom and allowed me to leave the houseWhy my baby unexpectedly started nursing normally again around nine monthsMy mixed emotions around breastfeeding, formula, pumping, weaning, and protecting a mother’s mental healthHow this experience changed the way I soothed and bonded with my third babyWhy motherhood continues to humble me—and why sometimes you can do everything “right” and still have a completely different experience than you expectedWhy I’m ready to wean, take a real break, and finally have my body and time back after years of pregnancy and breastfeeding+so much more.Connect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Dr. Sahar Wertheimer is a fertility specialist and double board-certified OB-GYN and reproductive endocrinologist practicing in Beverly Hills, California. She also serves as chair of the Women’s Health Committee for the Jewish Orthodox Women’s Medical Association. Her research and publications cover topics including placental epigenetics and markers of androgen excess in PCOS and hirsutism. Dr. Wertheimer completed four years of OB-GYN training followed by a three-year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.Listen in to hear Dr. Wertheimer share:How to prepare for egg freezing, egg retrieval, IVF, and embryo transferWhat fertility statistics can—and cannot—tell women about egg freezing and future family buildingWhy male fertility deserves greater attention and how sperm health can affect treatment outcomesThe connection between insulin resistance, PCOS or PMOS, ovulation, egg quality, and implantationHow nutrition, sleep, exercise, and evidence-supported supplements may help optimize fertilityHer perspective on GLP-1 medications for some patients with insulin resistanceWhen advanced testing such as sperm DNA fragmentation analysis and PGT-A may be helpfulPotential causes and evaluations following recurrent pregnancy lossWhy IVF, donor-assisted conception, and surrogacy should be discussed without shameEncouragement for anyone navigating the emotional challenges of fertility treatment+so much moreConnect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

I’m rating popular health and wellness trends as worth it, not worth it, or somewhere in between—based on the evidence, the cost, and whether they actually move the needle for your health.In this episode, I share my honest thoughts on fads we find on the internet; intermittent fasting, detoxes, wellness retreats, seed cycling, lymphatic drainage, cold plunges, protein snacks, red light therapy, cycle tracking, and cycle syncing.Listen in to hear me discuss:10–14-hour overnight fastingDetoxes and juice cleansesYour body’s natural detoxification pathwaysWellness retreatsSeed cyclingLymphatic drainageCold plungesRed light therapyCycle-tracking devicesWellness trends you can confidently skip+so much more!Connect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Alexa Greenblatt is a certified health coach and the founder of Alexa Plan My Diet, where she helps women lose weight and build sustainable habits through personalized nutrition coaching.She specializes in practical nutrition for busy women, including kosher eating, postpartum recovery, and breastfeeding. Alexa is also a mother of three—including twins—and pumped exclusively for her twins for more than 10 months.Listen in to hear Alexa share:Her personal journey from struggling with her weight to becoming passionate about nutritionThe realities of breastfeeding, exclusively pumping, and nourishing twinsSimple, satisfying meal and snack ideas for busy postpartum mothersHow to support gradual, healthy weight loss without compromising milk supplyWhy consistent meals, carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and hydration matter while breastfeedingHow stress, lack of sleep, returning to work, and missed feedings can affect appetite and milk productionThe truth about lactation foods, electrolytes, vitamins, and milk-supply supplementsWhy some women lose weight while breastfeeding while others experience a plateauHow to manage increased hunger and sugar cravings with realistic, healthier alternativesGiving yourself grace, releasing comparison, and accepting that every breastfeeding journey looks differentWhy breastfeeding and formula do not have to be viewed as an all-or-nothing decisionPractical ways to care for yourself while caring for a newbornFinding flexibility with feeding, routines, motherhood, and postpartum recovery+so much moreConnect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

In this episode, I explore how understanding your menstrual cycle, hormones, and changing life stages can help you make sense of shifts in libido—and prevent those changes from creating unnecessary conflict in your relationship. Libido is about more than sex drive; it is also connected to energy, vitality, confidence, and feminine energy.Listen in to hear me share:The many factors that can influence desire, including stress, sleep, mental and physical health, medications, body image, and relationship qualityThe difference between spontaneous and responsive desireMy “finish line and obstacles” analogy for understanding why desire sometimes feels closer or farther awayHow the menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases can affect mood, energy, and libidoHow desire may change during pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, and menopauseWhy changes in libido should not automatically be taken personally by either partnerPractical ways to track your cycle, communicate your needs, prioritize your health, and build greater emotional and physical intimacy+so much moreConnect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy

Rebekah Pearlman is a birth and postpartum doula who supports families through pregnancy, birth, and the early weeks of parenthood. She spent more than a decade working in Israel’s high-tech industry at companies including Moovit, startups, and Guesty before leaving tech to pursue meaningful work supporting mothers and families.Rebekah trained as both a birth and postpartum doula, and is passionate about helping parents feel informed, supported, and confident throughout their journey.Listen in to hear Rebekah share:Why she left a successful career in high-tech after October 7 to become a doulaHow addressing fear and expectations can transform the birth experienceWhy a healthy mom, baby, and dad matter more than rigid birth plansPractical ways postpartum support—including meals, organization, and feeding guidance—can make recovery easierHer perspective on work-life "symbiosis," setting healthy boundaries, and letting go of guilt as a mother+so much moreConnect with Lauren:Get my FREE PCOS Guide hereJoin the Empowered Path to Pregnancy hereInstagramWork With MeThank you so much for listening to the About Health and Hormones Podcast! If you loved today’s episode, I would love to know! Please leave a rating and review so I can make this podcast even better for you all. I would love to connect with you.I’m so glad you were here today, and I wish you all health and happiness!This episode was edited and produced by Intent Media.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy