I joined Isabella Yon, MSc, NTP, on the Mothers 2B Podcast to talk about preconception health for both parents.
We discussed how the months before trying to conceive are an important time to support fertility and prepare for a healthy pregnancy and baby.
I explained epigenetics using a simple analogy: our genes are like piano keys, and life experiences and exposures influence the notes they play. Nutrition, stress, infections, and environmental toxins can all affect how genes are expressed.
We also talked about exposures such as toxic mold, pesticides, plastics, PFAS, and heavy metals, and how testing blood or urine may help identify certain exposures.
Preconception preparation isn’t only for women. A father’s health matters, too: sperm carries information that may be influenced by factors like nutrition, alcohol, exercise, weight, and environmental exposures. I encourage couples to begin making changes as early as they can, ideally at least six months before trying to conceive.
We also covered practical first steps: eating a nutrient-dense, minimally processed diet; looking for ways to reduce exposures at home, such as filtering drinking water and bedroom air and reducing plastic in the kitchen; and considering targeted nutritional support.
I share more about these topics in my book, The Preconception Revolution, and the Every Baby Well® Preconception + Fertility Program.
Watch the episode here.
