Short Snack

The Whole Pineapple welcomes back Dr. Lee Hullender Rubin, specialist in acupuncture and integrative East Asian Medicine, this time to talk about herbs and East Asian medicine in general.

Note: This episode contains news on the future of The Whole Pineapple podcast, so be sure to tune in!

In this episode, we hear the realities of being an athlete in a female body: not just the realities of dealing with a cycle or having a more limited window for having a family, but also the cultural limitations (just wait until you hear Nikki’s story about the “shared” ice/hot baths in Chicago, oooof). The biggest battles often aren’t against an opposing team.

OK, we knew the human gut had one of these, but the vagina too? What’s actually going on in there?

Microbiomes are incredibly diverse ecosystems: we are more bacteria than we are human. Yep. Read that again — there are more bacteria in us than human cells. You, my friend, are a moving, breathing microcosm that is incredibly cooperative when you’re healthy.

As anyone born with a uterus will tell you, living in a body equipped with one of these and all that goes with it comes with a special set of challenges. And many of us don’t really know all we need to know, so think of this episode as a sort of Owner’s Manual.

So what do we need to know through the decades of our life?

Guest Dr. Amy Criniti suggests taking a look via tubal imaging, called an HSG. This procedure can give the doctor an idea of the status of the fallopian tube.

Though attention generally focuses on the one hoping to get pregnant, partners are suffering too. They’re sad and scared and hurting, but their attempts to help are perhaps a bit clumsy because they often can’t understand the ramifications of fertility treatment on the body, the heart, and the psyche.

July 25, 1978 was a great day, and not just because July 25 is Ruby’s birthday. This particular day in 1978, the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, was born!

What can people who aren’t professional lobbyists do to make our voices heard?

According to Sean Tipton, you can do exactly that – you can make your voice heard. Register to vote and then vote. Talk to candidates for political offices, especially when they’re in an election season, as they’re most likely to listen at that time. You have a right to be heard, so get in there and get talking.

As you listen to the episode, you’ll hear about “functional” cysts that have a job to do and are good things to have. So if you hear the word “cyst,” that’s not necessarily cause for alarm.

In this episode, Dr. Casperson, Ruby, and Anne talk about how participants can improve their sex lives.

Did you know: We can take cells from the outside of an embryo and test them?

Formerly, “embryo biopsies” were done only if there was a risk of serious disease like cystic fibrosis. It wasn’t routinely done because taking a cell or two from an embryo that is only 8 cells brought with it the possibility of damaging the embryo.

If you don’t qualify for a Roaring Adventures grant, don’t despair! The organization can help you find resources elsewhere. Do be cautious, however; you’re sharing a lot of personal information and often paying a fee when you apply for a family grant. Make sure the organization you’re approaching is legitimate.

How do you feel when fertility issues come up at work? Someone puts a baby photo on their desk, a colleague is pregnant, invitations to a baby shower or to contribute to a baby gift float around — these can be hurtful for those dealing with fertility challenges, but asking someone to put their baby photos away or refusing to participate in a celebration are often just not an option.

So what can you do to get “better functional coordination” in the very complicated network that is the pelvic floor? Well, first, it’s important to know what you’re working with, says Abby. (NOTE: The best way to do this is work with a PT so you learn all the things correctly!) But one way to start is to pay attention to your breathing. Where is the expansion and contraction happening?

More Discussion with Meirav Zur

In this snack, Ruby and Anne look at several examples of fertility “tropes” that show up again and again in drama, and we reckon a lot of them will feel familiar to you.

Our environment can turn genes off and on, so it’s not “nature vs nurture,” it’s “nature AND nurture.” How genes and our environment work together or at odds has real impact not just on our individual health but potentially on our offspring and theirs!

In this snack, hosts and guest are tackling specifics around frozen embryos: who do they belong to, how did the Dobbs decision change the laws, do people need to be shipping their embryos to states that are more aligned with their needs and beliefs?

Puberty in reverse – Welcome to menopause! Like those tumultuous adolescent years, you may feel like a tourist in your own changing body. And it’s not necessarily a fun destination, with hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, and the longer-term dangers of osteoporosis and increased heart disease risk.

In this snack, Ruby, Anne, and guest genetic counselor Rachel Donnell tackle the question: What’s wrong with a commercial test? Answer? There’s nothing wrong with it, as long as you treat it as a fun way to learn more about yourself, and NOT as a medical diagnosis.

PGT or “preimplantation genetic testing of embryos” – even the name is complicated. But, as we’re having a genetic counselor come in to talk about testing and what the results mean, we thought a little primer on the science would help everyone understand the longer episode better.

In this short snack, Ruby and Anne talk about what IVF or in vitro fertilization is, and how it works if you and your fertility provider decide it’s the best treatment path for you.

Patients know that advocating for themselves can be necessary to getting the best medical care, but it can be really difficult for some to be understood when they express themselves — hence this very important conversation! Neurodivergent peoples may communicate their discomfort differently, so it’s truly helpful if clinics are more educated and neurodiversity-friendly.

Shelbi Day and Rebecca Willman are back with Anne and Ruby for this short snack about family advocacy. Some BIG changes happened in United States law in 2022: The Dobbs decision (aka the reversal of Roe v Wade overturning the Federal right to abortion), the many state-level laws that followed, and The Respect for Marriage Act.

Anne and Ruby have a book review for you; actually two book reviews, based on your recommendations! You voted on these books a while back, and our hosts read them, enjoyed them, and are excited to share.

One of our wonderful listeners sent us a question to ask if others experience what she called “Pink Line Addiction.” While “Pink Line Addiction” is a great band name, this concept of frequent home testing can really impact your life.

Anne and Ruby share some science behind why music is so powerful in helping us manage Big Emotions like fear, uncertainty, and joy. Anne and Ruby have (quite) different musical tastes and are drawing from different perspectives.