The fertility landscape is changing.
When Vida and I first started building WeNatal, the conversation around fertility felt incredibly narrow, and honestly, incredibly lonely. IVF was often positioned as the primary (or only) path. Diet and lifestyle were rarely discussed as foundational. Men’s health was almost never treated as 50 percent of the equation. And women over 35, myself included, were frequently told we were “too old” to conceive naturally or that there was little we could do to meaningfully support egg quality.
As we began trying to support our own fertility through nutrition and lifestyle, the information felt fragmented and siloed. No one seemed to be talking about the control we could have over our health. So much guidance focused on what was “wrong,” instead of helping us understand how the body actually works as a whole. It often felt like we were supposed to quietly figure it out on our own.
Our perspective shifted through lived experience and through seeing firsthand how food, lifestyle, inflammation, blood sugar balance, and involving partners early could meaningfully impact outcomes. I went on to have Eden at 38 and Emma at 42, both conceived naturally. And over the past five years, we’ve helped tens of thousands of families and collected thousands of stories that show what’s possible when fertility is supported through whole-body health.
Last week, that journey came full circle.
We gathered a room of nearly 100 women, and a few amazing men, who showed up eager to learn, to ask better questions, and to take a more empowered role in their health. Together, we listened to Dr. Natalie Crawford and Brigid Titgemeier speak openly about how nutrition, lifestyle, inflammation, blood sugar balance, movement, and environmental exposures shape fertility outcomes. What stood out most wasn’t fear, it was the shared desire to move from confusion into clarity, and from isolation into community.
For far too long, fertility has been treated as if it lives in isolation, as if reproductive health has nothing to do with your gut, your sleep, your stress levels, your muscle mass, your inflammation, or the way your body handles blood sugar. But anyone who has lived through the fertility journey (or postpartum, perimenopause, PCOS, unexplained symptoms, burnout, miscarriage, or that persistent “why do I feel like this?”) knows the truth:
Our bodies are one connected system.
And fertility is often one of the first places that system tries to get our attention.
That’s what The 2026 Reset panel was really about, zooming out, connecting the dots, and creating space for honest, sometimes uncomfortable, but deeply empowering conversations. Sitting in a room surrounded by women and men seeking answers and willing to rethink old narratives reminded us just how far this community has come and how grateful we are to be building it together.
This conversation is no longer fringe. It’s becoming the standard.
Below are some of our key takeaways from our conversation with fertility specialist Dr. Natalie Crawford and functional medicine dietitian Brigid Titgemeier that is equal parts science, practicality, and plenty of “wait… that makes so much sense.”
RELATED: The ultimate preconception guide: What to do when you’re ready to get pregnant
Fertility myths we need to retire
Q: If you could eliminate one fertility myth forever, what would it be?
Dr. Natalie Crawford: That fertility is about luck.
Dr. Crawford shared this not as a “just try harder” message, but as something far more relieving. Because being told it’s “just bad luck” strips people of options. It makes the process feel random, powerless, and out of your control.
Her point was simple and deeply empowering: while not everything about fertility is controllable, far more is within our influence than most people realize. Education matters. Advocacy matters. Daily decisions matter.
“If there’s more that we can control, this puts us back in the driver’s seat,” she explained. When someone is told by a doctor that they simply have bad luck, it can feel devastating and hopeless. But understanding that there are things you can do, ways to support your body, ask better questions, and set yourself up for success, changes the entire experience.
That mindset isn’t about blame. It’s about empowerment.
RELATED: Vida’s story: Pregnancy after miscarriage
Q: What’s a common ‘healthy’ myth that quietly disrupts hormones and metabolism?
Brigid Titgemeier: That calories tell the whole story.
Brigid brought the conversation back to a core principle we often remind our community of: food isn’t just fuel, it’s information. The long-standing “calories in, calories out” model oversimplifies how the body actually works and leaves out the factors that most influence real outcomes.
Hormones, gut health, inflammation, and blood sugar responses all shape how food impacts fertility and metabolism. Two meals with the same number of calories can create completely different physiological responses in the body. That’s why the quality, composition, and context of what you eat matter just as much as quantity.
Your body isn’t a math equation.
It’s biology.
Why fertility and whole-body health are connected
Q: When you say fertility is a biomarker of health, what does that mean?
Dr. Natalie Crawford: Fertility often reflects what’s happening across the entire body. Cycle regularity, ovulation, and hormone patterns aren’t isolated events, they’re influenced by metabolic health, inflammation, thyroid function, nutrient status, and how the body responds to stress.
Dr. Crawford emphasized that fertility is, at its core, a health marker. Research shows that people who experience infertility have a higher risk of certain health conditions later in life, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and some cancers. This doesn’t mean infertility causes these conditions, but it does suggest that something deeper may be happening at a cellular level that impacts both.
One line from the conversation really stayed with us: fertility is feedback.
Not failure. Not a punishment. Not a mystery you’re doomed to live with forever.
Feedback from the body is inviting you to zoom out, listen more closely, and support the system as a whole.
Q: How does food impact fertility beyond “eat healthy”?
Brigid explained that food is far more than fuel, it’s information that actively shapes the gut microbiome. In fact, we have more bacterial cells than human cells, and every meal either supports microbes that help us heal or feeds microbes that drive inflammation.
The gut microbiome plays a critical role in hormone metabolism, inflammation regulation, and insulin sensitivity, all of which directly influence fertility. Foods rich in fiber, polyphenols, and prebiotics nourish beneficial bacteria, helping them produce compounds like butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that sends powerful anti-inflammatory signals throughout the body.
On the flip side, ultra-processed foods can disrupt gut balance, increase intestinal permeability, and amplify inflammation. This is why “healthy eating” isn’t just a vague recommendation or a wellness trend, it’s a biological mechanism that shapes how your body functions at a cellular level.
Or said simply: food isn’t just a vibe, it’s a signal.
RELATED: Gut health and fertility: Why gut health matters for fertility and beyond
IVF isn’t the whole toolbox (even when it’s part of the journey)
Q: Where does IVF fit into the bigger conversation?
Dr. Natalie Crawford: IVF can be truly life-changing, but it’s still working with the egg and sperm you bring to the table. Even when advanced technology is part of the journey, outcomes are influenced by the same foundational factors that shape fertility overall: inflammation, nutrition, sleep, stress, and metabolic health.
Dr. Crawford shared a point that feels obvious once you hear it, yet is rarely said out loud: if we know smoking can negatively impact egg quality, how could it be true that nothing can positively impact it?
The goal isn’t to guarantee outcomes or suggest IVF isn’t enough on its own. It’s about supporting the inputs so when IVF is part of the plan, you’re not leaving foundational health out of the equation.
RELATED: How to boost fertility with low AMH: Science-backed tips for improving egg health
Inflammation and fertility: The root cause conversation
Q: What is inflammation and how would someone know they have it?
This part of the conversation was deeply validating for so many people in the room. Because inflammation doesn’t always show up as something dramatic or obvious. More often, it looks like the “little things” we’ve learned to normalize:
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persistent fatigue or brain fog
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acne, rosacea, hives, or skin flares
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bloating or digestive discomfort
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joint pain
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painful periods
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mood swings or trouble sleeping
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feeling puffy, inflamed, or just off
Brigid shared that there are over a hundred different signs and symptoms of inflammation, and many of them appear long before a lab ever flags a problem. These symptoms aren’t random or something to push through; they’re early signals.
“The first thing I recommend is listening to your body,” she explained. When symptoms persist, they’re often warning signs that something deeper is out of balance beneath the surface.
One simple place to start is a food and symptom journal. Tracking what you eat alongside how you feel throughout the day can help identify patterns and triggers, often before advanced testing is needed. Because most of the time, your body is whispering long before it starts to scream.
Q: Why does inflammation matter so much for hormones?
One of the most important connections Dr. Crawford highlighted is that estrogen is a powerful anti-inflammatory hormone. When estrogen levels drop during seasons like postpartum, perimenopause, or hypothalamic amenorrhea, it’s common to see inflammation and even autoimmune flares increase.
This isn’t something you’re imagining, and it isn’t “all in your head.” It’s physiology.
Chronic low-grade inflammation sits underneath many fertility challenges, hormone imbalances, autoimmune conditions, and even mood disorders. In fact, Dr. Crawford titled the first chapter of her book How Inflammation Hijacks Your Fertility because of how central this process is. Inflammation directly impairs cellular function, affects both egg and sperm quality, and interferes with the brain’s ability to properly interpret and respond to hormonal signals.
Often, inflammation shows up quietly, through symptoms, long before labs ever flag a problem.
RELATED: Inflammation and fertility: The hidden key no one’s talking about
Blood sugar, insulin resistance, and the fertility-metabolism link
Q: Is blood sugar balance important or are we over-obsessing?
Brigid: Yes, it matters, but obsessing over a perfectly flat glucose line can backfire.
Brigid shared an example that really resonated: if foods like onions or bell peppers cause a small rise in your glucose and you avoid them just to “stay flat,” you may miss their deeper benefits. Those foods are rich in polyphenols and prebiotics that feed beneficial gut bacteria and help lower inflammation over time.
The key is context. Foods that cause a mild, temporary glucose rise can still be profoundly supportive for metabolic and hormonal health because of the signals they send throughout the body.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s resiliency by supporting a system that can respond, recover, and regulate itself over time.
Q: How does insulin resistance affect fertility?
Dr. Crawford: Insulin resistance can disrupt ovulation, shift hormone production, increase visceral fat, and create inflammation in ovarian tissue. It’s one of the biggest underlying drivers she sees, especially with PCOS, but not only PCOS.
And then she shared one of the most actionable truths of the night:
Muscle is medicine.
Sleep, muscle, stress: The “non-negotiables” for fertility health
Q: Why are muscle, sleep, and stress considered non-negotiables for fertility?
Dr. Crawford emphasized that these three pillars of strength training, sleep, and stress regulation, directly shape hormone signaling, inflammation, and metabolic health.
Q: Why is strength training so emphasized?
Skeletal muscle helps glucose enter cells with far less reliance on insulin. When insulin stays lower, inflammation decreases, and lower inflammation supports healthier hormone signaling. This is why she recommends strength training at least three times per week, at every life stage: while trying to conceive, during IVF, throughout pregnancy (when appropriate), postpartum (when cleared), and beyond.
Q: How much can sleep really impact fertility?
Sleep is often underestimated, but incredibly powerful. Sleep is when the body repairs inflammation and regulates hormones. Key reproductive hormones like LH and FSH are released in the early morning hours, so chronic sleep deprivation can blunt hormone signaling entirely. Research even shows that for every hour less someone sleeps, IVF cycles retrieve fewer eggs.
Her takeaway was refreshingly honest: “You probably need to sleep more.”
And if you share a bed with a partner? It’s a team sport. Consistent sleep schedules matter for both partners.
Q: What about stress when life isn’t exactly calm?
Dr. Crawford didn’t pretend stress is avoidable. Instead, she reframed it in physiological terms: chronic stress leads to chronic cortisol. Cortisol raises blood sugar, which raises insulin, which increases inflammation, and inflammation disrupts hormones.
So the goal isn’t to “stress less” as a personality trait. It’s to build daily practices that help the body come back down. She recommends:
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at least 20 minutes each day where cortisol can drop
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plus movement to “use up” stress-related glucose (even a short walk counts)
“If you can’t live a stress-free life, because who can, you have to cultivate coping mechanisms,” she shared. These small, consistent practices make a measurable difference in hormone balance, fertility, and long-term health.
Together, muscle, sleep, and stress regulation form a foundation, not a quick fix, but a powerful baseline the body needs to function well.
Labs and advocacy: “Normal isn’t optimal”
Q: What does ‘normal labs aren’t optimal’ actually mean?
One of the most important reminders from the panel was that lab reference ranges are based on population averages, and the population isn’t particularly healthy. A result can be labeled “normal” on paper while still falling short of what’s truly supportive for fertility, hormone balance, and long-term health.
Both Brigid and Dr. Crawford encouraged people to ask for copies of their labs, track trends over time, and request deeper testing when symptoms persist, even if everything technically looks “fine.”
When it comes to assessing inflammation and metabolic health, especially for those trying to conceive, Brigid shared a handful of markers she consistently returns to:
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hs-CRP (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein): Not just standard CRP. High-sensitivity CRP is directly tied to fertility and provides insight into baseline inflammation before pregnancy, as well as how inflammation shifts postpartum.
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Homocysteine: Alongside hs-CRP, homocysteine is closely linked to fertility outcomes. Elevated levels are associated with increased inflammation and can impact both conception and pregnancy health.
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Fasting Insulin: Dr. Crawford emphasized the importance of looking beyond hemoglobin A1C alone. Fasting insulin can reveal early insulin resistance long before it shows up on standard glucose testing.
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Full Thyroid Panel (not just TSH): Thyroid hormones work as a system, and interpreting them together provides a much clearer picture of metabolic and reproductive health.
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Vitamin D: Dr. Crawford routinely checks vitamin D in her patients and notes that many people need additional supplementation beyond what’s included in a standard prenatal.
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AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone): While sometimes controversial, Dr. Crawford believes AMH testing can be incredibly valuable, especially for women who want children one day but not yet. Low ovarian reserve often has an underlying reason, and identifying it earlier creates more opportunity to investigate and support root causes like endometriosis or autoimmune thyroid disease.
Brigid recommends checking these markers annually, not just to see whether they’re “in range,” but to understand your own patterns over time. Tracking what your labs look like pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and postpartum can be especially informative, since inflammation often increases during major hormonal transitions like postpartum and perimenopause.
The bigger takeaway: you don’t need to become your own doctor but you do deserve access to your data, a clearer understanding of what it means, and the confidence to ask better questions about your health.
A note from WeNatal on the future of fertility care
If there was one clear thread running through this entire conversation, it was this:
Fertility and wellness aren’t separate.
They’re deeply intertwined systems. And when they’re supported together through nutrition, movement, sleep, stress regulation, metabolic health, and inflammation support, the body is often far more capable than we’ve been led to believe.
This panel wasn’t about quick fixes or guarantees. It was about understanding how the body works, recognizing early signals instead of waiting for crises, and giving people back a sense of agency in a space that too often feels overwhelming or isolating.
That belief sits at the heart of why we created WeNatal.
We believe fertility care should be proactive, not reactive. Supportive, not fear-based. And grounded in evidence, not trends. From our formulations to our educational resources, we focus on the foundational nutrients and systems that support hormone health, egg and sperm quality, inflammation balance, and metabolic resilience, long before, during, and beyond pregnancy.
Our products are designed to be just one part of a bigger picture:
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Evidence-based nutrition that supports the body’s real needs
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In-depth education that helps you understand why things matter
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Community and conversation that remind you you’re not doing this alone
Whether you’re in your Trimester Zero®, navigating fertility treatments, postpartum recovery, perimenopause, or simply trying to feel better in your body, our mission is to support you at every step, without shame, pressure, or oversimplification.
This conversation is no longer fringe. It’s becoming the standard.
And we’re honored to be building it alongside you through panels like this, through shared learning, and through a growing community committed to asking better questions and supporting whole-body health together.
Additional resources:
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Our free WeNatal fertility guide: wenatal.com/guide
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Explore more from Dr. Natalie Crawford and her upcoming book The Fertility Formula: nataliecrawfordmd.com/book
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Free guides and meal plans from Brigid Titgemeier: beingbrigid.com/free-resources
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