If you struggled with your weight this year or your appearance changed drastically or you’re just having some challenges around your relationship with food, this episode is for you. And, you are not alone. As we enter a new year, we are bombarded with “diet and wellness culture” messages that emphasize a focus on the need to “fix your body”. Developing a healthier body image takes time and effort, especially when we are surrounded by unrealistic body ideals. Be patient with yourself as you try to not only have more love and appreciation for your body but to realize you are more than just a body. Today, I am sharing 5 body image reminders as we end the year and a few tips on developing a healthier body image in the new year.  The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  Stay Connected: Let me help you flourish on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

It's Diabetes Month! Today, I am diving into the topic of gestational diabetes with our special guest Ryann, also known as  "prenatal nutritionist" on IG. Every year, 2% to 10% of pregnancies in the United States are affected by gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy in women who don’t already have diabetes. In this episode, we are discussing risk factors, complications of this condition, and what to eat for better blood sugar management. Why is this SO important? Managing gestational diabetes will help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. If you're looking to be pregnant one day or want to know more about this topic, listen up! The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  About Ryann Kipping: Ryann is a clinically trained Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Author of The Feel-Good Pregnancy Cookbook, and master online nutrition educator. She is the founder of The Prenatal Nutritionist, a virtual nutrition private practice, which focuses on helping those trying to conceive and pregnant navigate the era of online information overwhelm. The Prenatal Nutritionist mission is to ensure every soon to be mama is confident in their ability to properly nourish a growing baby through a realistic nutrition approach. To extend this mission further, Ryann founded The Prenatal Nutrition Library App, an online community for evidence-based nutrition information before and during pregnancy. You can find her daily content via @prenatalnutritionist on both Instagram and TikTok. Connect with Ryann: Websites: https://theprenatalnutritionlibrary.com/ Stay Connected: Let me help you thrive on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

Millions of women take birth control for a number of reasons! From preventing pregnancy to managing certain medical conditions. There are known benefits of taking birth control, but there are also some downsides to know about (especially if you've been on the pill for a long period of time) which include possible vitamin absorption issues and nutritional deficiencies. Not all birth control is created equally, there are so many forms. Today, I am breaking it down so you can be better informed and reduce your risk for nutrient deficiencies. Listen up! The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  Stay Connected: Let me help you flourish on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

What do you know about the surrogacy and donor egg process?! At our women’s summit, we did our very first live podcast recording and it was incredible! It’s finally here and today, I am replaying the conversation I had with Debbie Villafana and Perla Piekutowski on our stage. With advances in medical technology, I think it’s important for women to have a basic understanding of the various paths to building families, even those that are “non-traditional”. We need to be informed and it doesn’t hurt to know what’s out there - whether it's something you would consider or not. Just because someone chooses to expand their family in a way that you don’t necessarily agree with - doesn’t mean that you should look at them differently. Being informed is vital. From defining surrogacy to discussing health risks, and benefits, to cost and regulations - we are not leaving anything out! Listen up ladies! The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  About Debbie & Perla: Debbie Villafana is a program director at Fairfax Egg Bank. With more than 22 years of experience within the industry, Debbie has an extensive background in directing the donor egg program, managing the egg donor process, and working directly with patients. Debbie is a well-respected leader in the industry.⁠⁠Perla Piekutowski is the director of growth and engagement at Fairfax Surrogacy. Perla has over 13 years of experience in helping create families via gestational surrogacy. Perla and her husband also needed assistance growing their own family through IVF. Her journey to having her children has gifted Perla with more empathy and appreciation for intended-parents. Between her professional and personal experiences, Perla serves everyone she meets with enthusiasm and compassion for their goals and understanding their trials.⁠ Connect with Debbie & Perla: Websites: https://fairfaxsurrogacy.com/who-we-are/ https://www.fairfaxeggbank.com/about-us/why-fairfax-eggbank/ Stay Connected: Let me help you thrive on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

Seriously, when was the last time you got your vitamin D level checked?! This is the ultimate key nutrient for women and today, I am sharing 5 reasons why you should prioritize your vitamin D. Majority of women are deficient, especially women of color. Lately, health professionals, scientists, and experts are bringing more awareness to the importance of vitamin D and its role in optimal health and well-being. From supporting fertility to playing a role in mood regulation and keeping your immunity in check, vitamin D is here to stay and you need to get on it asap! I'm covering recommended amounts, health benefits, the latest research, and vitamin D-rich foods plus the tea on supplements. Listen up! The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  Stay Connected: Let me help you flourish on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Good Housekeeping article: Vitamin D benefits Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

Egg-freezing...so, is it really worth it?! Is it worth the cost? Is there a guarantee of having a successful pregnancy later down the line? Is it safe?! Young adult women of today are having babies much later in life for a number of reasons. As a result, there is an increasing number of people choosing to freeze their eggs in order to preserve fertility even longer. With this option on the table, the girls want to know...is freezing my eggs actually worth it? The girls also want to know everything there is to know about fertility. Our special guest Dr. Parikh, Fertility Doctor of Kindbody is here to answer your burning questions about fertility and give you all the details on egg-freezing. The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  About Dr. Toral Parikh  Dr. Parikh is a board-certified Ob/Gyn and board-eligible Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist. She has published relevant cutting-edge studies within peer-reviewed journals essential to advancing the field of women’s reproductive health. She has presented her work at several national and international conferences and received the Society for Reproductive Investigation award for her most recent work on the medical management of uterine fibroids. Her clinical expertise also includes assisted reproductive technologies such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and fertility preservation (egg/sperm freezing). Her expertise with infertility has provided her with the ability to counsel with compassion and offer informed diagnoses and equitable guidance to individuals and couples alike. Connect with Dr. Parikh: Website: https://kindbody.com/team/dr-toral-parikh/ Stay Connected: Let me help you thrive on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

Hey girl! Do you have PCOS? "PCOS" or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a very common hormonal condition that affects about 5 million child-bearing aged women in the US. While there isn't really a "PCOS diet" out there that will work for everyone, research has found that certain nutrients you get from food or supplements can have a direct impact on hormone production and help manage or improve specific symptoms that you may be experiencing. Today, I am back with a solo episode to debunk some pcos diet myths and really break things down for you. Listen up! The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  Stay Connected: Let me help you thrive on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Good Housekeeping article: Vitamin D benefits Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

"When are you having kids?" is actually one of the most triggering emotionally loaded questions you can ask. Many pregnancies are unplanned and many are planned; however, no woman should feel constant outside pressure to get pregnant. Plus, let's not forget that fertility challenges exist - in fact, millions of women struggle to get pregnant each year. Fertility challenges can bring up feelings of anxiety, stress, and negative thoughts about your body. Today, I'm in conversation with Dr. Amber of Balanced Working Mama. From what not to say to someone who is trying to conceive, to building a better relationship with your body and practical tips for maintaining your mental health, Dr. Amber is here to help you get your mind in check. Plus, she is answering your questions on how to support someone on their own unique fertility journey. The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  About Dr. Amber Thornton  Dr. Amber Thornton is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Motherhood Wellness Consultant.  She is the Founder of Balanced Working Mama, where her mission is to completely change the narrative of what is possible for working mothers by helping them to better balance work, motherhood, and wellness.  Connect with Dr. Amber: Website: https://www.balancedworkingmama.com Podcast: https://www.balancedworkingmama.com/podcast Instagram: @balancedworkingmama Stay Connected: Let me help you thrive on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

But seriously, when will it stop? Women are often the ones to blame when talking about fertility challenges. The truth ... A third of fertility issues are dominated by men, so it's very common but remains taboo. First, nobody is to blame for fertility issues. Second, both parties should consider ways to optimize fertility health. Besides, it takes two to tango? Today, I'm in conversation with the WeNatal Founders, Ronit and Vida to chat about male fertility. If your partner is male, you'll want to get them in on this conversation too. LISTEN UP!  P.S - Live in the DC-metro? join us at our BLOOM SUMMIT on August 21st. Here's $10 off using the code ILOVEBLOOMING Register here: https://bloomsummitdc.splashthat.com/ The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  About Ronit & Vida  Ronit & Vida have been best friends for more than a dozen years. They connected on many life milestones, including falling in love, career advancement, getting married, and getting pregnant. In early 2020, they experienced pregnancy loss, just a week apart. They couldn’t help but wonder about the root cause. After a lot of research and collaboration with fertility experts, Ronit & Vida realized just how critical preconception health is, not just for women, but for future fathers. After founding WeNatal, the first prenatal designed for both men and women, they made it a mission to educate couples and provide them both with the best nutrients possible to improve egg and sperm quality.  Connect with Ronit + Vida & WeNatal: Website: https://wenatal.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/we_natal/   Stay Connected: Get BLOOM SUMMIT TICKETS - happening in Washington, DC! https://bloomsummitdc.splashthat.com/ (tell your girls!) USE your special code: ILOVEBLOOMING for $10 off your ticket! Let me help you thrive on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!

DYK fertility goes far beyond just trying to get pregnant?! In fact, your fertility can tell you so much about your health....so, how well do you know your fertility? You deserve to know what's going on with your body so you can be empowered and make the best choices now and for the future. Whether you're in your 20s, 30's, or 40's, these practical nutrition and lifestyle tips by our special guest Kendra, can help you optimize your fertility no matter what your journey looks like...LISTEN UP!  P.S - if you live in the DC-metro, join us at our BLOOM SUMMIT on August 21st. Register here: https://bloomsummitdc.splashthat.com/ The Flourish Heights Podcast was made for women, by women. To be empowered in health starts with a true connection with your body. Join Valerie Agyeman, Women’s Health Dietitian as she breaks through topics surrounding periods, women’s nutrition, body awareness, and self-care.  About Kendra Tolbert Kendra Tolbert MS, RDN, CDN, LD, RYT, Cert AT is a registered dietitian nutritionist, registered yoga teacher, and certified aromatherapist specializing in PCOS, fertility, and PMS. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences from Howard University and her Master of Science in Nutrition and Public Health from Teachers College, Columbia University. In 2017, She was awarded the Emerging Professional Award from the Women's Health Dietetic Practice Group. Kendra has experience helping individuals, families, and communities make improvements to their wellbeing and quality of life by adopting healthier habits. Her areas of expertise include women's health, PCOS, fertility, mind-body practices, and community nutrition. Kendra has been featured on and written for a number of websites. Connect with Kendra: Website: https://www.livefertile.com/  YouTube Channel: youtube.com/livefertile Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/live.fertile   Stay Connected: Get BLOOM SUMMIT TICKETS - happening in Washington, DC! https://bloomsummitdc.splashthat.com/ (tell your girls!) USE "FLOURISH" for 5% off your tix! Let me help you thrive on your unique health journey! 1:1 Virtual Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Is there a topic you'd like covered on the podcast? Submit it to [email protected] Say hello! Email us at [email protected] Subscribe to our quarterly newsletters: Flourish Heights Newsletter Visit our website + nutrition blog: www.flourishheights.com Women's Nutrition Counseling: www.flourishheights.com/nutrition-counseling Follow us on social media: Instagram: @flourishheights Facebook: @flourishheights Twitter: @flourishheights Want to support this podcast? Leave a rating, write a review and share! Thank you!