Introduction

Dr. Susan Fox is a Traditional Chinese Medicine expert with over 23 years of experience helping clients enjoy healthy pregnancies and babies. She blends TCM with natural medicine to support reproductive health as a reflection of whole health. In this episode, she joins me to talk about how ancient medicine patterns can solve fertility challenges that conventional doctors often label as "unexplained."

Episode Highlights

Dr. Fox's Journey from Autoimmune Patient to Fertility Expert

Susan shares how her own undetermined autoimmune condition led her to discover Traditional Chinese Medicine when conventional doctors bounced her between GI and psychiatry without finding solutions.

• TCM worked because it focuses on patterns of disharmony rather than specific diagnoses
• Started school at age 40 to fulfill her calling in TCM
• Became a fertility expert after setting up practice across from a reproductive endocrinologist
• Patient-driven demand showed her the need for integrated fertility care

Traditional Chinese Medicine 101 for Fertility

TCM relies on observations from nature and uses natural language to understand body patterns rather than focusing solely on diagnoses.

• Uses hot/cold, dry/damp patterns to understand imbalances
• Kidney qi deficiency governs growth, reproduction, and aging
• Liver qi stagnation often relates to suppressed creative potential and autoimmune issues
• The state of your eggs reflects the state of your whole health, including emotional health

Integration with Conventional Reproductive Medicine

Susan emphasizes an "arms linked" approach rather than opposing conventional fertility treatments, working closely with reproductive endocrinologists.

• Often uses supplements instead of Chinese herbs so doctors understand the protocols
• Translates medical language between Eastern and Western approaches
• Works with the full team: psychologists, nutritionists, pelvic floor therapists
• Supports IVF when appropriate while optimizing overall health first

The 120-Day Online Program with Proven Results

Susan designed a comprehensive program that follows the 120-day folliculogenesis cycle, allowing women to work from home with proven outcomes.

• Includes mind-body guided imagery with binaural beats for nervous system regulation
• Features Qigong exercises aligned with menstrual cycle phases
• Uses transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) for at-home treatment
• Meta-analysis shows 42% increased live birth rate for women over 35 undergoing frozen embryo transfer

Environmental Toxins and Fertility

Modern environmental exposures are significantly impacting fertility, but there are concrete steps we can take to reduce toxic burden.

• Microplastics found in follicular fluid, seminal fluid, placenta, amniotic fluid, and breast milk
• Choose organic, grass-fed, wild-caught foods when possible
• Clean up personal care products and home cleaning products
• New probiotic called Winnow can bind to microplastics for elimination

The Unexplained Infertility Solution

When reproductive endocrinologists can't find a specific cause, TCM's pattern recognition often reveals the missing pieces.

• Conventional doctors only check basic reproductive hormones
• Miss crucial markers like thyroid antibodies, vitamin D, iron, and ferritin
• TCM looks at the whole person to find patterns of imbalance
• Secondary infertility often has an autoimmune component from pregnancy stress

Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Guidelines

Simple but powerful dietary changes can support detoxification and fertility naturally.

• Half your plate: vegetables with variety in color, flavor, texture, seasonal when possible
• Quarter plate: high-quality lean protein (grass-fed, organic)
• Eighth plate: healthy fats
• Eighth plate: slow-digesting starchy carbs (sweet potato, quinoa, beans)

Notable Quotes from this Episode

The state of her eggs is a mirror, a reflection of the state of her whole health, including her emotional health.
Susan Fox

There is almost always an explanation. It's just not one that is in the conventional medicine model.
Susan Fox

We are arms linked. It's not an either or. It's a both and.
Susan Fox