The EMPWR Podcast

Sperm counts have dropped 60% in 60 years and if nothing changes, they could reach zero by 2045. Yet we still only talk about women when it comes to fertility. In this episode, I sit down with Ronit Menashe and Vida Rahim, the founders of WeNatal, to have the conversation the fertility world keeps skipping.

In this episode, we cover:


Why 50% of miscarriages and infertility are linked to male factor sperm quality


The truth about microplastics, BPA, and phthalates destroying fertility


What "Trimester Zero" is and why the 100 days before conception matter most


The MTHFR gene mutation (40–60% of people have it) and why folic acid isn't enough


How to actually improve egg quality and sperm quality through nutrition and lifestyle


The Mediterranean diet, DHA, and why 70% of your baby's brain depends on what you take before pregnancy


Postpartum depletion, why the prenatal doesn't stop at birth

Thank you to our sponsors:

ClearStem — Get a FREE mini Hydro Glow Plumping Moisturizer with any $75+ order: https://clearstem.com/pages/samcfit-may26 Code: SAMCFIT

Caraway — Non-toxic cookware10% off:  https://www.carawayhome.com/empwr | Code: EMPWR

Sam's LINKS:

⁠https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Samcfit⁠

EMPWR by Sam App | *free 7 day trial*

⁠https://www.empwrbysam.com/⁠

My Macro Guide:

⁠https://samcfit.com/macro-guide-only⁠

Running Programs:

⁠https://www.samcfit.com/running-programs⁠

Follow Sam:

Insta: @samcfit_

YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Samantha_Christine

Resources Mentioned:


WeNatal — Special offer for EMPWR listeners: https://wenatal.com/empower


Book: Countdown by Dr. Shana Swan


Netflix Documentary: The Plastic Detox


EWG App - toxin checker for products


Think Dirty App - toxin checker for products


Real Foodology Podcast by Courtney Swan

#fertility #prenatal #wenatal #maleinfertility #trimesterzero #eggquality #microplastics #fertilityjourney #empwrpodcast
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This one's for the military families, the military spouses, and anyone who has ever wondered what it actually takes to become, and stay, a Navy SEAL.

In honor of Memorial Day, Ian is in the hot seat. Sam kicks things off sharing her own mini Navy SEAL experience at a PLT summit in Montauk -45- degree water, burpees in the sand, and a whole new level of respect for the man she's marrying. Then Ian takes over, and the conversation goes deep.

They get into why Ian became a SEAL in the first place (hint: it wasn't for the reasons you'd expect), what it felt like to watch 220 men enter BUD/S training and finish with only 36, and how much of making it as a SEAL is truly mental versus physical.

Ian opens up about the emotional disconnect that comes with returning home from deployment, the toll it took on his marriage, and why deployment often felt more like an escape than a hardship. He also talks about the identity crisis that hits when you leave the teams, why no civilian job can fill that void and what it means to repurpose yourself after the most elite career in the world.

They also get into raising kids with military values, what Ian wants to pass down and what he doesn't, and the jaw-dropping story of how Ian and Sam's dad unknowingly crossed paths on a mission in Africa years before Ian and Sam ever met.

If you've ever wanted to get inside the mind of a SEAL, this is the episode.

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Sam's LINKS:

https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Samcfit

EMPWR by Sam App | *free 7 day trial*

https://www.empwrbysam.com/

My Macro Guide:

https://samcfit.com/macro-guide-only

Running Programs:

https://www.samcfit.com/running-programs

Follow Sam:

Insta: @samcfit_

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Samantha_Christine

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code SAM to get UP TO $300 off today! 

Sign up for your one dollar-per-month trial today at shopify.com/samcfitStart your new morning ritual & getup to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code SAMCFIT  at  mudwtr.com/SAMCFIT 

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What if every symptom you've been dismissed for actually had an answer?

Mila Magnani spent over a decade being told her acne, facial hair, irregular cycles, and fatigue were just genetics, just stress, just part of being a woman. It wasn't until her body completely broke down during COVID that she finally got real answers, and decided to find her own solution.

In this episode, Mila takes us all the way back to age 11, where her symptoms first started, through years of birth control, spironolactone, an IUD, a PCOS diagnosis, hypothyroidism, iron deficiency, and a tick-borne red meat allergy she didn't even know she had. She shares the exact root cause approach that healed her, what labs every woman with PCOS should be running, and how she turned her healing journey into Milamend, a clinically-backed supplement brand built by a woman who actually lived it.

We also get into why most PCOS supplements are formulated by men, the truth about maltodextrin hiding in "clean" products, why bio-individuality matters more than any protocol, and the massive clinical trial Milamend is funding right now.

If you've been doing everything right and still don't feel like yourself, this one is for you.

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Milamend is a supplement company that specializes in Hormone Balance Supplements for PCOS Management. With only 16 ingredients, Milamend was created by a woman who found a supplement stack that finally helped her PCOS symptoms and turned it into a solution all women can try.

Learn more about Milamend and try their products at milamend.com

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Sam's LINKS:

https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Samcfit

EMPWR by Sam App | *free 7 day trial*

https://www.empwrbysam.com/

My Macro Guide:

https://samcfit.com/macro-guide-only

Running Programs:

https://www.samcfit.com/running-programs

Follow Mila:

Insta: @milamagnani

Follow Sam:

Insta: @samcfit_

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Samantha_Christine

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Visit Carawayhome.com/EMPWR to take an additional 10% off or use code EMPWR on your next purchase.

Go to CLEARSTEM.com/SAMCFIT and use code SAMCFIT at checkout and receive a free mini HYDRAGLOW plumping Moisturizer when you spend $75 or more.

Use our exclusive link to shop at honeylove.com/SAMCFIT for almost 50% off site wide.

Protect your teeth with Remi by using code SAMCFIT to get  50% off your new night guard with Remi Club Subscribe & Save at shopremi.com

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What if the thing you've been dealing with for years could be fixed in 12 weeks?

In this Q&A episode, Ian and I are back answering your questions with zero prep and zero filter. I'm sharing my full update on the 12-week gut healing protocol I did with practitioner Amy Williams, what we found in my bloodwork, and what it actually felt like to cut caffeine, strip back to whole foods, and rebuild from the inside out. I lost 4 to 5 pounds of pure inflammation, my painful bloating episodes are completely gone, and I genuinely feel like a different person.

We also get into managing food noise and cravings, my current macros, how to stay lean while lifting heavy without bulking, and the blood work markers every woman should be checking if she's always tired and running on empty. Ian and I talk about how we balance training with kids, how we make it work as a couple who spends every waking hour together, and what I'd tell anyone feeling defeated in their relationship right now.

Plus our full running shoe breakdown, top home gym equipment picks, and yes, a full wedding update. We saw the venue, survived the catering tasting, and we are four months out. It's all coming together.

If you've been wanting a real, unfiltered episode that covers everything from your gut to your gains to your relationship, this one's for you.

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Sam's LINKS:

https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Samcfit

EMPWR by Sam App | *free 7 day trial*

https://www.empwrbysam.com/

My Macro Guide:

https://samcfit.com/macro-guide-only

Running Programs:

https://www.samcfit.com/running-programs

Sam's Favorite Running Shoes:

https://liketk.it/5m3PV

Try Rythm Bloodwork

rythm.health/samc

Follow Sam:

Insta: @samcfit_

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Samantha_Christine

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Use code EMPWR for 20% off at curehydration.com — or find it on Amazon.

Head to AquaTru.com now and get 20% off your purifier using promocode SAM

Head to cozyearth.com and use my code SAMCFIT for an exclusive 20% off

Use code EMPWR for 15% off the Premium Starter Kit at BranchBasics.com
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In this episode, I sit down with Micaela Riley, a functional nutritionist and women's health specialist who transformed her own life after years of struggling with PCOS, Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, SIBO, and leaky gut. Her story starts at 14 years old when a quick doctor's appointment led to birth control, weight gain, hair loss, exhaustion, and a decade of being told she just wasn't working out enough or eating little enough. What followed was years of over exercising, under eating, and chasing answers that traditional medicine couldn't provide.

We dive deep into what actually worked: reverse dieting, eating more instead of less, cutting back on cardio, prioritizing strength training and walking, and addressing root causes through functional lab testing. Micaela shares how she lost 40 pounds over five years by doing the opposite of what doctors told her, got her period back after losing it for six years, and finally healed her gut and balanced her hormones without birth control or restrictive dieting.

This conversation gets real about the five things she would never do again: over exercising, fasting without proper nutrition, taking random supplements without lab work, neglecting sleep, and ignoring blood sugar balance. We talk about the power of eating a high protein breakfast, why intermittent fasting isn't for everyone, how continuous glucose monitors can change your approach to food, and why lifting weights is one of the most powerful tools for insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.

We also get into peptides, GLP-1s, the fab five supplements everyone should consider, sleep hygiene, and why so many women are stuck in cycles of restriction and inflammation. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but still struggling with weight, energy, hormones, or gut issues, this episode will shift the way you think about your health.

Find Micaela Riley: Instagram: @bebalancedbymicaela TikTok: @bebalancedbymicaela

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Sam's LINKS:

https://www.shopltk.com/explore/Samcfit

EMPWR by Sam App | *free 7 day trial*

https://www.empwrbysam.com/

My Macro Guide:

https://samcfit.com/macro-guide-only

Running Programs:

https://www.samcfit.com/running-programs

Follow Sam:

Insta: @samcfit_

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Samantha_Christine

_____

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Clearstem

Go to https://clearstem.com/SAMCFIT and use code SAMCFIT at checkout and receive a free mini HYDRAGLOW plumping moisturizer when you spend $75 or more.

Kion Aminos

Visit https://getkion.com/samantha  for 20% off.

Remi

Get 50% off your new night guard with Remi Subscribe & Save at https://shopremi.com/SAMCFIT code SAMCFIT.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices