Ep 339 Breathing to Conceive? It Sounds Crazy… Until You Try It

On today’s solo episode of The Wholesome Fertility Podcast, I dive deep into the ancient practice of Pranayama, also known as yogic breathwork, and its profound impact on fertility. Breathwork may sound simple, or even unrelated to fertility, but the connection between your breath, nervous system, and reproductive health is incredibly powerful. In this episode, I explain how specific breathing techniques can shift your body from a state of stress into one of rest and regeneration, promoting hormone balance, improved digestion, and pelvic blood flow all critical components of a healthy fertility journey. You’ll learn practical ways to integrate ancient breathing practices like Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), Kapalabhati (breath of fire), Bhastrika (bellows breath), Bhramari (humming bee breath), and Ujjayi breathing into your daily routine. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or simply curious about new tools to support your body naturally, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways: Breathwork regulates the nervous system, supporting hormonal balance and reproductive function. Ancient yogic practices like Pranayama offer free, accessible tools for stress reduction and enhanced vitality. Techniques like alternate nostril breathing and humming bee breath can be easily integrated into your daily life. Breath can help release emotional tension and stimulate vagal tone, a key player in fertility health. Conscious breathing increases oxygenation, supports digestion, and boosts clarity. For more information about Michelle, visit www.michelleoravitz.com To learn more about ancient wisdom and fertility, you can get Michelle’s book at: https://www.michelleoravitz.com/thewayoffertility The Wholesome Fertility facebook group is where you can find free resources and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2149554308396504/ Instagram: @thewholesomelotusfertility Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewholesomelotus/ Disclaimer: The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health or fertility care. Transcript: # TWF: 339 (solo episode) **Michelle:** [00:00:00] Episode number 339 of the Wholesome Fertility Podcast. Welcome back to the Wholesome Fertility Podcast. I'm your host, Michelle Orbitz, and today we're diving into a deeply healing and powerful practice that has stood the test of time. It's called Pranayama or yogic Breath Work. You might be surprised to hear just how much breath work could influence your mind and your nervous system, and then in turn influence your reproductive health. **Michelle:** 'cause we know that the nervous system plays such an important role on reproductive health. So if you wanna find out more about powerful breathing exercises that you can do so easily and they're free, that can influence your nervous system and how you feel. Overall, this episode is for you. **Michelle:** Welcome to the Wholesome Fertility Podcast. I'm Michelle, a [00:01:00] fertility acupuncturist here to provide you with resources on how to create a wholesome approach to your fertility journey. **Michelle:** So, so today I'm going to cover a very interesting topic, which is Pranayama. so this is an ancient Indian or yogi or yo guine practice that has been done for thousands of years. **Michelle:** Pranayama or yogic breath work **Michelle:** is extremely powerful And can really impact the mind and the nervous system. So if you wanna find out more on how to hack your nervous system, and if you've watched some of my earlier videos, I talk a lot about how your nervous system really can influence your fertility health because it gets you into a more rest and digest state. **Michelle:** And it can also influence your inflammation and your digestion and even create more balance in your hormones. So if you are trying to conceive and you wanna [00:02:00] find out how you can really hack your body and mind through pranayama this amazing ancient tradition, this amazing ancient practice, then stay tuned. **Michelle:** So you might be asking yourself, what exactly is pranayama? **Michelle:** So in Sanskrit prana means life force vitality. So it's very similar to what chi in Chinese medicine means, and it's the life force vitality that goes through our body. a yma means control or expansion. **Michelle:** So Pranayama in essence, is the art of controlling your breath to influence the life force vitality in your body. **Michelle:** So it's not just about breathing more deeply though. That's part of it. **Michelle:** It is about becoming aware of how your breathing can influence your hormone balance and your nervous system, **Michelle:** as well as reducing stress. And these are all really important and impactful things when you're trying to conceive. **Michelle:** So, although this [00:03:00] is coming from ancient India, this is ...