FERN Rising Podcast with Dr. Ashley Burton

In this episode, I’m so excited to welcome Jodi Scott, CEO and Co-Founder of Green Goo and Spry Life  - a visionary in women’s health, psychoneuroimmunology, and plant-based care. Jodi’s journey began in a tiny kitchen where she and her family crafted herbal salves from plants they grew themselves. What started as family medicine blossomed into a national brand sold in over 120,000 stores and over 1 million jars  - then sold, lost,...

 At 25 weeks pregnant, I was asked to screen for gestational diabetes — but instead of doing the standard glucose drink, I chose to wear a continuous glucose monitor for a week and watch what my blood sugar did in real life.

In this episode, I share what I saw during sleep, after meals, during workouts, and throughout my active workdays. We talk about why gestational diabetes screening exists, how pregnancy naturally changes insulin...

Is it safe to lift weights during pregnancy? And beyond safety — is it actually beneficial?

In this episode of FERN Rising, Dr. Ashley Burton breaks down the research on resistance training during pregnancy and its impact on both maternal and fetal health. Drawing from current evidence, this episode explores how strength training supports metabolic health, reduces pregnancy-related discomfort, improves mental well-being, and may pos...

LH strips and cycle-tracking apps are often marketed as tools for understanding fertility — but they are increasingly being misused as a form of contraception, with real consequences.

In this episode of FERN Rising, Dr. Ashley Burton explains why LH ovulation strips are not a reliable or safe method for preventing pregnancy. Using real clinical experience and reproductive physiology, she breaks down what LH strips actually measure, ...

If cycle-tracking apps can’t accurately tell you when you ovulate, what should you be using instead?

In this follow-up episode of FERN Rising, Dr. Ashley Burton explains how to track fertility in a way that is grounded in real physiology — not calendar predictions or algorithms. This episode walks through what makes a fertility app useful, why observation matters more than prediction, and how tools like Read Your Body are designed t...

What does pregnancy look like when two health professionals are also the patients?

In this episode, I’m joined by Grace Parce for a candid conversation about pregnancy, glucose monitoring, and navigating the medical system from the inside out.

We discuss:
 • Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) in pregnancy
 • Gestational diabetes screening and the glucose tolerance test
 • The 20-week anatomy scan experience
 • Underst...

Can fertility apps actually predict ovulation?

In this episode of FERN Rising, Dr. Ashley Burton breaks down the research on ovulation prediction apps and why period trackers often fail to accurately identify the fertile window — even in women with “regular” cycles. Drawing from multiple peer-reviewed studies, she explains why calendar-based algorithms miss true ovulation timing, how LH-confirmed data exposes major prediction errors...

Managing the fertile window is the foundation of effective fertility awareness, whether your goal is to avoid pregnancy naturally, optimize conception, or deepen your understanding of your menstrual cycle.

In this episode of FERN Rising, Dr. Ashley Burton, chiropractor, holistic nutritionist, and FAMM Certified Practitioner, walks you through how to confidently confirm ovulation using cervical mucus and basal body temperature, how t...

Intermittent fasting is often promoted as a universal solution for metabolic health, but women’s physiology tells a more nuanced story.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Burton breaks down why fasting is a hormetic stress and how women respond differently due to hormonal fluctuations, cortisol sensitivity, and reproductive energy demands. You’ll learn why skipping breakfast and eating late may backfire for many women, and how aligning foo...

Choosing the Right Fertility Awareness Method for Your Body

There is no one-size-fits-all fertility awareness method.

In this episode, we walk through the three main categories of fertility awareness based methods: cervical mucus–only methods, sympto-thermal methods, and sympto-hormonal methods. We break down how each method works, what fertility signs they rely on, and how cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and hormones each pl...

FAMM Mini Series  - Episode 3

The Menstrual Cycle Explained: Follicles, Phases, and What Your Uterus Is Doing Each Month

The menstrual cycle is more than just a period. It is a monthly reflection of hormone balance, ovulation, and overall health.

In this episode, we break down the follicular and luteal phases of the cycle, explain how follicles develop and decline over time, and explore what estrogen and progesterone are doi...

FAMM Mini Series  - Episode 2

Hormones and Ovulation: How the Brain and Ovaries Communicate

Ovulation is not random. It is the result of a coordinated hormonal conversation between the brain and the ovaries.

In this episode, we explore the hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis and explain how hormones like GnRH, FSH, LH, estrogen, and progesterone work together to drive ovulation and the menstrual cycle. We also discuss why ovulation ca...

FAMM Mini Series - Episode 1
Sexual Anatomy 101: Understanding Female and Male Reproductive Anatomy

In this episode, we lay the foundation for fertility awareness by walking through female and male sexual anatomy in a clear and respectful way. You will learn the purpose of the vulva, vagina, uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes, as well as the male reproductive organs involved in sperm production and ejaculation.

We als...

If you are planning to get pregnant in 2026, nutrition matters long before a positive test.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Burton walks through a food-first, ancestral approach to preconception nutrition inspired by Nourishing Traditions and the work of Dr. Weston A. Price. Rather than focusing on restriction, supplementation, or trends, this episode highlights how traditional diets supported fertility, healthy pregnancies, and resilie...

Blood pressure often changes dramatically during pregnancy, and for many women, lower numbers are a normal and adaptive part of physiology.

In this episode, Dr. Ashley Burton breaks down why blood pressure commonly drops in pregnancy, what symptoms to watch for, and how to support low blood pressure with nutrition, hydration, and lifestyle. She also explains when low blood pressure deserves further evaluation and contrasts this with...

In this episode, I’m joined by my husband for a real, unscripted conversation about marriage.

This was his idea: we each came prepared with our top five marriage lessons, shaped by real life, growth, mistakes, and commitment over time.

We talk about communication, respect, personal responsibility, navigating differences, and what it actually takes to build a partnership that feels supportive, steady, and aligned. Not from a place of ...

Pregnancy comes with a long list of food rules:  no runny eggs, no sushi, no deli meat, no soft cheese,  and for many women, those rules quickly turn into fear and confusion.

In this episode, I unpack some of the most common pregnancy food myths and explain where many of these guidelines originated. Much of the information shared in this conversation is drawn from the work of Lily Nichols, RDN, and her book Real Food for Pregnancy, ...

This episode is your grounded, realistic guide to navigating the holidays without slipping into chaos, burnout, or food guilt. I am sharing the ten holiday anchors that I personally use and teach inside FERN Rising to help you stay nourished, calm, and connected while still enjoying the season.

Instead of hustling for perfection or starting January feeling depleted, these anchors support your nervous system, your blood sugar, your h...

This episode marks a powerful turning point - personally, professionally, and physically. Welcome to the first official episode of the FERN Rising Podcast, formerly The Dr. Ashley Burton Podcast.

In this Week 13 pregnancy update, I share the emotional moment of buying baby clothes, how having Derrek home has reignited my motivation to move again, and what it feels like to finally start feeling like myself again. We talk honestly abo...