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In this episode of A Journey to Whole Woman Health, Dr. Jamie Erwin and Dr. Mary Kathryn Nader talk about exercise for women and why movement matters so much for physical, mental, and emotional health.

Jamie shares her own background as a lifelong athlete, from gymnastics and track to collegiate competition and marathon running, and explains how her relationship with exercise has changed over time. Instead of punishment and pressure, movement has become a way to honor the body, build longevity, and care for overall health.

Together, Jamie and Mary Kathryn break down a simple framework for women’s fitness using the acronym FACE:

F – Flexibility
Why mobility and stretching matter every day

A – Aerobic
How zone 2 cardio supports heart health, endurance, and longevity

C – Carry the Load
Why strength training is essential for women, especially in midlife

E – Equilibrium
How balance training helps prevent falls, improve stability, and support healthy aging

They also discuss:

• common myths about women and weight training
• why women should not be afraid of lifting heavy
• the role of VO2 max in longevity
• why too much high-intensity exercise can backfire in midlife
• how exercise supports insulin sensitivity, bone health, and muscle mass
• the importance of movement during pregnancy
• why finding joyful movement matters for long-term consistency

This conversation is both practical and encouraging, whether you are a marathoner, a walker, a class lover, or someone just trying to move more in this season of life.

Because movement is not about punishment. It is about strength, stewardship, and caring for the one body you have.

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In this episode of A Journey to Whole Woman Health, Dr. Jamie Erwin and Dr. Mary Kathryn Nader dive into one of the most common questions women ask: What should I actually be eating?

This conversation explores how women’s nutritional needs shift across the lifespan—from adolescence to the reproductive years, through pregnancy and postpartum, and into perimenopause and midlife. Dr. Erwin shares practical, realistic guidance for fueling your body well without perfection, shame, or extreme dieting.

You’ll hear discussion about iron, calcium, vitamin D, protein, folate, omega-3s, fiber, and probiotic foods, along with why these nutrients matter in different seasons of a woman’s life. The episode also focuses heavily on midlife nutrition, including how to support muscle mass, bone health, metabolism, and hormonal changes in your 40s and 50s.

Dr. Erwin also breaks down simple, actionable strategies for busy women, including easy high-protein meals and snacks, why breakfast matters, how to fuel before and after exercise, and the “30-30-2” rule:
30 grams of protein per meal, 30 grams of fiber per day, and 2 probiotic foods daily.

If you’ve ever felt confused by nutrition advice or just wanted someone to “tell me what to eat,” this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• How nutrition needs change through each stage of a woman’s life
• Key nutrients for teens, reproductive years, pregnancy, postpartum, and midlife
• Folate vs. folic acid and what to look for in a prenatal vitamin
• Why women in midlife need more protein
• The connection between estrogen decline, muscle loss, bone loss, and insulin resistance
• Why skipping breakfast can backfire later in the day
• Fueling before and after exercise
• Easy, realistic meal and snack ideas for busy women
• How to build a healthier relationship with food without perfectionism

Whether you are navigating adolescence, trying to conceive, pregnant, postpartum, perimenopausal, or simply trying to feel better in your body, this episode offers practical nutrition wisdom to help you fuel yourself with more confidence and clarity.

Disclaimer:
The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. Listening to this podcast does not establish a doctor-patient or therapist-client relationship. Always consult your own qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns.

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Forgiveness is one of the most talked about—and most misunderstood—parts of emotional and spiritual health.

In this episode of A Journey to Whole Woman Health, we break down what forgiveness really is, what it’s not, and why so many women struggle with it.

If you’ve ever thought:
“I can’t forgive because I can’t forget…”
“They don’t deserve my forgiveness…”
“Forgiving means I have to let them back into my life…”

This episode will change the way you see forgiveness.

We discuss:
• The biggest myths about forgiveness
• Why forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation
• Why “forgive and forget” is not the goal
• How unforgiveness affects your mental, emotional, and physical health
• A simple, research-based framework (the REACH model) to help you move forward
• Why forgiveness is a decision—not a feeling

This conversation is for the woman holding onto hurt, resentment, or regret—and wondering how to finally let go.

You don’t have to stay stuck.

🎧 Listen on Apple & Spotify
📺 Watch on YouTube

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In this moving continuation of Julie’s story, Drs. Erwin and Nader talk about the long road through infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy after loss, and what it means to keep hoping when your heart has been broken.

Julie vulnerably shares what it was like to see another positive pregnancy test after multiple losses, to walk through pregnancy while bracing for bad news, and to slowly learn how to hold both fear and hope at the same time. We also discuss the emotional toll of infertility, the trauma that can linger in medical spaces, and how friends, family, churches, and healthcare providers can better support women walking this road.

This episode is for the woman who is grieving, waiting, wondering, or trying to trust again. It is also for the people who love her and want to know how to show up well.

In this episode, we discuss:

• infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss
• pregnancy after miscarriage
• the emotional impact of trauma and anticipatory fear
• how to support women walking through infertility
• what not to say
• faith, community, and finding hope in the waiting
• the ministry Waiting in Hope
• a beautiful story of redemption and answered prayer

This episode also highlights Legacy Place Retreat, a ministry that supports couples facing infertility, childlessness, and loss.

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe to A Journey to Whole Woman Health so you do not miss future episodes.

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Infertility is one of the most silent and emotionally complex journeys a woman can walk.

In this deeply personal episode, we sit down with our first in-studio guest, Julie Davila, to talk about the reality of unexplained infertility, the heartbreak of pregnancy loss, and the resilience it takes to keep hoping when nothing seems to work.

Julie shares her story of:

• Years of infertility with no clear diagnosis
• Failed IVF and the emotional toll
• A delayed diagnosis of stage 4 endometriosis
• Multiple surgeries and healing
• Unexpected pregnancy at age 39
• And the grief of miscarriage

We also break down:

• What “unexplained infertility” really means
• The 4 key factors required for pregnancy
• Why endometriosis is often missed
• The mental health impact of infertility and loss

This episode is raw, honest, and filled with truth for any woman navigating infertility, miscarriage, or unanswered questions.

You are not alone in this.

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Anxiety is one of the most common—and most misunderstood—experiences women face.

From racing thoughts and constant worry… to full-blown panic attacks that feel physical and overwhelming, anxiety can show up in ways that leave you feeling out of control and unsure of what’s happening in your own body.

In this episode of A Journey to Whole Woman Health, Dr. Mary Kathryn Nader breaks down anxiety in a way that is both clinically grounded and deeply relatable.

Together, we explore:
• What anxiety actually is (and how it’s different from depression)
• Why anxiety is often rooted in a lack of control and future-focused thinking
• What’s happening in your brain during a panic attack
• The anxiety cycle—and why avoidance actually makes it worse
• How your thoughts (not just your circumstances) drive anxiety
• Practical tools to interrupt anxious spirals in real time
• The connection between anxiety, hormones, pregnancy, and life transitions
• When to consider therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication

One of the most powerful takeaways?
👉 It’s not the trigger—it’s what we tell ourselves about the trigger.

This conversation will help you better understand your mind, your body, and how to move from panic to peace.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck in your thoughts, or like your mind won’t slow down—this episode is for you.

Resources & Takeaways:
• Identify your “thoughts about the trigger”
• Practice reframing (from panic → pause)
• Prioritize sleep, nutrition, and movement
• Limit inputs that increase anxiety (social media, news)
• Seek support—you don’t have to do this alone

Connect with us:
Follow along for more education, encouragement, and real conversations about women’s health.

🎧 Listen on Apple + Spotify
📺 Watch on YouTube

Support the Podcast:
If this episode encouraged you:
• Share it with a friend
• Leave a review
• Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next

Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health care.

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What do you do when the Fort Worth Zoo calls and asks an OBGYN to help save a pregnant gorilla? You show up, of course!

In this unforgettable episode, Dr. Jamie Erwin shares the remarkable story of being called to perform an emergency C-section on a critically ill gorilla with severe preeclampsia. What followed was a behind-the-scenes medical collaboration between veterinarians, physicians, and zoo staff to save both mother and baby.

From secret phone calls while on vacation…
to assembling a medical team…
to riding in a van with an anesthetized gorilla…

This story is equal parts medicine, wonder, and faith in unexpected callings.

Dr. Erwin reflects on what this extraordinary experience taught her about courage, teamwork, and staying faithful to the work in front of you—even when you never know where it might lead.

And yes… there’s even a baby gorilla named Jameela.

In This Episode We Discuss

• How a practicing OBGYN became the zoo’s primate consultant
• Why gorillas can develop pregnancy complications similar to humans
• The signs of severe preeclampsia in both humans and primates
• How an emergency C-section was performed inside the zoo hospital
• What it’s like to deliver a baby gorilla
• The emotional moment when the baby was named
• Why unexpected doors open when we remain faithful to our calling

Key Takeaway

Sometimes the most extraordinary opportunities arrive when we are simply doing the work we’ve been called to do. Faithfulness in the ordinary can open doors to the unimaginable.

Connect With Us

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations.

Follow along for more conversations at the intersection of science, mental health, and faith.

Podcast Mission

A Journey to Whole Woman Health exists to educate, empower, and encourage women in every season of life through conversations rooted in science, mental health, and faith.

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If you’ve ever felt emotionally exhausted, overwhelmed by everyone else’s needs, or like you simply have nothing left to give, you may be experiencing compassion fatigue.

In this episode of A Journey to Whole Woman Health, Dr. Jamie Erwin and Dr. Mary Kathryn Nader discuss the hidden cost of caregiving and why so many women feel emotionally overspent.

Compassion fatigue is different from burnout. While burnout is often related to workload and bureaucracy, compassion fatigue comes from caring deeply for others and witnessing their suffering over time. It is especially common among women and those in caregiving roles such as healthcare providers, therapists, teachers, pastors, and mothers.

Dr. Nader shares insights from her doctoral research on compassion fatigue and explains the difference between self-oriented empathy and others-oriented empathy—a shift that can help caregivers continue to serve others without becoming emotionally depleted themselves.

Together, Jamie and Mary Kathryn discuss the signs of compassion fatigue, why it happens, and practical ways to recharge physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

If you are someone who spends your life helping others, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What compassion fatigue is and how it differs from burnout
• Why women are especially vulnerable to compassion fatigue
• Emotional, physical, and spiritual warning signs to watch for
• The difference between empathy and sympathy
• Why “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes” can sometimes make things worse
• How defining your role can protect your emotional energy
• Practical rituals to help transition in and out of caregiving spaces
• Why hobbies, friendships, and rest are essential for caregivers