Anastasia Epshtein - Podcast Details

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Very BeginningS2 Episode 13: "Infertility is a symptom not a diagnosis" - Alexandria DeVitoThis week I had the honor to sit down with founder, author & functional nutritionist Alexandria DeVito. Alexandria is the CEO and founder of Poplin- the first pre-pregnancy wellness company. She is also the author of the book "9 Months Is Not Enough: The Ultimate Pre-pregnancy Checklist to Create a Baby-Ready Body and Build Generational Health". In her book, Alexandria debunks several fertility myths and aims to educate women and couples on how they can identify underlying health issues that can impair fertility, prepare for a preconception visit with their doctor, and adopt an overall fertility-friendly diet, supplementation, and...2024-04-1855 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 12: “Just relax and don’t stress”- realistic ways to deal with stress & anxiety when TTC"Go on a vacation, have fun with your partner, and simply don't stress"- these are some of the most common things I heard from people when sharing my struggles to get pregnant. And while these might work for some, I found stress not to be something I could easily switch off. Even more so while being in the midst of TTC hardship I would find myself being stressed about feeling stressed leading to a vicious cycle of ever growing stress levels. So in this week's episode I share my top realistic tips that have helped me...2024-04-1123 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 11: How To Stop Comparing Yourself To Others I Fertility & Life MilestonesNo matter if it's a career milestone, getting married, or having a baby- we tend to always compare ourselves to others and start feeling like we are a failure if we see our peers reaching their goals seemingly easier or faster. In this episode I talk candidly about the things I struggled with over the years when it came to comparing myself to others- including the challenges I encountered on my fertility journey. I share what helped me to start embracing every chapter of my life instead of constantly longing for that one thing that...2024-04-0427 min

Very BeginningEpisode 10: IVF & TTC Mental Health ChallengesTrigger warning: this episode discusses sensitive mental health topics and pregnancy loss. Today's episode is dedicated entirely to the taboo topic of mental health. While the physical aspect of IVF is certainly tough, I found the mental health struggles to be a whole different beast. In this episode I talk super openly about the main feelings and emotions I struggled with the most during my IVF cycles and my TTC time and try to give some helpful tips that have helped me to deal with some of these challenging emotions. In this...2024-03-2129 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 9: IVF Frozen Embryo TransferToday's episode is the third and last part of my experience with an entire IVF cycle. The day of the transfer was probably one of the most exciting days in my life followed by the dreaded waiting game to find out whether the transfer was successful or not. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 03:22 First Cycle Following Egg Retrieval 05:17 Medicine Schedule & Monitoring 13:03 Day of the Embryo Transfer 20:32 Next Steps After Transfer 21:54 Trying Not To Take Home Pregnancy Test 23:22 Blood Test To Find...2024-03-1427 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 8: IVF Egg Retrieval, Embryo Development & PGT-A TestingIn today's episode, I continue breaking down my IVF journey focusing on my egg retrieval experience. This part of the process was probably the biggest emotional roller coaster, having to wait anxiously by the phone in the days following the egg retrieval to find out how many embryos we would be able to freeze. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 03:57 The Morning Of The Egg Retrieval 06:38 Fears Before Egg Retrieval 07:45 Egg Retrieval Procedure 10:38 How I Was Feeling Post Egg Retrieval 11:53 Partner's Role During Egg...2024-03-0737 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 7: First IVF Appointment & Step By Step Stimulation ProcessContinuing my IVF series, today's episode is a deep dive into the step by step process of the IVF stimulation phase (also applies to egg freezing procedure). Sharing my learnings form my own experience, I go over all the things that you can expect at your first consultation appointment at your fertility clinic including detailed next steps if you decide to proceed with the IVF route. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:45 Free IVF Questions Guide 05:38 What Happens At Your First Fertility Clinic Appointment 13:42 Difference Between IVF and ICSI 2024-02-2938 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 6: Key Considerations When Going Into IVF or Egg FreezingIn today's episode I dive into the learnings of my personal IVF experience. Having gone through all the ups and downs, I summarized some of my main learnings that I truly hope can help others when deciding when and if they should embark on their IVF or egg freezing journey. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:14 What is egg/embryo freezing? 03:20 Is IVF or egg freezing affecting your ability to conceive naturally? 08:38 Reasons for IVF or egg freezing 17:50 Considerations when going into IVF or egg freezing 2024-02-2236 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 5: Be Your Own Valentine- Practicing Self Love When Going Through Fertility StrugglesHappy Valentine's Day! No matter if you are a hopeless romantic or find Valentine's Day super tacky- we can always use this day to remind ourselves to practice more self love, self care & self acceptance. In this episode I share my top tips for practicing self love, especially when it comes to going through fertility struggles when your body feels like your biggest enemy. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:53 Be Your Own Valentine 04:00 Self Love & Fertility Struggles 05:35 Self Love vs Self Acceptance 2024-02-1521 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 4: Top 5 Tips For Dealing With Question About Having KidsIn this episode I share my top 5 tips for answering the dreaded "So when are you finally going to have kids?" question. While the majority of people does not have bad intentions and is simply being curious it can be so hard to be asked that question especially when dealing with fertility issues, having a non mainstream opinion about it, or when simply not having a clear 'yes' or 'no' answer. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 02:49 Societal Pressure Of Achieving Next Big Thing 05:06 Why You Really Shouldn't Ask People...2024-02-0832 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 3: Fertility Acupuncture with Samina HaiderIn this week's episode I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Samina Haider who is an incredibly talented and passionate fertility acupuncturist and naturopath. From reducing PMS symptoms to using acupuncture to improve IVF outcomes, this episode is for everyone who is ever wondered about the healing powers of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 01:39 Transforming Power of Acupuncture 06:08 Cycle & Temperature Tracking 13:39 More Than Just Sticking Needles in People 15:43 Being Afraid Of Needles 18:37 Naturopathy Support...2024-01-2544 min

Very BeginningS2 Episode 2: Menstrual Cycle Learnings, Coming Off the Pill & Natural TTCFrom feeling ashamed about my period, being on the pill for over 14 years, to living in tune with my cycle- today's episode is all about how I learned to not only manage the symptoms of my menstrual cycle but also came to appreciate it. I also share how being in tune with my menstrual cycle helped me on my natural TTC journey, including my honest learnings and reviews of various fertility tools & trackers. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 00:44 Taboo Topic Period 02:58 Starting Contraceptive Pill To "Normalize Cycle"2024-01-1834 min

Very BeginningSeason 2 Intro: New Focus & 2023 LearningsWelcome back to season 2 of Very Beginning! This season will be quite different: focusing a lot more on being authentic and vulnerable while talking about all things fertility & women's health! Over the next weeks I am going to talk openly and candidly about all my fertility learnings- from coming of birth control, going through a long phase of TTC, experiencing loss, and going through IVF. Leave me a comment if there is a specific topic you'd like me to cover! In this episode: 00:00 Intro 00:53 New 2023 Focus 2024-01-1122 min

Very BeginningEpisode 11: The Art of Failing: How Celebrating The Biggest Failures Has Changed My LifeLearning to not be afraid of failures has truly transformed my life. Going from someone who was so scared to make a mistake to now (almost) be glad about each bump in the road, I have come to realize that life is way too short to only share and be proud of the highlight reel. So in an effort to show up authentically & vulnerably on my podcast, I am sharing 3 of my biggest failures in life including the very important learnings each of these brought to me. From repeating a year in school, struggling to find a job after...2023-08-2524 min

Very BeginningEpisode 10: Fertility Series - My 5 Key Learnings Going Through IVFMy very first solo episode is the most personal episode to date and marks the start of my fertility series. In the episode I open up about my personal experience with IVF and share my 5 main tips that helped me go through it. I also included one bonus tip for anyone who knows someone going through this process and is not sure for how they can best support. Opening up about this to my friends and now sharing it now more broadly has truly been incredibly helpful for me so feel free to ask any...2023-08-1140 min

Very BeginningEpisode 9: Building a Photography Business In Early 20s I with Beth LavinStarting your own business at age 21- what seems incredibly scary, was exactly what Beth Lavin did following her dream to become a photographer. Over 6 years later, Beth has established herself as a successful brand and wedding photographer and recently even expanded her services into videography. This episode is truly a must watch for anyone wondering about the ins and outs of self-employment and all the ups and downs that come with it. 00:00 Trailer & Intro 02:04 Path to Becoming Self-Employed 03:13 Proudest Achievement To Date 07:41 Tips to Succeed As Young...2023-07-2844 min

Very BeginningEpisode 8: Burnout & Pivoting Career at 40 I with Elizabeth O'NeillStarting over at age 40- episode 8 is all about the inspiring story of Elizabeth O'Neill who was incredibly courageous to start her own business after experiencing burn out in her corporate career. Becoming an executive coach, people & culture consultant, Elizabeth shares incredible insights about finding purpose in your work and shares her take on building a strong corporate culture in an in-person vs remote set up. 00:00 Trailer & Intro 02:11 Making Decision to Leave Corporate 04:29 Overcoming Anxiety Of Not Knowing What's Next 06:16 Figuring Out What Excites Us & Trusting Intuition 2023-07-1445 min

Very BeginningEpisode 7: Making the Forbes 30 Under 30 List I with Anisha GuptaDeveloping an early passion for sustainability, Anisha Gupta co-founded Bluebird Climate making it her personal mission to decarbonize the consumer goods industry. In this episode we chat about her learnings of founding a company at a young age including her incredible achievement of making the Forbes 30 under 30 list. 00:00 Trailer & Intro 02:09 About Bluebird Climate 04:48 Going From Corporate To Founder 07:27 Overcoming Fear Of Starting 10:29 Advice For Young Professionals 12:36 Finding a Co-Founder 18:10 Making Forbes 30 Under 30 List 23:03 Pressure To Achieve Success At Young Age 2023-04-2340 min

Very BeginningEpisode 6: Smashing Stereotypes & Being Your Unpologetic Self | with Thamina StollFrom studying abroad at one of the top universities in the world to working for a top tech company in NYC- on the surface Thamina Stoll's career looked like a dream come true. But on the inside she struggled with post-graduation depression. Her way to healing & finding balance was led by her bold decision to share her experience publicly on her podcast The Femme Hive & LinkedIn. Voted by Germany's FOCUS Magazine as one of the "100 Women of 2022", Episode 6 is all about the incredibly inspiring story of this absolute trailblazer who shares her learnings on how to build a personal...2023-03-2646 min

Very BeginningEpisode 5: From America's Next Top Model to Mindful Entrepreneur | with Kelle JacobIn episode 5 of Very Beginning I had the absolute pleasure to chat with Kelle Jacob, CEO and Founder of Asri Wellness. Going from contestant on America's Next Top Model, to Executive at a Fortune 500 Company, to entrepreneur, Kelle has an incredible depth of knowledge and shares her journey to finding true balance of mind, body, and soul. In this episode we chat about: the art of listening and finding ways to follow one's intuition Kelle's experience with being in the top 10 of America's next top model and dealing with incredibly toxic feedback tips and trick...2023-02-1242 min

Very BeginningEpisode 4: The Incredible Story of Becoming a Pizzaiola | with Miriam Weiskind The Za ReportEpisode 4 is all about Pizza!! I had the absolute pleasure to sit down with Miriam Weiskind from The Za Report to chat about her inspiring journey of becoming a NY times featured Pizzaiola taking NYC by storm. In this episode we chat about: how Miriam went from art director to full time Pizza Chef right from her small Brooklyn apartment what Pizza means for Miriam and how it not only brought happiness and joy to her community but also helped Miriam to go through the grief of losing her mother to COVID the role ul...2023-01-2229 min

Very BeginningEpisode 3: Unifying Power of Marathons | with Kevin Visconti"If you ever lose faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon" - Kathrine Switzer. In episode 3 of Very Beginning I sit down with the incredible 10x Marathoner and Columbia University professor Kevin Visconti to discuss his experience with running 10 marathons. In this episode we chat about: Kevin's moving experience of running his very first marathon in NYC only a few weeks after the tragic events of 9/11 mental and emotional impact of achieving more than one thought was ever possible feeling connected to fellow runners and spectators and applying marathon learnings to ever...2023-01-1530 min

Very BeginningEpisode 2: Balancing Mindfulness & Entrepreneurship | with Yash KothariIn the second episode of Very Beginning I had the absolute pleasure to have a conversation with the brilliant and inspiring CEO & Founder of Kindred Minds Yash Kothari. In this episode we chat about: how he founded a Y Combinator backed tech startup in his early 20s and why he decided to leave it all behind lessons learned from regular meditation and 10-day silent meditation retreat what it means to start over again and discovering your own meaningful and authentic path and much much more... Use code VERYBEGINNING at sign up to get 66% off your fir...2023-01-0843 min

Very BeginningEpisode 1: Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone | with Nicole @YogabyNicole_In the very first episode of Very Beginning I had the pleasure to sit down with the amazingly talented and inspiring Yoga Instructor and Influencer Nicole. In this episode we chat about: how Yoga truly transformed Nicole's life on all levels after struggling with scoliosis and inspired her to help others become the best version of themselves how we can start working towards our goals despite feeling overwhelmed by feelings of perfectionism and imposter syndrome tips on getting started as a content creator and advice on staying motivated and much much more... Follow Nicole on S...2023-01-0130 min

Very BeginningVery Beginning Podcast TrailerWelcome to Very Beginning- a podcast where we shift the narrative from happy ending to exciting beginning! Every week, I will sit down with inspiring entrepreneurs, athletes, influencers, and all around trail blazers, to explore how we can get more comfortable with change and find the courage to unlock that scary first chapter to something we have been wanting to do for far too long. First episode going live on 1/1/2023. New Episodes every Sunday. Follow on Instagram: @verybeginningofficial 2022-12-1801 min