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 perfection, but from lived experience.

This episode isn’t about doing marriage “right.” It’s about what has helped us stay connected, grounded, and moving forward together.

Whether you’re married, partnered, preparing for marriage, or simply curious about what makes long-term relationships work, this conversation offers honest reflections and practical takeaways you can apply in your own relationships.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

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, which takes a critical, evidence-based look at conventional pregnancy nutrition advice.

We explore the difference between true food safety risks and overly cautious, blanket recommendations, and discuss how factors like sourcing, handling, nutrient density, and overall dietary context matter far more than simple avoidance lists. This episode is not about ignoring safety guidelines; it’s about understanding them so you can make informed, confident decisions about what you eat during pregnancy.

If pregnancy nutrition advice has left you feeling anxious, restricted, or unsure of what’s actually safe, this episode is meant to help you move away from fear and toward nourishment, food literacy, and trust in your body.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

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 hormones, and your mindset so you can move through the holidays with intention and ease.

We cover:
• Why perfection backfires and raises cortisol
• How to use the 80/20 approach without losing momentum
• The simple nutrition and movement choices that make the biggest difference
• What to do when routines shift and life gets busy
• How to maintain your goals without sacrificing joy or connection

If you want a holiday season that feels balanced, supportive, and aligned with your health goals, this episode gives you the exact framework to follow.

Tune in and learn how to move through this season in a way that feels steady, empowered, and truly sustainable.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

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 about food aversions, smell sensitivity, and my genetic testing experience as I move deeper into the second trimester.

In the clinical portion of the episode, I dive into two powerful conversations from practice:

• What scoliosis actually is, how it develops, and two real patient cases from the clinic
• And the deeper truth behind patients with back or knee pain and obesity - why many are not losing weight yet, and how pain, nervous system regulation, and the inability to self-pilot behavior change all intersect

This episode weaves together pregnancy, posture, pain, identity, and empowerment - through the lens of both lived experience and clinical practice.

A new chapter begins here.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

Welcome to my Week 12 pregnancy update and wow… what a transition point this has been. In this episode, I’m sharing honestly about what the last few weeks have really looked like behind the scenes ; from food aversions and comfort meals, to being sick, to some major physiological shifts that happen right around this stage of pregnancy.

We talk about:
🌿 Why all I wanted was pancakes and soup and how I realized I was likely eating “wrong” for my body during the entire first trimester
🌿 What it’s been like being sick in early pregnancy and navigating fatigue, nausea, and depleted energy
🌿 How blood test screening for Trisomy 21, 18, and 13 works, and why many parents choose to do it
🌿 How a blood test can also reveal the sex of the baby as early as 10–12 weeks using placental DNA
🌿 The huge biological milestone at this stage: the placenta officially takes over hormone production around weeks 10–12 ; and what that means for symptoms, energy, and nausea
🌿 Some HUGE professional wins, including award recognitions
🌿 Plus, an update on what’s happening inside my community, including the official rollout of my new Skool membership tiers

If you’re in early pregnancy, preparing for pregnancy, or just love understanding what’s happening inside the body at each milestone, this episode will give you science, honesty, and real-life perspective all in one.

Thank you for being here and walking this season with me. 💚
— Ashley

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Nora DeBora - preconception health coach, fertility educator, and host of The Ultimate Pregnancy Prep Podcast - to break down the exact functional lab tests every couple should consider before trying to conceive.

Whether you’re preparing naturally, trying without success, or gearing up for fertility treatment, this conversation is a must-listen. We go far beyond the standard bloodwork panel and explore the deeper physiological data that can reveal hormone imbalances, inflammation, nutrient depletion, microbiome dysfunction, and stealth stressors that impact egg, sperm, and overall reproductive health.

Together we unpack the Top 3 functional tests that give the clearest picture of your preconception health:

🌿 DUTCH Test (Comprehensive Hormone Panel)
Why cortisol patterns, estrogen metabolism, progesterone levels, and androgen balance matter for BOTH partners - and how these metrics shape ovulation, implantation, early pregnancy, and sperm production.

🌿 Comprehensive Stool Analysis (CSA)
What your gut health reveals about inflammation, nutrient absorption, immune function, thyroid conversion, estrogen detoxification - and why restoring the gut is foundational for fertility in men and women.

🌿 Vaginal + Uterine Microbiome Testing
The emerging research behind the reproductive microbiome, how it influences implantation rates, recurrent pregnancy loss, and IVF outcomes, and why this is a game-changer for anyone facing unexplained infertility. (Note: Men don’t do this one - but they absolutely benefit from DUTCH + CSA.)

We also discuss:
• why “normal” bloodwork isn’t always enough
• how functional tests reveal the root cause of subfertility
• our favourite clinical cases and what these tests helped uncover
• how couples can use this data to improve natural conception and IVF success rates

This is one of the most information-rich, empowering preconception episodes I’ve ever recorded. If you’re preparing your body, or supporting someone who is - press play.

Connect with Nora DeBora

📧 Email: nora.debora6@gmail.com
🌐 Website: www.naturallynora.ca
📸 Instagram: @naturally_nora
🎙 Podcast: The Ultimate Pregnancy Prep Podcast

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

In this Week 10 pregnancy update, I’m sharing the very real shift into the “eat only bland foods and sleep every chance you get” phase.
We talk about:

• Why I’m choosing walking over resistance training right now
• Navigating nausea, food aversions, and the comfort of beige meals
• The wild fatigue that hits in the evenings
• And, despite all that, why I felt called to submit a speaking application this week

It’s part personal update, part gentle permission slip for anyone navigating the messy, beautiful recalibration of early pregnancy.

If you’re in this season too, this episode reminds you: your body sets the pace, and your purpose doesn’t disappear - sometimes it just takes a softer form for a little while.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.

Welcome to Episode 54!
This week I’m sharing my brutally honest 9-week pregnancy update - and if you’re also in the trenches right now, you’re going to feel so seen.

I dive into:

• The level of exhaustion I did not see coming (like… bone-deep, nap-between-naps tired).
• Is this normal? A quick look at what’s happening hormonally in week 9 that explains everything.
• My new pregnancy boundaries, especially around exercise, movement, and energy output.
• Food aversions that came out of nowhere - when suddenly everything smells like “absolutely not.”
• How I’m navigating nourishment when “everything is yucky” and my nutrition brain is fighting my pregnancy stomach.

If you’re in the first trimester, prepping for pregnancy, or supporting someone who is, this episode is part science, part story, and part solidarity. The first trimester can be brutal, confusing, and lonely - so let’s normalize the messy parts.

Tune in for the real, raw, slightly-delirious truth of week 9.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment plan. The opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers or associated organizations.