Podcast Summary: Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark

Episode: The Preconception Bible for Men and Women | Ann Shippy, MD
Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Alex Clark (Turning Point USA)
Guest: Dr. Ann Shippy, MD (Functional Medicine Physician, Founder of Every Life Well and Every Baby Well)

Episode Overview

This episode of Culture Apothecary is a comprehensive "preconception bible" focused on the crucial lifestyle, dietary, and environmental factors that impact fertility, healthy pregnancy, and multi-generational wellness for both men and women. Dr. Ann Shippy, a board-certified functional medicine doctor, explains the science of epigenetics, environmental toxins, diet, and practical protocols couples should adopt before trying to conceive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Your Choices Affect Generations

• Epigenetics and Preconception:
  • Everything we eat, do, and expose ourselves to can affect not just our own health, but the health of future children and even grandchildren due to epigenetic changes.
  • “The genes can be influenced and marked with the sperm and the egg to create either health problems in the future child and maybe even multiple generations.” – Dr. Shippy [00:09]
• Environmental Toxins’ Multi-Generational Impact:
  • Plastics, phthalates, pesticides, and other environmental chemicals can negatively impact fertility and gene expression, sometimes for generations.
  • “We know that things like plastics and phthalates and pesticides can influence gene expression even to the baby's future fertility.” – Dr. Shippy [00:46]

2. Relationship Choices & Microbiome Sharing

• Your Partner’s Health Becomes Yours:
  • Partners share microbiomes via saliva or intimacy; unhealthy gut bacteria or yeast often shows up in both.
  • “There’s lots of good data that shows that even kissing, you have a big swap.” – Dr. Shippy [02:41]
  • Example: H. pylori, a bacteria linked to inflammation and fertility issues, is commonly found in both partners.
• Advice for Dating:
  • Alex: “You are choosing a partner who shares your health philosophy so you can kind of avoid this hurdle later.” [00:47]
  • Dr. Shippy: “Exactly… you want to find somebody that cares about their body as much as you care about your body.” [02:41]

3. Diet, Inflammation, and Fertility

• Chronic Inflammation as a Fertility Risk:
  • Symptoms: Digestive issues, bloating, joint aches, headaches could be low-grade inflammation.
  • Testing is essential; key markers include high-sensitivity CRP, fibrinogen, ferritin.
• Low Inflammation Lifestyle:
  • Primary Factor: Clean, healthy diet—organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, lots of vegetables, healthy animal proteins.
  • “If you think you’re going to get by with eating unhealthy food and be able to make the leaps and bounds that you want… it’s really, really hard.” – Dr. Shippy [08:02]
  • Toxins hide in food packaging, water bottles, nonstick cookware; avoid plastics and processed foods.
  • Takeout and DoorDash are major sources of “forever chemicals” (PFAS), potentially devastating to fertility.
• Sperm Health and Diet:
  • Just 3 weeks of a highly processed diet can drastically lower sperm count; switching to whole foods improves it just as quickly.
  • “On the high processed foods, in three weeks, it dramatically dropped sperm count.” – Dr. Shippy [13:26]
  • “It took three weeks to start seeing the improvement.” [13:30]

4. Detox and Supplementation

• Detox Protocol for Men and Women:
  • Dr. Shippy recommends at least 3 months of careful detox prior to conception—including glutathione, methylation-support supplements, binders, and antioxidants (astaxanthin, inositol, B vitamins, CoQ10, NAD, carnitine).
  • Mitochondrial health is key for both sperm and egg quality.
• Lifestyle Habits:
  • Heavy emphasis on cleaning up diet, eliminating alcohol and THC for men for at least 3-6 months before trying to conceive.
  • Manage stress, prioritize sleep, exercise regularly, maintain healthy blood sugar.
• Specific Nutrients:
  • Phosphatidylcholine: “Probably the most important thing before and during pregnancy for women.” – Dr. Shippy [42:01]
  • B vitamins, glutathione, green tea, curcumin highlighted for general inflammation and fertility support.

5. Hidden Dangers—Medications, Mold, and Household Chemicals

• Medications:
  • Avoid unnecessary medications pre-conception; many have negative impacts on fertility.
• Home & Environmental Toxins:
  • Nail polish, scented products, personal care, and cleaning supplies are major sources of endocrine disruptors.
  • Living near sprayed crops (glyphosate) can dramatically impact fertility and pregnancy outcomes.
• Mold:
  • Mold exposure is a common but frequently missed root cause of infertility and chronic illness; simple testing advised for anyone struggling to conceive, especially with unusual symptoms.
  • “I've had people where they had their fertility was fine, but then their babies got sick…so just to make sure that you're bringing the baby into a clean environment, I really suggest making sure that there's not mold in the house.” – Dr. Shippy [51:14]

6. Histamine Intolerance & Migraines

• Histamine issues have become common post-COVID, affecting fertility, hormone signaling, and manifesting as headaches, allergies, and skin rashes.
• Leftover Foods Can Increase Symptoms:
  • “Eating leftovers could be increasing histamine issues for somebody… the histamines build up in the food over time.” – Dr. Shippy [22:13]
• Gluten/Dairy-Free Diet Decreases Symptoms:
  • “Cut out gluten and dairy… even a little bit of butter for me can turn me into a faucet.” [42:43]

7. Optimizing for Older Parents

• Women in Their 40s CAN Conceive:
  • With preconception prep, age is less of a barrier than normally believed; Dr. Shippy recounts healthy pregnancies in women up to mid-40s.
  • “This whole idea…of advanced maternal age—geriatric pregnancies—get so upset about this…mid-40s, no problem when they've really tuned up their bodies and their partner has too.” – Dr. Shippy [27:03]
• Supplements for Older Mothers:
  • Paleo-style diet, 3 months of detox, antioxidants, stress management.

8. Testing & Customization

• Test, Don’t Guess:
  • Toxin panels, microbiome mapping, genetic testing (especially MTHFR and methylation genes), blood sugar monitoring recommended for both partners when preparing for pregnancy.
  • “Test if you can.” – Dr. Shippy [58:56]
• New Technology for Sperm Health:
  • SpermQT test looks at the epigenetics of sperm for a functional assessment, improving the “time capsule” men pass to offspring.

9. The Cultural Remedy

• Message of Self-Love:
  • “One of the most important things…is really love and care for ourselves…The more loving that inner conversation is…the more it comes out.” – Dr. Shippy [59:34]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alex Clark:

  • “You are choosing a partner who shares your health philosophy so you can kind of avoid this hurdle later.” [00:47]
  • “I think this should be a new deal breaker for women… we’re not dating men who doordash. That’s my new rule. Because his sperm is cooked.” [12:39]

• Dr. Ann Shippy:

  • “The genes can be influenced and marked with the sperm and the egg to create either health problems in the future child and maybe even multiple generations.” [00:09]
  • “If both partners are really working on their health… they can pull it up together.” [04:11]
  • “On the high processed foods in three weeks, it dramatically dropped sperm count.” [13:26]
  • “If you can get at least three weeks before you even start trying [eating clean], it can make a huge difference.” [13:30]
  • “No nail polish [for women trying to conceive].” [34:27]
  • “This whole idea…of advanced maternal age—geriatric pregnancies—I get so upset about this because I see women having healthy babies into their mid-40s, no problem when they've really tuned up their bodies.” [27:03]
  • “Test if you can.” [58:56]
  • “One of the most important things…is really love and care for ourselves.” [59:34]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:09: Dr. Shippy on epigenetics and generational health
• 02:41: Microbiome swapping in relationships
• 04:38: How preconception health influences child’s long-term wellness
• 05:41: Environmental toxins and fertility
• 08:02: Day-in-the-life of living low-inflammation
• 12:18–13:30: Processed food's swift effect on sperm count
• 14:09: Detox protocol for men pre-conception
• 15:44: Supplements that boost sperm & egg health (glutathione, astaxanthin, etc.)
• 19:31: Alcohol and sperm health—men should abstain 3-6 months pre-conception
• 24:34: The biggest mistake couples make trying to conceive—neglecting the preconception window
• 27:03: Healthy pregnancies in women over 40
• 42:01: Phosphatidylcholine as a critical pregnancy nutrient
• 51:14: Mold exposure’s overlooked impact on fertility and child health
• 57:12: How early to start the preconception journey (ideally a year)
• 59:34: Dr. Shippy's “one remedy” for healing culture: self-love

Actionable Takeaways

• Begin preconception care as soon as possible—ideally one year before trying to conceive.
• Both men and women need to detox, clean up diet, avoid alcohol and processed foods, manage stress, and optimize sleep and exercise.
• Test for toxins, infections, mold, and genetic variants relating to methylation.
• Supplement with B vitamins, antioxidants, mitochondrial support, and especially phosphatidylcholine.
• Avoid plastics, non-stick pans, nail polish, and synthetic-scented products.
• If struggling despite doing everything right, investigate mold, hidden infections, and detailed toxin exposures.

Final Thoughts

Dr. Shippy's evidence-based yet optimistic message is that fertility and healthy pregnancies are deeply influenced by proactive, holistic, science-backed decisions in the months (or years) leading up to conception—by BOTH parents. The new frontier of fertility is not just gynecological or sperm-focused, but encompasses toxins, nutrition, testing, mindset, and even the health of one’s environment.

For those wishing to grow their families, this is the roadmap for “functional preconception” care.

Follow Dr. Ann Shippy on Instagram @annshippymd and look for her new book “The Preconception Revolution.”
Connect with Alex Clark @realalexclark and join the “Cute Servitus” Facebook community to continue the conversation.