Dr. Sarah’s Fertility STORY

Before I was Dr. Sarah, I was a woman racing a clock. I was pushing 30 with no kids and I was FREAKING OUT. Don’t get me wrong, I had already checked a bunch of life goals off of my “Before 30” to-do list. 

• College Degree: ✓ I had three of them & was working on a 4th. 

• Career: ✓ I started my own business while in medical school. 

• Accolades: ✓ I was a published clinical researcher and had worked with the National Institutes of Health. 

• Wedding Ring: ✓ I was married to a wonderful and adoring husband. 

• Bonus: ✓ I had radiant skin, luscious locs and a gorgeous smile (My hubby made me add that part 😜.)

According to my besties, I had a near perfect life. 

But there was this inescapable infant-sized void in my life. I just wasn’t as fulfilled as I should’ve been. 

I wasn’t a mom. 

And I was so ready to be a mom. 

But when I started down my path to conception I was diagnosed with PCOS and I was immediately warned of the impending difficulties of trying to conceive with limited solutions. 

I was crushed. Here I was, 28 years old with all of the degrees, the amazing guy, the career, but no baby. In fact, I began to wonder if there would ever be a baby. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried after seeing yet ANOTHER pregnancy announcement on Facebook.

How many times I’ve yelled at God for giving other people babies but constantly passing me by.

The many, many times I’ve had to check the mirror before going into class to see how badly my tears had ruined my mascara. 

Like most women, I relied on my doctor to help me treat my PCOS and get me closer to becoming a mother. Unfortunately my doctor could only offer me few options that were both expensive and invasive. I knew that I couldn’t afford & didn’t want to put my body through the stress associated with medications and procedures like IUI and IVF.

So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. 

I decided to focus on my mindset, nutrition, and lifestyle. Within three months of trying I became pregnant with our healthy & beautiful son, Roman. I was told that it could take years for me to get pregnant. But instead of making that my reality, I chose to focus on my body as a whole and use natural ways to support my body’s ability to conceive. And it worked! 

In fact, 18 months later my husband and I were surprised by the arrival of our “Quarantine Baby”. Against all odds, I gave birth to two children in 2 years! 

PROFESSIONAL BIO:

Dr. Sarah Ellis is a Naturopathic Doctor, a published natural products researcher, and Clinical Science Liaison for an international biotechnology company. Her passion is teaching health-conscious people how to improve their health, feel their best, and prioritize their well-being. She is a true believer in the idea that the body is capable of healing itself… as long as you’re good to it. So, ultimately, you can say that she teaches people (especially women) how to be good to themselves.

Her clinical focus is centered around women’s health but also includes pediatrics, gut health, and family health. She is a published researcher who spent years investigating the hormonal effects of popular herbs used for women’s health. Her current research interests include the health impacts of the gut microbiome, ethnobotanical research on botanicals used in the Gullah-Geechee community, and the safety/efficacy of botanicals used for women’s health conditions.  

 Dr. Ellis received her undergraduate degree (B.S.) from Georgia State University where she discovered her love for bench research. Her love for research led her to pursue a master’s degree in Pharmacognosy (drug design & discovery from natural products) at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was during her time at UIC that she discovered naturopathic medicine and decided to attend Bastyr University and its school of Naturopathic Medicine. After graduation, she felt called to advance the presence of holistic health in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina where she opened her private practice, Ellis Family Wellness. Presently, she is enjoying combining her loves of integrative medicine, research, and education in her role as Clinical Science Liaison.

 When she isn’t working, she’s spending time with her children, enjoying new restaurants with her husband, and learning to play the acoustic guitar. She loves coffee and all things Beyonce!

7 FUN FACTS ABOUT Dr. SARAH:

1. I'm a mommy! I have two children who are the smartest & most beautiful kids I’ve ever laid eyes on. Ha, biased much?

2. I am a big ol’ nerd! I LOVE science and all of the complicated mechanisms/pathways that make up our amazing bodies.

3. I am OBSESSED with Christmas! Yes, I put up my Christmas tree on November 1st and nope, I don’t care if you judge me. Once the air starts to feel a little crisp, you best believe I’m asking Alexa to play Silent Night by the Temptations 🤣

4. Snakes freak me out. I can’t look at them on TV or in books. Hell, my heart races whenever I have to walk past the reptile section in PetSmart. 

5. I have a birth injury called Brachial Plexus Palsy which affects the use of my right arm. My shoulders got stuck during birth and the doctor freaked out and pulled on my arm so hard that he tore the nerves that innervate my right arm. After many surgeries I do have improved use of my arm and a healthy dose of perseverance to go with it. Oh, and yes…we did try to sue the pants off of that doctor.

6. I prefer coffee over tea. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cup of tart lemon tea (I Love Lemon by Bigelow tea is EVERYTHING) but nothing compares to my morning cup of Gevalia medium roast coffee.  Nothing.

7. Beyonce is LIFE. If you disagree then I must question your decision making skills. Just sayin’.