Period Chats - A hormone wellness podcast.

Today on the Period Chats Podcast we get to meet certified hormone specialist and pilates instructor Paige Lindgren. Paige’s online presence is nutrition-rich, fun, and inspiring, and in this episode, we get to hear the story behind her decision to begin posting about health and healing. She became a hormone specialist after having an autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis) since elementary school and finally figured out that hormone levels were a huge key to recovering her health. The endocrine system affects so many functions within our body, and Paige’s story of waiting too many years and making too many visits to specialists before getting thoroughly tested for hormone imbalances sounds way too familiar to many of us, too. Walking through depression, fatigue, and severe digestive issues gave Paige ample opportunity to learn about the interplay of hormones with numerous systems in the body, and gave her empathy for others who are experiencing similar struggles. Finally discovering that low estrogen and other imbalances were playing a role gave Paige a sense of hope and a path to recovery. Eating nutrient-dense whole foods was a huge part of her journey (hence all the delicious paleo posts on her socials). Kate and Paige talk about how hormone imbalances can affect mental health, mood, sex drive, and self-esteem by impacting GABA and serotonin levels - one of the many topics we all wonder why they don’t address in health class growing up - and how understanding that can be such a relief. On this holistic health journey, we all know what it feels like to get a little too rigid about what we’re learning. Paige reminds us that we all have to live too, and that balance IS healthier. Clean eating can be a little addicting sometimes, so we need to remember being able to break the routine and eat with friends at restaurants is worth the risk when possible. Paige reminds us that while some science-based restrictions are helpful in certain seasons of the healing journey, it’s always with the goal of more overall freedom in the future, in our lives, AND in our food choices. Kate and Paige also chat about socialization, doing fun things, and other stress-relievers to lower cortisol. Make sure you give Paige a following: Instagram: @tumeric.and.tequila TikTok: @paigelindgren

Welcome back to the Period Chats Podcast! Today is a solo episode where we hear from Kate Morton, our host. Kate is a dietician that specializes in hormone health and the founder of Funk It Wellness. Kate shares why she started the podcast, why she’s so passionate about women’s health, and gives us a must-know run down on the topic of seed cycling. Kate carries a passion for educating her community about the menstrual cycle, correcting common misconceptions about periods, talking about society’s impact on our health, and championing effective holistic options. Her own life experience led her into this passion: she suffered from hormonal imbalance for years, experienced adverse effects from coming off birth control, and then finally came to a place of recovery and healing when she learned the important health principles that she now shares on this podcast. One key component of what Kate learned was that exercise and nutrition can play a huge role in recovering from hormone-related issues. She began to track her cycle and learn more about the four phases of the cycle. She was doubtful when a friend first introduced her to seed cycling, but it ended up helping her a ton. Seed cycling is using nutrient-rich foods (like organic pumpkin seeds, sesame, and flax for instance - btw these need to be seeds that are processed correctly and close to the date of consumption to avoid rancidity issues!) to support your body’s production of the right hormones at the right times during your menstrual cycle. Everyone should have free access to information about maximizing their nutrition and hormone health. This podcast exists to make helpful knowledge like this more common through Kate’s interviews with expert guests, key conversations, and data-backed information. It’s all the stuff Kate wishes someone would have broken down for her earlier, and she’s excited and grateful for the chance to pass it along to you! Connect with Kate --> https://www.instagram.com/carbsandkate/ Learn more about Funk It --> https://www.instagram.com/funk.it.wellness/ Start Seed Cycling --> https://funkitwellness.com/

Welcome back to the Period Chats podcast, your resource for helpful lifestyle tips on managing PCOS. Hannah Muehl, MS, RDN, PA-C, A.K.A. “The Conscious Nutritionist” joins us on this episode to share her expertise as a dietitan and physician associate. Many of us will agree that it can be frustrating to get a diagnosis, and sometimes even harder to find correct diet and lifestyle information afterward. But combining her personal experience having PCOS with her vocational training, Hannah is here to share her wealth of information with us. We discuss the process of coming off the pill and the journey of balancing one’s hormones more holistically, after being on a medication that stops natural ovulation. Initial symptoms can often include hair loss, acne, weight changes, and of course: cysts. If you’ve experienced any of these, we know you’ll appreciate hearing from someone who gets it. Hannah tells us how one of the biggest misconceptions in the PCOS world is that all of us have to be absolutely gluten and dairy-free. She explains how some people may see improvements on a diet that omits these ingredients simply because they have a measure of related insulin resistance, and eating less gluten often means eating less processed carbs and sugars in general. Here’s a quick tip to balance your blood sugar, whether you have an insulin resistance diagnosis or just suspect that you’d feel better with fewer glucose spikes: fat and fiber slow down carbohydrate absorption, so make sure you pair carbs with one or both (ideally consume them right BEFORE the carbs). She also addresses the misconception that there’s one magic supplement for PCOS, or that supplements themselves will be the complete answer. After that, we dive into the topic of environmental toxins (but in a balanced, you don’t have to feel totally overwhelmed sort of way). You may have heard Hannah dropping knowledge about hormones and PCOS on her Instagram or TikTok: @TheConsciousNutritionist. But if you haven’t yet, go give her a follow and fill your mind with her nutritional knowledge.

You asked, we found the answers.  What is the funking deal with irregular periods?  According to recent research between 14-25% of menstruators have an irregular cycle.  In this episode we see what the internet has to say about irregular cycles. Around minute 14 we take a slight detour and talk about our enneagrams + asana tasks so feel free to skip that if that does not intrest you.  xx

Dr. Saru Bala, a Naturopathic Doctor, discusses heavy periods. Topics include causes, signs of excessive blood loss, teen and menopause related bleeding, diet/lifestyle changes, and the importance of seeking medical help early. The episode emphasizes communication with healthcare providers and making lifestyle modifications to manage hormonal issues and heavy bleeding.

About this episode:  I don't know about you all but I have been getting SO many ads for hormone and fertility testing, so I wanted to get to the bottom of it all and truly understand what hormones should be tested, when they should be tested and what to do with that information.  Our Guest Amy Beckley Ph.D. has studied hormone singling for 20+ years, struggled with her own infertility journey, and now helped countless people understand their hormones through the Proov test that she invented!  Buckle up it's going to be a fun and informative episode!  What we cover: Can you explain what hormone testing really is? Why is it important to test hormones? What are the different types of hormones you can test for and why would you test for them? Does it matter what time of the month you test? How accurate is this kind of testing? Can anything throw off the accuracy? Tell us a little bit about prove How did you develop the prove test? What is the main thing you have learned through testing your hormones? About Amy: Amy Beckley is the CEO and Founder of Proov. She has a background of personal struggles with infertility therefore she created her own company!  Amy also has a Ph.D. in pharmaceuticals and has studied hormone singling for 20+! Try Proove for yourself: https://proovtest.com/ Use code FUNKIT20 for 20% off!

In this episode, our team talks through the debate: is post-birth control syndrome real?  In this episode, we define post-birth control syndrome, talk about our personal experience with birth control and dive into what the internet + TikTok has to say about coming off birth control. ** Spoiler alert there isn’t any clinical research on this, which seems to be a common theme in all things related to periods and women’s health*** What is a side chat?  This is three gals talking through things they have seen on TikTok Have you experienced post-birth control syndrome?!  Shoot us an email at hello@funkitwellness.com! Want to learn more about coming off birth control?  Check out this past episode with Berrion Berry 

How much were you taught about your cycle growing up?  Odds are not much - the period stigma goes back as far as we can see.  In this episode, Dinara opens up about her personal relationship with her cycle and explains the importance of using your cycle as a guide.  Spoiler alert it is possible to actually like your period and use it for your benefit! Let’s talk about periods - First of all, let’s talk about your Tedx!!! (Hell yes gal) How did you first start being interested in periods? When did you decide something needed to change in the way we talk about periods? Can you give us an overview of the period's history, where does the stigma come from? What are your tips for creating a relationship with your cycle? What does this look like in everyday life? How has this changed your life? What advice would you give to others? About Dinara:  Dinara is a certified women’s health coach and TEDx speaker and helps women restore hormonal balance, ditch medications, and feel great in their bodies. Dinara's TEDx Talk --> https://www.ted.com/talks/dinara_mukhametianova_your_menstrual_cycle_is_your_superpower Connect with Dinara --> https://www.dinaramukh.com/

Welcome back to another 10 minutes of three 20 somethings discovering things we wished we learned sooner. Does your digestion change throughout your cycle?  If you answered yes you are not alone!  What are period poops?  This term refers to the change in your digestion from your luteal phase through your period and cramping while trying to go to the bathroom.  This can include both constipation and diarrhea.  A research study in 2021 found that 73% of menstruators experience changes in digestion throughout their cycle and before their period.  While everyone is different these digestion changes can be caused by swift changes in estrogen and progesterone coupled with increased prostaglandins that often come from increased inflammation.    * Additional fact --> anyone dealing with endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts may experience more intense bowel movement changes throughout their cycle. Research to check out: 1. https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6874-14-14

After going home for the holidays and spending time with our families we knew it was time to talk about menopause.  In this episode we work through the questions we have about perimenopause, menopause, and what our moms wish they would have known. Menopause leave needs to be a thing. There is SO MUCH misinformation on the internet. We barely get period education and menopause is not at all talked about. Society hates aging women and has unrealistic expectations Perimenopause and menopause are diferent Perimenopause can last 10 years Estrogen changes impact your bone density and cardio tissue as well as lean muscle mass. There are SO many companies profiting from our insecurity and unrealistic beauty standards. We need to start learning about menopause along with periods. We love our moms and we are really proud of them for battling all of these things while still being great. Want to learn more about perimenopause: Check out this episode →