Period Story Podcast

Period Story is a podcast that features women talking about periods, breaking taboos and getting behind the menstrual health myths that hold us back.  Each episode features a notable and interesting woman talking about her first period, the way she learned about periods and menstrual health, what she knows now that she wishes she knew back then and everything in between.

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 30: Trisha Barker, Stick To Your Guns and Fight For What You Want

On today’s episode of Period Story podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Trisha Barker, a life coach who helps people manage and overcome imposter syndrome. Listen to hear our conversation about Trisha’s endometriosis journey, how she fought for a diagnosis, how she manages the endometriosis pain, how she’s incorporated menstrual cycle awareness into her day to day work life and of course, her first period.

Trisha says that when she was shocked when she first got her period. She had a stomachache and thought to herself: “Am I dying?”. Her mum was there to reassure her and explain to her what happened. Trisha says that she felt really embarrassed and ashamed about what was happening to her and it took her until her forties to get past the shame.

Trisha went on a long journey of trying to deal with her heavy and painful periods, for years using the pill to do this. She eventually decided that she didn’t want to be on the pill because she didn’t believe it was good for her health. After she came off the pill, her period pain boomeranged back.

Listen to hear what happened when Trisha tried to get the bottom of what was behind her excruciating period pain and the moment where she refused to leave her GP’s office until he gave her a solution that didn’t involve more pills.

Trisha explains that coming off the pill helped her connect with her menstrual cycle. She says she wanted to be back in tune with her own body. Trisha shares how she was able to spot patterns through her menstrual cycles and adapt her work accordingly.

Trisha shares some advice for people struggling with imposter syndrome and the key questions they need to ask themselves to move past it. She says that we can ask ourselves better questions and start to find evidence to prove that our imposter doesn’t know everything. Trisha says that when you change what you believe about yourself, you change how you show up in the world. Thank you, Trisha!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 29: Sabi Kerr, I Love Me As I Am Right Now

On today’s episode of Period Story podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sabi Kerr, a self-love coach and yoga teacher. We had a beautiful conversation that got me a bit emotional at one point! We talked about Sabi’s journey on and off the contraceptive pill, the importance of accepting and sitting with ALL the emotions you feel, toxic positivity and moving away from positive vibes only and of course, Sabi’s first period!

Sabi shared the pride she felt when she got her period and how grown up she felt. She says that the conversations she had with her mum and her friends about periods were really open and accepting. How great is that!

We spent time talking about Sabi’s journey with the pill. She went on the pill when she was around 17, 18 years old and only came off it in January this year. She says she was sure that there was a bit of disconnect between her and her period and coming off the pill was her way of changing that.

Sabi had never had any issues or side effects from taking the pill. When she deciding whether to come off the pill, Sabi says she asked herself if she still wanted to be putting it in her body. She was moving back to London from Bali and felt it was the right time to make this transition.

Listen to hear about Sabi’s transition off the pill and what she learned about her menstrual cycle, including how she was able to make space for her emotions and find the permission to accept herself as she is. I confess that I got a bit emotional when we talked about this!

Sabi shared some beautiful affirmations and a mini practice to help name the emotions you feel. Sabi says that to truly love ourselves, we need to start where we’re at. Thank you, Sabi!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 28: Natalie Costa, Be Gentle With Yourself

On today’s episode of Period Story podcast, I am so pleased to share my conversation with Natalie Costa. We talked about the importance of identifying which thoughts you choose to believe, managing pre-menstrual anxiety, and of course Natalie’s first period!

Natalie shared that her first period was a shock and something she wasn’t ready for. She says that slowly she started to become more accepting of it, but it wasn’t something she looked forward to (I’m sure a lot of you can relate to this!).

Natalie talks about growing in South Africa and how the conservative culture affected how she learnt about her period. She says it’s taken her time to become more open about talking about menstruation and that her former job as a teacher helped with this.

We talked about how Natalie learned to tune into her menstrual cycle more and how she connected this with work and the way she exercises. She says that she really has to listen to her body and resist doing high impact exercise when her body is craving something slow and steady.

Natalie says she asks herself: what can I do to be gentle with myself. She says she’s more aware of negative chatter that happens before her period and is able to manage it and work with it. Listen to hear the morning rituals Natalie uses to quieten down and centre her mind.

We talk about Natalie's company Power Thoughts by Natalie Costa and its brilliant work supporting children by helping them tap into the power of their thoughts and recognise they don’t have to believe everything they think or respond to every feeling. Natalie shares some brilliant tips and I’ve been using them with my son!

Natalie says that as adults, we need to remember that we don’t need to believe every thought we think and that it’s so important to be gentle with ourselves and I completely agree!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 27: Leeanne Young, Your Body Is Whispering To You All The Time, You Just Have To Listen To It

On today’s episode of Period Story Podcast, I am so pleased to share my conversation with Leeanne Young, who bravely discusses her health journey from fibroids to hyperthyroidism and a thyroidectomy to an ice crunching obsession and back to fibroids. Leeanne’s story is really powerful and I really encourage you all to have a listen, especially as we near the end of fibroid awareness month.

Leeanne shares her matter of fact approach to her first period and how she learned about what was happening to her body. We talked about the classic Judy Blume book, Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret and Leeanne talked about the impact it had.

We talked about Leeanne’s very early endometriosis diagnosis. After a laparoscopy and medication didn’t work for her, she was given the choice of having a hysterectomy at 25 years old. She opted against this and said this taught her how to really listen to her body and tune into the signals it was giving her.

Leeanne bravely shared how she first discovered she had a 10cm fibroid after a miscarriage. She was led to believe that it would be difficult for her to have more children. Leeanne went on to have a daughter, who is now 12.

Leeanne become unwell again and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and eventually went on to have a thyroidectomy. Listen to hear the symptoms that made Leeanne realise that something was wrong.

Fast forward a few years, Leeanne felt that everything was going fine. She had started a new job and life was good. Her periods then started getting so heavy that she became scared to leave the house. Listen to hear how Leeanne was able to persevere and get a diagnosis of increased fibroid growth after everyone kept telling her everything was fine.

Leeanne says that we know our bodies best. Our bodies are whispering to us, giving us signs that we need to listen to and I completely agree!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 26: Allysa Rochelle, Hold Space For Yourself

On today’s episode of Period Story podcast, I’m pleased to share the wonderful and very expansive conversation I had with Allysa Rochelle, the Vulnerability Queen and founder of TING. We talked about trauma and its effect on menstrual health, the vulnerability spectrum, why Black women need to embrace softness and of course, Rochelle shared the story of her first period.

Rochelle says that after she got her first period, she kept it secret for 4 months. Eventually, pain become a big part of her period life and she learnt to just get on with it, which she says was part of the negative programming she had around her period quite early on.

Listen to hear about the pivotal moment where Rochelle changed her perspective on the pain she was experiencing and the role trauma played in this.

Rochelle talks about a light bulb moment when she realised that she had been ignoring her needs because she had always been in service to other people. She says that she had to get really still and ask herself: ‘what do you need? what are your needs?’

We had a fascinating discussion about the stereotype of the strong Black woman and how important it is for Black women to embrace softness too and let themselves be vulnerable. 

Finally, we talked about Rochelle’s self-styled title, ‘The Vulnerability Queen’ and how important it is to lean into vulnerability in a very intentional way.

Rochelle says that we need to hold space for ourselves and never ignore what we’re feeling. I completely agree!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 25: Jasmin Thomas, Have Confidence In Your Voice

On today’s episode of Period Story podcast, I’m so happy to share my conversation with Jasmin Thomas, the founder of Ohana CBD.

Jasmin and I had a wide ranging conversation, including discussing her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, Rastafarianism, medicinal cannabis, Jasmin’s decision to start Ohana CBD, being Black and female in the cannabis industry and of course, the story of her first period.

Jasmin says she felt quite isolated and uncomfortable when she got her first period. She says that as she was growing up her period was okay and that as she got older, she started to tune into her body more, understand her menstrual cycles, track her menstrual cycles.

Jasmin also shares her story of coming off the pill. She says she didn’t feel as though she felt real emotions whilst on it and when she came off the pill, she started to feel everything a lot more.

Listen to hear about Jasmin talk about multiple sclerosis and the symptoms that led her to seek out a diagnosis, the support networks she leant on and how she explored natural medicinal options to manage the condition.

We talk about Jasmin’s family links to Rastafarianism and medical cannabis and how this led to the birth of her company, Ohana CBD. She said that she had a desire to live her most authentic life and starting her own company was a part of this.

We talk about Jasmin being a Black female in the cannabis industry and what Jasmin has done to hold others in the industry accountable. 

Jasmin says that we should have confidence in our voices and live as our most authentic selves and I completely agree! 

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 24: Sarah Greenidge, Think Of Your Health Literacy As A Core Skill

Welcome to season 3 of the Period Story podcast! I’m so pleased to start the new season with Sarah Greenidge, the founder of WellSpoken.

We had a wide ranging conversation about tracking menstrual cycles and symptoms, the important of credible content in the health and wellbeing sector, the value of anecdotal evidence and the importance of diversity and inclusion in the wellbeing sector. Sarah discussed the launch of the WellSpoken diversity charter, which you can read more about here. And of course, Sarah shared the story of her first period!

Sarah shares the very vivid memory of her first period, her shock, overwhelm and shame. She talks about how these feelings changed as she went into high school and having a period became an empowering thing.

Listen to hear what triggered Sarah to learn more about her period and start tracking her menstrual cycle. She says that become knowledgeable about her body has made her more cognisant of how others could be feeling.

Sarah talks about her periods in lockdown and how she saw a shift from what’s normal for her. In the episode, Sarah goes into detail into the symptoms she tracks (with a massive Excel spreadsheet!) and the cues she pays attention to that tell her period is about to start. Listen to hear her top tips on how to start tracking your menstrual cycle. 

We talk about why Sarah founded her company, WellSpoken and the importance of health literacy. Sarah says that in the UK, consumer ability to understand health information and then make an informed decision is quite low. 

We talk about the importance of diversity in wellness and the health implications of lack of diversity in wellness. Sarah says that race and discrimination play a part in the way people can receive health information and how and if they seek help. Go to this page to find out more about the diversity charter, which asks brands to commit to improving diversity in the wellness industry.

Sarah says that we need to think of health literacy as a core skill so that we can more informed decisions about our health. I completely agree!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 23: Valentina Milanova, Imposter Syndrome Keeps You Humble

On today's episode of Period Story, I was so pleased to speak with Valentina Milanova, the founder of Daye, the women's healthcare brand. We had a wide ranging discussion talking about period pain, the role of CBD and the endocannabinoid system, female entrepreneurship and of course, Valentina shared her own period story.

Valentina shared the story of getting her period at just 9 years old. Listen to hear why she hid her period for a year and what happened when she told her father.

The gender pain gap is a very real issue and Valentina talked about the debilitating cramps she used to experience, which caused her to miss school and have difficulty concentrating. 

Valentina talks about what inspired her to start her company, Daye. She says that the idea that menstruation could be made easier was always in the back of her mind. She came up with resistance but persevered, making the first tampons herself on a 3D printer and injecting the CBD extract with a syringe.

Valentina talks about the benefits of CBD and the effects it’s had on her period pain. She says it’s made a massive impact on her productivity and her happiness levels and says that she no longer dreads her period.

Finally, we had an interesting discussion about female entrepreneurship. Valentina says that you need to be comfortable making a fool of yourself and making mistakes. She says that imposter syndrome keeps you humble. I agree! 

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Valentina Milanova: Imposter Syndrome Keeps You Humble

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 22: Elaine dela Cruz, Start Having Uncomfortable Conversations

On today’s episode of Period Story podcast, I spoke with Elaine dela Cruz, the co-founder of Project 23, a culture and performance consultancy. Elaine and I had a great conversation about teaching her daughters about periods, how culture affected how she learnt about periods and sex and of course, her first period.

Elaine shares the memory of getting her period during a much anticipated family vacation and how she cringed at the way her mum and aunties were discussing it.

Elaine talks about how culture likely affected the way she learned about sex and period, saying that her family was not one to talk about these things. She says that she learned from this experience and it made her want to be more informed for the conversation with her daughters.

We talk about being laissez-faire about periods in your 20s, the change that can happen after childbirth and what happens when you ovulate.

Listen to hear what happens when Elaine decides to have the first conversation about periods with her daughters and why she had to have a re-do! She says these conversations made her more open about her period.

Elaine says it’s so important for us to have uncomfortable conversations and if we push the conversation and push through the discomfort, we’ll get to the other side and learn and connect in a different way. I completely agree!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Elaine dela Cruz: Start Having Uncomfortable Conversations

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 21: Katy Lindemann, I Really Wish I Had Paid More Attention To My Cycles When I Was Younger

On today’s episode of Period Story podcast, I’m very happy to share a very candid conversation with Katy Lindemann, the founder of Uber Barrens Club. Katy is a writer and patient advocate in addition to her day job as a digital strategist.

Katy shared her journey through infertility and pregnancy loss, what she learned about her body, her inspiration for Uber Barrens Club and of course, the story of her first period.

Katy talks about reading the fabulous Judy Bloom book, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret? as a period rite of passage. She also shares the moment at the school gate that prompted her mum to make sure she understood the birds and bees 😄

Katy says that she went on the pill because she wanted to control her period and talks about what prompted her to eventually come off the pill and get diagnosed with lean PCOS.

We had a very candid discussion about what this diagnosis meant for her fertility journey at the time, what happened next and why Katy wishes she had paid more attention to her menstrual cycles when she was younger.

Katy says that she started Uber Barrens Club because she only ever saw one narrative of infertility, after people have been successful. She says that she wanted to write a different story and take back the word barren, reclaim it and make this silent sisterhood more visible.

Katy says that you don’t have to do this alone. She believes we should reach out, read up, learn about our bodies and not be afraid to ask questions. I love that!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Katy Lindemann: I Really Wish I Had Paid More Attention To My Cycles When I Was Younger

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 20: Estelle Bingham, Choose To Listen To Yourself, Gently and Lovingly

On today's episode of Period Story podcast, I had the pleasure of sharing a wonderful conversation I had with Estelle Bingham last week. Estelle is a healer and psychic, as well as a former travel presenter for Lonely Planet.

Estelle and I had a wonderful conversation (her words gave me chills at one point!) about intuition, the importance of boundaries, what manifestation actually is, connecting with the cycles of the moon and of course, the story of Estelle’s first period.

Estelle says that she was very excited for her first period. She talks about the two truths that many of us continue to hold about menstruation: the internal excitement of being part of something bigger and general negativity that society gives menstruation, calling it ‘the curse’.

Estelle says it’s so important that we understand our menstrual cycle so that we can recognise and listen to the internal workings of who we are. She says this part of us gets really demonised and that we need to be kind and find a way to come back to ourselves.

Estelle talked about her experience as a travel presenter and how she felt her period never got into the way or held her back when she was doing things like trekking up K2, climbing down the Karijini Gorges in Australia or speaking to Kenyan tribes. She says it was really empowering not to feel like she had to worry about her period.

Listen to hear Estelle talk about how to notice the connection between our menstrual cycle and the moon cycle. She says that we start to notice how we can feel during full moons and where we’re at in our menstrual cycle. She talks about the effects last Thursday’s super moon in Scorpio may have had on some of us.

I asked Estelle about manifestation, this word I see thrown around a lot and she broke it down in a practical way, saying that you can put things out there, but you also have to show up to those things everyday and do the work.

Estelle says that we should choose to listen to ourselves, gently and lovingly so that we are able to love ourselves more and come  home to ourselves. I love that!

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Estelle Bingham: Choose To Listen To Yourself, Gently and Lovingly

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Period Story Podcast, Episode 19: Amy Peake, I Want More Girls and Women To Rise Up And Realise Their Power

On today's episode of Period Story podcast, I’m so pleased to share my conversation with Amy Peake, the founder of the charity Loving Humanity, which she founded in 2014 with the aim of helping women in war zones by alleviating the health problems associated with a lack of good quality and affordable menstrual pads. Since then, her work has helped to restore dignity and create social uplift for thousands of women in some of the most war-ravaged parts of the world. And crucially, allowed thousands of menstruating girls who would not normally have access to school to receive an education.

Amy and I had a wonderful conversation about the cultural impact of menstruation, disposable vs reusable menstrual pads, how Amy has been educating herself about her menstrual cycle and hormones and of course, Amy also shared the story of her first period.

Amy shares what made her decide to come off the pill and the changes she’s seen in her body. She says having a period without any pain was a revelation!

Amy talks about the importance of menstrual health education and awareness and the impact this is having on her 3 daughters and also how this extends to Loving Humanity.

We talked about Amy’s charity Loving Humanity and the powerful work it is doing in Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe to make and distribute menstrual pads and nappies to women and girls. Amy shares the story of what inspired her to start this charity and shares some of ways the charity has been able to empower women through employment, menstrual health education and support.

We had a very candid discussion about the impact access to menstrual pads can have on girls and their ability to stay in education. Amy also talked about disposable vs reusable menstrual pads and how access to water and lack of privacy makes reusables mostly a non-starter.

Amy says that she feels passionate about what she does because she wants women and girls to rise up and realise their power 💪🏽

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I hope you love the episode as much as I did!

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Amy Peake: I Want More Girls and Women To Rise Up And Realise Their Power