Period Story

Did you know that 90% of venture capitalist investors are men? On this episode of Period Story, I talk to Marina Gerner, the journalist and author of The Vagina Business about innovation in femtech and the vagina-centric space. In this episode, Marina shares: How a viral article in Wired magazine led to her writing her book The Vagina Business The pushback she received about the title of the bookHow investor squeamishness and embarrassment is holding femtech and vagina-centric businesses back from being able to effectively raise moneyWhy a data-centric approach is helpful when raising money The questions you need to ask when choosing a period tracking app to ensure your data is being protected And of course, the story of her first periodMarina says we need to have more conversations about women’s health and that we’re in a collective learning experience as a society. Thank you, Marina!Get in touch with Marina:Her book: The Vagina BusinessHer Wired article: We need to talk about investors’ problem with vaginasHer websiteHer InstagramHer Substack

What would you do if your period was so painful that you would faint when you were on the toilet? This was the dilemma Lexi Elven, my guest on today’s episode of Period Story faced for 8 years.In this episode, Lexi shares: Why she turned to Reddit to help her understand why she was in so much pain that she would faint during the first two days of her periodThe phrase two GPs on an endometriosis Reddit forum told her to say to her doctor, which helped put her on a diagnosis pathwayHow a second opinion led to her receiving a bowel endometriosis diagnosis after 8 yearsHow yoga has been a helpful tool to manage endometriosis symptoms And of course, the story of her first periodLexi says that if you’re in a similar situation, it’s important to try and persevere if you feel lost and not to let embarrassment stop you from seeking help. Thank you, Lexi!Get in touch with Lexi:Instagram

Would it surprise you to hear that menstruation can be a great time for detail oriented work, and for making great decisions? On this week’s episode of Period Story, I speak to Maggie McDaris, the CEO and co-founder of Phase, a company that helps women align their work with their menstrual cycle.In this episode, Maggie shares:The story of her postpartum adenomyosis diagnosis and what she does to manage the condition The four phases of the menstrual cycle and how less than 40% of women know when they ovulateThe post-ovulation cliff and why she believes the luteal phase gets a bad rap The generational divide on what productivity means Why our periods can be a great time to reflect, make decisions and take action on those decisions Why the follicular phase is a great time for strategic planning and creativity The influence of testosterone on communication skills And of course, the story of her first period Maggie says that it’s very empowering to know how changes in our physiology and hormones impact how we show up every day and understanding this can help us show up as a better version of ourselves. Thank you, Maggie!Get in touch with Maggie:WebsiteInstagramTikTokLinkedIn

Menopause is big news right now and rightfully so. But with all the noise, how do you know what’s right for you? On this week’s episode of Period Story, I’m joined by Dr Claire Phipps, the Menopause GP, who talks me through common perimenopause and menopause myths and misconceptions. In this episode, Dr Claire shares: Why she’s only just understanding her menstrual cycle at 48Why empathy is vital as a doctorWhy moving away from a paternalist model towards patient empowerment is an important part of her work as a GP and menopause trainer Why the 10 minutes you have with an NHS GP should be the start of the conversationThe difference between perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause How a holistic approach to menopause may or may not include HRTWhy it’s important to meet patients where they’re at Why perimenopause can be a time of unmasking for neurodivergent women and the rise of AuADHD diagnoses And of course, the story of her first period Dr Claire says the we should try not to be fearful of menopause or pathologise it, but instead, embrace it and move towards a positive natural transition. Thank you, Dr Claire!Get in touch with Dr Claire:WebsiteInstagramWomen’s Health ConcernBritish Menopause Society 

Did you know that 700,000 panty liners, 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million pads are flushed down the toilet everyday in the UK? Martha Silcott is the inventor of two products that aim to reduce the impact of disposable personal care waste: FabLittleBag and HyGeeni. This was a perfect week to release this episode of Period Story with a fellow Arsenal fan (#coyg!)In this episode, Martha shares: The lightbulb moment that led to her inventing a brand new productThe process of patenting and bringing FabLittleBag to lifeWhy we need to stop flushing tampons and pads and the impact this waste has on our sewage system  What terms the loo roll wrap, flushers, binners, and the handbag smuggle meanThe Period Supportive movement in sport she started, in order to help periods be less of a barrier to girls’ participation in sportHow a customer inspired the invention of HyGeeni, a larger disposable bag to help dispose of used stoma bags and diapers And of course, the story of her first period Martha says that if you want to invent something or create something new, there is plenty of help out there to talk to and to give you guidance!Thank you, Martha!Listen in Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2Kia855 Listen in Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/339AF1QyodImw44v141Emv Get in touch with Martha:WebsiteInstagram

Did you know that your nervous system can have an impact on your experience of menstruation? I get into all of this and more on today’s episode of Period Story with Amy Gaston, the president of OhmBody, a drug-free wearable device designed to work with the body’s nervous system to naturally support lighter, shorter, more comfortable periods.In this episode, Amy shares: The impact of growing up in a conservative Christian household and being a late bloomer on her understanding of her bodyWhy perimenopause has led her to ask better questions about her health Her thoughts on innovation in women’s health The issues that disproportionately affect women and why we have to talk about women’s health, not just healthWhy menstruation is a whole body experience What OhmBody is and why it’s a helpful drug-free way of managing period pain, premenstrual pain, and ovulation pain How stimulating the vagus and trigeminal nerves can increase the body’s clotting process, and help reduce heavy menstrual bleedingAnd of course, the story of her first period Amy says that painful periods are not normal and that if your period disrupts your everyday life in any way, there is a better solution than normalising this narrative. Thank you, Amy!

I’m so happy to kick off season 12 of the Period Story podcast with Neelam Heera-Shergill, the CEO of Cysters, an award winning charity working at the intersection of reproductive justice, racial justice and health equity. In this episode, Neelam shares:The three biggest signs that her mum spotted that told her that Neelam might have PCOSThe flippant comment her university GP made left her feeling uncomfortable and upset Why she wishes she was told much earlier on about the connection between increased risk of fatty liver disease and heart disease, PCOS and being of South Asian heritageHow she navigated dating, PCOS, PMDD, endometriosis and conversations about potential fertility issues Why it was important for Cysters and Endometriosis UK to report on the longer endometriosis diagnosis times for people of colourThe racist messages she received because of this reportHer thoughts on white privilege in the women’s health spaceWhy food sits at the heart of the work Cysters doesAnd of course, the story of her first period Neelam says not all work needs to be done in silos and we are much more powerful when we come together. Thank you, Neelam!Get in touch with Neelam:WebsiteInstagram

Our skin is our biggest organ and what we put on it can have ramifications for different aspects of our health. If you’re thinking more about the impact of the makeup, skincare and personal care products you use, my guest on today’s episode of Period Story shares a lot of great information. Sjaniël Turrell is a holistic makeup artist, nutritional therapist and conscious consultant who focuses on a natural and sustainable approach to beauty. In this episode, Sjaniël shares:How the intensity of lockdown exacerbated the perimenopause symptoms she was experiencingHow perimenopause made her get clear on what she does and doesn’t have capacity for The direction her nutritional therapy qualification took her work as a makeup artist Why we need to think differently about the makeup, skincare and personal care products we useWhy fragranced products, including cleaning products and menstrual products are the number thing in your home you should consider switchingThe natural and organic brands she recommends, including RMS Beauty, Ilia Beauty, Madara, Kosas and Ere Perez Natural and organic makeup brands (and tips!) for dark-skinned and mixed race women And of course, the story of her first period Sjaniël says that if you’re looking at switching to natural, organic and sustainable versions of the products you use, do the best you can afford in that moment and do the best you can with what you have. Thank you, Sjaniël!Get in touch with Sjaniël:WebsiteInstagramA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com