Period Story

I had such a fangirl moment on today’s episode of Period Story! I speak with Alanna Collen, a science writer, biologist and author of 10% Human: How Your Body’s Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness. Her book inspired much of my interest in gut health, so it was a thrill to speak to her for the podcast. In this episode, Alanna shares: The vasovagal events that made her periods extremely painful and unpleasantHow the Depo Provera injection changed the trajectory of her career  Her background in evolutionary biology and how she ended up doing a PhD on bats How an encounter with ticks in a rainforest led to her research on the gut microbiome Why she thinks going to basics with nutrition is better than any gut health tricks or hacks to feed your gut bacteriaHer views on fibremaxxing and why we would all benefit from eating more fibreHow the trillions of microbes in our bodies support our immune system The connection between our gut microbiome and obesity A sneak peek into her next book, which has been 10 years in the making Why the weight set point matters and how we can influence it And of course, the story of her first period Alanna says that we can look after our microbes by eating as many plant foods as we can and building up the amount of fibre our body is used to tolerating. Thank you, Alanna! Get in touch with Alanna:WebsiteInstagramHer book: 10% Human: How Your Body’s Microbes Hold the Key to Health and HappinessA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

On today’s episode of Period Story, I speak with Kate Smith, the CEO and co-founder of Hey Girls CIC, a multi-award-winning social enterprise dedicated to ending period poverty in the UK.In this episode, Kate shares: How she went from looking forward to her first period to feeling overwhelmed by shame once it arrived How her experience of teaching menstrual education has helped her feel more in control of her period Why the luxury of menstrual product choice is so important and empoweringWhat the term period dignity means and why it’s connected to period equality The importance of non-stigmatising and inclusive language when it comes to menstruation The work Hey Girls are doing to help reduce period poverty, including the 42 million products they’ve donated into the community since 2018!Why you should buy from social enterprises and why Hey Girls was set up this wayThe work Hey Girls have done with This Girl Can to share low cost ways to move during each phase of the menstrual cycle And of course, the story of her first period Kate says Hey Girls doesn’t want anyone to be held back by their period, whether that’s speaking up in a meeting or participating in sports. She says that menstruation shouldn’t be a barrier to being equal in society or feeling dignified. Thank you, Kate!Get in touch with Kate:Hey Girls… WebsitePads for Dads KitInstagramA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

Season 11 of the podcast is here! I’m excited to share that my guest for episode 100 (!!!) of the podcast is Dija Ayodele, the acclaimed skin care expert, entrepreneur, founder of the award winning Black Skin Directory, author of the global bestselling Black Skin - The Definitive Skincare Guide and co-founder of CLICKED!, a confidence boosting AI powered skin health tool built to make skincare less confusing.In this episode, Dija shares: How having a drama-free period proved to be helpful after her family moved to London from Sierra Leone in 1994The Julia Roberts Pretty Woman moment she had when she was trying to get her first book, Black Skin publishedWhat she would add into the book, four years onWhy she’s begun coaching other skincare professionals who are the start of their journeyHow her new business, CLICKED! will help you understand your skin, your skincare concerns and give you back control over your skinAnd of course, the story of her first period Dija says that every time you do things your way and in a way that’s authentic to you, you will never fail. She says that even if you don't get the results that you were expecting or wanted, you're still going to get the results that you need. Dija says that with core self-belief, you will still be able to succeed.Thank you, Dija!Get in touch with Dija:Dija AyodeleBlack Skin DirectoryBlack Skin - The Definite Skincare GuideCLICKED!InstagramSubstackA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

For the final episode of season 10 of Period Story podcast, I’m so happy to share my conversation with Dr Juliet McGrattan, an international speaker, award winning author, educator and running expert. In this episode, Dr Juliet shares: Her experience of perimenopause and why she’s happy not to know when she goes through the day of menopause Why imposter syndrome and anxiety were the main symptoms that told her she was perimenopausal Why stopping caffeine was helpful for her Why comparison is a trap when it comes to exerciseHow exercise can be very powerful in menopause Her tips for getting into running in midlifeA sneak peek into her new book about running and menopauseAnd of course, the story of her first periodDr Juliet says it’s very easy to become resentful or fall out of love with your body at different times of life and that you can find yourself battling against it. She says that to feel more accepting of our bodies and to learn to work with them, we need to ask ourselves, “what can I do that will make things a little bit better?”. Thank you, Dr Juliet!Get in touch with Dr Juliet:InstagramWebsiteA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

I’m really happy to share my conversation with Lily Silverton, the writer, columnist, speaker, coach and founder of The Priorities Method Journal on today’s episode of Period Story podcast. In this episode, Lily shares: The joy of getting her period back after losing it for two years as a teenagerHer struggle with disordered eating and depression and how a trip to an ashram helped her begin to reset her mental healthHow she realised the power for her thoughts and that some thoughts aren’t true Her experience of painful periods and severe premenstrual depression after having her two children The transition she made from fashion and culture journalism to retraining to become a stress management and positive psychology coach Why stress isn’t inherently bad for youThe reframe of ‘I get to’ and ‘I choose to’ One of her coaching principles: live your life, don’t fix your lifeAnd of course, the story of her first periodLily says there's nothing wrong with wanting to improve or change, whether that's your internal self or your external self but she says we should consider how we can approach this with real compassion, so that you can work from a positive point, rather than berating yourself. Thank you, Lily!Get in touch with Lily:InstagramThe Priorities Method InstagramWebsiteA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

I’m really happy to speak to Seetal Savla, a fertility patient advocate, writer and speaker on today’s episode of Period Story podcast. In this episode, Seetal shares: Why she still struggles when her period arrives each menstrual monthHer work around challenging fertility, menstrual and menopause stigma in the South Asian community A few sentences to relay when dealing with overly inquisitive family and friends What it feels like to be on the other side of her fertility journey and why she dislikes the term ‘success story’ How a South Asian therapist helped unpack the cultural challenges she was facing around her fertility journeyWhy her and her husband decided to give away their embryos after six years of TTCAnd of course, the story of her first period Seetal says this is her purpose and she is in a privileged position where she can share her experiences of infertility, pregnancy loss and pregnancy after loss to help other people and hopefully be a part of the change we need to see going forward. Thank you, Seetal!Get in touch with Seetal:InstagramLinkedInAdditional resources to explore:HFEA: 'Fear is what holds many South Asians back from being honest about their fertility journeys'Women's Health UK: 'I'm pregnant after multiple losses - and it's a mental and emotional battle'Metro UK: Where are all the South Asian egg donors?HuffPost UK: When you're a woman of colour, infertility comes with extra stigmaStylist: '6 lessons I've learned about surviving - and thriving - after pregnancy loss'Tommy's: Intergenerational experiences of miscarriageSo We've Been Told podcastNetflix documentary: Period. End of Sentence (explores the stigma around periods in rural India).A transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:Tweet and IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

’m so pleased to speak to Dr Joyce Omatseye, a UK-based medical doctor, health advocate and digital health innovator on today’s episode of Period Story podcast. In this episode, Dr Joyce shares: Why it’s important that both girls and boys are educated about periodsCultural differences around talking about menstrual health between the UK and NigeriaWhat led to her launching her health events organisation Ara Nini Health How creating safe spaces for discussions on fertility, reproductive health and fertility has opened conversations across multiple generations of womenWhat it means to be a Black female doctor in the UKHow she advocates for her patients Her work with WHO Fides to combat misinformation in global health and why we need to be aware of what we’re consuming online How to be prepared for conversations with your doctorAnd of course, the story of her first period Dr Joyce says that we should never be afraid to ask the questions we need to in a doctor’s appointment and if you feel you’re not being listened to, ask for a second opinion. She says that there’s no doctor that should feel offended by you asking for a second opinion. Thank you, Dr Joyce!Get in touch with Dr Joyce:InstagramAra Nini HealthA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:Tweet and IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

I’m so pleased to speak to Donna Dia, the founder of the Beauty Beat, the UK’s only luxury beauty event for women of colour on today's episode of Period Story podcast. In this episode, Donna shares: Why having a very light period and being able to wear white jeans isn’t always a good thing How a thin uterine lining led to fertility complications How a routine D&C after a missed miscarriage led to Asherman’s syndrome The research she did to understand Asherman’s The long and traumatic journey, including multiple surgeries, to help her uterine lining grow How her fertility journey lead to the Beauty BeatWhy the Beauty Beat is a dedicated event for women of colour and Black beauty The why behind THEE Beauty Beat goody bagAnd of course, the story of her first period Donna says that it’s valuable to learn about your gynaecological health, whether you have a light or heavy period, so that you can advocate for yourself and be the champion of your health. Thank you, Donna!Get in touch with Donna:TikTokInstagram The Beauty BeatA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:Tweet and IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com