Period Story

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!

We’ve got a corker for you today! I’m so pleased to share my conversation with Dr Sarah Hill, the author of the books How The Pill Changes Everything: Your Brain on Birth Control and The Period Brain: The New Science of the Luteal Phase and How To Thrive Through It on today’s episode of Period Story. In this episode, Dr Sarah shares: Why her experience as a psychologist led her to write two books on the effects of women’s cycling hormones and the brainHer thoughts on biological essentialism and how our biology, including our hormones, influences what we do Why progesterone is underrated, including the amazing fact that our peak progesterone levels are up to 250 times higher than our peak oestrogen levelsWhy we need to eat more in the second half of our menstrual cycle Why PMS is not a pathological condition, but an inevitable consequence of experiencing hormonal changes in a world that wasn’t created with female bodies in mindWhat the vagus nerve is and how vagal nerve stimulation can be a helpful treatment in decreasing the symptomology of PMDD, perimenopause, and heavy menstrual bleedingAnd of course, the story of her first period Dr Sarah says that it’s important to learn to listen to your body and trust what it’s telling you, so you believe your body. Thank you, Dr Sarah!Get in touch with Dr Sarah: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

How do you navigate a career as a corporate lawyer while also coping with severe insomnia, severe brain fog, feeling disconnected from your body and dealing with medical gaslighting? I get into this and more on this week’s episode of Period Story, Sonja Rincón, the founder and CEO of Menotracker, an AI-powered menopause app that transforms symptoms into personalised insights and support. In this episode, Sonja shares:What happened when she was dismissed by her gynaecologist after seeking treatment for brain fog and a frozen shoulderWhen she stumbled upon the term medical gaslighting and how it made her understand that she wasn’t alone in her experienceWhat to do if you feel like you’re not being taken seriously by your doctor How 1 in 10 women have left their jobs due to the impact of perimenopause and menopause symptoms, and a quarter of women have considered quitting due to the impact of these symptoms at workHow her experience led her to found MenotrackerCultural differences in conversations around menstruation and perimenopause across EuropeHow tracking symptoms in perimenopause and menopause can help you have a better understanding of your healthThe importance of understanding what any health app you use does with your data And of course, the story of her first period Sonja says that when you use an app, it’s really important that you really check what they are going to do with your data, especially any health related data. If you’re not comfortable, don’t use the app. Thank you, Sonja!Get in touch with Sonja:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

On this week’s episode of Period Story, I had the pleasure of speaking to Ruby Raut, a Nepali-born environmentalist and the co-founder and CEO of WUKA, the UK’s first reusable period underwear brand. In this episode, Ruby shares:How she ended up using reusable period products from her very first period The impact of the Nepalese practice of chhaupadi and how she felt treated almost like an untouchable How menstrual taboos impacted her education and how she was able to go on to gain a degree in environmental sciencesWhy having access to clean toilets and water can impact your experience of menstruation The impact of single use menstrual products in the UK - over 200,000 tons of disposable tampons and pads are sent to UK landfills each year How using one pair of period underwear replaces 196 pads or tampons going to the landfill Why Wuka supports grassroots sports and how they got 6,000 girls into sports in 2025And of course, the story of her first period Ruby says that when we talk to young people about periods in a way that is accessible to them, we take the embarrassment out of these conversations.Thank you, Ruby!Get in touch with Ruby:WebsiteInstagramTikTokA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com

What happens when you’ve been gaslit by the medical system for 10 years? This is what I explore in my conversation with Eshani Kaushal, ex corporate and tech lawyer turned entrepreneur, and the founder of Moodee — the GCC’s first period care and hormone health platform. In this episode, Eshani shares:Why it took her over 10 years after being diagnosed with fibroids to have them properly dealt with What happened after she had emergency surgery to remove a 12 centimetre fibroid How a PCOS diagnosis increased her health anxietyHow the idea for Moodee emerged and the leap of faith it took her to leave her corporate careerWhat it’s like to run a femtech business in the UAEWhy she thinks women’s health isn’t a luxury, but rather infrastructure that helps economies thriveHow Moodee will bring access to clean, non-toxic science backed health and menstrual products for women across all ages and stages in the Middle EastAnd of course, the story of her first period Eshani says that women’s health isn’t a niche when we’re 50% of the world’s population. She says that when you fund women’s health, you enable women to do businessThank you, Eshani! Get in touch with Eshani:WebsiteInstagramTikTokLinkedInA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail periodstorypod@gmail.com