When life feels full, your body always knows first.
In this episode, Heather Allmendinger, Queen of Flow and host of the Embracing Flow™ podcast, unpacks how chronic stress reshapes hormonal balance — long before you realize it.

Discover why cortisol is more than a “stress hormone,” how it hijacks your cycle rhythm, and what your body is really saying when you feel “tired but wired.”

This episode connects this week’s Flow Q and DYK: how emotional and physical stress both disrupt your hormonal blueprint — and what to do about it. 🌿

✨ You’ll learn:

• How cortisol changes energy, sleep, and cycle timing
• Why your body holds onto stress signals long after the moment passes
• What true rest looks like in a hormone-aware lifestyle
• Simple shifts to support your body during high-stress seasons

💭 Reflection prompt: Where is your body keeping score right now? And how can you give it extra credit instead of more pressure?

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

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FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

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Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Your body keeps the score of everything you’ve lived through — every stress, every push, every “I’ll rest later.” In this episode of Embracing Flow™, Heather Allmendinger, Queen of Flow and founder of Vivydus, unpacks how stress doesn’t just affect your mood — it reshapes your hormones, energy, and menstrual rhythm.

Learn why your menstrual cycle is more than fertility — it’s your fifth vital sign. Heather explores the science behind cortisol, the HPA axis, and how chronic stress rewires hormonal balance. Through stories, research, and reflection, she helps you understand the link between stress, energy crashes, emotional swings, and cycle changes — and how to restore harmony.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

How the stress hormone cortisol influences estrogen, progesterone, and thyroid balance

Why women often feel “wired but tired” in high-stress seasons

The connection between skipped periods, sleep issues, and chronic overwhelm

Steps to reset your body’s natural rhythm through rest, awareness, and nutrition

How to teach the next generation that cycles are messages, not mysteries

💭 Reflection Prompt: Where is your body keeping score right now, and what would it look like to give it support instead of pressure?

🎧 Listen now and rediscover your rhythm.

Effects of the Menstrual Cycle Phase on Cortisol Responses. PMC. PMC

How Stress Affects Your Menstrual Cycle | UT Physicians. UT Physicians

Chronic Stress and Ovulatory Dysfunction: Implications in Times of Global Disruption. PMC. PMC

Is Stress Affecting My Menstrual Cycle? Understanding the Connection. HERA Health. Hera Women's Health -

Higher Circulating Cortisol in the Follicular vs. Luteal Phase of the Menstrual Cycle. PubMed. PubMed

Effects of Menstrual Cycle on Cognitive Function, Cortisol and Metabolism. PLoS ONE. PLOS

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever had a week that looked fine on paper, but your body disagreed?
Fatigue, cravings, mood swings, or a late period might not be “random” — they’re hormonal communication.

In this Flow Fact Friday, Heather Allmendinger, founder of Vivydus: The Full of Life Company and USOA Ms. Berks County 2025, explains how your hormones act as an early-warning system when stress rises. Before burnout or lab results appear, your body is already adapting to protect you.

You’ll learn:
🌿 How cortisol interrupts hormone balance and ovulation
💡 Why your cycle changes during stressful seasons
✨ What “protective” hormone shifts look like — and how to respond with compassion instead of frustration

📚 References:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Menstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign. 2015.

Harvard Health Publishing. Hormones and Stress: The Cortisol Connection. 2021.

The Endocrine Society. Hormones and Health Overview.

NIH. Stress and Reproductive Function.

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Feeling burned out, bloated, or stuck in survival mode—even though you’re “doing everything right”? You’re not alone, and it’s not you—it’s your hormones.

In this empowering conversation, Heather Allmendinger, Founder of Vivydus — The Full of Life Company and Host of Embracing Flow, sits down with Chelsea McLeod, corporate-executive-turned-hormonal-health-coach and creator of The Healthy Hustle Method. Together they uncover what’s really behind fatigue, stubborn weight gain, sleepless nights, and stress cycles—and the steps high-achieving women can take to heal naturally.

Chelsea shares how she went from leading a $60 million brand to suffering total burnout, then rebuilt her health by fixing root-cause imbalances in her hormones and gut. You’ll learn:

• 🔸 The difference between “common” and normal symptoms
• 🔸 Why cardio and calorie cutting can backfire for women 30–50
• 🔸 Simple habits to lower cortisol and balance estrogen, progesterone & thyroid health
• 🔸 How functional testing reveals what standard bloodwork misses
• 🔸 Practical ways to restore energy, lose weight, and feel vibrant again

If you’ve ever thought your body was broken, this episode will remind you it’s not—it’s communicating. Learn how to listen, heal, and thrive in every phase of womanhood.

About Chelsea Mcleod

I had to heal myself before I could help other women heal. Ran myself into the ground in corporate for a decade before healing my insomnia, PCOS, high cortisol, and gut issues. From there, I helped family and friends heal after going back to school for integrative health to become a practitioner. Quit my job as a digital director at a publicly traded company when my side hustle scaled too fast. Now I've helped over 200 women heal.

Website: https://chelseamcleod.com/

freebie - busy girl guide to hormonal weight loss https://chelseamcleod.com/busy-girl-guide

IG: https://www.instagram.com/healthywithchels/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/its-not-you-its-your-hormones/id1799354267

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever noticed that your body seems to whisper before it shouts?
Fatigue, mood shifts, or a late period aren’t inconveniences — they’re communication.

In this Flow Fact Friday episode, Heather Allmendinger, Queen of Flow and host of the Embracing Flow™ Podcast, explores how your menstrual cycle acts as a built-in feedback loop for your overall health. Long before labs or diagnostics show imbalance, your body leaves clues in the rhythm of your cycle.

You’ll learn:
🌿 Why the menstrual cycle is considered the fifth vital sign
💡 How stress, under-nourishment, and sleep patterns can alter your hormones
🩺 What irregular, painful, or missing cycles may reveal about thyroid or adrenal health
✨ How to read your cycle as data — not drama

Your body isn’t broken; it’s brilliant.
Every change in your cycle is an invitation to listen, not push through.

📚 References:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Menstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign. Committee Opinion No. 651, 2015.

Harvard Health Publishing. Hormones and Brain Health: The Estrogen Connection, 2021.

National Institutes of Health (NIH). Estrogen and Bone Health.

The Endocrine Society. Hormones and Health Overview.

🎧 Tune in to learn how your body speaks through your cycle — and what it might be saying to you this month.

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Your menstrual cycle is so much more than a fertility marker — it’s your body’s fifth vital sign.
In this episode of Embracing Flow™, Heather Allmendinger, founder of Vivydus: The Full of Life Company explores how menstrual health offers insights into hormone balance, thyroid function, adrenal health, and emotional well-being.

You’ll learn:

• Why the “periods are only for pregnancy” myth misses the bigger picture
• What your cycle can reveal about your thyroid, stress, and nutrient status
• The connection between hormone balance, brain health, and longevity
• How to help daughters view their cycles as powerful, natural body literacy tools

References:

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Menstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign. Committee Opinion No. 651, 2015.

Harvard Health Publishing. Hormones and Brain Health: The Estrogen Connection, 2021.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Ovulatory Cycles and Cardiovascular Health, 2018.

National Institutes of Health (NIH). Estrogen and Bone Health.

The Endocrine Society. Hormones and Health Overview.

Tune in and discover why your menstrual cycle is one of the most powerful indicators of whole-body health — and what it might be telling you.

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Are mineral imbalances fueling ADHD symptoms and hormonal chaos? In this episode of Embracing Flow, Heather speaks with Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Certified Health Coach Diane Yoder about the hidden connections between minerals, ADHD, and women’s health. From copper overload to low potassium, Diane explains how imbalances can impact focus, mood, and cycles — and why testing matters more than guessing.

Discover how personalized nutrition and safe, science-backed detox methods can help restore balance, improve energy, and support both kids and adults dealing with ADHD symptoms.

Connect with Diane at: 

https://northwestnatural.health/

Electrolyte Powder: https://www.isagenix.com/rc/4LDSWOO

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Even without a regular monthly cycle, your body still moves through powerful rhythms that guide energy, focus, and resilience. In this episode of Flow Facts, Heather Allmendinger reveals how circadian, ultradian, and infradian patterns continue to shape women’s health — and why recognizing them matters.

Learn how daily cycles regulate sleep and metabolism, why mid-day slumps are part of your ultradian rhythm, and how emotional or moon-connected rhythms provide structure in perimenopause and beyond. Discover practical insights for reducing burnout, restoring balance, and reclaiming confidence by aligning with the rhythms your body still follows.

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Rest isn’t laziness — it’s science. In this episode of Embracing Flow, Heather Allmendinger reveals how honoring your body’s need for rest strengthens resilience, balances hormones, and restores clarity.

Discover the biology behind rest: how cortisol impacts stress and energy, how the parasympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve regulate recovery, and why sleep is a cornerstone of hormonal and metabolic health. Learn how circadian and ultradian rhythms shape your daily focus and how listening to your body’s signals helps prevent burnout.

Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, balancing family and career, or leading in your professional life, this episode will inspire you to embrace rest as a strategic advantage.

References (for your show notes):

• Hormonal response to stress: Cortisol and progesterone increase during stress in follicular phase PMC+2sciencedirect.com+2
• Cortisol variation across menstrual cycle: higher in follicular phase MDPI
• Parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) physiology Vogue+2Verywell Mind+2
• Vagus nerve’s role in hormone, gut, and stress resilience jilliangreaves.com
• Sleep-hormone interaction and cortisol dysregulation with poor sleep Sleep Centers of Middle TennesseeHealthline
• Rest techniques (vagus, breath, connection) and overall resilience Verywell MindVoguetimesofindia.indiatimes.comwomenshealthmag.com

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In this week’s Flow Facts, Heather Allmendinger shares why rest is not weakness but resilience. Backed by science, she explores how responding to your body’s cues — from fatigue to brain fog — helps regulate stress hormones, restore balance, and unlock sharper focus.

Whether you’re a leader, high achiever, or simply navigating daily demands, this episode will inspire you to view rest as a strategic advantage.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Rest regulates cortisol and supports hormone balance
• Ignoring signals leads to fatigue and burnout
• Honoring natural rhythms builds resilience and clarity

🎥 Listen now to learn why rest is an essential part of strength.

Connect with Heather Allmendinger!

Freebies: https://linktr.ee/vivydus

Website: https://vivydus.com/podcast/

FB Group: https://facebook.com/groups/611487486871608/

FB Personal: https://www.facebook.com/heather.m.allmendinger

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivydus/

Website: https://vivydus.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmallmendinger/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Vivydus

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3Dpf8nw

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.