I am so excited to be chatting with my soul sister Kate Eskuri today! This episode we’re talking all about PERIODS. Ladies, you’re going to learn so much more than you ever did in health class. Kate is a registered nurse, holistic health junkie, and the voice behind The Foundation Blog. She is currently getting her doctorate degree in integrative health and healing and is passionate about helping women maximize their health by simple and foundational health practices. Our hope is that this conversation will empower you to do research and make informed decisions for that time of the month.

Finding The Balance

• Kate took a year off from being a nurse in the Mayo Clinic to work on her sister Jenna Kutcher's Goal Digger Podcast. During this time, she realized her passion for integrative health.

• “What are you doing when you’re putting off something else?”
• She knows that areas of Western medicine need improvement, but also recognizes that this medicine is the reason we are alive today after seeing it in action in the ICU.

• However, chronic conditions that plague our country prove a need for a shift toward the holistic. We need to look at sleep, stress, and diet.

• “I feel very at home in this spot in the middle.”

Becoming A Woman

“Everything in my life was very natural but yet I was still controlling this really natural and beautiful cycle.”

• Kate never felt any shame around her period. “I just felt honored and excited about it.”
• Her periods were regular but were more frequent than they should have been. “It takes a while to normalize your cycle.”
• Wanting to prevent this near constant bleeding, she tried the NuvaRing but ultimately settled on the Mirena IUD which allowed her to continue ovulating.

Cons of Hormonal Contraceptive

• “I completely trust my fellow woman to make the choice that is best for her. There is an option that is right for everybody.”

• The hormones in contraceptives are not the exact hormones your body would make. 
• Hormonal contraception often suppress ovulation and ultimately suppress hormones that are natural and have important benefits.
• “You’re inhibiting a very natural process that goes a lot deeper than just your period.”

The Phases Of Your Cycle

Ladies + Gents--the below is just an overview...you gotta listen to the whole episode to get the goods of each phase of your cycle!

1. Menstruation/Winter

• Day 1: shedding the uterine lining.
• You’re maybe feeling moody or withdrawn, experiencing cramps, and a need to slow down. It’s like the ‘winter’ season of the cycle.
  1. Follicular/Spring
• Day 3 or 4: Follicle stimulating hormone is working on the dominant egg.
• More energy in this phase, almost like stepping back into your skin.
• This time is good for creative projects and you’ll experience clear thinking.
• “You feel energetic and attractive... it’s just a really vibrant time.”
  1. Ovulation/Summer
• Body releases egg as the pituitary gland signals for it to release.
• “You can’t kind of ovulate—you either ovulate or you don’t.”
• High energy, high sex drive, you feel attractive. Your hormones even make you more attractive to those around you. There is a study that shows a correlation between a woman’s scent during ovulation and a man’s attraction to her.
  1. Luteal/Fall
• Progesterone—can make you moody and somber, but it’s really important.
• “It is the yin to estrogen’s yang.”
• Progesterone is calming, helps sleep, reduces inflammation, + builds muscles.
• “The shift from being so estrogen dominant at parts of your cycle to progesterone dominant causes an influx of emotion—what we see as PMS.”

Getting To Know Your Period

“Your period health says a lot about your overall health.”

1. Track Your Cycle!

• Kate journals every morning and will write about how she is feeling on the previous day of her cycle. A few key words is all you need—nothing flashy!
• Kate uses the Ava app and Kat uses the My Flo app. 
• “Your period story does not have to be suffering every month.”
  1. Books To Read:
• The Period Repair Manual by Laura Briden (textbook info in novel format)
• Hormonal by Martie Haselton (quick + easy relatable read) 

Thoughts On Period Products

• Thoughts on tampons? “Invest in organic—it does matter.” Regular tampons are covered in toxins.

• Thoughts on menstrual cups? Tampons are single use and create waste so this is a great alternative. Kate uses OrganiCup and LOVES it. “I can’t believe I lived for so long without using it.” It’s easy to clean—simply boil between cycles. It may not be for everybody—some women say they experience more cramps using a cup.

• Thoughts on Thinx? Kate hasn’t tried them, but Kat has some friends that swear by them and only use them during their periods. 
• “Whatever makes you feel most at home and comfortable with your period… I say go for it.”

You can keep up with Kate on Instagram at @kate.eskuri or at her website thefoundationblog.com. She shares everything from safe ways to grow out your eyelashes to yummy recipes. She has a post specifically about acupressure for periods too! “It all comes back to the base of introducing small integrative habits into your day to live your most balanced and vibrant life.” You can sign up for her email list to get secret special content that nobody else sees! If you join now you can see her evening rituals for better sleep and her all-natural grocery shopping guide. 

If you like the podcast, I want to invite you to subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review. It helps us to get the episode out to more people and means the world to us! We’d love to hear your reactions to this specific episode and what topics you want to hear more of!

Hey, single ladies— are you frustrated by the dating world? This episode is brought to you by my free guide called “6 Tips to Activate Your Dating Life with Intention and Clarity.” These resources helped propel me from sitting on the couch to out on a date. Head over to Bit.ly/trwdating to check it out! With you on the journey.

XO,

Kat 

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