Your period can tell you a ton about your gut, inflammation, stress, and hormone balance. But how?

After over a decade of painful periods & 2 years of trying to heal my hormones, I share my latest breakthrough of how I realized I have endometriosis (even though I have none of the typical symptoms). My perspective did a complete 180 in less than 24 hours as I connected with other women who have similar stories.

Welcome to my brain! Happy periods my friend.

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SHOW NOTES:

Kori Meloy (Instagram) | Freely Rooted

Kori's Story with healing Endo naturally: https://freelyrootedpodcast.com/blog/how-a-chiropractor-treated-my-endometriosis-naturally

Alisa Vitti's Story with healing PCOS:

https://youtu.be/9vKRj9yV8pI?si=XpYiQGyyZPhli7X0

My website (& email list): https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/

You may have heard of Endometriosis, but have you heard of its twin, Adenomyosis?

Jackie Denham shares her journey from struggling with extreme abdominal pain for months & multiple ER visits until finally she found a doctor who would listen and help.

While her case is extremely rare (even among those who do have Adenomyosis), she offers a great deal of wisdom and hope when healing doesn't go the way you think it will.

But it still wasn't smooth sailing from there. Surgery revealed it wasn't endo- leaving her with the choice between toughing it out indefinitely (leaving her practically bed-ridden in pain constantly) or getting a hysterectomy at just 21 years old.

Join in as we talk about how she navigated these decisions, what the difference between Endometriosis & Adenomyosis is, and how getting a hysterectomy changed her view on womanhood and motherhood.

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Want an exclusive sneak-peek of our next episode? Click below to join our email list so you don't miss it!

Despite what you've likely been told, pain isn't normal. Whether it's painful sex or painful periods, we're here to help coach you through it.

Hanna Ward, host of the Say What? Podcast, is an advocate for women to have confident, shame-free, pain-free sex! She empowers Christian women to overcome toxic purity culture through her podcast and Instagram community. We dive into her story with vaginismus & painful sex and what we've both learned about speaking up about our health- especially when it comes to women's issues.

Join in as we give you our best tips for helping you feel prepared for your next appointment, share how to build confidence in yourself, and offer a boost of support knowing that you're not the first to go through this.

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Connect with Hanna:

Instagram: @say.whatpodcast

Podcast: Say What?

Connect with me:

Instagram: @cycleway.workshop

Facebook: @cycleway.workshop

Website/Email List: https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/

What do you do when fertility treatments work the first time, but not the second?

Holly Boyd was told that she just "didn't ovulate", so she wouldn't be able to have children naturally. She did treatments to conceive their first and it worked, but when it came time to have their second, it didn't. They were also in the middle of moving across the country and no longer had the support of their medical team, so she dived into Google to discover if there were other ways she could fulfill her dream of growing her family.

Join in as we talk about the changes she made, why they worked, and how much influence you really have over your fertility & cycle.

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Connect with Holly:

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/hollyboyd/home?authuser=0 (All of the books & resources she mentions are linked here, highly recommend checking it out!!)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holly.boyd.338

Connect with me:

Website/Email List: https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cycleway.workshop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cycleway.workshop/

As much as experts can teach us about niche topics in women's health, I also believe that there is a unique kind of value in hearing individual stories from women who have experienced things firsthand. It helps us realize that we aren't alone in our struggles.

Elizabeth, a friend I met through Instagram, generously offered to share her story about PMDD & infertility (which we cover in part 2). PMDD is basically "PMS on steroids" and is classified as a mood disorder. It's not the same as typical PMS which is primarily driven by hormonal imbalances. There is a lot of stigma tied to it historically, but it is a very serious condition that affects an estimated 5 - 10% of women. She shares how she got diagnosed, different things that have helped her manage it, and how she's found support from those in her life.

In any case, I hope this episode will help encourage you with your health journey to realize that you aren't alone and to help you better understand those in your life who may struggle with PMDD.

Let's connect on Facebook & Instagram: @cycleway.workshop

Get a sneak peek of next week's episode: https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/

Choosing a birth control method is arguably a major decision that almost every woman has to make at some point. So why aren't we better educated on our options?

What form of birth control is best for YOU? What are the risks to hormonal birth control (that your Dr. likely won't tell you)? Is "natural" family planning for everyone? Why or why not?

Since I personally am not (yet) certified in teaching FAM (the Fertility Awareness Method), I wanted to bring on Vanessa Saskia Oly- an expert on hormonal health and FAM education- to discuss your options for birth control and how to get started with FAM (if that's what's right for you). We bust some myths about its reliability, as well as dive into the different ways you can track your cycle, and even how tracking your cycle can tell you about your overall health including your thyroid and stress. We answer all the questions you asked about the copper IUD, hormonal IUDs, and give you the info you need to make and educated, informed decision.

Although every form of birth control could have its own episode entirely (maybe we'll do that one day?), this is a great jump start to getting started whether

1. FAM is the right option for you

OR

2. It may not be the right season for you to jump into natural planning, but either way this episode will help make your decision about birth control easier and leave you feeling more confident!

Happy periods, my friend ♡

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COPPER IUD EPISODE:

"Are You Menstrual?" Podcast, All About the Copper IUD

Connect with Vanessa:

@Vanessaolywellness (IG)

https://www.vanessaolywellness.com/

Connect with me:

@Cycleway.workshop (IG & FB)

https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/

Simply put, women with menstrual cycles aren't typically included in research because our cycles are "too complicated" to study. After being heavily involved in research in my undergraduate program, I can't stay quiet as I see post after post on social media of people misinterpreting research, manipulating numbers, and not using reliable sources.

Even if you aren't a science nerd like me, you won't want to miss this episode as I walk you through the basics of what to look for with "good" research and red flags to look for with "bad" research. (Spoiler alert: just because it's a number or from a research study, that doesn't make it "True" unquestionable fact.) The common public gets science all backwards, and now you'll know to think twice when you see a trending post online touting a research study that "proves xyz."

NOTES:

Curious to see more examples of how correlation ≠ causation? Check out this site or google that phrase for some hilarious examples.

https://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

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Connect with me: @cycleway.workshop (IG & FB)

Get a sneak peek of next week's episode: https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/

There's a LOT more to your pelvic floor than peeing your pants & kegels- it can even be connected to your period!

As a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, Madi helps women and men with pelvic floor dysfunction by providing treatment and education to address sexual dysfunction, hip/low back pain, urinary/bowel incontinence, constipation, painful menstrual cycles, and much more. Her goal is to empower her clients to take their health and recovery into their own hands, finding clarity in a world that may be a little “taboo” or that is often disregarded as “in their head” or “will get better with time.” 

Madi is actually my pelvic floor physical therapist that I've worked with the last 6 months. I was nervous to go to PFPT, but I truly believe God led me to her specifically. Working with her has been a huge part of my healing journey (including painful periods, inflammation, chronic hip pain, painful sex, digestion, etc.) and I've learned

Join us as we talk about...

If you're wondering if pelvic floor PT could be helpful for you now or in the future, this is a great spot to get started. While nutrition, stress, and other factors play a huge role in our health, so do our muscles and their ability to move and function properly. Your body is designed to work & THRIVE!

Happy periods, my friend ♡

Connect with Madi:

Connect with us:

@cycleway.workshop (IG & FB)

https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/ (& sign up for our email list for a sneak peek of next week's episode!)

Back in January when I asked who you'd like to see on the podcast, Faith was the #1 recommendation, and it's no surprise why! She's one of the sweetest friends I've met through Instagram and one of my personal favorite accounts to keep up with.

Faith is a "product girl" when it comes to makeup & beauty. But as she started learning about endocrine disruptors, she started on a mission to find safe, effective products and share them to help other women too. You don't have to choose between happy hormones and makeup, effective household cleaners, good smelling perfumes, etc.

While we often focus on what goes into our bodies in terms of food, we often overlook the harsh chemicals hiding in our lotions, perfume, shampoo, nail polish, deodorant, bathroom cleaner, air fresheners, etc. It might just be the missing piece in your hormone healing journey.

But I also get that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Good news - you don't have to throw everything out right now!

Supporting your cycle in your everyday life- even with the products we use- doesn't have to be complicated and confusing. Join in as we discuss what endocrine disruptors are, where we find them, and how to start swapping everyday products with ease and confidence!

Happy periods, my friend ♡

Connect with Faith

Instagram & TikTok: @radiantlylivingwithfaith

Connect with Me:

Instagram & Facebook: @cycleway.workshop

Website: https://www.cyclewayworkshop.com/