The Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Podcast

In this episode we talk about the slippery slope of wedding diets and Mishi shares her experience with extreme weight loss in the lead up to her own wedding. Consider this a cautionary tale for anyone telling themselves "I'll resolve my missing period later"

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The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

Anna is in her early 20's but still had a long road with misdiagnosis, crappy medical advice and confusion around her missing period.

After discovering her dedication to weight loss was the issue causing her amenorrhea, she hit the group running with recovery.

Join The HA Society

http://thehasociety.com/join

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Visit us on YouTube

https://youtube.com/c/danisheriff

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

In today’s recovery story, Ashley sits down with Jasmine, a psychologist from the UK whose journey challenges the idea that you need to completely lose your period to struggle with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea.

For over 10 years, Jasmine lived in the gray area: irregular cycles, delayed ovulation, low estrogen, intense exercise, chronic stress, and constant reassurance from doctors that everything was “fine.” Because she still got periods (sometimes), she convinced herself it couldn’t be HA.

But beneath the surface was a body running on stress, control, perfectionism, and chronic under-fueling.

In this conversation, Jasmine opens up about:

1. Being dismissed by doctors for years despite obvious cycle irregularities
2. The connection between chronic pain, perfectionism, control, and HA
3. Going from 10 periods a year > 6 periods a year > 70-day cycles
4. CrossFit, running, Hyrox training, and why exercise became emotionally complicated
5. Extreme hunger, weight gain, and the fear of “losing control”
6. Delayed ovulation, temping anxiety, and becoming obsessed with chart data
7. Why recovery wasn’t a dramatic overnight transformation, but consistent forward movement
8. Learning that your body doesn’t need to be your sole source of happiness
9. Recovering physically while also healing your relationship with food, rest, and yourself

This episode is especially for the women who:

1. Still get periods “sometimes”
2. Have long or irregular cycles
3. Feel stuck in denial because they don’t fit the stereotypical HA picture
4. Are high-achieving, Type A, and used to pushing harder for results
5. Know deep down something is off, even if labs come back “normal”

Jasmine’s story is a powerful reminder that you do not need to wait until your period disappears completely to start listening to your body. Sometimes recovery isn’t about one massive breakthrough. Sometimes it’s about consistently not going backwards.

Join The HA Society

http://thehasociety.com/join

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_

https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

In this episode of The HA Podcast, Dani and Ashley sit down with registered dietitian and FullWell founder Ayla Barmmer to break down what actually matters when it comes to prenatal nutrition, fertility, and supplementation.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you really need a prenatal, if food alone is enough, or why so many supplements fall short… this episode is for you.

Ayla shares how working with women in fertility clinics revealed a massive gap in care (hint: restriction right before pregnancy is NOT it), and how that led her to create a practitioner-trusted prenatal rooted in real clinical experience and evidence.

This conversation goes deep into the why behind prenatals, the nutrients most women are deficient in, and the misinformation that keeps women undernourished during one of the most critical stages of life.

We cover:

1. Why nutrition for fertility is often misunderstood (and mismanaged)
2. The biggest gaps in most prenatal vitamins
3. Why food alone may not meet nutrient needs today
4. The impact of stress on nutrient depletion and fertility
5. Key nutrients for pregnancy (and why most women aren’t getting enough):
6. Choline
7. Vitamin D
8. Magnesium
9. Calcium
10. Iron
11. Why high-quality prenatals require multiple capsules (and why that’s a good thing)
12. Folic acid vs methylfolate (and why this topic is so controversial)
13. The truth about vitamin A and pregnancy safety
14. Whether organ meats alone are enough for prenatal nutrition
15. Why iron should be individualized (and not always included in prenatals)
16. How to think about supplementation in HA recovery and preconception

Key Takeaway:

Your body doesn’t respond to intentions, it responds to the environment you create.

And when it comes to fertility, ovulation, and pregnancy, that environment requires more nutrients, more consistency, and more support than most women realize.

Learn more about FullWell:

https://fullwellfertility.com/

For Pregnancy Lab Ranges:

https://perinatology.com/

Connect with Ayla:

https://substack.com/@aylabarmmer

https://www.instagram.com/aylabarmmer/

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Visit us on YouTube

https://youtube.com/c/danisheriff

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

Learn more about the next Rest Retreat

https://thehasociety.com/retreat

In today’s episode, we’re answering two powerful (and very common) questions we see during hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) recovery:

1. Can you work out 4x per week during recovery? One listener shares that she’s gained weight, regained two periods, and is feeling more stable—but recently increased her training from 3 to 4 days per week (upper/lower split with longer sessions).

We break down:

1. Whether 4 workouts per week is appropriate at this stage
2. The difference between “feeling fine” vs. true recovery safety
3. How intensity, volume, and recovery all matter more than just frequency
4. Signs your body might still be under stress (even if cycles have started returning)
5. How to approach exercise without risking setbacks

2. Why does anxiety increase during recovery? Another listener opens up about feeling more anxious now than before recovery—despite eating 3000+ calories and not exercising.

We dive into:

1. Why recovery can actually heighten anxiety (and why this is normal)
2. The mental shift from control → uncertainty
3. Obsessive tracking of “micro wins” (BBT, ovulation signs, etc.)
4. How healing your body can temporarily dysregulate your mind
5. Practical ways to reduce anxiety and feel more grounded during this phase

Join The HA Society

http://thehasociety.com/join

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_

https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

In this episode, Dani, Ashley, and Mishi break down the lesser-known symptoms of hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) and why a missing period is often just the tip of the iceberg.

From digestive issues to bone loss like osteopenia and osteoporosis, many of the symptoms we see in practice feel like “medical mysteries”… or are even normalized as part of the female experience. Some are unexpectedly praised, like low blood pressure, despite being signs of a deeper issue.

We dive into how all of these symptoms connect back to a low energy state and why your body may be shutting things down in response.

The good news?

Many of these symptoms begin to resolve naturally when your body is properly nourished and energy is restored.

If you’ve been dealing with confusing symptoms and a missing period, this episode will help you connect the dots and understand what your body is really trying to tell you.

We have a Library of articles from elevated AST, low ferritin and digestive issues:

https://www.thehasociety.com/articles

Join the Mastermind

https://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermind

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Visit us on YouTube

https://youtube.com/c/danisheriff

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_

https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

In this episode, Dani, Mishi, and Abby sit down to unpack a question that most people think they know the answer to…What does it actually mean to be healthy?

Because right now, we’re being flooded with wellness advice, trends, and “healthy” lifestyles…

But much of what’s being sold as health is actually just a look. And that’s where things start to break down.

In this conversation, we challenge the mainstream definition of health and bring it back to what actually matters:

👉 your physiology

👉 your menstrual cycle

👉 and your overall well-being (not just how your body looks)

We talk about why your cycle should be front and center in the health conversation and how ignoring it is one of the biggest blind spots in modern wellness.

In this episode, we cover:

1. Why most “health” advice is actually selling you an aesthetic
2. The difference between looking healthy vs. being healthy
3. Why your menstrual cycle is a key indicator of true health
4. How to use your cycle (charting/FAM) as a diagnostic tool
5. The disconnect between diet culture and female physiology
6. How societal conditioning shapes your definition of health
7. The mental and emotional side of health (that often gets ignored)
8. Why many women are praised for habits that are actually harming them
9. How to redefine health in a way that actually supports your body

Key Takeaway:

Health isn’t something you can see at a glance.

It’s reflected in how your body is functioning and for women, your menstrual cycle is one of the clearest signals you have.

If your version of health is costing you your cycle, your energy, or your relationship with food…

it’s worth asking: 👉 Is it actually health? Or just what you’ve been taught to chase?

Metabolism article and video:

https://www.thehasociety.com/articles/why-weight-gain-happens-during-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-recovery

Learn more about HHAP:

https://www.holistichapractitioner.com/

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Visit us on YouTube

https://youtube.com/c/danisheriff

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_

https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia

https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

In this episode, I sit down with past client and HHAP graduate, Lucy C, to share her powerful recovery story from a long-standing eating disorder and hypothalamic amenorrhea.

Lucy opens up about how her eating disorder began early in life as a response to bullying, and how it evolved into a severe coping mechanism that impacted both her physical and mental health for years.

In this episode we cover:

1. The reality of living with a severe eating disorder
2. Navigating recovery while following a vegan lifestyle
3. The moment Lucy surrendered to the recovery process and allowed her body to change
4. How weight gain played a crucial role in both her mental and physical healing
5. Being advised to go on HRT and how she navigated that decision
6. What actually helped her restore her cycle after years of HA

Lucy also shares what it’s been like stepping into the role of a practitioner through the HHAP certification, and how she now supports other women on similar journeys.

This episode is a reminder that no matter how long you’ve been struggling, you are not too far gone to heal.

Become a HHAP Coach:

https://www.holistichapractitioner.com/

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Visit us on YouTube

https://youtube.com/c/danisheriff

Try our beef liver & oyster:

https://www.joolwellness.com/

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_

https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

Lucy (Dr. Weeks), a student of the HHAP program, comes on the show today to share her story of amenorrhea, many unsuccessful rounds of IVF, two successful rounds of IVF, her experience as a student doctor and practicing doctor who is also dealing with this issue.

Join The Period Recovery Mastermind

https://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermind

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Visit us on YouTube

https://youtube.com/c/danisheriff

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

In this episode we're talking about a topic of conversation that has been coming up a lot inside of The HA Society (our community for women with HA) so I wanted to share it.

When you're a highly motivated, strong willed and disciplined woman, it's hard to put those things down in the name of rest. For so long your body has been a vehicle for you to achieve, achieve, achieve... so when your body finally tells you enough ... in the way of losing your period, chronic fatigue, infertility - whatever it is, and you have to listen... listening to it is hard. It's like hearing from a neglected friend how you've hurt them but also not really wanting to change your treatment of them. You desire to want to change, but you don't really want to. That's a hard spot. Let's talk about it!

Join the Mastermind

https://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermind

Work 1:1 with us to get your period back

http://thehasociety.com/coaching

Visit us on YouTube

https://youtube.com/c/danisheriff

Follow us on IG

http://instagram.com/thehasociety

http://instagram.com/danisheriff

https://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_

https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia

The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.