258: Weight Gain Q&A + Menstrual Cups w/ Abby Lowe

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:Why most “health” advice is actually selling you an aestheticThe difference between looking healthy vs. being healthyWhy your menstrual cycle is a key indicator of true healthHow to use your cycle (charting/FAM) as a diagnostic toolThe disconnect between diet culture and female physiologyHow societal conditioning shapes your definition of healthThe mental and emotional side of health (that often gets ignored)Why many women are praised for habits that are actually harming themHow to redefine health in a way that actually supports your bodyKey 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-recoveryLearn more about HHAP:https://www.holistichapractitioner.com/Work 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciahttps://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:The reality of living with a severe eating disorderNavigating recovery while following a vegan lifestyleThe moment Lucy surrendered to the recovery process and allowed her body to changeHow weight gain played a crucial role in both her mental and physical healingBeing advised to go on HRT and how she navigated that decisionWhat actually helped her restore her cycle after years of HALucy 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 backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffTry our beef liver & oyster:https://www.joolwellness.com/Follow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe 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 Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffThe 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 Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

This podcast episode walks through how we use lab work before working with a woman with hypothalamic amenorrhea, when we use and how to understand it for your missing period.Join the Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindBecome a Coach:https://www.holistichapractitioner.com/Get the Lab Guidehttps://thehasociety.com/labguideWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.

For 17 years, Laura lived without a cycle.She was told not to worry.She wasn’t trying to get pregnant.So she assumed she had time.She did have hypothalamic amenorrhea.And she believed she could recover whenever she was ready.Laura joined the Holistic HA Practitioner (HHAP) Certification to better understand her own body. As she worked through the lab modules and we reviewed her bloodwork together, something became clear: Her HA had progressed into Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI).In this episode, we talk about:• Being dismissed because you’re “not trying for kids”• Assuming HA is always reversible• The danger of waiting too long• The moment you realize your window may have closed• The grief, regret, and responsibility that comes with thatThis is not a fear-based episode.It’s an honest one.If you’re living in quasi-recovery, telling yourself you’ll address it “one day,” this conversation matters.Laura joined HHAP to understand her own labs and that education is what revealed the shift.Enrollment for the Holistic HA Practitioner Certification opens March 13-17th.Because understanding your hormones shouldn’t take 17 years.Join The HHAP Programhttps://www.holistichapractitioner.com/Join the Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindGet the Lab Guidehttps://thehasociety.com/labguideWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe 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 Ashley shares a case study about her client who chased the PCOS misdiagnosis for 10+ years...when it was HA all along.Interesting in taking this certification? Here's what you can do:Register for the mastermind https://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindApply for the program (it opens October 14th!): https://holistichapractitioner.com/enrollVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe 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, Ashley shares her decade-long journey with HA from losing her cycle during an eating disorder in college, to being reassured by doctors that it was “normal” and nothing to worry about.She was praised for her low weight. Told to eat 1,800 calories. Advised to go on birth control if that didn’t work.At one point, she was even misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes due to an elevated A1c, which pushed her into more restriction, only to later discover she was severely anemic from malnourishment, falsely elevating her labs.After joining our FREE Recovery Bootcamp, she finally had the tools to fully commit and recover on her own.In this episode, we cover:The subtle behaviors that kept her stuck (even when she thought she was "all in")The comfort zone disguised as “healthy habits”How validation from her GP reinforced the problemUsing FAM to objectively track progressThe discomfort of real recoveryHer biggest regret: waiting so longIf you’re hovering in half-in recovery, told you’re “fine”, know deep down you’re not doing everything…This one is for you.Jool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comHHAP Period Recovery Mastermindhttps://www.holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://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 we discuss our personal relationships, past and present, with our bodies. We also comment on fear of weight gain and control from the perspective of being YEARS past recovery and YEARS past dieting. We also share our insights on these topics as experienced coaches of many women who are trying to tackle their low hormone function. Enjoy!You can also watch this episode on Youtube! Jool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://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.

Binge eating is part of so many HA stories, even if we don’t always talk about it. In this episode, we’re joined by Amber, Binge Eating & Overeating Coach (aka The Confident Eater), to unpack the restrict–binge cycle and what it actually takes to feel normal around food again.After years of struggling with “all the eating issues”, restriction, overeating, bingeing, food obsession, Amber decided enough was enough. She immersed herself in therapy, coaching, books, and deep self-work until she found true food freedom.Now, she helps women stop binge eating in a way that’s faster, simpler, and more sustainable than white-knuckling willpower ever could be.Inside this episode, we cover:The real root causes of binge eatingWhy restriction and bingeing are more connected than you thinkWhat you’re actually getting from a binge (it’s not just about food)How long it realistically takes to stop binge eatingHow to rewire your brain and break the patternThe role of artificial sweeteners and “natural flavors” in overeatingWhat food freedom actually feels like on the other sideConnect with Amber:theconfidenteater.orghttps://instagram.com/theconfidenteater_Jool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://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.