Kate Smith: We Don't Want Anyone To Be Held Back By Their Period

Our skin is our biggest organ and what we put on it can have ramifications for different aspects of our health. If you’re thinking more about the impact of the makeup, skincare and personal care products you use, my guest on today’s episode of Period Story shares a lot of great information. Sjaniël Turrell is a holistic makeup artist, nutritional therapist and conscious consultant who focuses on a natural and sustainable approach to beauty. In this episode, Sjaniël shares:How the intensity of lockdown exacerbated the perimenopause symptoms she was experiencingHow perimenopause made her get clear on what she does and doesn’t have capacity for The direction her nutritional therapy qualification took her work as a makeup artist Why we need to think differently about the makeup, skincare and personal care products we useWhy fragranced products, including cleaning products and menstrual products are the number thing in your home you should consider switchingThe natural and organic brands she recommends, including RMS Beauty, Ilia Beauty, Madara, Kosas and Ere Perez Natural and organic makeup brands (and tips!) for dark-skinned and mixed race women And of course, the story of her first period Sjaniël says that if you’re looking at switching to natural, organic and sustainable versions of the products you use, do the best you can afford in that moment and do the best you can with what you have. Thank you, Sjaniël!Get in touch with Sjaniël:WebsiteInstagramA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you navigate a career as a corporate lawyer while also coping with severe insomnia, severe brain fog, feeling disconnected from your body and dealing with medical gaslighting? I get into this and more on this week’s episode of Period Story, Sonja Rincón, the founder and CEO of Menotracker, an AI-powered menopause app that transforms symptoms into personalised insights and support. In this episode, Sonja shares:What happened when she was dismissed by her gynaecologist after seeking treatment for brain fog and a frozen shoulderWhen she stumbled upon the term medical gaslighting and how it made her understand that she wasn’t alone in her experienceWhat to do if you feel like you’re not being taken seriously by your doctor How 1 in 10 women have left their jobs due to the impact of perimenopause and menopause symptoms, and a quarter of women have considered quitting due to the impact of these symptoms at workHow her experience led her to found MenotrackerCultural differences in conversations around menstruation and perimenopause across EuropeHow tracking symptoms in perimenopause and menopause can help you have a better understanding of your healthThe importance of understanding what any health app you use does with your data And of course, the story of her first period Sonja says that when you use an app, it’s really important that you really check what they are going to do with your data, especially any health related data. If you’re not comfortable, don’t use the app. Thank you, Sonja!Get in touch with Sonja:WebsiteLinkedInInstagramA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s episode of Period Story, I had the pleasure of speaking to Ruby Raut, a Nepali-born environmentalist and the co-founder and CEO of WUKA, the UK’s first reusable period underwear brand. In this episode, Ruby shares:How she ended up using reusable period products from her very first period The impact of the Nepalese practice of chhaupadi and how she felt treated almost like an untouchable How menstrual taboos impacted her education and how she was able to go on to gain a degree in environmental sciencesWhy having access to clean toilets and water can impact your experience of menstruation The impact of single use menstrual products in the UK - over 200,000 tons of disposable tampons and pads are sent to UK landfills each year How using one pair of period underwear replaces 196 pads or tampons going to the landfill Why Wuka supports grassroots sports and how they got 6,000 girls into sports in 2025And of course, the story of her first period Ruby says that when we talk to young people about periods in a way that is accessible to them, we take the embarrassment out of these conversations.Thank you, Ruby!Get in touch with Ruby:WebsiteInstagramTikTokA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when you’ve been gaslit by the medical system for 10 years? This is what I explore in my conversation with Eshani Kaushal, ex corporate and tech lawyer turned entrepreneur, and the founder of Moodee — the GCC’s first period care and hormone health platform. In this episode, Eshani shares:Why it took her over 10 years after being diagnosed with fibroids to have them properly dealt with What happened after she had emergency surgery to remove a 12 centimetre fibroid How a PCOS diagnosis increased her health anxietyHow the idea for Moodee emerged and the leap of faith it took her to leave her corporate careerWhat it’s like to run a femtech business in the UAEWhy she thinks women’s health isn’t a luxury, but rather infrastructure that helps economies thriveHow Moodee will bring access to clean, non-toxic science backed health and menstrual products for women across all ages and stages in the Middle EastAnd of course, the story of her first period Eshani says that women’s health isn’t a niche when we’re 50% of the world’s population. She says that when you fund women’s health, you enable women to do businessThank you, Eshani! Get in touch with Eshani:WebsiteInstagramTikTokLinkedInA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I really admire the tenacity of my guest on today’s episode of Period Story. I speak with Nora Cavani, a molecular biologist with a background in pharmaceutical engineering, an award winning gut health expert and founder and CEO of Alba Health, a company on a mission to prevent chronic diseases through gut health science.In this episode, Nora shares: What happened to destroy the credibility of the PCOS diagnosis she received when she was a teenagerHow coming off the pill led to the biggest transformation of her lifeHow getting told that she would need to use cortisone for the rest off her life to manage severe eczema led her to the extensive research that resulted in her becoming an expert in the gut microbiomeHow an anti-inflammatory diet and a focus on removing any gut microbiome disrupters transformed her gut health, virtually eliminated her eczema and led to regular periods The terrifying moment that led to an endometriosis diagnosis and what she thought when a doctor told her that nutrition had no impact on endometriosis What inflammation actually is and the three typesWhy our gut microbiome is so important, even as babiesWhat led her to start Alba Health, a gut microbiome testing company for children from 0 - 18 years oldAnd of course, the story of her first period Nora says our gut microbiome is very important at any age, but even more important when you’re a child because this is when microbes seed the gut and form the gut microbiome. She says that what happens in these first years is critical because these microbes help train the immune system, form and educate our metabolism and they affect our brain and brain development. Thank you, Nora! Get in touch with Nora:WebsiteInstagramA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had such a fangirl moment on today’s episode of Period Story! I speak with Alanna Collen, a science writer, biologist and author of 10% Human: How Your Body’s Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness. Her book inspired much of my interest in gut health, so it was a thrill to speak to her for the podcast. In this episode, Alanna shares: The vasovagal events that made her periods extremely painful and unpleasantHow the Depo Provera injection changed the trajectory of her career  Her background in evolutionary biology and how she ended up doing a PhD on bats How an encounter with ticks in a rainforest led to her research on the gut microbiome Why she thinks going to basics with nutrition is better than any gut health tricks or hacks to feed your gut bacteriaHer views on fibremaxxing and why we would all benefit from eating more fibreHow the trillions of microbes in our bodies support our immune system The connection between our gut microbiome and obesity A sneak peek into her next book, which has been 10 years in the making Why the weight set point matters and how we can influence it And of course, the story of her first period Alanna says that we can look after our microbes by eating as many plant foods as we can and building up the amount of fibre our body is used to tolerating. Thank you, Alanna! Get in touch with Alanna:WebsiteInstagramHer book: 10% Human: How Your Body’s Microbes Hold the Key to Health and HappinessA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of Period Story, I speak with Kate Smith, the CEO and co-founder of Hey Girls CIC, a multi-award-winning social enterprise dedicated to ending period poverty in the UK.In this episode, Kate shares: How she went from looking forward to her first period to feeling overwhelmed by shame once it arrived How her experience of teaching menstrual education has helped her feel more in control of her period Why the luxury of menstrual product choice is so important and empoweringWhat the term period dignity means and why it’s connected to period equality The importance of non-stigmatising and inclusive language when it comes to menstruation The work Hey Girls are doing to help reduce period poverty, including the 42 million products they’ve donated into the community since 2018!Why you should buy from social enterprises and why Hey Girls was set up this wayThe work Hey Girls have done with This Girl Can to share low cost ways to move during each phase of the menstrual cycle And of course, the story of her first period Kate says Hey Girls doesn’t want anyone to be held back by their period, whether that’s speaking up in a meeting or participating in sports. She says that menstruation shouldn’t be a barrier to being equal in society or feeling dignified. Thank you, Kate!Get in touch with Kate:Hey Girls… WebsitePads for Dads KitInstagramA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Season 11 of the podcast is here! I’m excited to share that my guest for episode 100 (!!!) of the podcast is Dija Ayodele, the acclaimed skin care expert, entrepreneur, founder of the award winning Black Skin Directory, author of the global bestselling Black Skin - The Definitive Skincare Guide and co-founder of CLICKED!, a confidence boosting AI powered skin health tool built to make skincare less confusing.In this episode, Dija shares: How having a drama-free period proved to be helpful after her family moved to London from Sierra Leone in 1994The Julia Roberts Pretty Woman moment she had when she was trying to get her first book, Black Skin publishedWhat she would add into the book, four years onWhy she’s begun coaching other skincare professionals who are the start of their journeyHow her new business, CLICKED! will help you understand your skin, your skincare concerns and give you back control over your skinAnd of course, the story of her first period Dija says that every time you do things your way and in a way that’s authentic to you, you will never fail. She says that even if you don't get the results that you were expecting or wanted, you're still going to get the results that you need. Dija says that with core self-belief, you will still be able to succeed.Thank you, Dija!Get in touch with Dija:Dija AyodeleBlack Skin DirectoryBlack Skin - The Definite Skincare GuideCLICKED!InstagramSubstackA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the final episode of season 10 of Period Story podcast, I’m so happy to share my conversation with Dr Juliet McGrattan, an international speaker, award winning author, educator and running expert. In this episode, Dr Juliet shares: Her experience of perimenopause and why she’s happy not to know when she goes through the day of menopause Why imposter syndrome and anxiety were the main symptoms that told her she was perimenopausal Why stopping caffeine was helpful for her Why comparison is a trap when it comes to exerciseHow exercise can be very powerful in menopause Her tips for getting into running in midlifeA sneak peek into her new book about running and menopauseAnd of course, the story of her first periodDr Juliet says it’s very easy to become resentful or fall out of love with your body at different times of life and that you can find yourself battling against it. She says that to feel more accepting of our bodies and to learn to work with them, we need to ask ourselves, “what can I do that will make things a little bit better?”. Thank you, Dr Juliet!Get in touch with Dr Juliet:InstagramWebsiteA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’m really happy to share my conversation with Lily Silverton, the writer, columnist, speaker, coach and founder of The Priorities Method Journal on today’s episode of Period Story podcast. In this episode, Lily shares: The joy of getting her period back after losing it for two years as a teenagerHer struggle with disordered eating and depression and how a trip to an ashram helped her begin to reset her mental healthHow she realised the power for her thoughts and that some thoughts aren’t true Her experience of painful periods and severe premenstrual depression after having her two children The transition she made from fashion and culture journalism to retraining to become a stress management and positive psychology coach Why stress isn’t inherently bad for youThe reframe of ‘I get to’ and ‘I choose to’ One of her coaching principles: live your life, don’t fix your lifeAnd of course, the story of her first periodLily says there's nothing wrong with wanting to improve or change, whether that's your internal self or your external self but she says we should consider how we can approach this with real compassion, so that you can work from a positive point, rather than berating yourself. Thank you, Lily!Get in touch with Lily:InstagramThe Priorities Method InstagramWebsiteA transcript is available on www.periodstorypod.comGet in touch:IG @periodstorypodEmail [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.