Periods aren't just about bleeding or fertility, they can offer important clues about your overall health. Yet millions of women are taught to put up with symptoms like painful periods, heavy bleeding and exhaustion, while social media is full of advice on hormone balancing, cycle syncing and ‘fixing’ your hormones with little regard for the evidence.
In this episode of Vision of Health, Dr Frankie sits down with Dr Hazel Wallace, former NHS doctor, registered nutritionist, founder of The Food Medic and bestselling author of 'The Female Factor' and 'Not Just a Period', to unpack what your menstrual cycle is really telling you.
From recognising the signs that something isn't right to understanding how nutrition, movement and lifestyle can influence how you feel throughout the month, Hazel shares the science behind working with your cycle rather than fearing it.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why your menstrual cycle can be an important indicator of your overall health.
- What actually happens throughout the menstrual cycle and why there's more to it than your period.
- The menstrual symptoms that deserve investigation rather than being dismissed as ‘normal’.
- What heavy bleeding, painful periods and irregular cycles can tell you.
- How nutrition can support energy, PMS and menstrual health.
- Why your gut can behave differently during your period.
- What the evidence really says about cycle syncing and exercise.
- How hormonal changes can affect mood, energy and body image.
- PMS vs PMDD: when cyclical mood changes become something more serious.
- The truth behind PillTok, hormonal contraception and common hormone myths.
- What we know about ‘hormone disruptors’, microplastics and fertility.
- Why women's health inequalities persist and how to advocate for yourself when you don't feel heard.
Your menstrual cycle is more than a monthly inconvenience. It's a potential monthly report card for your health.
Understanding what's normal for you, recognising changes and knowing when to seek help can make it easier to advocate for your health, without getting pulled into the fear and misinformation that dominates so much of the online conversation around hormones
Learn more about Dr Hazel Wallace
Website: https://www.thefoodmedic.co.uk/
Instagram: @drhazelwallace
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If you found this episode helpful, share it with someone who wants to better understand their periods, hormones and overall health.
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