When I look back, I cringe at how little I knew about my body.

When I started to wonder if there was another way to avoid unplanned pregnancy without the artificial hormones, everyone gave me the same cynical answers – Yes, but you’d be crazy to actually rely on them for birth control!

I call BS.

By taking just a couple of minutes a day to tune in to your body, you can use a method of birth control that is equally as effective as the Pill and condoms.

No side effects, no artificial hormones, no prescriptions, no awkward supermarket visits.

This knowledge will help you to know exactly when you are and aren’t fertile.

Not only does this knowledge help you to avoid pregnancy, it also allows you to maximise your chances of conceiving naturally and, according to the research, in half the time!

A xenoestrogen is a type of endocrine disruptor that has an oestrogen-like effect on the body and a significant effect on your fertility.
We know that oestrogen is a key hormone for a healthy menstrual cycle, but when xenoestrogens enter our bodies they block oestrogen receptors so they can’t do their job.
The body thinks there’s not enough oestrogen available and begins to produce more. This will increase the total amount of oestrogen in our bodies and cause oestrogen dominance.
Xenoestrogens don’t break down, they’re stored in our fat cells and a build up over time can lead to breast cancer, obesity, infertility, miscarriage, endometriosis, early onset puberty and diabetes.
In this episode of The Mana Women’s Wellness Podcast, I’m diving deep into the common household items that contain xenoestrogens and hormone disruptors.

We’ve all been there once or twice. We wake up thinking we’re going to get our period. But it doesn’t come.

We wake up the next day. Still no period.

Then we start to panic.

We do some backwards maths and work out if we might be pregnant. We start frantically Googling and cursing our bodies for messing with our heads.

In this episode, I’m going to save you from that long fall down the Google rabbit-hole and share with you the top reasons why your period might be late. And none of them mean you’re pregnant.

Ready to ditch hormonal contraceptives for good but feeling completely clueless about how to do it and what to expect?

In this podcast episode, I’m talking you through the 5 steps to coming off the Pill.

Whether you’re ready to start preparing for pregnancy or you just want to explore a natural method of birth control, I’ve got you covered!

Did you know that the pill was the very first medication that was prescribed to perfectly healthy women to treat something that was not a health problem?

Instead, it works by shutting down a completely natural process of the female body – ovulation.

Let’s get something straight, cervical mucus is not just discharge and it is a very good thing! You want to see mucus throughout your menstrual cycle because it’s the very best real-time indicator you have of your fertile window. It tells you when you’re ovulating so you can use this information to avoid unplanned pregnancy or conceive naturally. Mucus helps keep sperm alive and helps get us pregnant, and it protects us from vaginal infections. The change in mucus during our cycle also helps us to predict our next period and if you’re a control freak like me – you like knowing when your period is coming. Some women see cervical mucus every single day. Some only see it a few days in a month. And every single one of these women is 100% normal.

Ever had a complete breakdown only to discover that your period came the next day and *maybe* you overreacted slightly?

Yep, I’ve been there!

Mood swings, PMS, breakouts – in this week’s podcast episode, we’re wrapping up the Menstrual Cycle Masterclass series and talking about the luteal phase. That window of time after ovulation has occurred and as your body is preparing for your next period. That window of time where those typical symptoms of PMS start to emerge…

In this episode, Part 3 of the Menstrual Cycle Masterclass, we have arrived at the main event – ovulation. I’ll be sharing what happens in our bodies in the lead up to, during and after ovulation, the signs of ovulation you can look out for and how to support your body during this important window of time with nutrition, exercise and self care.

The follicular phase – the window of time between menstruation and ovulation – can be tricky. While all of the other phases of our menstrual cycle are usually quite consistent and reliable, it’s the follicular phase which can change every single month. Some women may even skip this phase completely!

Welcome to Part Two of your Menstrual Cycle Masterclass, where I’m breaking down the sneakiest of all the phases of the menstrual cycle, the follicular phase – what actually goes on inside our body, how to support your body, balance your hormones and support your reproductive system with nutrition, self care, exercise and sleep.

Half of the world’s population will experience a period. A lifetime of periods equates to 8.6 years, 448 weeks, 3139 days, 70 080 hours. And yet, I wonder just how many women actually understand what’s going on in their bodies. Not just during menstruation, but for the rest of the month too. Welcome to your Menstrual Cycle Masterclass, where I’ll be diving deep into each phase of the menstrual cycle – what actually goes on inside our body, how to support your body, balance your hormones and support your reproductive system with nutrition, self care, exercise and sleep.