The Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Podcast

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

This episode is especially for the women who:
Still get periods “sometimes”
Have long or irregular cycles
Feel stuck in denial because they don’t fit the stereotypical HA picture
Are high-achieving, Type A, and used to pushing harder for results
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:
Why nutrition for fertility is often misunderstood (and mismanaged)
The biggest gaps in most prenatal vitamins
Why food alone may not meet nutrient needs today
The impact of stress on nutrient depletion and fertility
Key nutrients for pregnancy (and why most women aren’t getting enough):
Choline
Vitamin D
Magnesium
Calcium
Iron
Why high-quality prenatals require multiple capsules (and why that’s a good thing)
Folic acid vs methylfolate (and why this topic is so controversial)
The truth about vitamin A and pregnancy safety
Whether organ meats alone are enough for prenatal nutrition
Why iron should be individualized (and not always included in prenatals)
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:
Whether 4 workouts per week is appropriate at this stage
The difference between “feeling fine” vs. true recovery safety
How intensity, volume, and recovery all matter more than just frequency
Signs your body might still be under stress (even if cycles have started returning)
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:
Why recovery can actually heighten anxiety (and why this is normal)
The mental shift from control → uncertainty
Obsessive tracking of “micro wins” (BBT, ovulation signs, etc.)
How healing your body can temporarily dysregulate your mind
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:
Why most “health” advice is actually selling you an aesthetic
The difference between looking healthy vs. being healthy
Why your menstrual cycle is a key indicator of true health
How to use your cycle (charting/FAM) as a diagnostic tool
The disconnect between diet culture and female physiology
How societal conditioning shapes your definition of health
The mental and emotional side of health (that often gets ignored)
Why many women are praised for habits that are actually harming them
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.