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Nicole Jardim is a certified women's health coach, author of Fix Your Period, and founder of the Institute for Menstrual Health originally from Antigua where the closest thing to sex education was mostly silence… leaving her to figure out hormones, cycles, and menstrual health the hard way before eventually dedicating her career to helping other women do the same.
In this episode we talk about Nicole and I's shared history working in television production, how burnout and health challenges led her to leave the entertainment industry, and the path that eventually led her into women's health. We get into hormones, birth control, cycle literacy, and why so many women grow up completely disconnected from what their bodies are actually doing. Nicole explains why doctors often prescribe the pill as a quick fix instead of addressing root causes, how women are frequently dismissed when advocating for their health, and why learning to understand your cycle can change the way you approach energy, relationships, sex, and overall wellbeing.
Want more? Catch bonus Reddit story reactions, private chats and more on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck
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Where to find Nicole:
Website - https://nicolejardim.com/
Nicole's Membership - The Fix Your Period Collective https://www.fixyourperiod.com/
Nicole's Practitioner Program - https://instituteformenstrualhealth.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nicolemjardim/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nicolemjardim/
Where to find Arielle:
Instagram: @birdsandbeesdontfck
TikTok: @birdsandbeesdontfck
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/birdsandbeesdontfck
Love jewelry that doubles as a vibrator? Me too! Get $15 Off Crave Pleasure Jewelry Here: https://lovecrave.com/arielle
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Episode Cheat Sheet
02:33 Growing up without real sex education and how women learn about their bodies
04:58 Working in television production and how Nicole and Arielle originally met
07:23 The birth control pill and why it's prescribed for almost every period problem
08:38 Hormones, birth control, and the unexpected ways they can affect your body
13:31 Coming off hormonal birth control and noticing changes in mood, health, and cycles
16:58 Burnout, leaving the entertainment industry, and pivoting into women's health
18:17 Why birth control became the default medical solution for women's health issues
22:04 Learning body literacy and understanding what your hormones are actually doing
24:42 Menstrual cycle literacy and why most people don't understand ovulation
28:36 Fertility awareness and why cycle tracking can change how you approach health
31:16 Cultural messaging that teaches women their bodies are a problem
36:50 Why partners should understand menstrual cycles and hormonal changes
40:57 Advocating for yourself in medical settings when doctors dismiss symptoms
44:05 Training practitioners and teaching menstrual health and hormone literacy
48:12 Understanding energy, sex drive, and mood changes across the menstrual cycle
52:36 Becoming a "period detective" and learning what your cycle is telling you
56:47 What heavy bleeding and painful periods might actually mean
58:23 Women bleeding for months and being told it's normal
59:42 Severe period pain, ER visits, and why doctors often dismiss menstrual symptoms
01:00:48 Heavy bleeding, IUDs, and when medical solutions miss the real problem
