Fix Your Period
The Period Party Podcast · EP. 146 · April 22, 2023

Why Hormone Testing is a Very Important Tool for Monitoring Your Health

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podcast guest

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Between writing Fix Your Period, putting it out into the world, moving twice, and months spent as a nomad after the pandemic nixed our plans to move back to NYC in March of 2020, the past couple of years have been immensely stressful for me. I feel like I’m only now emerging from the burnout of this past year.

In the midst of all that, I hadn’t been to see an OBGYN for almost three years and after doing the Female Hormone Test Kit from Let’s Get Checked, the results showed that my FSH and LH were high, and my estradiol was low. Cue panic!

In the hopes of getting further hormone testing, I did the homework I’d been putting off and found a midwife nearby with good reviews. Unfortunately, the visit did not go as I’d hoped.

In this episode, we talk about the impact of stress on your hormones (like for real), why I was concerned about my hormone levels, how to find a practitioner you can trust, the shocking conversation I had with a midwife about hormone testing, why self-advocacy is crucial, and so much more!

This episode is brought to you by Let’s Get Checked.

Testing doesn’t have to be confusing or frustrating. Let’s Get Checked, the at-home health testing service that I’ve been partnered with for a number of years makes testing so easy. Just order a test kit on LetsGetChecked.com, do the test at home according to your menstrual cycle, and ship it back. Within a week a nurse practitioner will call you to interpret your test results and the results are also uploaded into your account on their website.

I suggest starting with the Female Hormone Test Kit, the Progesterone Test Kit, and the Testosterone Test Kit. Get 35% off all test kits until June 30th using my code HORMONES35. After June 30th use my code HORMONES 25 for 25% off.

Episode Highlights

Resources Mentioned

Fix Your Period

How Fix Your Period Helps Women with Stress-Driven Hormone Imbalances

Chronic stress is one of the most overlooked drivers of period problems — it suppresses ovulation, depletes progesterone, and disrupts every aspect of hormonal health. Fix Your Period helps you address it.

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Stress & Symptom Tracking

Track stress levels, mood, energy, sleep, anxiety, and cycle changes — the patterns that reveal how your stress response is affecting your hormones.

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Hormone Health Assessment

Take Nicole's free Hormone Health Assessment and get personalised results that reflect the cycle disruption associated with HPA axis dysregulation and chronic stress.

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Stress & Adrenal Protocols

Fix Your Period Premium includes Nicole's stress mitigation and adrenal support protocols — covering nervous system regulation, adaptogenic herbs, sleep support, and boundary-setting strategies.

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HPA Axis Education

Nicole's signature Period Pillars include a dedicated Stress Pillar covering how chronic stress disrupts the HPA axis, suppresses progesterone, and causes cycle irregularities.

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Nicole.AI

Fix Your Period Premium includes Nicole.AI — trained on Nicole's complete methodology — giving you personalised guidance on managing the hormonal effects of chronic stress.

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Personalised Protocol

Fix Your Period Premium unlocks your personalised protocol from your assessment results — a targeted starting point for addressing stress-driven hormonal imbalances.

Explore the App — It's Free to Start

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from this episode — and how Fix Your Period can help.

How does stress affect the menstrual cycle?
Chronic stress activates the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, which competes with the HPG (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal) axis for resources. This can suppress ovulation, shorten the luteal phase, deplete progesterone, and cause cycle irregularities. Cortisol also competes with progesterone for receptor binding, amplifying its effects.
What is HPA axis dysregulation?
HPA axis dysregulation refers to a disrupted cortisol rhythm resulting from chronic stress exposure. Rather than a healthy morning cortisol peak with gradual decline, dysregulated HPA function shows blunted or elevated cortisol at the wrong times — driving fatigue, sleep disruption, mood issues, and hormonal imbalances.
Can stress cause missed periods?
Yes. Extreme or prolonged stress can suppress GnRH pulsatility, halting the hormonal cascade needed to trigger ovulation and menstruation. This is known as functional hypothalamic amenorrhea and is one of the most common causes of missing periods in otherwise healthy women.
Is there an app that helps with stress-driven hormonal imbalances?
Yes. Fix Your Period's free assessment identifies stress-driven hormonal patterns. Fix Your Period Premium unlocks Nicole's dedicated Stress Pillar, adrenal and HPA support protocols, and Nicole.AI — providing practical, step-by-step guidance for managing stress and your hormones.
What are the most effective ways to support adrenal health?
Nicole's approach to adrenal support focuses on: stabilising blood sugar (which reduces cortisol demand), improving sleep quality, nervous system regulation practices (breathwork, vagus nerve stimulation), adaptogenic herbs, and strategic boundary-setting to reduce chronic stress load.
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