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  • The PMOS Paradigm Shift: Chronic Oral Inflammation and Hormone Dysfunction with Christine Horton

    The PMOS Paradigm Shift: Chronic Oral Inflammation and Hormone Dysfunction with Christine Horton
    2026/08/03
    Happy Menstruation Monday! Welcome back to the Kick Cramp’s Ass podcast.Did you know that chronic, silent inflammation in your mouth could be directly impacting your systemic metabolic health and exacerbating PMOS symptoms?In this eye-opening episode, guest Christine Horton joins the podcast to unpack the critical mouth-body connection. We dive deep into how periodontitis and chronic oral inflammation trigger systemic immune responses that ripple across your entire body—disrupting metabolic stability, fueling systemic inflammation, and complicating hormonal health.If you’ve been looking for the missing piece in your holistic health puzzle, this episode will transform the way you view dental care, health advocacy, and integrated medicine.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:The Mouth-Body Connection: How oral bacteria and periodontal inflammation enter systemic circulation to impact metabolic health.The PMOS Link: The physiological connection between chronic oral inflammation, metabolic syndrome, and hormonal dysfunction.The Biopsychosocial Approach: Why effective care requires bridging the gap between dental professionals and medical doctors.Diagnostic & Testing Strategies: Key inflammation markers and oral microbiome tests you should be asking for at your appointments.Proactive Self-Advocacy: How to demand integrated medical records, ask the right questions, and assemble a care team that sees the full picture.Timestamps & Chapters:00:00 – Introduction to PMOS & The Mouth-Body Connection05:46 – Health Advocacy, Language & Systemic Oral Inflammation14:58 – Diagnostic Testing & The Biopsychosocial Model23:59 – Bridging Dental & Medical Care for Hormonal Health38:00 – Holistic Lifestyle Changes & Finding the Right ProvidersKey Takeaways:Your Mouth Is a Gateway: Dental health isn't isolated to your teeth—oral inflammation is a primary systemic trigger that influences metabolic and hormonal balance.Early Warning Signals: Bad breath, bleeding gums, and oral tissue changes can be early biological indicators of underlying endocrine or metabolic volatility.Integration Is Essential: Treating chronic health conditions requires breaking down the traditional silos between dental and medical practices.Advocacy Restores Agency: You have the power to request comprehensive inflammation testing and ensure your dental and medical records are shared across your care team.Action Items & Next Steps:Ask Your Dentist: Inquire about your current periodontal status, gum depth pockets, and localized inflammation markers during your next cleaning.Request Metabolic Labs: Ask your physician for comprehensive metabolic testing, including A1C, fasting insulin, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP).Bridge Your Care: Request that your dental records and periodontal reports be sent directly to your primary care doctor or endocrinologist.We manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!Resources & Links:Refresh your PMOS knowledge with our past episode, Goodbye PCOS, Hello PMOS: Why the Name Change is a Win for Metabolic HealthRegister for ClinicianFest CEU Palooza on September 18, 2026Follow Up with Christine:Take the PMOS QuizContact Fusion Health CoachingFollow Fusion Health Coaching on InstagramBook a FREE PMOS/PCOS Strategy SessionCheck out Fusion Health Coaching’s websiteRegister for PCOS ConConnect with Us:Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our SubstackFor additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedInYoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for PeriodsReady to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠Visit our website for any additional resources and tools. For listener’s mail, you can email contact@kickcrampsass.org
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    55 分
  • Regroup & Reclaim: Using the Biopsychosocial Model to Heal Your Cycle

    Regroup & Reclaim: Using the Biopsychosocial Model to Heal Your Cycle
    2026/07/28
    Happy Menstruation Monday! As we bridge the transition from Fibroid Awareness Month into National Wellness Month, it’s time to expand our definition of healing. You are not just an organ, an ultrasound scan, or a diagnosis—you are a whole, dynamic human being.In this episode, Brittany Walker breaks down the Biopsychosocial Model of Health, exploring how your physical biology, psychological processing, and socio-environmental factors intersect to shape your menstrual health, fibroid symptoms, and pelvic well-being. Move beyond surface-level symptom management and learn how to integrate the four essential pillars of wellness—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—to cultivate deep cellular healing and reclaim your biological authority.What You Will Learn in This Episode:The Biopsychosocial Model: Why fibroids, severe dysmenorrhea, and chronic pelvic guarding are never driven by isolated biology alone.The 4 Pillars of Multidimensional Wellness: Practical, actionable strategies across physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health tailored for menstruators.Overcoming Systemic Disruptors: How stress-induced pelvic floor guarding, unexpressed emotion, and estrogen dominance impact cycle pain.Health Literacy as Defense: How understanding your physiological and medical options dismantles anxiety, restores personal agency, and empowers your care decisions.Grounding & Sovereignty Rituals: Daily somatic practices and boundary-setting strategies to support your nervous system and endocrine health.Key Takeaways:Pain is Multidimensional: Cyclical discomfort and fibroid pressure are influenced by the interplay of biological markers, emotional processing, and environmental stress.Health Literacy Restores Agency: Educating yourself on your body’s biochemistry removes fear and transforms your approach from passive management to proactive care.Rest Is Infrastructure: Setting firm mental and social boundaries during your late luteal phase is essential for nervous system regulation and hormone stability.Somatic Connection Matters: Simple practices like diaphragmatic breathing, pelvic down-training, and daily grounding shift your relationship with your body from conflict to deep partnership.Chapters:00:00 – Bridging Fibroid Awareness Month to National Wellness Month01:45 – Beyond the Uterus: Why We Need a Multidimensional Approach03:10 – Decoding the Biopsychosocial Model in Menstrual Health05:20 – Biological Factors: Estrogen Clearance, Tissue Architecture & Gut Health07:05 – Psychological & Emotional Factors: Pain Processing & Pelvic Guarding08:50 – Social & Environmental Factors: Healthcare Disparities & Stigma10:15 – Pillar 1: Physical Wellness & Somatic Movement over High Stress12:00 – Pillar 2: Mental Wellness, Health Literacy & Boundary Setting13:40 – Pillar 3: Emotional Wellness, Releasing Tension & Community Support15:10 – Pillar 4: Spiritual Wellness & Reconnecting with Your Cycle’s Rhythm16:45 – The "I AM" Power Statement & Weekly Action StepsWe manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!Connect with Us:Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our SubstackFor additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedInYoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for PeriodsReady to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠Visit our website for any additional resources and tools. For listener’s mail, you can email contact@kickcrampsass.org
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    14 分
  • Shedding vs. Cramping: Deciphering the Cellular Source of Your Period Pain

    Shedding vs. Cramping: Deciphering the Cellular Source of Your Period Pain
    2026/07/21
    Happy Menstruation Monday, KCA family! Your period pain is a biological data trail, not an inevitable sentence to double over in silence. In this episode of Kick Cramp’s Ass, we draw a hard line against normalizing debilitating pain. We move past generic summaries to break down the exact structural and chemical mechanics occurring in your pelvic bowl during your inner winter: the mechanical clearing of shedding vs. the inflammatory storm of cramping.Whether you experience heavy, dull pulling or sharp, white-hot spasmodic cramps, this masterclass equips you with the clinical literacy to decode your body’s signals, audit systemic disruptors, and execute a daily anti-inflammatory infrastructure to reclaim your physical peace.Topics CoveredShedding vs. Cramping: How to differentiate between the structural weight of endometrial tissue separation and chemical, prostaglandin-driven uterine ischemia.Systemic Disruptors: The hidden biological drivers amplifying pain—from estrogen dominance and liver clearance to Omega-6/Omega-3 fatty acid imbalances.The Role of Pelvic Floor Tension: How stress-induced muscular guarding creates a baseline state of pelvic hypoxia weeks before your bleed begins.The Anti-Inflammatory Infrastructure: Tactical, evidence-backed interventions using high-dose Omega-3s, ginger (as a natural COX-2 inhibitor), magnesium glycinate, and somatic pelvic decompression (Viparita Karani).Phase-Based Tracking: How to intercept pain during the late luteal window, peak bleed, and post-period recovery phase.TakeawaysPain is Data: Debilitating period pain is a sign of an underlying inflammatory chemical storm, not a structural flaw.Facilitate the Shedding: Mechanical tissue separation requires spatial decompression, downward energy, and vascular circulation—not forced immobility.Interrupt the Cramping: Spasmodic pain is driven by prostaglandin synthesis cutting off oxygen supply to uterine muscle. Target it directly with COX-2 inhibiting nutrition and smooth muscle relaxants.Lifestyle is Primary Intervention: By shifting your diet, releasing pelvic floor tension, and managing late-luteal stress, you command complete biological authority over your cycle.Chapters00:00 – Introduction to Menstrual Pain & The Myth of "Normal" Cramps01:27 – Breaking Down Menstrual Discomfort: Cramping vs. Shedding02:25 – The Importance of Clinical Literacy in Menstrual Health03:38 – The "I AM" Power Statement for Pelvic Awareness06:02 – Mapping the Physical Sensations of Your Inner Winter07:15 – The Mechanics of Tissue Shedding: The Heavy, Dull Ache10:58 – The Chemical Causes of Cramping: Prostaglandins & Ischemia15:38 – Tracking the 3 Phases of Cyclical Discomfort Across Your Calendar21:49 – Systemic Disruptors & The Inflammatory Pathway23:03 – Endocrine Traps: Estrogen Dominance & Proliferation26:24 – The Omega Ratio: Diet-Induced Inflammation & Seed Oils29:40 – Pelvic Floor Tension: Stress, Clenching & Micro-Vascular Restriction32:17 – Clinical Research: Endometrial $PGF_{2\alpha}$ & Intrauterine Pressure33:15 – Shifting from Passive Symptoms to Proactive Infrastructure35:11 – Nutritional Blockades: Ginger, EPA/DHA & Natural COX-2 Inhibitors37:23 – Somatic Decompression: Gravitational Drainage & Diaphragmatic Down-Training39:58 – Magnesium Glycinate: Natural Calcium Channel Blockers for Muscle Relaxation42:31 – Episode Summary & Your Somatic HomeworkWe manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!Connect with Us:Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our SubstackFor additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedInYoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for PeriodsReady to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠Visit our website for any additional resources and tools. For listener’s mail, you can email contact@kickcrampsass.org
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    34 分
  • Menstrual Cycle Seasons: Navigating the Inner Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall

    Menstrual Cycle Seasons: Navigating the Inner Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall
    2026/07/13
    Happy Menstruation Monday, KCA family! Welcome back to Kick Cramp’s Ass, the space where we treat language as a clinical weapon and biological data as our absolute currency.In this masterclass episode, host Brittany Walker, deep dives into the revolutionary framework of the menstrual cycle's four inner seasons. We are drawing a hard line in the sand against the linear 24-hour clock: your hormonal fluctuations are not a pathology—they are your evolutionary blueprint.You'll learn the exact biomarkers to track across your Inner Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall, alongside practical strategies to audit modern endocrine disruptors like metabolic dysregulation, the cortisol stress blockade, and circadian misalignment.Knowledge is power, and educating yourself will always be your absolute best resource. Tune in to reclaim your biological authority, stop trying to sweat out your fatigue, and build a lasting holistic infrastructure for cyclical success.Topics Covered:The Four Inner Seasons: An architectural deep dive into Inner Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.Hormonal Vital Signs: The exact biomarkers, psychological shifts, and optimal tasks aligned with each phase.The Modern Endocrine Traps: How insulin resistance, chronic cortisol spikes, and blue-light circadian misalignment hijack your rhythm.The Cycle-Synced Calendar: Engineering your professional schedule and social commitments to match your biological capacity.Phase-Specific Somatic Movement: Matching physical training to your internal chemistry to reduce injury risk and optimize performance.Targeted Nutritional Fueling: Utilizing your kitchen as a farmacy with phase-specific, liver-supporting, and blood-building protocols.Key TakeawaysYour Cycle is a Biological Roadmap: Aligning your lifestyle with your infradian rhythm enhances overall cognitive and physical performance.Work With Your Chemistry, Not Against It: Customizing physical movement to your seasonal baseline drastically reduces systemic fatigue and injury risk.Unlock Your Competitive Advantage: Cycle syncing allows you to optimize mental clarity in the spring, magnetic communication in the summer, and deep administrative focus in the fall.Audit Your Soil: Modern lifestyle choices—from chronic psychosocial stress to poor sleep hygiene—are significant disruptors of hormonal health.Build a Cyclical Infrastructure: Implementing a cycle-synced calendar and tailored routines empowers you to reclaim true health autonomy.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction to the Inner Seasons of the Menstrual Cycle01:05 – The Myth of the 24-Hour Clock and Infradian Rhythms02:07 – Your Fluctuations Are Not a Pathology03:01 – Mapping the Four Inner Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn04:37 – Origins of the Inner Seasons Framework05:33 – Inner Winter: Menstrual Phase and Systemic Reset08:05 – Inner Spring: Follicular Phase and Ideation10:35 – Inner Summer: Ovulatory Phase and Peak Performance13:55 – Inner Autumn: Luteal Phase and Preparation for Menstruation17:17 – Modern Disruptors: Metabolic Dysregulation and Circadian Misalignment20:58 – Addressing Disruptors: Insulin, Cortisol, and Lifestyle23:29 – Reclaiming Biological Authority and Living in Alignment24:54 – Implementing a Cycle-Synced Calendar26:03 – Phase-Specific Movement and Exercise Strategies28:53 – Nutritional Strategies for Each Menstrual Phase32:51 – Final Reflections and Grounding PracticesWe manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!Connect with Us:Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our SubstackFor additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedInYoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for PeriodsReady to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠Visit our website for any additional resources and tools. For listener’s mail, you can email contact@kickcrampsass.org
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    32 分
  • Bodies...The Exhibition: Fibroid Pathology & Revelations

    Bodies...The Exhibition: Fibroid Pathology & Revelations
    2026/07/07
    Happy Menstruation Monday! Welcome back to Kick Cramp’s Ass, the space where we treat language as a clinical weapon and biological data as our absolute currency.To kick off Fibroid Awareness Month this July, host Brittany Walker, pulls back the curtain on "The Silent Epidemic" affecting millions. Fresh off a recent trip to Bodies… The Exhibition, Brittany bridges clinical physiology with deep anatomical insights to explain exactly how benign muscular growths alter the structural real estate of your pelvis.In this episode, we break down the hard diagnostic boundaries between a naturally heavy period and a true structural fibroid pathology. We look past surface-level symptoms to expose the core cellular drivers—estrogen dominance, chronic stress weathering, and metabolic dysregulation—and audit the modern environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) hijacking our reproductive tracks. More importantly, we hand you the blueprint to build a holistic infrastructure for long-term healing, covering everything from phase-specific liver detoxification to pelvic vascular circulation through somatic movement.Knowledge is power, and educating yourself will always be your absolute best resource. Tune in to reclaim your biological authority, challenge medical gaslighting, and decode your body's data trail.Topics Covered:The Pelvic Real Estate: The deep spatial constraints of the pelvic basin and how fibroids exert physical pressure on neighboring organs.Clinical Diagnostics: Decoding volumetric, structural coagulation, and spatial pressure markers to accurately identify fibroid pathology.The Systemic Drivers: How unchecked estrogen dominance, chronic allostatic stress load, and insulin resistance fuel tumor growth.Environmental Weathering: Identifying xenoestrogens and toxic EDCs hiding in conventional household and beauty products.The Holistic Infrastructure: Practical steps for Phase 1 and Phase 2 liver clearance, environmental purging, and breaking pelvic vascular stagnation.The Public Health Emergency: A hard look at intersectional epidemiological data, weathering, and why Black women are disproportionately impacted.Health Literacy as a Weapon: Reclaiming your personal body sovereignty and practicing high-level clinical self-advocacy.High-Yield Takeaways:The Pelvic Basin is Tight Real Estate: Fibroids are not isolated issues; they are physical, space-occupying masses that compress surrounding organs.Track Your Data Trail: Decoding specific diagnostic markers allows you to differentiate between a heavy period and structural pathology.Audit Your Soil: Addressing modern environmental and psychological disruptors is a crucial pillar of fibroid prevention and containment.Build a Living Infrastructure: True holistic care requires daily liver detoxification support, an environmental detox, and intentional somatic pelvic movement.Reclaim Biological Authority: Understanding your underlying biochemistry empowers you to demand equitable healthcare and end the normalization of reproductive pain.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction to Fibroid Awareness Month02:53 – Understanding Uterine Anatomy and Fibroids06:05 – Clinical Diagnostics of Reproductive Pain12:03 – Epidemiology and Intersectionality of Fibroids17:56 – Systemic Drivers of Fibroid Growth24:48 – Holistic Approaches to Managing Fibroids33:42 – Empowerment Through Health LiteracyWe manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!Connect with Us:Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our SubstackFor additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedInYoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for PeriodsReady to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠Visit our website for any additional resources and tools. For listener’s mail, you can email contact@kickcrampsass.org
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    36 分
  • Hormones, Heatwaves, and Hydration: Navigating Summer Weathering on Your Period

    Hormones, Heatwaves, and Hydration: Navigating Summer Weathering on Your Period
    2026/06/29

    Happy Menstruation Monday!

    We made it to Season 4, Episode 11 of Kick Cramp’s Ass with host Brittany Walker, MS, RYT-500.

    Welcome back to the studio as we officially kick off the second half of Season 4!

    As we step directly into the heat of the summer solstice, we are pulling back the curtain on how soaring external temperatures collide with your internal thermostat. If you’ve ever felt completely wiped out, intensely uncomfortable, or noticed your period cramps flaring up during a heatwave, you aren’t imagining things—you are experiencing a very real physiological phenomenon known as summer weathering.

    In this episode, Brittany Walker explores the science behind menstrual cycle thermoregulation, hydration, and how external heat impacts internal physiology, especially during the luteal phase. She provides practical strategies for cycle syncing and hydration to optimize health during summer.

    • Luteal Phase Thermoregulation: How progesterone naturally elevates your basal body temperature, lowering your environmental heat tolerance.

    • The Fluid Dynamics of Cramps: Why dehydration triggers vasopressin, causing severe uterine vasoconstriction and agonizing spasms.

    • Phase-Specific Hydration Needs: How your vascular volume drops during the luteal phase and why your electrolyte needs change.

    • Plant-Based Hydration: Leveraging bioavailable structured water and minerals from whole foods and drinks.

    • The Dehydration Saboteurs: The biological impact of caffeine and processed sugars on your internal fluid balance.

    • Environmental Heat as a Biological Variable: Treating the summer weather as an active metric in your health management.

    Now that we have officially entered the summer solstice, it is time to protect your body from the heat and use this applicable knowledge to manage your menstrual cycle in all phases effectively. We look forward to continually serving you evidence-proven, valuable information to take full control of your menstrual cycle!

    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction to Menstruation and Summer Heat

    03:34 Understanding the Luteal Phase and Temperature Regulation

    08:19 The Importance of Hydration During Menstruation

    19:39 Key Takeaways and Conclusion

    We manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!

    Connect with Us:

    Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our Substack

    For additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedIn

    Yoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for Periods

    Ready to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠

    Visit our website for any additional resources and tools.

    For listener's mail, you can email contact@kickcrampsass.orgs’
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    19 分
  • Sustainable Creative Careers: The Power of Cycle Syncing with Kacie Luaders

    Sustainable Creative Careers: The Power of Cycle Syncing with Kacie Luaders
    2026/06/08

    Happy Menstruation Monday! Welcome to Season 4, Episode 9 of Kick Cramp’s Ass with your host, Brittany Walker, MS, RYT-500.

    Today we are actively dismantling the toxic hustle narrative to build a healthier model for professional longevity: Sustainable Creative Careers: The Power of Cycle Syncing with Kacie Luaders.

    Why are we forcing our natural biology to conform to an unnatural, rigid corporate timeline? When you try to sustain peak outward productivity 365 days a year, you ignore the brilliant, shifting architecture of your monthly endocrine system. In this deep dive with creative strategist Kacie Luaders, we look at the biopsychosocial model of productivity to prove that honoring your monthly hormonal shifts is not lazy—it is a profound competitive advantage.

    We map out the exact blueprint to integrate your biological data directly into your business strategy. From maximizing the visionary, brain-storming power of your follicular phase to setting firm workplace boundaries during your luteal phase, this episode hands you the keys to absolute career sustainability and body sovereignty.

    TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 - Introduction to Sustainable Creative Careers

    03:10 - The Structural Importance of Cycle Syncing

    05:43 - Challenging the Linear Hustle Narrative

    09:51 - Taking Radical Responsibility for Your Well-Being

    10:40 - Integrating Biological Data into Creative Planning

    13:59 - The Biopsychosocial Model of Career Longevity

    17:46 - Harnessing Neural Energy in the Follicular Phase

    21:35 - Overcoming Analysis Paralysis & Stepping into Action

    26:40 - Embracing the Visibility of the Ovulation Phase

    33:00 - Navigating the Boundary-Setting Luteal Phase

    37:54 - Reigniting Deep Creativity During Low-Energy Windows

    40:32 - Rethinking Modern Labor and Industrial Productivity

    45:42 - KCA Community Tools & Subscribe Commercial

    50:22 - Final Recap & Show Outro

    Connect with Kacie Luaders:

    • Website: https://couldbeprettycool.com/

    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/couldbeprettycool/

    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaciewillis

    If this conversation gave you the validation and the framework you need to reclaim your career on your own terms, please SUBSCRIBE, leave a LIKE, and drop a comment below sharing which phase of your cycle you struggle to create in the most!

    We manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!

    Connect with Us:

    Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our Substack

    For additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedIn

    Yoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for Periods

    Ready to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠
    Visit our website for any additional resources and tools.

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    53 分
  • Menstrual Equity in STEM: Barriers in the Laboratory Environment with Dr. Monica Fabra

    Menstrual Equity in STEM: Barriers in the Laboratory Environment with Dr. Monica Fabra
    2026/06/01
    Happy Menstruation Monday! Welcome back to Kick Cramp’s Ass. Today is a groundbreaking day on the show as we step directly into the pristine, highly demanding world of science and academia to expose an invisible hurdle. Welcome to Episode 9: "Menstrual Equity in STEM: Barriers in the Laboratory Environment with Dr. Monica Fabra."When we think of structural barriers for women and menstruating individuals in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), we often talk about funding gaps, glass ceilings, or systemic bias. But what happens when the literal physical infrastructure of a laboratory—or the rigid protocols of field research—completely fails to accommodate baseline human biology?In this episode, we sit down with the brilliant Dr. Monica Fabra to dismantle the unique biological and systemic challenges faced by menstruating scientists. From the psychological weathering of navigating a high-stakes lab setting during a heavy cycle, to the literal biohazard safety issues of managing menstrual hygiene while locked in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), we expose how a lack of menstrual equity directly impacts productivity, mental wellness, and retention in science.What we unpack in today’s episode:The Invisible Lab Leak: The physical and spatial realities of navigating clean rooms, bio-safety cabinets, and field research while menstruating.PPE & Safety Protocols: The hidden health hazards of delayed menstrual hygiene management caused by rigid safety gear and restricted facility access.The Biopsychosocial Impact: Deconstructing the psychological weathering, anxiety, and performance pressure built into a highly competitive, hyper-masculine STEM culture.Restructuring Workflows: Actionable policy recommendations for universities, research hubs, and laboratory directors to design inclusive, adaptive work environments.The Great Scientific Data Gap: The shocking lack of objective, data-backed research on how menstrual health directly impacts scientific workers—and how we begin to fill it while fiercely protecting health data.CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction to Menstrual Equity in STEM06:14 Unique Barriers for Menstruating Scientists10:56 The Biopsychosocial Model and Psychological Impact15:37 Menstrual Hygiene Management in Lab Settings22:58 Restructuring Workflows for Menstrual Needs27:55 The Need for Data on Menstrual Health in STEM34:50 Advocating for Systemic Change in STEM39:42 Breaking the Stigma: Conversations About Menstruation48:10 Protecting Health Data in Research53:45 Advice for Future STEM Students57:25 Navigating Resistance in Advocacy01:02:55 Podcast Outro (2026).mp4 Resources & Links:STEM the Flow Research SurveyContact STEM the FlowFollow STEM the Flow on InstagramDonate to STEM the FlowCheck out STEM the Flow’s websiteWe manifest a positive, productive, and peaceful day and menstrual cycle journey ahead!Connect with Us:Receive our newsletters and tips by subscribing to our SubstackFor additional menstrual wellness content, subscribe to our YouTube, Instagram, Threads, or LinkedInYoga, Breathwork, and Mindfulness Resources: Pilates for PeriodsReady to make your own content? Become a friend of ⁠⁠Riverside.fm⁠Visit our website for any additional resources and tools.
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    1 時間 3 分