The Heavy Flow Podcast

This week I'm talking to Kelly Swartz. Kelly is a holistic erotic expert and founder of Awoken Beauty . We discuss the importance of self-intimacy and discovering the erotic self, sex after motherhood, feminist porn and expanding the definition of sex beyond intercourse. What we discussed:  How an early interest in sex lead to Kelly becoming an erotic expert Why self-intimacy isn't just about mast...

This week on Question Period a listener asks why does menstrual blood smell?  What we discussed:  Is menstrual blood the same as the blood in the rest of your body?  How big brands profit off our fear of body odours  When you should worry about vaginal odour Full Shownotes  Subscribe to the Heavy Flow email list  Follow @amandalaird on Instagram Music credit:  Julia and Bradley of Home Studios Gra...

Today I'm talking to Meghan Cleary. Meghan is a writer, speaker, advocate and founder of Bad Periods . We discuss Meghan's three-decade journey to a diagnosis, endometriosis variations and treatments and how clinical gender-bias affects the treatment of female bodies. What we discussed:  Meghan’s story, beginning with her mother’s use of DES during pregnancy The different types of endometriosis Fu...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. This week I’m talking to Brittany-Lyne Carriere , a full-spectrum doula. We discuss supporting all pregnancy outcomes including abortion and miscarriage, Brittany-Lyne’s personal experience terminating a pregnancy, the far-reaching lack of support within the medical system f...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. Today I’m talking to Sarah Barmak , author of Closer: Notes from the Orgasmic Frontier of Female Sexuality . In this episode, we talk about orgasms, how our culture informs female sexuality and consent. What we discussed: How female and male sexuality is hardwired in our bra...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. This week I'm chatting with Holly Grigg-Spall , author of  Sweetening the Pill: Or How We Got Hooked On Hormonal Birth Control . In this episode Holly gives us a 101 about how hormonal birth control really works and some of the common misconceptions we're often told about th...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. Today I’m talking to Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, Fertility Awareness Educator, Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner and host of the Fertility Friday podcast. In this episode, we talk about the fertility awareness method, how hormonal birth control really affects our hormonal...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. Today I'm talking to Abby Norman, author of  Ask Me About My Uterus.  We discuss Abby's experience with painful periods and endometriosis, how women's pain has been normalized in our culture, and the changing period narrative and why pain needs to be a part of that conversat...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. This week I'm talking to Dianne Bondy, yoga teacher, social justice activist and leading voice of the Yoga For All movement. We're taking a break from talking about periods to discuss creating brave spaces, inclusivity and accessibility in the wellness community, how mainstr...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. Today I’m talking to Dr. Lara Briden, naturopathic doctor and author of the Period Repair Manual. We are going back to basics and learning all the things we didn’t back in health class: what a normal menstrual cycle and period is like, the importance of ovulation, using your...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. Today I’m talking to Samantha Zipporah , a holistic sexual health educator, activist, & advocate. We talk about holistic abortion care, the value of the uterus beyond childbearing, saying no to say yes and the healing power of orgasm. CW: abortion, miscarriage This episode w...

We're replaying the Best of Heavy Flow while we're on hiatus over the summer! Hit subscribe to get new episodes in the fall. This week I'm talking to Jana Girdauskas of The Period Purse about menstruating while homeless, the changing period conversation, making menstrual products more accessible and how you can help, and why we love our cups! Listen now Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Email...

Today I'm talking to Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, menstrual activist, author of Periods Gone Public and a contributor to  Periods: Twelve Voices Tell the Bloody Truth,  about the politics of periods. This is the last episode of Heavy Flow for this season! We'll be taking a hiatus over the summer and replaying some of our favourite episodes while we're away. Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates on boo...

Today on the show I'm talking to Vienna Farlow, a Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner intern, aka The Cuntsultant . We talk about healing the wound of internalized misogyny, getting in tune with our bodies as an act of resistance and the tools in Vienna's DIY gynaecology kitbag including fertility awareness, cervical self-exams and menstrual extraction. What we discussed: Vienna's lifelong i...

Today I'm talking to Josh Gitalis, a clinical nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner, about how to understand our own blood work and why it's important. What we discussed: How Josh came to be a nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner What is functional medicine? Where to start when learning to read your own bloodwork The difference between lab ranges and optimal ranges How to...

Today on Question Period Amy Sutherland, founder of Harlot , joins me to answer a listener question about how to manage the stress of making positive changes to support your hormonal health and fertility when stress is so detrimental to hormonal health and fertility. What we discussed:  How period stigma and a lack of menstrual cycle education contributes to overwhelm when learning to chart Gettin...

Today I'm talking to Carinne Chambers-Saini, CEO and co-founder of Diva International. We talk about the business of menstruation, the challenges Carinne and her team faced growing Diva Cup, why mainstream distribution was so important to their vision and the role menstrual product manufacturers play in menstrual equity. What we discussed: How Diva Cup got it's start The challenges Carinne and her...

Today on Question Period we're talking about Menstrual Hygiene Day and why simply handing out pads isn't enough when it comes to menstrual equity. Resources mentioned in this episode: Menstrual Hygiene Day Episode 2 - Menstruating while homeless with Jana Girdauskas Episode 14 - Breaking Down India's Period Taboos with Aditi Gupta Episode 30 - Smashing Menstrual Stigma at Home and Abroad with Sabr...

Today I’m talking to Tasha Jade, founder of Daily Magic , about her experience with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a condition that causes the vagina and uterus to be underdeveloped or absent. We discuss Tasha's MRKH experience, gender identity and wax on "what makes a woman?"  Listen now: [powerpress] Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Email | RSS What we discussed: What is M...

Jessica Dixon, a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, joins me to share what the hell adaptogens are and how we can use them to support our hormonal health. Plus Jessica shares a recipe for energy bites for happy hormones. What we discussed:  What is an adaptogen and how do they work? The difference between adaptogens and adaptogenic herbs How adaptogens promote hormonal health by supporting the HPA-...

This week on the show I’m talking to Mary Wong, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner and author of Pathways to Pregnancy . We talk about fertility, integrating conventional and holistic fertility treatments, the importance of being open and why Mary is a fierce advocate for fertility awareness.  This episode of Heavy Flow is supported by bebo mia inc , a training and mentorship organization...

This week I'm joined by Natasha Marchand, COO of bebo mia inc and Baby & Me Fitness, to tell us what a fertility doula is. This episode of Heavy Flow is supported by bebo mia inc , a training and mentorship organization for women in the maternal health field. Register for their new Fertility Specialist Certification and save 25% when you use promo code HEAVYFLOW before May 30.  What we discussed: ...

Today I’m talking to Sabrina Rubli, founder and executive director of Femme International, about menstrual health management in East Africa, and smashing stigma at home and abroad.  This episode of Heavy Flow is supported by Lunapads, makers of smart, sustainable alternatives to disposable menstrual products. Visit Lunapads.com to find out why we love them and use code HEAVYFLOW for 15% off any or...

This week on Question Period, how to tell when you're in your fertile phase and ovulating. This episode of Heavy Flow is supported by Lunapads, makers of smart, sustainable alternatives to disposable menstrual products. Visit Lunapads.com to find out why we love them and use code HEAVYFLOW for 15% off any order. What we discussed:  When ovulation is likely to occur in your cycle How to look for si...

This week I’m talking to Jenna Lovell, founder of My Missing Factor , about her experience with Von Willebrand disease, how it affects her menstrual and overall health, and the gender disparity in bleeding disorder treatment. This episode of Heavy Flow is supported by  Diva Cup , a sustainable, easy-to-use, cost-effective and eco-friendly menstrual cup. What we discussed:  How Jenna’s horrific ear...