Tag Archives | period

EP 763

763: Why So Many High-Functing and Achieving Women Miss the Signs of Hormone Imbalance with Anastasia Sartan

July 28, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

Have you ever felt like you become a completely different person during the second half of your cycle?

One week you’re energized, focused, and confident. The next, you’re battling brain fog, irritability, anxiety, exhaustion, and wondering what happened to the version of yourself from just a few days ago.

In this live conversation, Dr. Mariza sits down with entrepreneur, former Snapchat executive, and founder of The Cycle, Anastasia Sartan, to explore the overlooked realities of PMDD, hormone fluctuations, and why women’s changing biology has been largely ignored by the wellness industry.

After struggling with debilitating PMDD while working in the high-pressure tech world, Anastasia set out to create the first functional beverage specifically designed to support women through every stage of their hormonal journey—from the luteal phase and menstruation to perimenopause and menopause.

Together, they discuss how chronic stress, motherhood, the invisible mental load, nervous system dysregulation, and modern work culture amplify hormonal symptoms, leaving many women feeling like they’re constantly pushing through instead of truly thriving.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that your changing hormones aren’t a personal failure. They are an invitation to better understand your body, prioritize rest, and finally embrace products, habits, and support systems that were designed with women in mind.

ANASTASIA SARTAN

Anastasia Sartan is an entrepreneur, former Snapchat executive, data scientist, and founder of The Cycle, the first functional beverage brand created to support women throughout every phase of their hormonal cycle. Inspired by her personal journey with PMDD, she is on a mission to close the gap in women’s wellness by creating innovative products that help women feel supported, understood, and empowered.

IN THIS EPISODE

  1. What PMDD really is and why so many women are misdiagnosed
  2. Why hormone fluctuations dramatically impact mood, energy, and resilience
  3. The hidden connection between chronic stress, motherhood, and hormonal symptoms
  4. How nervous system regulation supports women’s hormonal health
  5. Why women’s wellness products have historically overlooked hormonal cycles
  6. The inspiration behind creating The Cycle functional beverage
  7. Why rest may be one of the most powerful tools for hormone health
  8. How honoring your body’s changing needs helps you thrive through every season

QUOTES

“Periods are a lifestyle, not a medical condition.”

“We had the hormones to scaffold us… until we didn’t.”

“Women deserve products that are designed for women’s biology.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Use code DRMARIZA and get 5% off on The Cycle Functional Drinks

Use code ENERGIZED and get 10% off on your MitoQ Order

Use code ENERGIZED and get 10% off on your Troscription Order

The Cycle Website

Anastasia Sartan Instagram

RELATED EPISODES 

762: Why Women Need to Stop Being “Good Patients” and Start Advocating for Better Healthcare with Dr. Mariza

761: Finding Your Way Back to Pleasure and Feeling Fully Alive with Gabriella Espinosa

760: The Mindset Shift That Helps You Stop Feeling Stuck with Dr. Rachel Goldman

717: “I Don’t Feel Like Myself Anymore”: The Mental & Emotional Reality of Perimenopause

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

Read More
Energized-podcast-Sarah-Hilljpg

687: The Period Brain: Why You Feel Like a Different Person Every Month And How To Stop Fighting Your Cycle and Start Thriving in It with Sarah Hill

October 10, 2025 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

If you’ve ever felt like you’re riding a menstrual cycle roller coaster of cravings, exhaustion, and mood swings– this conversation is for you. 

In this episode, I’m joined by leading researcher and women’s hormone expert Dr. Sarah E. Hill to unpack what’s really going on in your body—and your brain—during your cycle. 

Dr. Hill breaks down how shifting levels of progesterone and estrogen in the second half of your cycle can impact everything from your sleep and appetite to your mood and libido. 

We also talk about how this becomes even more complex—and important to understand—during perimenopause, when hormone patterns start to change unpredictably. 

You’ll learn why traditional health advice often fails women during this phase of life, and what to do instead to actually support your body. 

It’s time to rethink your period, reclaim your energy, and finally feel in sync with your hormones!

Dr. Sarah Hill

Dr. Sarah E. Hill is a researcher and professor at TCU, lead science advisor for 28, and the author of The Period Brain and This Is Your Brain on Birth Control. Sarah’s work has resulted in more than 80 research publications, with features in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Scientific American, The Economist, and on shows like Good Morning and Today. Sarah is a well-known speaker, consultant, and media expert in women’s health, hormones, and sexual psychology.

IN THIS EPISODE

  1. Understanding our hormone changes over the course of a cycle 
  2. Why cycle symptoms can be different during perimenopause 
  3. How past trauma impacts PMS and your stress response 
  4. What’s really happening with your hormone levels in your cycle
  5. Managing your stress response system to feel safe in your body 
  6. The negative impacts stress has on your reproductive system
  7. The critical connection between your brain and sex hormones 
  8. About Dr. Sarah Hill’s newest Book: The Period Brain 

QUOTES

“The week– or for some women, it’s even the full two weeks– of the luteal phase can be a really challenging time emotionally as their body is struggling to keep up with those wild swings and hormones. But then also as you go into perimenopause, you’re going through a period of intense hormonal change, and unlike what goes on across a regular cycle, it’s unpredictable.”

“Women are twice as likely as men to have mental health-related illnesses. They’re more than twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with anxiety. They’re more likely to experience burnout in the workplace. I mean, the list goes on, and it’s because there’s way too much that’s expected of us. And one thing that women don’t recognize about it is that in addition to this being bad for things like cardiovascular health… it can also prevent you from even producing sex hormones.”

“A big part of The Period Brain is first, just really giving women a roadmap to the second half of their cycle, since it’s not something that’s really talked about.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Preorder the Perimenopause Revolution here and get your VIP ticket to the Perimenopause Solution event

Use code ENERGIZED and get 10% off on your first Troscriptions order

Order Dr. Sarah Hill’s Book: The Period Brain HERE

Dr. Sarah Hill’s Website 

Dr. Hill’s Instagram

Dr. Hill’s Facebook

RELATED EPISODES 

686: Your Second Puberty Explained: What’s Really Happening to Your Body in Perimenopause 

#648: This Changes Everything: The Perimenopause Revolution Every Woman Needs Now

#622: How to Feel Prepared for the Massive Hormone Shifts in Midlife with Dr. Taz Bhatia

#510: Need to Calm The Estrogen Drama Causing Period Problems? Here’s 5 Effective Ways to Do It

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

Read More

MENU