WEBVTT - Period Chats With Naturopath Maria Harpas 0:00:01.000 --> 0:00:03.960 This episode of Outspoken is brought to you by Modibody, 0:00:04.240 --> 0:00:07.360 the period underwear that gives you better support, better protection, 0:00:07.560 --> 0:00:10.880 and a better life. This is Outspoken, the podcast is 0:00:10.920 --> 0:00:14.520 not afraid to say exactly what you're thinking. Our names 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:18.040 are Amy Kate and Sophie Torber. We're identical triplets, but 0:00:18.120 --> 0:00:22.000 we often don't have identical opinions, so sometimes things can 0:00:22.040 --> 0:00:27.760 get heated. Outspoken covers all things reality TV, influences, entertainment, 0:00:27.840 --> 0:00:29.240 and issues facing women. 0:00:30.040 --> 0:00:31.520 That is so fatch. 0:00:31.960 --> 0:00:36.720 Thank you, Thank you for joining us for our special 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:39.880 episode all about periods Now. I've been so excited to 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:42.199 talk about this all day, and it seems like you 0:00:42.200 --> 0:00:44.000 guys are really excited to hear about it because we 0:00:44.040 --> 0:00:46.800 had such a good response on our Facebook and Instagram 0:00:47.040 --> 0:00:49.160 when we told you guys about this episode. I think 0:00:49.159 --> 0:00:51.839 it's the most responded to question we've put up. We 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:54.279 had so many great questions, I know. I was really 0:00:54.320 --> 0:00:56.680 excited to see the questions trickling in because a lot 0:00:56.680 --> 0:00:59.040 of them echoed the questions I have for Maria, so 0:00:59.160 --> 0:01:01.160 I can't wait to hear her get into the topic 0:01:01.200 --> 0:01:02.320 a little bit more well. 0:01:02.320 --> 0:01:02.920 We will be. 0:01:02.920 --> 0:01:06.440 Joined by Maria Harpers shortly, and she's from Natural Health Medicine. 0:01:06.440 --> 0:01:09.160 She's a qualified nutritionist and natural path so she'll be 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:11.840 able to give some great insight to some of your questions. 0:01:12.080 --> 0:01:15.280 But we thought we'd start by talking about our own 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:18.000 sort of first time periods because we really want to 0:01:18.000 --> 0:01:20.960 break the stigma, because it's crazy. We were all discussing 0:01:20.959 --> 0:01:23.520 earlier that when we all first got our periods, it 0:01:23.600 --> 0:01:25.600 was such an embarrassing. 0:01:24.959 --> 0:01:26.000 Topic to talk about. 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:28.840 No one spoke about it, even though you knew everyone 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:31.240 at school was going through the same thing. It was 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:34.200 this weird thing where like all your mums knew you 0:01:34.240 --> 0:01:36.000 had your period and they would talk about it. But 0:01:36.040 --> 0:01:38.280 there is no way I would have said anything to 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:40.119 my best friend about it. But at the same time, 0:01:40.160 --> 0:01:43.120 I think, well, it was somewhat embarrassing. Part of you 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:45.600 also wanted to get your period to feel like part 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:47.520 of the group as well, because I go well for 0:01:47.560 --> 0:01:50.720 the three of us. Obviously, we're triplets and I'm actually 0:01:50.720 --> 0:01:52.600 the youngest only by a few minutes out of all 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:54.800 of us, and Kay and Amy both happened to get 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:57.800 their period before me, and I did feel a bit 0:01:57.880 --> 0:01:59.840 left out or that I wasn't at the same rle 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:02.360 Stone as everyone else like. So there was a little 0:02:02.360 --> 0:02:03.880 bit of relief for me when I did. 0:02:03.760 --> 0:02:04.440 Get my period. 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:06.360 I can tell you from being the one that seems 0:02:06.400 --> 0:02:09.000 to always go through this stuff first, so I was 0:02:09.000 --> 0:02:10.720 the first one to get my period. All you're the 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.240 oldest sister technically, yes, but it was such a shock 0:02:13.320 --> 0:02:15.640 because even though we did sex air and all that 0:02:15.680 --> 0:02:17.480 sort of stuff, and Mum tried to have the awkward 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.399 chats with us, I when I got it didn't even 0:02:20.400 --> 0:02:22.880 know what was happening. So I think some og listeners 0:02:22.880 --> 0:02:24.959 will know about my story, which I think is quite 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:27.639 an epic first period story, but for those who don't know, 0:02:27.960 --> 0:02:30.359 we were going on our first overseas holiday and we 0:02:30.360 --> 0:02:33.360 were eleven years old, so we were so excited. We 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:36.680 jumped on a Malaysian Airlines flight and you know, the 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:38.600 flight was great. I think we were a few hours 0:02:38.600 --> 0:02:41.920 into the flight, they'd served our meal, had dessert, and 0:02:41.960 --> 0:02:43.960 I decided to get up to go to the toilet. 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:46.200 I joined, you remember, because we went together because it 0:02:46.440 --> 0:02:48.200 think we were a bit scared using the airplane life. 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:51.200 We're still scared to use those so anyway, we were 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:53.560 sitting in a line of five in the middle row 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:56.120 because we've got five members in our family. And I 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:57.920 got up and I think, Mum's like, what's that on 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:01.360 your pants? And I'd eaten some of I think it 0:03:01.400 --> 0:03:04.720 was like a raspberry dessert with a raspberry sauce on it, 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:07.440 so I thought, I don't know, it's probably from the dessert. 0:03:07.480 --> 0:03:09.840 I must have slopped it on myself. Anyway, I go 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:13.280 into those horrible little toilets, pulled out my pants and 0:03:13.600 --> 0:03:16.480 what I saw was just it was yeah, I won't 0:03:16.520 --> 0:03:18.160 go into it, but I was shocked. 0:03:18.200 --> 0:03:20.200 Do you know what though, I don't even. 0:03:20.120 --> 0:03:22.320 Think that looked like a normal period, like maybe your 0:03:22.360 --> 0:03:25.640 first periods, because it was just yeah, everywhere, Yeah it was. 0:03:25.720 --> 0:03:28.080 And of course I was wearing white shorts so well. 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:30.040 I remember at the time because we did go on 0:03:30.080 --> 0:03:33.680 a swimming holiday, and you know, seeing Kate use a 0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:36.600 pad for the first time, just how young I was 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:38.800 that I assumed that she had to wear a pad 0:03:38.880 --> 0:03:41.600 for the rest of her life. I thought the period continued, 0:03:41.720 --> 0:03:44.200 and that just shows how young you are when these 0:03:44.240 --> 0:03:47.160 sort of life changing events happened for you. Well, I 0:03:47.200 --> 0:03:49.440 had no idea what was going on, And the funniest 0:03:49.440 --> 0:03:52.600 part was Mum took me up to the stewardess and 0:03:52.760 --> 0:03:55.200 I was so mortified. She's like, my daughter's just got 0:03:55.200 --> 0:03:57.240 her first period. Do you have any pads? So I 0:03:57.280 --> 0:04:00.720 got some special Malaysian Airlines pads. I remember them being 0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:04.120 so big and thick, and I just don't I just 0:04:04.200 --> 0:04:07.360 remember not really knowing what was going on, because you know, 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:09.400 I just went swimming as normal. 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:12.800 Quite early to get your period. 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:16.120 Well with my period, my first period, I remember I 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:18.039 got it just before I was meant to be going 0:04:18.160 --> 0:04:20.680 to a sleepover to friend's house. Sorry to interject, but 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:24.200 it's always got something to do with swimming or sleeping over, 0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:26.680 because it's you know, those things that are hard when 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:27.680 you have your first period. 0:04:27.680 --> 0:04:28.280 But that's the thing. 0:04:28.279 --> 0:04:30.520 When you do have a sleepover when you're younger and 0:04:30.560 --> 0:04:33.280 you first get your period, it's mortifying because you're like, oh, 0:04:33.279 --> 0:04:33.760 where do I. 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:36.159 Put the pads? Or you don't want your friends to 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:36.680 see it in. 0:04:36.640 --> 0:04:38.479 Your bag and I don't know if anyone else, but 0:04:38.520 --> 0:04:41.000 it's always really heavy when you're young. I remember going 0:04:41.040 --> 0:04:45.120 at a sleepover and literally just it sounds great, but 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:47.640 just holding onto the pad the whole night because I 0:04:47.680 --> 0:04:50.719 was mortified. If I bled onto my pajamas or onto 0:04:50.760 --> 0:04:53.160 the sleeping bag. It was just I couldn't sleep at 0:04:53.200 --> 0:04:56.520 all from fear. Get You've got to get into your 0:04:56.520 --> 0:04:59.280 first period story. Yeah, well it wasn't that exciting. I 0:04:59.279 --> 0:05:03.320 remember We're sitting around watching Judge Judy with Chad and 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:04.640 I was like, I just was like, oh, I need 0:05:04.640 --> 0:05:06.760 to go to the bathroom for the be uncomfortable. And 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:09.680 I went and it didn't look anything like yours. Kate. 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:11.560 You're like, yours doesn't sound that traumatic. 0:05:11.600 --> 0:05:13.760 Well, it kind of was traumatic because I was meant 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:16.159 to be going over to my best friends and you 0:05:16.200 --> 0:05:18.760 guys were coming to Alicia's house. 0:05:19.000 --> 0:05:21.760 And I remember Mom called up and I was like, 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:23.800 please don't tell Alicia's mum. 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:26.320 That's why we can'ts Like, of course she did. 0:05:26.320 --> 0:05:26.640 She wrung. 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:28.239 She's like, oh, sorry, Amy's got a period. 0:05:28.279 --> 0:05:30.560 I was like so mortified that, to be honestly, she 0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:32.599 would know, and as a mum I probably did the 0:05:32.600 --> 0:05:35.320 exact same thing. I would be so honored as well. 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:37.280 I mean, I can understand why Mom did that. Now, 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:41.240 what about you, Sophie, I know yours involved swimming. Yeah, well, 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:43.880 I think mine was about a year after you got yours. 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:46.320 A bit of background info is that Kate and I 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:49.000 used to wear the same hairstyle when we were eleven 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:51.280 and twelve and basically was probably right up to. 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:53.760 Like you's were plat very sad. 0:05:53.800 --> 0:05:56.640 But it was really funny because even in photos, like, 0:05:56.800 --> 0:05:58.960 even though we're the same age, Kate was always more 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:01.880 developed than me. Kate always had boobs, but I had nothing. 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:04.400 Look when you say I had boobs, I think that's 0:06:04.440 --> 0:06:09.080 a pretty generous small boobs. We used to said Kate 0:06:09.200 --> 0:06:12.240 a car of a I mean, I made her a 0:06:12.279 --> 0:06:18.040 car that was shaped like a bra, and. 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:18.240 I remember they were so mean. 0:06:18.360 --> 0:06:20.720 I literally, my boobs are probably the same size as 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:21.520 they were back then. 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:24.200 I was waiting for them to grow in and that 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:24.680 was kind of you. 0:06:24.880 --> 0:06:28.479 But I remember we had those fake eggs part of 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:30.839 our kitchen, little kitchen set, and you used to put 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:34.600 them in your shirt. It was so may we digressed 0:06:34.600 --> 0:06:36.280 from my first period. Do you know what I'm going 0:06:36.279 --> 0:06:38.520 to interject. The funniest part of that was Karma was 0:06:38.560 --> 0:06:40.400 a bitch because Mum and Mom didn't get you guys 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:42.040 a bra until like year nine, so. 0:06:42.080 --> 0:06:44.080 You were, oh my god, I know. 0:06:44.160 --> 0:06:46.920 And that's probably where the resentment towards you was coming from. 0:06:46.960 --> 0:06:52.279 Perhaps anyway, getting into getting into my first period story. 0:06:52.360 --> 0:06:55.599 It was a week long aquatics kind of not camp, 0:06:55.640 --> 0:06:58.560 but a week long aquatic session at the end of 0:06:58.640 --> 0:07:01.039 year seven. And I remember, for some reason, I don't 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:03.440 know why, Year seven class was watching the Wiggles, but 0:07:03.480 --> 0:07:05.520 we were watching the Wiggles and I remember having these 0:07:05.520 --> 0:07:09.840 intense stabbing pains in my stomach and we were supposed 0:07:09.880 --> 0:07:12.480 to be heading to the aquatics thing that afternoon. Anyway, 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:14.640 I went ran to the bathroom and I realized I 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:16.280 had my period, but I didn't know what to do, 0:07:16.520 --> 0:07:18.800 so I had to end up going swimming anyway, even 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:21.280 though I had my period. So who are the schools 0:07:21.280 --> 0:07:23.400 that are scheduling all these swimming camps? Like when we 0:07:23.440 --> 0:07:26.320 went to high school, remember every year it was the swimming. 0:07:26.000 --> 0:07:27.000 Po oh my gosh. 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:29.720 I have such bad memories from that year eight swimming 0:07:29.760 --> 0:07:32.640 can of It was so embarrassing because not only you 0:07:32.720 --> 0:07:36.440 might have your period, but getting into bath in front 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:39.720 of people when you're going through puberty is really tough. Well, 0:07:39.840 --> 0:07:42.400 I think also I reflecting on when you are young 0:07:42.440 --> 0:07:45.560 and you do get your first period, the most confusing 0:07:45.600 --> 0:07:47.920 thing is that you get your period, and obviously. 0:07:47.640 --> 0:07:49.520 You're supposed to get it monthly, but because. 0:07:49.320 --> 0:07:51.440 It is so new to you, you don't actually get 0:07:51.440 --> 0:07:54.440 it on a regular basis. And I remember that year 0:07:54.480 --> 0:07:58.080 we went away on holiday, some Melbourne road trip, and 0:07:58.120 --> 0:08:00.960 I was too embarrassed to tell Mum I had my period. 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:03.440 So the whole trip I was just trying to sneak 0:08:03.480 --> 0:08:06.280 pads that were brought for Kate and Amy, and then 0:08:06.360 --> 0:08:09.000 some days I would just have nothing like and I 0:08:09.000 --> 0:08:11.800 remember Mom I had. I ended up crying at the 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:13.760 end of the trip telling her that I had my period, 0:08:13.800 --> 0:08:16.040 and She's like, I was wondering where there were undies 0:08:16.040 --> 0:08:20.440 filled with blood in them? Shee would Mom have said something, yeah, 0:08:20.600 --> 0:08:23.040 But I just remember being so mortified because you already 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:25.480 had that difficult discussion of telling them that you had 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:27.760 your period. I remember finding out that that's what it 0:08:27.840 --> 0:08:30.600 happened years later, and I had this recollection that we'd 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:32.680 all had a spa together, and I was like, what 0:08:32.720 --> 0:08:33.240 they happened? 0:08:33.320 --> 0:08:34.240 It was troubling me. 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:35.640 The whole trip, Like you know, when you feel like 0:08:35.640 --> 0:08:37.840 you've got something hanging over your head, Like I remember 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:40.440 feeling so alone even to embarrass to talk about it 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:42.440 with you guys. So I mean, I suppose it's good 0:08:42.440 --> 0:08:45.280 that we are having discussions like this. So maybe young 0:08:45.320 --> 0:08:47.640 girls feel happier to speak about it because it is. 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:48.520 Such a natural thing. 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:50.559 Yeah, it's so funny to think about the fact that 0:08:50.640 --> 0:08:54.160 we were all the same age sisters tell each other everything, 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:56.360 but couldn't talk about that, and even to tell your 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:58.679 own mum, Like I remember, I had to go for 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:00.720 some reason. I got into this face where I would 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:02.199 go and be like when I got my period. I 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:04.559 would say, Mom, I've got my period. So she'd obviously 0:09:04.600 --> 0:09:06.800 buy pads and stuff, but she was so cute. She 0:09:06.840 --> 0:09:08.840 gave me this little calendar and we used to mark 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:10.640 off when I had my period, and I used to 0:09:10.679 --> 0:09:12.880 like keep it in this special spot. 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:14.800 Wow, why didn't I have a book? 0:09:14.800 --> 0:09:15.319 I didn't hear that. 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:16.520 It wasn't a little book. 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:18.800 It was just a little card that had like the dates. 0:09:18.800 --> 0:09:22.160 And actually, this this should just be a whole puberty discussion, 0:09:22.240 --> 0:09:26.080 because I remember Mom would buy us this like roll 0:09:26.160 --> 0:09:31.160 on deodorant, and I remember it said on the directions 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:32.880 it's like don't use after shaving. 0:09:33.160 --> 0:09:34.880 And I went up to Mom and I said, Mom, 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:35.720 these are for boys. 0:09:35.760 --> 0:09:37.920 It's talking about shaving, but obviously. 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:39.720 It meant shaving under her arm. 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:45.080 We twelve thirteen, do you guys remember, Sorry, this is 0:09:45.120 --> 0:09:47.439 so sad and it's embarrassing that we're putting this out there. 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:50.000 But I remember I'm lying on the couch with Mum 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:51.960 and I remember she used to like smell under her 0:09:52.120 --> 0:09:53.960 arms and then she was like, oh. 0:09:53.840 --> 0:09:56.199 Yes, it's probably time to day using some deodorant. 0:09:56.320 --> 0:09:59.120 I remember in terms of deodorant that Mum would buy us. Yeah, 0:09:59.200 --> 0:10:02.200 the Mum brand deodor on to everyone in y eight 0:10:02.320 --> 0:10:06.160 had the cool the spray on, like this impulse whatever. 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:06.959 Yeah. 0:10:07.000 --> 0:10:09.120 I remember we really wanted links, but I think, well, 0:10:09.760 --> 0:10:11.720 oh sorry, Nwasovi's got links in my head. We really 0:10:11.760 --> 0:10:13.760 want an impulse, But I think it was expensive and 0:10:13.920 --> 0:10:16.120 you just spray it and it goes, Oh god, I 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:18.560 got the worst locker in you ate, because mine was 0:10:18.600 --> 0:10:21.240 on the bottom, and the girl who was in the middle, 0:10:21.320 --> 0:10:23.480 she would constantly be sitting trying to get my stuff out, 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:26.200 and she'd just grab her Impulse and literally spray it 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:28.520 all over her body. And you know when you just 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:31.440 be like coughing because that stuff was toxic. 0:10:31.760 --> 0:10:33.120 Yeah, it was overpowering. 0:10:33.800 --> 0:10:35.679 Well, now that Kate, Sophie and I have shared some 0:10:35.720 --> 0:10:39.240 of our period stories, we'd actually really love to hear yours. 0:10:39.480 --> 0:10:41.920 So if you want to go into our Facebook community, 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:45.200 which has outspoken the podcast community, we're going to put 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:47.880 a question up there about when did you first get 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:50.160 your period and what actually happened, and we'd love if 0:10:50.200 --> 0:10:52.199 you guys could share it, because, to be honest, it's 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:53.320 quite funny to look back on. 0:10:53.800 --> 0:10:53.959 Oh. 0:10:54.000 --> 0:10:56.520 I think it's so funny. And what I love is 0:10:56.520 --> 0:10:58.520 that there seems to be a lot of common themes 0:10:58.559 --> 0:11:01.480 around periods and swiminkan alls and sleepover. So I'd love 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:04.960 to hear the interesting ways other people got their first period, 0:11:05.240 --> 0:11:08.240 even any stories that are funny involving periods, because I 0:11:08.240 --> 0:11:09.439 know at high school. 0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:10.440 It was such a big thing. 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:13.480 I don't know who designs the high school dresses, but 0:11:13.480 --> 0:11:16.640 they're usually very light and not very thick, so because 0:11:16.640 --> 0:11:19.280 they're quite cheap to bish and it was just horrible 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:22.360 because there was a girl at our school who she 0:11:22.520 --> 0:11:24.600 was called up the front to write on the board 0:11:25.080 --> 0:11:27.440 and the poor girl had a big blood patch on 0:11:27.480 --> 0:11:29.360 the back of her dress and someone's like, what's that? 0:11:29.400 --> 0:11:30.559 I think one of the boys. 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:32.200 Said that, and she's like, oh, I just cut the 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:34.199 top of my leg, and looking back. 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:35.240 It's just so cruel. 0:11:35.640 --> 0:11:38.280 I do remember we were talking about this with our 0:11:38.320 --> 0:11:41.319 boyfriends and we said something about how you would tie 0:11:41.400 --> 0:11:43.800 your jumper around your waist if you had your period, 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:47.520 and I remember Dale was like, is that why that 0:11:47.600 --> 0:11:49.720 reminds you Back in the day at school when I 0:11:49.760 --> 0:11:52.320 had my period, I would get a pad and you know, 0:11:52.360 --> 0:11:53.960 you'd have to put it in your school pocket, and 0:11:54.240 --> 0:11:56.760 at our school, you weren't allowed to carry a bagg around. Yeah. 0:11:56.800 --> 0:11:58.280 Yeah, so you had to put it in your pocket. 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:02.439 And I'm sorry, but that looks so obviously because I 0:12:02.559 --> 0:12:05.480 had to, and they were just like and for some reason, 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:07.640 I don't know why, but I was always so paranoid. 0:12:07.679 --> 0:12:10.400 There'd be some sort of instance where people someone would 0:12:10.400 --> 0:12:12.640 be like, turn out your pockets, and I would be 0:12:12.720 --> 0:12:14.199 mortified that I had pads in there. 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.120 So I remember I had this little bag, I had 0:12:17.200 --> 0:12:19.120 this wallet who bear a wallet that I. 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:22.040 Used to shove them into and just in case, because 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:23.160 then I wouldn't. 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:24.160 Have to reveal what was in my pocket. 0:12:24.240 --> 0:12:25.840 I remember at school when you'd have to go and 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:28.480 change your pad at recess or lunch, and because you 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:31.360 didn't want to be heard, you try and tear the 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:33.199 the what is it called the pad? 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:36.200 No, the what is it? 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:36.800 The sticky bit? 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:39.400 You try and tear it off so lightly so that 0:12:39.480 --> 0:12:40.240 no one could hear. 0:12:40.559 --> 0:12:43.120 And it cracked me up one day. I cracked up 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:45.120 one day moving the toilet roll. 0:12:45.280 --> 0:12:47.040 Yeah, it cracked up because I was in there and 0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:48.640 I was trying to be so quiet, and then some 0:12:48.679 --> 0:12:50.280 girl just got into the next cube because I was 0:12:50.280 --> 0:12:51.360 just like, just. 0:12:51.280 --> 0:12:54.040 Puts us straight off. I needed that confidence. 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:56.679 It's funny though, you talk about how you don't want 0:12:56.679 --> 0:12:59.079 anyone to see you with a pad or a tampon, 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:01.880 because I'm still like that at work. So I remember 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:03.480 I needed to use one, and I had one in 0:13:03.520 --> 0:13:06.120 my bag, and I like put my hand in there 0:13:06.160 --> 0:13:08.440 and then sort of pulled my sleeve and like pulled 0:13:08.440 --> 0:13:11.160 it up my sleeve. How weird is that that so 0:13:11.240 --> 0:13:14.040 many of us have our periods, yet we still hide 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:16.520 it even when we're adults. Now that you've heard our stories, 0:13:16.600 --> 0:13:20.520 let's get into answering some of your questions with Maria Harpers. So, Maria, 0:13:20.559 --> 0:13:21.760 thanks for joining us again. 0:13:22.360 --> 0:13:24.160 No problem, everyone is. 0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:26.200 So excited to have you back on the show, and 0:13:26.240 --> 0:13:30.040 we've had so many questions being sent in all about periods, 0:13:30.679 --> 0:13:33.920 so it seems like everyone wants to talk about it, 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:37.360 so we might get into our first question. So, once 0:13:37.400 --> 0:13:39.520 you get off the pill, what are some tips to 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:40.920 regulating your cycle. 0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:46.280 Well, look, for some women, obviously, that just happens very 0:13:46.320 --> 0:13:50.600 quickly and they start getting a bleed quite quickly and 0:13:50.600 --> 0:13:55.679 it regulates normally. So initially it's just waiting to see 0:13:56.120 --> 0:13:59.640 for the first month or so how that falls, and 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:01.960 then it is irregular. 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:04.360 There's actually herbs that we can use to. 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:09.880 Try to assist with that becoming regular again. And it 0:14:09.920 --> 0:14:12.240 also depends how long women have been on the pill 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:16.360 for as well, So you know, some women don't remember 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:20.720 like they've started the pill quite early, and so when 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:22.920 they come off it, it's quite a few years down 0:14:22.960 --> 0:14:25.440 the track, so they don't really remember what their periods 0:14:25.440 --> 0:14:28.200 were like beforehand naturally and what. 0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:28.680 They were doing. 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:32.960 So yeah, and of course we always use diet as 0:14:33.000 --> 0:14:36.480 well to just start to help, but initially it's just 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:38.200 to see what is. 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:40.400 Normal for that person, how that falls. 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:43.320 So if you have been on the pill from a 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:46.200 very young age, say over ten years, Is it going 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:48.600 to take you a longer time to actually get your 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:49.400 period back? 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:54.720 Yeah, So it is different from women to women, but 0:14:55.040 --> 0:14:57.720 it can, and I think more so because we don't 0:14:57.760 --> 0:15:01.000 know what their normal cycle was like like before. They 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:05.800 don't always know, so it can. It really just depends 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:08.280 on the woman how long that's going to take to 0:15:08.440 --> 0:15:10.960 get back to normal. I've had women where it's taken 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:13.840 ages to get back to normal, you know, up to 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:17.320 six months, and then others within a month it starts 0:15:17.360 --> 0:15:19.560 to regulate and get back to normal. So once we see, 0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:23.040 after you know, four weeks or so, that things aren't starting, 0:15:23.080 --> 0:15:25.360 that's when we sort of start some herbs and things 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:28.960 to move things along, especially if women want to get pregnant, 0:15:29.320 --> 0:15:33.520 so that changes things and depending on how old they 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:35.520 are and how quickly we work. 0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:39.000 So, if someone has gotten off the pill and they 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.680 haven't been to a natural path and they're struggling to 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:43.480 get their period back, do you think that would be 0:15:43.520 --> 0:15:45.520 a good option, you know, for someone to go and 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:48.640 come into you or someone else to see what they 0:15:48.680 --> 0:15:49.080 can do. 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:56.080 Absolutely absolutely, because if it's not normal normalizing quite quickly, 0:15:56.400 --> 0:16:00.640 I would definitely be looking at trying to. 0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:00.960 Do things to help that. 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:03.360 And there's different vitamins as well that we look at 0:16:03.440 --> 0:16:07.480 essential fats. You know, is there enough fruit and veging 0:16:07.560 --> 0:16:11.520 take in the diet. So we're definitely the people for that. 0:16:11.960 --> 0:16:14.480 I think naturopaths are really you know, zoned in not 0:16:14.600 --> 0:16:16.800 helping normalized periods. 0:16:17.040 --> 0:16:19.320 And this question is kind of along the same lines. 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:21.400 But does being on the pill for over ten years 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:23.160 does it have any effect on your fertility? 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:25.440 I wouldn't be able to say yes it does. 0:16:26.080 --> 0:16:28.960 Again, you know, some women have problems, But do we 0:16:29.040 --> 0:16:30.960 know whether the pill caused that or not. 0:16:31.240 --> 0:16:31.800 We don't know. 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:35.520 I don't think we could definitely say that that's a problem. 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:39.080 I think we definitely know that there's risks from being 0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:39.520 on the. 0:16:39.440 --> 0:16:44.800 Pill and that may change certain. 0:16:44.560 --> 0:16:48.360 Things in the body, and could that affect fertility? Not sure, 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:52.600 not sure, Yeah, but there's definitely risks from being on 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:54.920 the pill, and I don't know that they are always 0:16:55.520 --> 0:16:58.800 people are always made aware of those risks. For instance, 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:02.320 I found a study been showing that inflammatory bower disease 0:17:02.400 --> 0:17:06.000 could be one risk for people that are susceptible from 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:08.960