Kelly Newton spent 25 years normalising painful, heavy periods before being diagnosed with endometriosis at 39. Coni Longden-Jefferson is deep in the postpartum hormonal fog, trying to manage her PMS while running a business with a baby in tow. Together, they built Nixi Body - and together, they join Ellisha for the very first episode of The Hormonal Hotline. We get into period taboos, self-advocacy at the GP, pelvic floor health, sustainable period care, and the link between hormones and mental health. Plus: the Hormone Hotline opens for its first anonymous listener dilemmas. Key Insights Pain is never normal, even if your mum said so. Missing school, missing work, flooding through a pad - these are signs, not facts of life. If your period is disrupting your daily functioning, it's worth investigating.A symptoms diary is your most powerful tool. Track your cycle, pain, mood, and symptoms before any GP appointment. Go in prepared. Take someone with you. Ask for a second opinion if you feel you’ve been dismissed.Your hormones are not the enemy. Learn your cycle and you start working with it, not against it. Knowing you're in your luteal phase doesn't make you weak, it makes you informed.Period care is healthcare. The vagina is one of the most absorbent organs in the body. What you use during your period matters - for the environment and for your health.Hormones and mental health are deeply intertwined. For many women, exploring the impact of their cycle can be the missing piece in their treatment plan. By integrating hormonal health into the conversation, we can better support those navigating PMDD, perimenopause, and postpartum Timestamps 00:56 - Introductions. Ellisha meets Coni & Kelly, co-founders of Nixi Body. 03:40 - How Nixi Body started: Kelly's painful periods, bladder leaks, and a prototype pair of knickers designed at her kitchen table. 05:42 - Coni joins the story: women's health clients, a free social media class, and a very good business partnership. 09:29 - The system let Kelly down, not her body. Coni reflects on helping Kelly reframe her experience. 10:12 - Normalising pain. Why even elite athletes don't know their periods aren't normal. 13:33 - The biggest menstrual taboos. Language, shame, and why calling things by their name actually matters. 17:30 — Self-advocacy tools: symptoms diaries, taking someone to appointments, and being audacious. 23:29 — Ellisha on her PMDD diagnosis. How isolating it felt even with support around her. 23:48 — Coni on postpartum hormonal health and the ripple effect that nobody warns you about past three months. 27:13 — PMS management with a baby. What worked before doesn't always work now. 33:07 — Period care and sustainability. 11,000 disposable products in a lifetime. The health and environmental case for switching. 52:17 — Coni explains the menstrual cycle using pop girls: oestrogen = Taylor Swift & Sabrina Carpenter; progesterone = Billie Eilish & Olivia Rodrigo. This Episode Is Brought To You By Evelyn Health Evelyn Health is dedicated to helping those struggling with PMS and PMDD through expert-led, science-backed supplements and functional foods. Having used them for over a year to manage my own hormonal health, I'm so proud to have them as a partner. Get 20% off your first order with code HOTLINE20 at evelynhealth.com Get 15% off Nixi Body with code HOTLINE15! at nixibody.com Connect & Subscribe If this resonated, share it with someone who needs it. One conversation really can change a woman's health trajectory - it's the whole reason we're here. Got a dilemma for the Hormone Hotline? Submit it anonymously and send us your dilemma’s via our IG DM’s! Have a listen, leave a review, and come find us. Follow Nixi Body at @nixibody and reach out to Coni and Kelly in the DMs. A Note On Our Content This podcast explores research and lived experience around women's health and chronic conditions. Our discussions aim to reflect current evidence while acknowledging that understanding in this field continues to evolve. The content is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Listeners experiencing significant or distressing symptoms should seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.
