Blush and Bloom

Asele

Blush & Bloom is a space for real, open conversations about women’s health. From understanding menstrual cycles and hormonal changes to mental health, fitness, and nutrition, this podcast covers it all. Hosted by Gigi Kenneth, Blush & Bloom brings expert insights and personal stories to help you take care of yourself in a way that works for you. Whether you’re looking for practical advice, science-backed discussions, or just a relatable chat about the things we go through, this podcast is for you. New episodes every month. Tune in & take care of yourself, one conversation at a time.

  1. May 10

    Period Pain, Body Literacy, and the Future of FemTech | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 40

    #FemTech #PeriodPain #WomensHealth In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth speaks with Elle McCray, founder of ONYX, a FemTech company working to shrink the information gap between women and their bodies. Elle shares how her own experience with period pain, body confusion, online searches, and difficult doctor visits led her to start ONYX. She talks about why women need better access to credible, relatable information at every stage of their reproductive health journey, from puberty to menopause and beyond. They also discuss how Elle’s background in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and digital marketing shaped the way she thinks about women’s health. For Elle, everything is connected, from stress and environment to the conversations women are encouraged, or not encouraged, to have about their bodies. The conversation explores why period pain has been overlooked for so long, how shame shapes the way girls and women learn about periods, and why women’s health marketing needs to move beyond unrealistic images, stereotypes, and “pink it and shrink it” thinking. Elle also reflects on what it takes to turn a health problem into a product, how she found the right people to help her build, why community matters, and what it has meant to build in FemTech as a Black woman founder. This episode is for women, founders, marketers, and anyone interested in period pain, body literacy, reproductive health, and building health products that truly listen to the people they serve. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:10 Meet Elle McCray 00:46 From fashion and beauty to FemTech 01:47 Why ONYX started with period pain 03:48 Why period pain has been overlooked 05:53 Making women feel seen 07:52 The problem with women’s health marketing 10:24 Reclaiming pink 11:08 How FemTech founders can build trust 12:28 Turning period pain into a product 15:52 Finding the right people to help build 19:19 Building as a Black woman in FemTech 21:46 What success looks like for ONYX 📌 Links mentioned in the episode Elle McCray on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/elle-mccray/ ONYX website https://www.weareonyx.us/ 🌸 Connect with Asele Website: https://asele.tech App: https://asele.health Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asele.app Instagram: https://instagram.com/asele.tech LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/asele 🌸 Connect with Gigi Kenneth LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gigikenneth 🎧 Listen Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6NEsMfkG3dvl0pYXU40Efi Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blush-and-bloom/id1832044848 💬 Question What is one thing you wish you had learned earlier about your body, periods, or reproductive health?

    24 min

  2. May 10

    Building Better Support for Breastfeeding Mothers with Lileo | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 39

    #FemTech #Breastfeeding #MaternalHealth In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth speaks with Jerome Derycke, co-founder of Lileo, a Belgian maternal care company helping mothers continue breastfeeding with better support, comfort, and guidance. Lileo combines an innovative breast pump, a lactation app, and a subscription-based service model designed around what mothers actually need during the early motherhood journey. Jerome shares what it took to build and test Lileo over four and a half years before their first sales, including testing prototypes with more than 160 mothers, learning from their feedback, and staying motivated through years of development, fundraising, and problem-solving. They also talk about building hardware in FemTech, why maternal health products need to go beyond functionality, what founders should know before building in women’s health, and how Lileo keeps mothers at the center of its product development process. The conversation also explores what it means to be a man building in FemTech, why storytelling matters in breastfeeding support, the role of startup communities in Belgium, and what keeps the Lileo team motivated through the challenges of hardware, fundraising, and product development. This episode is for mothers, FemTech founders, health innovators, and anyone interested in breastfeeding support, women’s health, and the realities of building a product that truly serves women. ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:08 Meet Jerome Derycke 00:24 What Lileo does 01:23 Building for 4.5 years before first sales 02:17 The prototype moment that changed everything 03:05 Why maternal health needs more than a good product 03:49 What testing with mothers revealed 05:50 Advice for founders building products that take time to test 06:50 Keeping women at the center of FemTech 07:06 Why Lileo started a breastfeeding podcast 08:44 Sifted recognition and investor visibility 09:18 Being a man building in FemTech 11:30 A message for breastfeeding mothers 12:12 Building in women’s health without a medical background 13:27 What’s next for Lileo 14:04 Funding the business before revenue 16:17 Jerome’s favorite part of working on Lileo 17:29 What Jerome would tell his 15-year-old self 18:22 Where to connect with Jerome and Lileo 📌 Links mentioned in the episode Jerome Derycke on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeromederycke/ Lileo website https://lileo.com/en Lileo on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/lileomom/ Lileo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lileo.mom/ 🌸 Connect with Asele Website: https://asele.tech App: https://asele.health Android app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asele.app Instagram: https://instagram.com/asele.tech LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/asele 🌸 Connect with Gigi Kenneth LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gigikenneth 🎧 Listen Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6NEsMfkG3dvl0pYXU40Efi Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blush-and-bloom/id1832044848 💬 Question What is one thing you wish more people understood about breastfeeding or maternal health?

    19 min

  3. Mar 7

    Stress, Sleep, Gut Health, and Women’s Nutrition | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 38

    #WomensHealth #Nutrition #Stress In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth speaks with Dr. Helena Fowler, DCN, a doctor of clinical nutrition, stress and sleep expert, startup advisor, and co-host of A Coach, a Nutritionist, and an Expert Walk Into a Podcast. They talk about the connection between chronic stress, gut health, hormones, sleep, and women’s nutrition, especially for high-achieving women navigating demanding lives. Dr. Helena shares the patterns she commonly sees in women dealing with stress-related health issues, including feeling tired but wired, afternoon crashes, underfeeding, and poor sleep. They also discuss how to think about nutrition in a time of conflicting advice, whether there is any truth to cycle-based eating, what women should know about iron, protein, fiber, alcohol, and exercise, and why variety matters more than chasing one “perfect” way to eat. This episode is for women who want a more grounded and realistic approach to nutrition, especially in a culture full of weight loss trends, misinformation, and pressure to do everything perfectly. ⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro00:21 Meet Dr. Helena Fowler01:29 Wearing many hats across nutrition and startups03:06 What led her into nutrition and women’s health05:06 Stress, gut health, hormones, and sleep06:19 Common stress patterns in women07:22 Nutrition myths she would erase forever09:02 How to spot trustworthy nutrition information12:15 Cycle-based eating and seed cycling16:22 Her podcast and what she loves about it17:35 Startups she has advised, including Welltory and Nalu Bio20:31 Chia seeds, fiber, and gut health23:01 Iron, protein, alcohol, and exercise for women29:26 HIIT, sprint training, and strength training34:11 Nutrition as women age37:47 One shift women can make today39:34 What she would tell her 15-year-old self40:34 Where to find Dr. Helena Fowler 📌 Links mentioned in the episodeDr. Helena Fowler websitehttps://drfowlerdcn.com/Dr. Helena Fowler on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/helenafowler/Mind the Gap Serviceshttps://mindthegapservices.com/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/drfowlerdcn/Podcast: A Coach, a Nutritionist, and an Expert Walk Into a Podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/walkintoapodcast/Resources Dr. Helena recommended:Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Centerhttps://lpi.oregonstate.edu/micNutritionFacts.orghttps://nutritionfacts.org/Gaples Institutehttps://www.gaplesinstitute.org/Drug Nutrient Interactionshttps://www.drugnutritioninteractions.com/Linus Pauling Institute Drug Nutrient Interactionshttps://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/drug-nutrient-interactionsMedscapehttps://www.medscape.com/today 🌸 Connect with AseleWebsite: https://asele.techApp: https://asele.healthAndroid app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asele.appInstagram: https://instagram.com/asele.techLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/asele 🌸 Connect with Gigi KennethLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gigikenneth 🎧 ListenSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6NEsMfkG3dvl0pYXU40EfiApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blush-and-bloom/id1832044848 💬 QuestionWhat is one nutrition lesson you wish you had learned earlier as a woman?

    42 min

  4. Mar 6

    Leading While Bleeding: Women’s Health and Leadership at Work | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 37

    #WomensHealth #WomenInLeadership #Burnout In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth speaks with Karen Orton, founder of Scoutess Consultancy and co-founder of Steer24, about women’s health, burnout, leadership, and the workplace systems that were never designed with women’s bodies in mind. They talk about why women’s health should be treated as a leadership and organisational issue rather than a soft wellbeing topic, how burnout is showing up for women at work, and why Karen believes leadership needs to be redesigned around rhythm, energy, and sustainable performance. They also discuss the idea behind the Leading While Bleeding Summit, the fear many women have around speaking openly about health at work, and what more supportive workplaces could look like in the years ahead. This episode is for women navigating demanding careers, founders building healthier workplaces, HR and people leaders, allies who want to do better, and anyone interested in the future of women’s health at work. ⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Intro00:21 Meet Karen Orton02:17 Women’s health at work06:30 Why burnout is getting worse09:13 Cycle awareness and performance13:33 Leading While Bleeding Summit17:52 Creating change inside organisations21:07 Talking about health at work25:54 What better workplaces could look like30:01 Women in tech and AI32:32 Books that shaped Karen’s thinking36:05 What Karen would tell her younger self37:52 Where to find Karen 📌 Links mentioned in the episodeKaren Orton on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-orton-5993a720/Scoutess Consultancyhttps://www.scoutess.co.uk/Steer24 on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/steer24/Books mentioned:Shared Sisterhood by Tina Opie and Beth A. Livingstonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60484057-shared-sisterhoodFrom Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brookshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58100575-from-strength-to-strengthLeader as Healer by Nicholas Janni:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60682573-leader-as-healer 🌸 Connect with AseleWebsite: https://asele.techApp: https://asele.healthAndroid app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asele.appInstagram: https://instagram.com/asele.techLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/asele 🌸 Connect with Gigi KennethLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gigikenneth 🎧 ListenSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6NEsMfkG3dvl0pYXU40EfiApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blush-and-bloom/id1832044848 💬 QuestionWhat is one way workplaces could better support women’s health without treating it like an afterthought?

    40 min

  5. Mar 2

    Miyara Health and the Future of Perimenopause Support | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 36

    In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth speaks with Dr. Sanjana Rao, PhD, co founder of Miyara Health, about why perimenopause and menopause are still misunderstood and why so many women feel unprepared when symptoms begin. They discuss how perimenopause can start in your 30s, why different ethnicities may experience menopause at different ages, and why hot flashes are not the only symptom to watch for. Dr. Sanjana also shares how tracking symptoms can help women advocate for themselves when they feel dismissed in healthcare settings. The conversation also covers misinformation online, what to look for when deciding who to trust, and why workplaces need to take menopause support seriously. Links mentionedDr. Sanjana Rao on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sraophd/Miyara Health: https://www.miyarahealth.com/Miyara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miyara_women/Namaste Switzerland: https://namasteswitzerland.ch/Miyara app download: https://onelink.to/m9cwnb

    28 min

  6. 12/07/2025

    How Technology Can Finally Catch Up to Women’s Health Needs | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 35

    #WomensHealth #FemTech #MedicalAI In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth sits with Dr. Oshin Behl, clinician-scientist and Innovation Manager at ZEISS, to talk about the gaps that exist in women’s health research, the misunderstood role of medical AI, and why innovation must consider both clinical and commercial realities. We explore why women are still underrepresented in clinical trials, how AI tools can fall short, and what it takes to build solutions that truly support women. Dr. Oshin also shares her journey from medical school to innovation, her thoughts on rising infertility trends, and what women should know when advocating for themselves in healthcare settings. This episode is great for anyone interested in FemTech, digital health, medical AI, infertility research, and women’s health advocacy. Timestamps00:00 Welcome00:21 Meet Dr. Oshin01:22 Clinician → Scientist → Innovation Manager03:20 Entering the world of health innovation05:11 Mentoring medical students beyond traditional paths07:03 The biggest gaps in women’s health research08:53 Why adoption lags despite new tools10:39 Where AI helps—and where caution is needed13:39 Low-resource settings and access challenges16:12 Making health tech accessible and affordable18:37 Education and early detection19:40 Misconceptions about “medical AI”22:16 Precision vs. personalized medicine25:50 How startups and corporates can work together28:40 Why infertility research is growing31:29 Her message for women33:53 Advice to her 15-year-old self35:32 Where to find her36:27 Closing Links mentionedDr. Oshin Behl (LinkedIn):https://www.linkedin.com/in/oshinbehl/ Connect with AseleWebsite: https://asele.techApp: https://asele.healthInstagram: https://instagram.com/asele.techLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/asele Connect with Gigi KennethLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/gigikenneth ListenSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6NEsMfkG3dvl0pYXU40EfiApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/blush-and-bloom/id1832044848 QuestionWhat’s one thing you wish more women understood about advocating for their health?

    37 min

  7. 12/07/2025

    Why Women Need Better Health Data: Uma Subramanian on Cancer, Advocacy, and Maarge | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 34

    In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth sits with Uma Subramanian, founder of Maarge, to explore how her cancer journey, neurological flare episodes, and years of caregiving shaped a platform designed to support both patients and families. We talk about tracking symptoms, recognising patterns, navigating fragmented healthcare systems, and why women often minimise their pain. Uma shares how breast cancer, unexplained neurological episodes, and supporting an aging parent influenced the way she builds. We also discuss digital health, responsible use of AI, and the importance of designing tools that help women advocate for themselves. This episode is ideal for: Women navigating chronic illness or long-term symptomsCaregivers supporting loved onesFemTech founders building with empathy and lived experienceAnyone interested in personal health data and pattern trackingTimestamps 00:00 Welcome00:21 Meet Uma03:23 Moving from enterprise tech to women’s health07:27 Surviving breast cancer and learning to track symptoms14:08 Why Maarge includes caregivers19:11 How fraud analytics shaped her approach26:52 Thoughts on digital health and AI30:26 What founders overlook in women’s health40:02 Uma’s message for women navigating cancer41:40 What’s next for Maarge43:06 What she would tell her 15-year-old self44:09 Where to find UmaLinks mentioned MARGEMy Caregiving Ally“Fight Song” by Rachel PlattenStanford MyHealthGood Samaritan MyHealthOneDementia informationALS informationBreast cancer resourcesUma Subramanian on LinkedInConnect with AseleWebsite | App | Instagram | LinkedIn Connect with Gigi KennethLinkedIn Question for listeners: What’s one thing you wish women learned earlier about advocating for their health?

    46 min

  8. 12/07/2025

    Designing a Safe Space for Adolescent Girls’ Health with IslaFem | Blush and Bloom Podcast | Ep. 33

    #WomensHealth #FemTech #GirlsHealth In this episode of Blush and Bloom, Gigi Kenneth sits with Eniko Simon, founder and Chief Product Officer of IslaFem. We talk about why adolescent girls are underserved in women’s health, how traditional systems overlook early symptoms, and how IslaFem uses co-design with teens, parents, and clinicians to build safer, more effective tools. Eniko shares her journey across UK and UAE healthcare systems, her 20-year path to chronic fatigue diagnosis, and why early patient advocacy matters. We also discuss responsible AI for young users, emotional wellbeing for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and how founders can build with empathy from day one. ⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Welcome00:21 Meet Eniko00:33 What IslaFem is01:38 Global gaps in girls’ health02:41 Traditional vs personalised care04:05 Why girls turn to at-home health tools05:55 Founding IslaFem07:47 Living with chronic fatigue11:17 How tech helps diagnosis12:05 Co-design with teens and parents17:01 Why focus on adolescents21:16 Building for Gen Z and Gen Alpha24:50 Designing safe AI25:51 Vision for IslaFem27:59 Lessons from MIT29:42 Advice for FemTech founders31:22 What she’d tell her 15-year-old self34:16 How to connect with Eniko 📌 Links MentionedEniko Simon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eniko-simon-sheeran/IslaFem: https://islafem.comMIT Chief Product Officer Program: https://professionalprograms.mit.edu/blended-professional-certificate-chief-product-officer/BBC Segment on AI Psychosis: https://youtu.be/OmzzoJM5YQM?si=0S-v2TSgiHzs53Up 🌸 Connect with AseleWebsite: https://asele.techApp: https://asele.healthInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/asele.techLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/asele 🌸 Connect with Gigi Kennethhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gigikenneth 💬 QuestionWhat’s one thing you wish you learned earlier about your health?

    36 min
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About

Blush & Bloom is a space for real, open conversations about women’s health. From understanding menstrual cycles and hormonal changes to mental health, fitness, and nutrition, this podcast covers it all. Hosted by Gigi Kenneth, Blush & Bloom brings expert insights and personal stories to help you take care of yourself in a way that works for you. Whether you’re looking for practical advice, science-backed discussions, or just a relatable chat about the things we go through, this podcast is for you. New episodes every month. Tune in & take care of yourself, one conversation at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Asele
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Asele
  • Show Website
    Blush and Bloom