Period Pain Explained: Prostaglandins, Endometriosis Clues & Practical Relief Tips (with Nicole Jardim) On the Period Besties Podcast, hosts welcome back menstrual health expert Nicole Jardim to discuss period pain, why debilitating cramps shouldn’t be normalized, and when pain warrants evaluation. Nicole explains how prostaglandins drive uterine contractions and can cause symptoms beyond the uterus (nausea, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness), and distinguishes primary dysmenorrhea from secondary causes like endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, polyps, and pelvic inflammatory disease. They discuss how stress, lifestyle, alcohol, sugar, and blood-sugar instability may worsen inflammation and pain, plus practical supports such as omega-3s, magnesium, ginger, and vitamin D, alongside considerations around NSAID use. The conversation also covers improving endometriosis diagnosis, the lack of standardized leave policies in the U.S., and Nicole’s new Fix Your Period app, including its features and privacy approach. Join us for Period Besties Podcast LIVE! https://ThePeriodCoach.com/live2026 Nicole Jardim is a Certified Women’s Health Coach and Author of Fix Your Period: 6 Weeks to Banish Bloating, Conquer Cramps, Manage Moodiness, and Ignite Lasting Hormone Balance a life-changing step-by-step natural protocol to ignite lasting hormone balance and improve everything from PMS, period pain, and heavy periods to irregular and missing periods. She has developed education and offerings that empower women to reclaim their hormone health using a method that combines evidence-based information with simplicity and sass. Her work has impacted the lives of tens of thousands of people around the world by addressing the root cause of what’s really going on in their bodies and minds rather than treating just their symptoms. She passionately believes that the fundamentals to healing any hormone imbalance lie in an approach that addresses the unique physiology of every woman. This is essential to reclaiming and maintaining optimal health and vitality at any age. Nicole is the creator of the Fix Your Period Collective, a first-of-its-kind membership experience that will give you a clear roadmap to achieving better periods. The Fix Your Period Collective is an interactive and dynamic membership platform that starts with you taking The Period Quiz. From there you'll receive an easy to implement plan to support your hormones and overhaul your menstrual cycle. As a member, you'll receive tailored insights and metrics based on your specific symptoms, access to Nicole’s signature course, released in stages to help you steadily improve your menstrual and hormonal health, step-by-step guides addressing specific health concerns such as heavy periods, ovarian cysts, and perimenopause, and so much more. Nicole is the founder of the Institute for Menstrual Health, which offers training programs, mentorship and resources for an international community of women's health practitioners and coaches. Through its signature program the Women’s Hormone Health Certification, Nicole teaches other health practitioners and coaches the fundamentals of hormones, menstrual cycles and fertility. Finally, Nicole is the host of The Period Party, a top-rated podcast on Apple Podcasts, the co-author of The Happy Balance, a recipe book filled with over 80 hormone balancing recipes, and has been called on as a women’s health expert for sites such as The Guardian, Well+Good, mindbodygreen and Healthline. nicolejardim.com / fixyourperiod.com / instituteformenstrualhealth.com Begin your journey by taking our patented Period Quiz, which will populate your free Period Dashboard and calculate your Period Score, serving as a guideline for your progress. From there, you'll access targeted solutions for each of your cycle symptoms, such as heavy flow, irregular cycles, mood issues, cramps and so much more. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed about where to start and what to do, the Period Quiz is your ideal starting point. It will guide you to a customized plan to get your hormones working for you. fixyourperiod.com/quiz 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:40 Why Period Pain Matters 02:18 What Causes Cramps 04:50 Culture Stress and Pain 09:45 Primary vs Secondary Pain 15:34 Endo Diagnosis Progress 20:23 Lifestyle Triggers Alcohol Sugar 30:36 Perimenopause Cravings and HRT 34:54 Period Leave and Workplace Policy 39:04 Womens Health Momentum 39:52 New Mexico Women Led Wins 42:03 Fix Your Period App 45:09 Privacy and Data Control 47:43 Subpoenas and Safety Risks 50:58 Top Tips for Period Pain 54:28 Where to Find Nicole 55:01 Lightning Round Fun 01:00:56 Wrap Up and Sponsors Todays episode is sponsored by: Period Coaching School and Katie Bressack Wellness. Email us: PeriodBestiesPodcast@gmail.com Our Websites: PeriodCoachingSchool.com KatieBressack.com Instagram and Facebook: @StashaWashburn @KatieBressack Freebies: Charting with Stasha https://ThePeriodCoach.com/etrc Eating For Your Hormones Guide https://katiebressack.com/freegift/ Books: The Revolution Will Be Bloody https://ThePeriodCoach.com/Revolution Bloody Brilliant Business https://PeriodCoachingSchool.com/Bloody-Brilliant-Business-book Eating For Your Hormones Recipe Book https://katiebressack.com/hormone-balancing-recipe-book/ Theme music composed, recorded, performed, engineered, mixed and mastered by Ted Wulfers 663 Sound
