What if the answers to your period pain have been hiding in your
gut, your diet, and your environment all along?
In episode two of our period pain miniseries, Jess sits down with
Loula George, one of New Zealand's most respected naturopaths,
with over 30 years of experience specialising in women's health.
Loula is the kind of practitioner whose name gets whispered in
reverent tones across the women's health community, and after
this conversation, it's easy to understand why.
Loula opens up about how she found her way into naturopathy, from
a childhood in a traditional Greek family where food and herbs
were medicine, to an ecology degree, to a chance encounter with a
naturopathy prospectus on a coffee table at 28 that changed
everything. Three decades later, she says it's the women
themselves who have taught her everything she knows.
This conversation covers a lot of ground. Loula explains exactly
where naturopathy sits within the broader women's health
landscape, why the time and depth of a naturopathic consultation
can uncover things a 10-minute GP appointment simply cannot, and
why she sees her role as much about education and advocacy as it
does about treatment.
She walks us through the naturopathic view of period pain, how
the gut, hormones, stress, pelvic floor, trauma, and genetic
factors can all play a role, and why the estrobolome (the
bacteria responsible for estrogen metabolism in the gut) is one
of the most important and undertalked pieces of the period pain
puzzle. We get into the histamine connection with endometriosis,
the foods that consistently aggravate inflammation, and why
gluten and dairy elimination doesn't have to be forever, just
long enough to find your individual triggers.
Loula also shares the herbs and nutrients she returns to again
and again for period pain, including magnesium, PEA, Don Quai,
Motherworth, and Ashwagandha, and explains how to know when
supplements are working and how long to stay on them. She gives
her honest view on the contraceptive pill as a first-line
treatment for period pain, and why putting teenage girls on the
pill before their endocrine system has even fully developed can
create a whole other set of problems down the track.
We also go deep on endocrine disrupting chemicals, plastics,
non-stick cookware, synthetic fragrances, polyester clothing, and
why the load of these in our everyday environment matters more
than most of us realise. Kat recommends the Netflix documentary
My Plastic Detox, which follows six fertility-struggling couples
and shows just how measurably reducing plastic exposure can shift
the picture.
This is episode two of five of The Cyclist's period pain
miniseries. All episodes are available now.
Find Loula George and her team at their Auckland clinic. Loula is
also listed on The Cyclist's practitioner directory at
wearethecyclist.com.
Follow and connect
Instagram: @wearethecyclist
Website: wearethecyclist.com
Hit play. Your body has been trying to tell you something. This
episode might help you understand what.
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