242. Is Your Cycle Trying to Tell You Something? Hypothalamic Amenorrhea and the Impact of Disrupted Periods with Dr. Nicola Sykes
About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of a missing menstrual cycle and features Dr. Nicola Sykes on hypothalamic amenorrhea and its effects on health.
"What we call healthy on the outside does not always reflect what is happening on the inside." A missing menstrual cycle is often one of the body’s earliest warning signs that something is off beneath the surface. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Nicola Sykes, a leading expert on hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA), to talk about what it really means when your period goes missing, why HA can affect bodies of any size, and how normalized “healthy” behaviors and weight stigma often delay real support. This conversation goes beyond fertility to explore how to listen to your body, understand the signals it’s sending, and support your health in a sustainable way. ✅ What You’ll Learn: Why habits like carb-cutting, intermittent fasting, and intense exercise can disrupt your menstrual cycle How under-fueling, stress, and exercise multiply to trigger hypothalamic amenorrhea Why anyone, regardless of body size, can experience HA, and what makes weight-based assumptions so harmful What a disrupted cycle looks like and why tracking ovulation matters How to start reconnecting with your body, tune into real hunger and fullness cues, and ditch shame in favor of curiosity Actionable first steps for…
People in this episode
Host: Bonnie Roney
Guest: Dr. Nicola Sykes
Topics covered
- hypothalamic amenorrhea
- menstrual cycle
- body signals
- weight stigma
- health behaviors
- period recovery
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Mayo Clinic Florida, Instagram, Period recovery support group
Books & works: Diagnosing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
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