For more than 15 years, I couldn’t say the word ‘period’ out loud.
For years, I adapted, pushed through, just functioned. As a management consultant, I didn’t know it any other way. Weekly travel, daily deliveries and usual energy dips and mood swings. I thought it was just part of the job.
What it means to not understand your own body became clear to me after receiving an HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) diagnosis - a virus that can lead to cervical cancer. That was the moment I finally began to take my health seriously and started to understand my cycle — and with it, myself. I learned that my fluctuations followed a recurring pattern, and that with awareness and smart planning, I could turn my cycle from a weakness into a strength.
I know how my cycle impacts my energy, focus, and performance my personal game changer for both myself and my work! I’m kinder to myself, have more energy for my tasks, and take full ownership of my well-being. Finally, I started working with my body - not against it!
What surprised me the most
Men don’t experience these fluctuations. They have a 24-hour cycle thanks to testosterone, which regenerates overnight. Women, on the other hand, have an average 28-day cycle. So it’s no wonder nobody talks about it at work.
Our working world runs on a 24-hour rhythm. That works for men — but not for women. With my expertise as a Menstrual Health Coach and Management Consultant, this is exactly where I want to make a change — to create a fair and balanced workplace for everyone.
My business and academic background
- 8+ years of (freelance) management consulting in strategy implementation, organizational development, and operating model design across various industries for Capgemini Invent, Deloitte, scaleon, like a zebra
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), ESADE Business School, Spain
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology (summa cum laude), Minors in Sociology, Labor Employment Relations, The Pennsylvania State University, USA
- Certified Menstrual Cycle Coach, The Cycle School
5 simple tips for a healthy cycle
1
Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast 30-90 minutes post getting up.
2
Enjoy your coffee post-breakfast - and not on an empty stomach to stabilize cortisol levels (stress hormone).
3
Eat 10-20% more healthy calories 10-14 days prior to your next period to reduce cravings.
4
Track your mental and physical health to discover your own rhythm.
5
Prioritize sleep, whenever possible, especially in the 10-14 days prior to your period.
Period and my personal story
At 16, I move to a boarding school in the UK. I live with 30 girls in a house sharing bathrooms and bedroom. Our period? It was skillfully ignored.
At 19, I move to the US to study Psychology. I am a facilitator for group conversations with NATO cadets and Afghan civilians to discuss controversial topics, i.e. racism, climate change, and religion. Periods? It was skillfully ignored.
At 22, my period stopped. I’m exercising more while keeping the same diet. My gynecologist advises me to train less intensely. The explanation for why my period has stopped? It was skillfully ignored.
At 23, I start in management consulting. I travel every week and feel relieved when there are female colleagues on the team I can quietly ask for a tampon. Bringing up my period in a male-dominated environment? Never! It’s a weakness… It was skillfully ignored.
At 25, I read 'Period Power' by Maisie Hill. Finally, I understand what's happening in my body every month. I want to talk about with my friends. Am I the only one who didn't know this? Spoiler-alert: We all didn't know.
At 28, I become a certified Menstrual Cycle Coach. I learn how to read my cycle, my patterns, and rhythm. And I understand how to read those of other women to coach them in cycle health.
From now on, our periods are no longer ignored!