FFP 371 | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea & The Menstrual Cycle | Cynthia Donovan

Cynthia is a Registered Dietitian in the US with a Master's of science in Nutrition and has been a Registered Dietitian for over 10 years. Cynthia is a non-diet dietitian and believes in Health at Every Size. Helping women recover from Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (no period) & find food & exercise freedom is a speciality area of hers. Due to her own struggles with HA, disordered eating & infertility, Cynthia was driven to specialize in HA. Throughout the years, Cynthia has worked in various areas in the field of nutrition which has led her to where she is today operating her own virtual practice & working with women across the world helping them recover their period and find balance with food and exercise.

Today Cynthia shares her experience with HA and how it changed her practice (to focus on HA with her clients).

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Topics discussed in today's episode:

• Cynthia's HA misdiagnosis and her experience

• How old Cynthia was when she got her first period and if she ever used birth control

• The common misdiagnosis of PCOS and HA

• The difference between HA and PCOS
• The similarities in symptoms of HA and PCOS

• How the diagnosis for PCOS and HA differ

• The challenges women face getting the correct diagnosis

• Cynthia's, body size, eating habits and workout routine that contributed to her late menstrual cycle start

Connect with Cynthia:

You can connect with Cynthia on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Resources mentioned:

• The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility (Book) | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
• Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook
• Fertility Awareness Mastery Online Self-Study Program

Related podcasts & blog posts:

• FFP 353 | Myths & Facts About Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Dani Sheriff
• FFP 349 | Overcoming Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Samantha Kellgren
• [On-Air Client Session] FFP 275 | Recovering from Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Lisa & Catherine
• FFP 270 | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | How Laura Got Her Period Back 5 Years After Coming Off The Pill | Laura Bruner
• FFP 223 | Overcoming Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | No Period. Now What? | Dr. Nicola Rinaldi, PhD
• FFP 173 | Reclaiming Menstruation | The Wisdom and Power of Your Menstrual Cycle | Lara Owen
• FFP 141 | Surviving Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Getting Your Period Back Without Fertility Drugs | Nicola Rinaldi
• [On-Air Client Session] FFP | 113 Fertility Awareness Reality Series | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Making Fertility Awareness Work for You | FAM & Breastfeeding | Managing Your Fertile Window | Sarah, Lisa, & Rose Yewchuk
• FFP 086 | Hypothalamic Amenorrhea | Period Repair Manual | Healthy Hormones | Dr. Lara Briden
• FFP 019 | Fix Your Period | Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea and The Pill | Nicole Jardim

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Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic

A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs

This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now!

The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook

This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.