Emily Merrell  

Welcome to the 60 degree podcast, the podcast where we grill our guests about the things that make them tick and find out how human connection plays a role in their life. I’m your host, Emily Merrill. Hello, and welcome back to the sixth degree with Emily Merrill, the podcast where we grill our guests about the things that make them tick, and find out how human connection plays a role in their life. I’m your host, Emily, and today I’m so excited to have my friend Audrey Gerber. She’s an integrative nutrition health coach and founder of the Spotless girl. It’s a coaching program focused on periods and messy menstruation. Audrey, welcome to the show.

Audrey Gerber  

Hi, thank you for having me.

 

Emily Merrell  

I’m so excited to have you here. And as funny as it sounds like periods and menstruation are one of my favorite things to talk about.

 

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, me, do.

 

Emily Merrell  

You find that when you tell people what you do that there’s one of two responses.

Audrey Gerber  

Actually, I’ve, I have had only one response from men and woman, and that is, oh my gosh, that’s awesome. And people start telling you this, or I’ve never had anyone ever say, Oh, that’s gross, or like, I don’t want to talk about it. People want to talk about this, whether they’re men or women.

Emily Merrell  

I think that’s amazing. And I think that it’s so cool that you’re normalizing periods, which obviously have been normal for a very, very long time. But it is funny that there are some cultures are there are some people who really like celebrate periods, and you know, make a tradition around it. Or you’ve heard of like moon parties or New Moon parties. And then I think about the book, The red tent for women would come together and you know, drip in honey and eat honey and get their feet massage every month, which sounds amazing. bring that back. And then, you know, there’s also the people who have this embarrassment of, it’s like a sixth grade embarrassment of you know, a tampon falling out of your bag, and just really mortified by it. So, you know, growing up, what was your experience, like? How was menstruation and period talks about in your life and family?

Audrey Gerber  

Actually, I was really, really lucky. All of my friends, when they had their first period, they never told the parents, like most of them. They just waited a couple of cycles for their parents to kind of like, figure it out and be like, Oh, my gosh, you’re having periods. I was super duper lucky. The first time I bled, I was at home. And I just went like, Mom. Yeah. And she was like, Oh, my gosh, you’re a parent. And my parents actually celebrated me and my father bought me a little iPod. Back then it was like, No, he was purple. Maybe, maybe that’s what employs the color of life. And he wrote, you know, my beloved daughter, I’m so proud of you, blah, blah. And so I was Yeah, I was welcomed into womanhood very gracefully. And we have like, Sunday, that day, Sundays, and then, you know, we moved on, and then we just bear barely talked about it again. Or at least my father and my brother didn’t bring it up, and my mother would make sure that I have pads and tampons in case I needed them. And if I had questions, I could go to her. But I know that this experience is very unique to my family. I know that most of my friends like no way it was their chair. And it’s cool. I was always the only one with who always had passed and who always had like, pills to ease the pain. Like so. But you know, it was like the girls were like,

Emily Merrell  

you really were the ultimate like spotless girl back in the day, which is so cool. You’re doing your business probably before you even knew it could be a business.

Audrey Gerber  

Oh, that was cool for this. You were

Emily Merrell  

really called for this? Yeah, I when I just a little backstory on flow, what we’re talking about flow stories. I was 10. And I had just learned about periods like the week before in physical education class, and I was at a wedding and it happened. And my sister was with me in the bathroom and I was like, please go get mom. And she very much was the little sister and was like, You’re not the boss of me. You know what to do. So I had to go tell my mom and I like, you know, use paper towels, not paper towels, but like toilet paper, went and got my mom and my mom got so excited that she told the bride she took the groom No. and fast forward. Yeah, fast forward. My parents are divorced also. So she had me call my dad to tell him myself, which wasn’t very, like I’d had How are you? I got my period. Was the weather this is so awful. Like, and then she, the couple i when i was later on in life, I started babysitting for them. And so like they’d go out on their anniversary dinner and be like well, Happy Anniversary to you to see that. It’s like Add magazine or something, the first thing is that you write in. But anyways, I want to know, but like you I was very early I was early on, and I knew a lot more than a lot of people. And so I helped Sherpa them. So I love that you’ve been taking, you’ve took your own positive experience, and you turned into a PMS coach. So how did you break into the world of like period, menstruation, PMS, all the things?

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, so actually, my happy experience was very short. Because when I was 13, I started bleeding a lot. I would leave for nine days, and then not for seven days. And then again, I was struggling, so I was bleeding more than I wasn’t. And I started fainting at school, and like, things were terrible, I was losing all of my blood. So we went to the doctor, and the doctor was like, Oh, my gosh, we need to put you on the pill right now. Like, we don’t know what’s happening, you’re losing all of your blood, we need to regulate your cycle, like right now. And I was 13. Although I knew what the pigment actually didn’t. Like, I didn’t know what it was doing to my body. I didn’t understand why I was bleeding so much. I didn’t understand how the pill would make the bleeding stop. But, you know, the doctor told me so. Yay, I took the pill. And I believe that saved my life. However, I stayed on it for a while. And I at 79, I had a really severe depression. And no therapy could help me like I just I didn’t know what to do the medic, like nothing helps. And then one day I woke up, and I felt my body like repulsed the pill. My body was like basically telling me if you take that one more time, I’m gonna throw it up. I don’t want it anymore. And I was so shocked by my own body’s response, I was so confused and insecure. So I secretly stopped taking the pill. and a month later, my depression kind of like just lifted out. And I was like, oh, okay, I guess like, the pill is not for me. But then I still didn’t understand how my body was working. And I still had no idea what was happening. So I started struggling with PMS, heavy PMS, and I was my biggest symptom was tiredness, I was exhausted and I would start to gain weight. And I had no energy, no motivation for anything. And I just thought, Well, I know that I can’t go back on the pill. So I’m not going I’ll just, you know, suck it up, Buttercup. And I’ll do what every woman on this planet has to do. I’ll suffer in silence. And I’ll prove to them that I can still show up. And I’m still awesome. And I just push through the pain, right? Like every woman does that. And I thought, Yeah, right. Some people have it worse than me. I can’t really complain about it. Because you know, for some, it’s awful. And I just live my life like that until I can no longer live my life like that. And my body once again was like, sorry, this is not the way I was designed to work. And this isn’t working for me. So I really got exhausted, and I was studying abroad. And I remember coming back home, and I put my luggage on the floor. And I was like, I can’t do this anymore. Like I cannot physically go on. So I stopped everything. And I started focusing on myself, and like taking care of myself and trying to eat better trying to exercise a bit more. And the pain started to go away. Like the symptoms started to go. And I was like, Oh, I felt something. But then they didn’t really completely go away. They were just better. And I was like, Okay, I’m going to focus on this. And I started learning about it. And then I had a teacher who just randomly on the stage just shouted, oh yeah, by the way, PMS is not normal. It’s a sign of hormonal imbalance. You don’t have to deal with it. And she moved on to the next subject. And I was like, excuse me, What? Where were you? Oh, my life. And like, I have questions. Man. I Are you telling you my experience is not normal? Because I thought it was. But it’s common, not normal. And I realized that at the moment, she said that. So I researched everything. I was like it was a weekend. And I just took the entire weekend, read everything that I could possibly read on the topic. And I was like, Oh my goodness, I don’t have to suffer. Like, I’ve been lied to my whole life. I don’t have to suffer because of my period. So I started implementing more specific changes. And am I kidding that Emily, one month later, all the seasons were gone.

Emily Merrell  

It maintains you were able to keep it over a month.

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, my period has not been an issue. Like since then. And I’m like, Okay. What? And so now obviously I’m like, okay, I needed that information so badly. And I didn’t think I didn’t know all of this. So nobody else does. I mean, people do but they’re not here around me. So I have to be the messenger. I have to take that knowledge and carry it forward because otherwise Everyone’s gonna suffer. While they don’t have to, and what a loss.

Emily Merrell  

Why do you think people don’t know? Like, why do you think people aren’t, aren’t knowledgeable of like healing their bodies in this way?

Audrey Gerber  

I think there are many reasons. And one of the reasons is we’ve been taught to disconnect from our bodies. And so usually what we’re, this is kind of like a cultural mindset that you have to push through it, you know, like, you want to gain muscle, you have to go to the gym two hours, and if it’s not enough, go three hours, like you have to push pain gives you worth, this is what we’re taught. And so because of that, we’re like, Okay, so what my body’s telling me, I can’t listen to it, because my body’s wanting something different than I want. So we kind of split with your bodies. And sadly, we start ignoring the signals of your body that are saying, Listen, this three hour, three hour work worked out, it’s not working for me. I can’t, I can’t do this anymore, and we don’t listen to it. So that’s the first reason. Second reason, we have only started paying attention to female biology, since we have female doctors. And as you know, that is recent, sadly, sadly, reason, so we’ve had, you know, ancestral knowledge for so long woman would pass this knowledge, you know, from generation to generation, but it was never scientific, because we didn’t have scientists to back it up. And then suddenly, you have women doctors, and they’re like, wait, let’s explore this. And then suddenly, we have a bunch of science coming up and realizing, oh, yeah, this was true all along. Female biology is different than New Biology. So yeah, I think that’s why most of the women have no idea that they’re not supposed to suffer for this.

Emily Merrell  

I think there’s so much to be said about that, too, and that, you know, tampons or anything but tampons, or you think of the pads that we’ve been using our whole entire life that had been marketed to us. I never once stopped and thought, What’s in this tampon? I just thought, okay, it does the job. It does what it’s supposed to. And then it feels like there’s been this question and awakening I mean, same thing with condoms as well condoms and you know, people are moving to diva cups and all of these things. And, like, what is actually in the the tampon that we’re putting directly into our body and like, the most intimate way, and, and then discovering that it’s, like, filled with crap, absolute crap and chemicals. And so you’ve seen this revolution of tampon companies that are really toting, bringing, you know, all cotton fibers and all natural fibers. But that’s bullshit in a way. The fact that this is just literally in the last like three or four years that this change in this awakening that’s happened, we’ve just kind of escaped accepted everything as a status quo. So even with PMS, like what’s the solution to PMS, it’s Mitel. What’s the solution to BMS it’s taking three advils at 6am before my cramps kick in. And so I love the fact that you’re exploring and pushing the envelope in in terms of like more, not alternative because they’re not alternative more natural ways to, to heal your body through exercise, or through food. Food is such a part like probably eating Oreos is not the best.

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, not the best.

Emily Merrell  

Um, I was researching. It’s my podcast, so I’ll say it, but I was researching. I have terrible cramps and I’ve been on the pill I’d been on the pill from 17 to 3317 to 33 years old. And just got off it last year. And my cramps came back like I had the debilitating cramps where I would vomit I would like feel faint it was it was like getting the stomach bug for like one day and then it’d be fine. And I was like, what they come back and they came back but not as severe as they had been previously. And I was researching things besides like hot water conference compresses and you know, warm, warm beverages and all that. And masturbation like orgasm was one of the best solutions to that I saw at least for PMS and it was like the relaxing of your body and I thought that was that’s so taboo, quote unquote, because our country is like not very pro you know, pleasure. So but it was interesting how that helps so much in terms of like reducing the cramps. So you know that being said, what are some of the craziest or like most what are what are some things that we should walk away with to to change the way that we look at PMS or pain?

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, okay. So one of the craziest thing that you need to know which is related to what you just shared pleasure is actually the best part of sex that is balancing your hormones is what we call the orgasmic plateau and that’s before the orgasm. So the The longer that is, the better it is for you. So, a quickie when you’re suffering because for your period or PMS is not always the solution. Longer intercourse actually helps your body way more. And the part that’s truly magical to your body to your hormones, is that moment right before you have your orgasm. So that part when you can still breathe, you still can still feel in control of your body, that’s your hormones, they love that part. They get back into sync with each other. And that’s, that’s the best part. So knowing that can change a lot of things. For a lot of people. orgasms are also amazing, because Yeah, they do release, you know, they do release, all of us just has an old attention. exercise can be good as well, as long as it’s not intense exercise. But I think the most mind blowing thing, well, I think is if you crave the chocolate while you have your cramps, go get some dark chocolate and eat your heart out. Because your craving is an indication of what your body’s lacking. So usually the pain that you have is a sign that your estrogens are way too much there. And your body’s trying to match that by producing more progesterone or by helping your liver detox from that. So it’s trying to sell send all the signals to your brain like we need. We need something like that’ll help me boost progesterone, you need something that’s going to do all of these all of these things. Okay, what do I need? Iran, okay, magnesium, magnesium, dark chocolate, can you please binge chocolate? And most of us will go like, No, I can’t. It’s unhealthy. If your body’s asking for it, go get it. And I think you’ll get

Emily Merrell  

the orgasms too. I totally, you get double points if you’re having chocolate while we’re guys I mean, but I do think that that it is funny like that. I love that prescribing chocolate and you think of chocolate as unhealthy. But I think like what I said you’re thinking of like Oreos, or you’re thinking of something that’s not dark chocolate is so nurturing, I feel like are nourishing for your body.

Audrey Gerber  

Mm hmm. Yeah, totally dark chocolate is amazing. And the thing that goes with that is usually the week before your period, your body needs more calories. That’s just how it is. But we get a little bit nervous, we get scared, because suddenly you’re more hungry, and you’re like, Oh, I’m gonna binge eat like, this is terrible. I need to control myself last week, I was fine. This week, I’m not fine. Actually, your body needs more calories. And so it makes sense for you to eat more. It’s okay. You’re not going to suffer, you’re not going to gain weight, you’re going to be okay. When you eat more, you’re going to be okay if you listen to your body. And that’s the most like mind blowing thing, because it’s the most illogical thing that we’ve been taught. It’s like no way I can listen to my body. Like if I listened to my body, I wouldn’t go to the gym three hours, and I wouldn’t eat my salads every day. But when you look at the science behind it, you realizing, listen, going to the gym for three hours kills you, and eating salads all days of the month. It’s actually not good for your hormones. So it’s like your body knows your true. If you listen to it. It’s amazing what it’ll do. Do.

Emily Merrell  

I love that? Do you have any other food suggestions or oils that you recommend?

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, um, so food on the week before and during your period, if you can have like golden milk, like tumeric latte, that’s a very if you had cinnamon in it, that’s a very hormone balancing. And quick pro tip. You want to have pepper with your tumeric otherwise your body is unable to absorb the tumeric so a little bit of pepper mix, you know makes it absorbable bioavailable, we call it so tumeric with a little bit of pepper, golden milk. Raspberry leaf tea is also great for the week before. And then oils. Yeah, clary sage is my loving favorite. It actually depends on what your imbalance is. So if you have not enough progesterone usually like tree oils will help you more. And if you have too many estrogens, like spices will do better for you. So it depends on where you’re imbalances, but for everyone, clary sage, amazing and lavender.

Emily Merrell  

And how do you know what your imbalances like? How do you even discover that?

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, so you look at your symptoms. And that’s the great thing about PMS is your body will give you very specific symptoms for very specific reasons. So, hey, acne, insomnia. Those are usually the symptoms that lead to you being estrogen dominance, or if you have gained weight around your hips and your thighs, that’s a sign that your estrogen dominance, if you have gained weight around your stomach, and if you get irritable, or if you’re anxious, that’s most likely to be progesterone related. And that means you’re not producing enough progesterone. So you look at the symptoms and throw your compass to what the issue is.

Emily Merrell  

Oh, I’m like, looking at everything. Interesting. So you know, I love the fact that you, you’re based in Quebec, Canada, but you’ve been changing lives across the globe. So, you know, can you share with us some of the transformations that you’ve seen in your clients?

Audrey Gerber  

Oh, I have some really cool ones. So, obviously, they’re the physical transformation where, you know, like, I actually I just had a call at the beginning of the week with one of my clients who came to me because she had hot flashes. And or cause like, so how are you doing with hot flashes, she was like, you’re completely gone, gone, gone, gone. And she was sleeping, like maybe five hours per night. And now she’s like, I’m sleeping all the way through, I’m feeling great. I’m feeling energized, I started working out I’m loving it. So she, like her hormones are shining. And I have this one other client who, it’s amazing. In two weeks, I tell you, these things are not that hard. It’s so simple. In two weeks, it was like, I feel like my anxious levels are so lower, and I, I didn’t see my period coming. I just, it just came. And usually I’m so anxious, and I’m so irritable, and I’m so scared. But now it came. And I was fine. So those are like the little mini victories that I love to celebrate. My favorite transformation that I see is when suddenly I have someone saying, this happened. And I knew what it was because my body was telling me about it. And I knew exactly what to do. And it got away after a few hours for like, this event came. And so I started paying attention to what my body was telling me, and everything was alright, I knew exactly what to do. When I started trusting my body more those, to me, are the most important thing because I feel like we’re claiming her femininity, as a as a whole, when we trust your bodies. Again,

Emily Merrell  

I wish you were a part of every health service, I actually I ended up reaching out to my health teacher from middle school on your behalf because I was like, you would just be such an incredible addition and like you don’t don’t take guests coaches, or we don’t take guest speakers. But it’s such a shame because I think, you know, if we could, if you could share if we could share that information at a young age to women and empower them from 10 to 18 or so when they’re getting their periods. And just how how powerful that would be being armed with the knowledge of like how to listen to your body, how to navigate like the highs and the lows of emotions and feelings. Rather than just do exactly what your you ended up doing, getting on the pill and healing it. Everything This is could be turned into a whole nother long conversation. But like, I was on the pill because of my cramps. Same thing as you like they were just so terrible. But you know, sex ed in general, like sex ed and body, the female body could be this whole class and discussion. And when you finally like understand your cycle, and you understand how hard it is to get pregnant as the newly pregnant person it’s quite challenging to, to land on those days. But when you know it, and you know your body and you can trust your body, I feel like there would be a lot less fear of our bodies out there. So yeah, Audrey for President. Pretty much. Well. I want to hear how can our listeners learn more about you and learn more about your services?

Audrey Gerber  

Totally. So there are two main ways that you can find me. The first one is through Instagram. I love the DM that, you know, you just need help you have a question? Just DM me, I’ll be happy to answer I’ll be happy to hop on a call if you need it. And the other way is through my website. So on my website, I have this mini starter quick starter kit, or there’s a quiz that helps you see, okay, what symptoms do I have? And what’s the hormonal imbalance that maybe under the symptoms, and then with that I have like eight healthy tips that you can start implementing those are really good for your hormones so you can get out for free. And then if you need more than you can totally connect with me and find a way to to be helped with your period in your cycle. Oh,

Emily Merrell  

I love it. Well, thank you so much for for diving in intimately. Before we go. I love asking our guests some questions. Shocking, right. So six last questions for you Miss Audrey. So are you ready?

Audrey Gerber  

I think maybe we will see.

Emily Merrell  

Let’s see. So my first question for you is tell us an unknown fun fact about Audrey.

Audrey Gerber  

Okay, unknown Fun fact I studied storytelling before I do was doing health coaching, not costume or not presentations, but true storytelling where you kind of forget that the person is here. Yeah, that was my background.

Emily Merrell  

That’s so cool. I love that. Who would be a dream person you’d want to be connected with?

Audrey Gerber  

I don’t know, like her, but someone from things, which is, yeah, underwear company for periods. I think they’re amazing. And they’re battling period poverty, which is, you know, on my heart so much. So if I could get connected to them, and do something with them, I would be so happy.

Emily Merrell  

Um, well, I feel like, you know, I know. Thanks, thanks. Actually, I don’t know her. I know a friend who went to college with the founder. So you’re, you’re connected that way? Can you also just elaborate in terms of your services? What, what you what your company does, like what it’s like to work with you. I failed to ask that of you.

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, totally. Good question. So, right now, my best service is a one on one coaching, where I teach you about female biology. But I also walk you through your own unique symptoms. So it’s a coaching, it’s a coaching program. We talk regularly, and we see what are the challenges? What are the solutions? How can we apply them and I hold you accountable, and I hold you by the hand so that you’re not left by yourself? To just figure things out?

Emily Merrell  

Amazing. Okay, good. So if I meet Mickey, I can at least articulate it better than he does. He’s a period master. This is amazing.

Audrey Gerber  

Thank you.

Emily Merrell  

Perfect, perfect. Okay, my next question for you is what TV show? Are you currently watching and obsessed with?

Audrey Gerber  

The librarians? I’m such a nerd. Like, well, I mean, I love it. If you ask my sister, she’s gonna be like, that is the most cliche annoying TV series ever. I’m totally in love with it.

Emily Merrell  

Okay, well, let’s check out the librarian. And then what book are you reading?

Audrey Gerber  

I’m really so many. But right now, the one that I have actually, right next to me is called the Russian woman syndrome. By Dr. Libby Weaver. It’s amazing. It’s a woman like from Russia? No, like rushing over actually going to foot. Yeah, they’re rushing. Yeah, sorry.

Emily Merrell  

Like, oh, that’s like those Russian women syndrome. That’s awesome. Okay, yeah. Both are both are similar. check that one out. And then what is your favorite emoji?

Audrey Gerber  

The little stars, the shiny stars?

Emily Merrell  

I love it. Not the not the blood?

Audrey Gerber  

Surprisingly,

Emily Merrell  

no, I’m like married to you and the idea of crimson blood?

Audrey Gerber  

Well, because you see the whole thing about spotless girls that you want to have a radiant period. So the little shiny saris

Emily Merrell  

that’s a better better feeling, period. And then my last question for you is who inspired and or gave you permission to do the thing that you wanted to do with your life?

Audrey Gerber  

Can I be Can I be very annoying? And say, me? No.

Emily Merrell  

Absolutely. I think that’s a common thing to like, people. Sure we get outside inspiration from people. But ultimately, you have to make that choice and say, This is what I want to do with my life.

Audrey Gerber  

Yeah, this was this was definitely something that came out of nowhere, people were all like, oh, but that makes so much sense. But nobody saw that. For me, it was kind of like, this is what I want. And this is what I’m gonna get. And we’re gonna try it. I’m gonna do my best. And then, yeah, it happens.

Emily Merrell  

And I think I think that’s an incredible example for people who feel a calling to do something, but aren’t necessarily secure, or sure that they want to move forward. And I was talking to a friend, who’s been asked you oscillating between, like, should I commit to this? Should I not commit to this? And I’m like, you won’t know until you try. And you could try and no one bites, but then you also, you wouldn’t know if you, you would always forever wonder like, was I capable of doing this? And I think what you’re doing it’s it’s incredible that you were able to build a company and build a culture that’s very much based on like, what you’re passionate and excited about.

Audrey Gerber  

I’m lucky to have that. I’m really lucky to be able to be creative. You’re on luck. Yeah, I did. I did. I created my life. And I did it because I could because my body was my eyeline instead of my enemy.

Emily Merrell  

Exactly. And you leveraged it. Well, Audrey, I could talk to you for whiskey Go on, like six different tangents to printers, we could talk about pregnancy, we could talk about sexuality. There’s so much more that could be encompassed in what you do. But thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. I am actually like oddly excited for my next period to implement some of the tips and tools that you’ve shared mostly the chocolate tip, but yeah, Yeah, go get it. But so, so excited that you’re a resource and for our listeners that are listening, don’t forget to check out Audrey shoot her that GM she will solve a problem in five minutes, basically. And if you liked today’s episode, please give us a like, leave us a review and share with your friends, Audrey. Thanks again for joining the 60 degree. We’ll see you all next time on the sixth degree.

Audrey Gerber  

Yes, I’m so excited. Thank you so much, Emily. My pleasure. Have a good day.