Episode Summary: The Abigail Peugh Podcast – Episode 65: Using Your Cycle to Make More Money with Hormone Health Coach Emily (FBF)
In Episode 65 of The Abigail Peugh Podcast, host Abigail Peugh delves into the transformative concept of cycle syncing with guest Emily, a dedicated hormone health coach. This episode, originally aired on July 8, 2025, provides actionable insights for female entrepreneurs seeking to harmonize their business activities with their menstrual cycles to enhance productivity, creativity, and overall well-being.
1. Introduction to Cycle Syncing
Abigail opens the episode by sharing her personal journey of detoxing from mold poisoning and becoming attuned to her hormonal health. She emphasizes how adopting cycle syncing has revolutionized her approach to business, allowing her to align her work with her body's natural rhythms.
“I started planning my launches and really anything in my business that required more energy from me around my cycle, and it has made a huge difference in the quality of the work I'm able to get done and overall, just the quality of my health.”
— Abigail Peugh [04:00]
2. Guest Introduction: Emily, Hormone Health Coach
Emily recounts her path to becoming a hormone health coach, highlighting her struggles with hormonal imbalances caused by prolonged use of birth control. Her experiences of weight gain, acne, low libido, and brain fog inspired her to educate and empower other women to understand and balance their hormones naturally.
“I got on birth control at age 15 for really no reason… Everything was great, honestly, until I was about 23. Things just started to backfire.”
— Emily [04:34]
She details how self-education and holistic health coaching programs enabled her to regain control over her health, leading to the creation of her successful business focused on hormone balance and cycle syncing.
3. Understanding Cycle Syncing
Cycle syncing involves aligning business tasks and personal activities with the four distinct phases of the menstrual cycle: menstrual, follicular, ovulation, and luteal. Emily explains how each phase correlates with natural energy levels and cognitive functions, allowing women to optimize their productivity and reduce burnout.
“We are essentially four different women over the course of the month… it's a permission slip to go, okay.”
— Emily [09:02]
4. Phases of the Menstrual Cycle and Corresponding Business Tasks
a. Menstrual Phase (Winter) [13:21]
Known as the "Winter" of the cycle, this phase marks the start of the cycle and corresponds to low energy levels. Emily advises using this time for rest, self-care, and introspection.
“Self-care, journaling, being introspective. Look at the past month and take inventory of your business.”
— Emily [13:44]
b. Follicular Phase (Spring) [17:03]
Referred to as "Spring," this phase is characterized by rising hormones, increased creativity, and social energy. Ideal activities include brainstorming, outlining, and networking.
“Creativity peaks in this phase. Brainstorming, outlining, mapping out the month ahead.”
— Emily [16:39]
c. Ovulation Phase (Summer) [18:32]
"Summer" represents ovulation, a period of peak energy and attractiveness. This is the optimal time for front-facing business activities such as content creation, filming, and networking.
“Ovulation is the perfect time to film content and B-roll… your content will feel so much better when you feel good in them.”
— Emily [19:02]
d. Luteal Phase (Fall) [23:28]
Called "Fall," this longest phase involves preparing for a possible pregnancy. It's a period for refining projects, editing, and completing tasks. Awareness of heightened stress and immune suppression is crucial to prevent burnout.
“Nesting is like wanting to clean or organize. Get those tasks done now so you don't burn out later.”
— Emily [24:18]
5. Tools for Tracking the Cycle
Emily recommends several apps to help women track their menstrual cycles accurately:
- Natural Cycles: FDA-cleared as a contraceptive, excellent for precise fertility tracking.
- The 28: Provides phase-based insights, recipes, and actionable tips.
- Flow (now Stardust): Popular for its user-friendly interface and reminders.
“The 28 gives you phases and recipes and tells you when you're moving into a phase… Flow gives you little reminders like, don’t try and lift a car today.”
— Emily [24:29]
6. Practical Tips for Supporting Hormone Health
Emily shares several strategies to maintain hormonal balance and support cycle syncing:
a. Balanced Snacks and Mocktails [35:16]
- Snacks: Emphasize protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs to stabilize blood sugar. Examples include apple with peanut butter, avocado toast with sausage, and raw carrot salads.
- Mocktails: Adrenal-supporting drinks like the "Orange Creamsicle Mocktail," which combines orange juice, coconut milk, collagen, and potassium sources.
“Protein-rich snacks help maintain stable blood sugar and support hormone balance.”
— Emily [35:16]
b. Daily Hormone Balancing Tips [45:55]
- Eat a Protein-Focused Breakfast: Within an hour of waking to stabilize blood sugar and reduce stress hormones.
“No coffee on an empty stomach… eat something protein-focused first.” [47:19]
- Get Morning Sunlight: Supports circadian rhythms and improves sleep quality.
- Avoid Coffee on an Empty Stomach: Prevents anxiety and cortisol spikes.
- Regular Walking: Helps reduce blood sugar spikes and supports digestion.
- Limit Screen Time Before Bed: Reduces cortisol and improves melatonin production for better sleep.
“Please stop scrolling before bed for the love of your hormones, the love of your mental health.”
— Emily [51:13]
7. Hormonal Birth Control Discussion
Emily discusses the significant impact hormonal birth control has on menstrual cycles and hormone health, emphasizing that it suppresses natural hormonal fluctuations rather than regulating periods.
“Hormonal birth control does not regulate your period. It just shuts it down completely.”
— Emily [32:17]
She highlights studies showing how birth control can alter mate selection preferences and emphasizes the importance of understanding its effects before opting for it.
8. Interesting Facts About the Menstrual Cycle and Hormones
Emily shares intriguing insights about the menstrual cycle:
- Bone Structure Changes: Facial bones temporarily shift to appear more feminine during ovulation.
- Skin Variations: Hormonal fluctuations cause skin to alternate between oily and dry states.
- Blood Volume: Women lose approximately two tablespoons of blood during their period.
- Immune System Suppression: The luteal phase can lead to increased susceptibility to illnesses.
“Your hormones literally run everything we do… sleep, motivation, creativity, libido.”
— Emily [34:28]
9. Conclusion and Resources
Abigail wraps up the episode by thanking Emily and highlighting her recommended resources:
- Balance Bay Blueprint: Emily’s comprehensive online course covering hormone balance through nutrition, gut health, and cycle tracking.
- Go with Your Flow Masterclass: Focuses on utilizing cycle syncing for business optimization.
“If you're looking to balance your hormones first and then get more into cycle syncing with your business, check out my online course, the Balance Bay Blueprint.”
— Emily [55:05]
Abigail encourages listeners to implement the discussed strategies to sustainably scale their businesses without succumbing to burnout.
Key Takeaways
- Cycle syncing aligns business tasks with menstrual phases to enhance productivity and well-being.
- Understanding and tracking hormonal cycles are crucial for optimizing work and preventing burnout.
- Practical lifestyle adjustments, such as balanced nutrition and mindful habits, significantly support hormone health.
- Awareness of the impacts of hormonal birth control is essential for informed health decisions.
Notable Quotes
-
“Creativity peaks in this phase. Brainstorming, outlining, mapping out the month ahead.”
— Emily [16:39] -
“No coffee on an empty stomach, y'. All. This is probably the most pervasive habit.”
— Emily [47:19] -
“Cycle syncing provided a structure where before I never worked a real job.”
— Emily [12:17]
For more detailed insights and resources, listeners are encouraged to follow Emily on Instagram @LittleRayofHealth and explore her courses mentioned during the episode.