Period, Not a Comma with Ashley Greene Khoury

From vampires to periods, we're talking all things blood with Ashley Greene Khoury, founder of Hummingway. 

We go from the follicular phase to the luteal phase and everything in between, from the pelvic floor to a full diva cup. 

And, we talk a little Twilight too!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Scrubbing In with Becca Tilly and Tanya Ren and I
heart radio podcast. Hell, I don't even know how to
do the intro. Hello, Happy Monday. We are scrubbing in
And it is not Beck at Tilly, it is Tanya,
it is Mark and it is eastn Becca is out

(00:22):
sick today. So um, it started out that she was
going to do the podcast from home. She texted me
and it was just like, I'm not feeling good, and uh,
I just don't want to get you sick before you
go on vacation. I was like, that's so nice, thank
you so much. And then it quickly went downhill from
there and she's just feeling like poop so she couldn't
Stuff's going around. Man, My wife was sick all last week.

(00:43):
She tested negative for COVID over and over again, but man,
she was down, Like there's a really vicious flu going
around right now, there's bad strep throat going around right now.
It's all kinds of stuff out there. Because I think,
is there is there something to our immune systems being
weird after being holed up for years and then suddenly
we're gonna catch everything. Don't know there's got to be,
but let me tell you, I'm just trying to not

(01:04):
get any of it because your girl is on a
plane going on vacation very soon. So I'm like crossing
my teas and dotting my eyes from just just just
not catch anything from anybody. But I'm just like taking
counter Yeah, I'm taking counter attack and just trying to

(01:25):
drink a lot of water. But yeah, they're good. That's
all you can do. Stuff's going around. Um, but there
is something that I didn't want to talk about, but
I don't want to talk about it without Becca because
she's involved in the story. But over the weekend. Yeah,
so this is a deep well it'll be a deep
tease because next week I'm gonna be gone, um, oh

(01:46):
my god, because I'll be on vacation. So it's gonna
be in two weeks. We're gonna do the Ali Grant
story because we were at Joe Joe's um her uh
swimwear event. It was like the promote her swim We're
line with cup She and Ali is one of Becca's
best friends and her manager, and she and I were
just at the bar and Becca came up to us

(02:08):
and she was like, what's going on? And we turned
to her and we were like, we like each other now.
She was like, you guys don't like each other before
and we were like and so everybody wants to know
the story behind that, um, And it's a very funny story,
and it goes back to like when I first met Ali,
but we like totally talked about it at this this

(02:28):
event and like I wouldn't say squashed it because it
wasn't like a beef or anything, but we talked about it.
And so I want to share the story because but
I feel like Becca neates me involved. So there were
some weirdness between you and Ali at some point our
whole relationship, but it wasn't a beef, but like maybe
you were like the best friends. Was weird because she

(02:51):
was like I thought she was, like I was thinking
about it, like you're one of Becca's best friends, and
I want to Becca's best friends, but we're not close
at all, and I was like, well, yeah, I know that,
and so that's kind of where the conversation started. So
then we kind of dissected and and feeled back some things,
and so people were very curious, so we will talk
about that. And then I got this text from Becca. Um,

(03:12):
I think it was yesterday, she wasn't feeling well, and
she basically was like, um, held, I just want to
read it verbati because it's so funny. She goes, So,
I'm watching Ship's Creek. I'm on episode five. I haven't
laughed yet, but I know people say the first season
isn't the best. Am I going to think it's funny eventually?
Or is it? Like? If I'm not laughing now, I

(03:33):
won't be laughing later. I told her to stick with it.
I was like, it's the best show I've ever watched.
I'm obsessed with it. So I told her to stick
with it. But I haven't gotten an update from her,
so I don't. I don't remember laughing a lot. I
remember enjoying it. I remember like laughing out loud that often.

(03:53):
Is that weird to say about a comedy? That I
really liked it? But I didn't laugh that much. I
don't know I laughed a lot. Yeah, I laughed a
lot too at that. I think you're just a humorless person, Mark,
That's what I think. That could be. That, But like,
what did't you enjoy if you didn't think it was funny?
I enjoyed the characters. I enjoyed the scenarios, enjoyed the

(04:14):
wacky high jinks they got into. You enjoyed the situations,
but not the comedy. I don't know. I just I
know my wife and I watched it. I don't think
we laughed that much, but I think we enjoyed it,
but we never did finish it, so there might be
something to that. There's definitely something that wasn't a conscious bail.
It was just that we never got back. I want to, like,

(04:35):
I want to get my feedback in that show. I
miss it so much. Like I'm like, I missed them,
miss the fam. Yeah, I get that. Yeah, but I'm
way into Barry right now. So there's that. Oh I
love Barry. It's so good. I haven't watched the last couple,
but I'm kind of letting them pile up. Yeah, but
we'll probably watch them that on vacation. We like to

(04:56):
like watch TV shows on vacation. Have you gotten season one?
I think we just finished season one last night, Okay,
And I gotta say Stranger Things is excellent. I know
that that's like, you know, so to be talking about
Stranger Things, but is phenomenal. I'm very impressive. I'm kidding.
I've been hearing a lot of talk about Stranger Things,

(05:17):
and I gave up on it season two, But now
I feel like I want to get back on it
because everybody's saying it's so good. It's really good, you know,
it's nice. Also, as Netflix has recaps of the previous
seasons that you can access, and I appreciated that because
it it takes me a while to remember what's going on.
Oh my gosh, but that's pretty much it, you know,
like not a whole lot going on. I feel as though, um,

(05:39):
before you go on vacation, there's a lot of stress
of like all the things you have to do before
you leave that it's almost more stressful. Who's got sunny
while you're gone? So my best one of my best friends, Raquel,
her mom Heidi is going to watch her. So I
made like a contact, like a little like emergency contact thing.
I got all of her food prepared for the week.

(06:02):
I'm sending her with all her toys, her create. It's
like a big to do mm hmm. Definitely got her
like cleaned up, got her groom before we like, no,
we don't want to leave her like stinky. So just
doing all that all the laundry, getting all my bug spray.
You have special doggy bug spray. It's for you, right, yeah,

(06:22):
it's for me because I'm like, I'm getting eaten alive
here in Los Angeles, so I can only imagine it's
going to be worse, you know, anywhere else. So I'm
just gearing up. Well, organ named Los Angeles the number
one mosquito city in America. I know you're leaving the country,
but I'm not sure necessarily that it would be worse

(06:42):
anywhere else. When I went to Bora Bora that one
time when I was eating alive, like I had mosquito bites.
I probably had like seventy among both my legs. Like
I was in tears. My mom had to like put
ointment on each one and I was like bawling. So,

(07:03):
you know, I'm just trying to just trying to be
proactive here, you know, modern woman. Recently are you a child? No,
this was recent. This was like a couple of years ago. Okay, alright,
like two or three years ago that. Yeah, you showed
us the bite on your legs and that is the
size of a softball. Yeah, and it's like bruising. So
you know, we're good. So you're going prepared into this vacation.

(07:27):
You're gonna just speak. I'm picturing one of those like
cartoony like spray bottles, just full of noxious bug spray.
You're going to cover yourself in. Yeah, you don't know.
What's so funny is that we are trying to carry
carry on our bags. We don't want to check bags.
So now is that to save the money or is

(07:47):
that to save the time at baggage claim or both? Well,
a little bit of both, but mostly the time because
we're doing connecting flights and so there's nothing more annoying
than having to get your bag in York to then
check it again on your next flight to like, oh
it doesn't they don't check it through because you're changing
airlines or something. Yeah, we're changing airlines okay. Yeah, So

(08:14):
it's really become like a game of tetris, like how
much can I fit in this carry on? Yeah? How
long are you gone? I'll be gone for eight days. Wow,
I'm gonna do some laundry, like in the sink. You know,
I'm not above that. I'm not above like washing my
workout clothes and sink and laying it out to dry

(08:38):
all right. Yeah, so that's kind of where my head's at.
Are you guys gonna miss me? Are you gonna like
so much? I can't speak for East and only for myself,
but so much you'd like you wouldn't believe and dreading
the moment you leave. Yeah, it sounds like it. So

(09:00):
with that being said, um, we are going to welcome
our guests into the o R. Her name is Ashley Green,
and I'm really excited. You may know her from the
franchise Twilight. Um, so she was on that and she
does kind of like a one of those like recap
watch podcasts for it's called the Twilight Effect. But what
really like tickles my pickle with Ashley Green? Well, now

(09:21):
her name is Ashley Green Corey because she's married, but
she started this company called Hummingway and it's all about
period and wellness and vagina talk and you know that's
right up my alley. So yeah, when Becca called out sick,
I was like, it's okay because I could talk to
Ashley Green about periods for days. So we'll take a

(09:44):
quick break and we'll come back with Ashley Green to
talk about all things period. Okay. So I am really

(10:06):
excited to welcome our next guest to the podcast because
I've been actually wanting I've been wanting her for a
while now, and she is here. So please welcome Ashley
green Corey to the o R today. Hello, thank you
for having me. I'm really excited because, um, so I'm
really open about my period, and I talked about all

(10:30):
the things I have to do with period and it
makes people really uncomfortable a lot and I don't care
love me, but um, a lot of my a lot
of the scarbging listeners have messaged me about you, saying
that you would be a great guest because of your um,
because of Humming Away, the company that you co founded,
and so I kind of was like digging into that.
And I also I am a fan of Twilight, and

(10:51):
so it's just like all You're just kind of a
mix of everything that I love all of Thanks, I'm
here for it all. Um, Okay, so where should we start?
I think we should start period talk. Yeah, let's dive
into it. I who was saying I'm like the period
person at this point. I feel the same way. But
you know what's interesting, Like the other day, I was
walking to um the bathroom at work, and I was

(11:14):
carrying my tampon, and I whenever I go to the bathroom,
I carry my tampon out like this because I used
to hide it up my sleeve. And I was like,
why am I hiding it up my sleeve. I'm not
embarrassed or ashamed that I'm on my period. And so
I started walking around with it out like that, and
I posted on Instagram and so many like women messaged
me that they are the same way. Yeah, I think
that's so wonderful, And it is because I think a

(11:36):
lot of us were kind of preconditioned to believe that, like,
you get your period, it's a curse, and you do
everything that you can to hide the fact that you
are a woman and go through this life cycle. Um.
And now I'm starting to see a lot of people
be a lot more kind of bold um about being
on their period and speaking about it, and that's kind
of it's beautiful to see because honestly, that's part of

(11:58):
the whole reason humming exist is to give people a
platform to be able to communicate and to be able
to openly speak about these things. Because I think for
a long time, myself included like I was just so
that it was just a very shameful thing, which is
kind of ridiculous when you think about it in a
bigger scale. Well, right, it's like women makeup. I think
it's fifty one of the population now, and we all

(12:21):
have our periods, and yet we can't openly communicate about
our trials and tribulations in that area because it's like taboo. Yeah,
and I've kind of hit this point, and I hope
that you know, eventually everyone will be in this phase
of their life where I'm just like, I'm sorry if
that makes you uncomfortable, but that's not my problem at

(12:42):
this point. And like this is I mean, the period
is now recognized as the fifth vital sign. So there's
so much information that your period can give you, and
and there's so much that we still don't know about it.
Like until I was thirty two years old, I didn't
realize that I had phases in my menstrual cycle. Like
I was like, what is a loudal phase? I'm like
so obsessed with my phases, and I'm like, I'm going

(13:05):
to get to that project when I start my full
like eular phase, because I'm in my mental phase right
now and I'm feeling like really lazy and lethargic and
I just don't want to do it. Yeah, And honestly,
it becomes this kind of I think, it becomes this
like tool that we can work with, and it is
it's wonderful. I actually just saw me in the other
day where someone was talking about the difference between like
Austin New York and l A. And the girl in
l A was like, well, I'm in my ludial phase,

(13:26):
so I'm just gonna wait for for the time being
until I get back to my fellicular phase. And I
was like, this is wonderful, well done, l A. Um,
but it is kind of it's nutty, like once you
start paying attention. And I always encourage people, I'm like, listen.
I think because of the way that we have been
fed information about our period for so long that there's
a lot to now open your mind too and around

(13:49):
and it seems a bit overwhelming for people and um,
and my advice is always just like listen, taking as
much as you want, but take baby steps and then
it becomes something that is kind of fun and citing
to be able to have control over. And like the
biggest thing for me was just like, oh, I'm not
crazy like that that one singular thing at least understanding like, oh,

(14:09):
these three days, there is a shift, and even if
I can't change it, like I know at this moment
in time, maybe I'm not as rational um or maybe
I shouldn't go and try and push myself to work
out as hard or push myself to be a social um.
And it's that alone was really huge for me. And
then now I can kind of like go in and

(14:29):
fine tune, like, oh, I'm gonna change my diet during
my lotal phase. I'm gonna change how I work out
during my lotal phase. Like you really start to kind
of fine tune your minstrual cycle and how you kind
of engage dependent on that, And I think that's a
very cool thing. I was the same way, Like I
was like, it's a lot of information to digest, but
I I and people come to me asking so many

(14:50):
questions and I'm like, I'm definitely not the expert. But
that's kind of where I started to I started kind
of realizing what these phases were when I was going
through them, and then I started to realize, Okay, so
I'm gonna start working out this way during this phase,
and I'm gonna kind of incorporate, like I didn't, like,
I don't change my diet based on the phase, but
I'll incorporate more foods that are better for that phase

(15:10):
if it's easy for me. So it's not like I
do a total overall. It's just like piece by piece.
And the thing that I found why I started getting
really into this was because I was getting like chronic
U t I s just like U T I after
U T I and my guy not kept giving me
just like prescription after prescription, and I was like, I
don't want to be taking into batics all the time.

(15:31):
This is crazy. Yeah. And so it wasn't until I
kind of took it into my own hands and really
sort of like digesting and really kind of being like, Okay,
I'm not going to sit back and just take all
these pills. And I came up with this solution where
knock on wood, I've been like a year and a
half U t I free, but I was getting them

(15:52):
consistently once a month for like eight months and just
like pumping myself with this medication because that's just like
how it is. You know, you go to your I know,
and they hear a symptom and it's that's what that's
what it is, and it wasn't there for me. There's
like a little kind of guide that they go by,
and that's a lot of you know, the whole reason
humming Way started to exist is because my so, my

(16:12):
co founder, Olivia Um, ended up being diagnosed with pmdd UM,
which is premnstual dysphoric disorder. I had gotten off birth
control and went from having no symptoms to having crazy
symptoms and being met with well, you know, you can
get back on birth control, or you can take accutane
and mood stabilizers and like basically anything, but like, why
is this happening? And Olivia and I had this like

(16:34):
separate kind of journey and we ended up coming together
because we're both like, this is ridiculous that these are
the answers that were fed and that they aren't truly
answers and you're not looking at what is causing the symptom.
You're just going like here's a cover up band aid
and like nothing against I mean, listen, the way that
our healthcare providers are set up, like they don't have
the bandwidth and the ability to kind of sit down

(16:58):
with you and really go through what your body is
doing and respond to it. And so like part of
the Humming Way is an educational platform so that people
can start to be their own health advocates because you
kind of have to. It's so true. And yeah, I'm
I'm with you. It's not I'm not trying to. It's
not like a knock on my guy, no by any means,
but it's like that's just their way of thinking, and

(17:21):
that's just how they were taught and reactive. Yeah, And
I think once I started realizing that, like, once I
took control and started asking questions about myself and figuring
it out for my body, I was like, oh my gosh.
And so I started getting into cycle sinking because I
was having like really gnarly cramps and I was like,
this just doesn't feel like this is obviously my body

(17:42):
reacting in a way that doesn't feel healthy. And yeah,
I'm just like, oh, it's just my period. And so
that's when I started looking at a cycle thinking and
all the stuff that I was doing that's like so
not what I should have been doing, do you know
what I mean? Yeah, And that's the problem I think
is because we again, like we've been hot where we're like, oh,
it's just superiod and you have to suffer in silence,

(18:03):
and and also this idea that like you just have
to like power through and you have to operate like
a man and um, and a lot of our systems
are set up for a man and not a woman.
And so we're just now entering into a time where
I think, you know a lot of women or people
with uteruses are stepping back and going like, hey, this
doesn't work for me. Um, this doesn't apply to me.
Let's figure out a better system for sure. And you know, uh,

(18:26):
so I started going to pelvic floor physical therapy, which
I'd never heard of before in my life. But you know,
mine was backwards because I think a lot of people
go to it like after they give birth to kind
of like retighten this pelvic floor space. And mine was
too tight and so I was going to like loosen it. Yeah,

(18:48):
so um, but when I was going there, they introduced
me to this um menstrual cup and she was saying
that I like, because I I was changing my tampons
way too often, the like amost like I was getting
giving my vagina rugburn or something by like pulling out
a dry tampon. Yeah, and so she was like, you
should start doing this menstrual cup. And I'm like, literally,

(19:09):
I'm thirty three years old and I've never heard of
a menstrual cup or how to use it. Like I
felt like a teenager again and mean, like, how do
I like do this thing? And so that completely changed
my life and now I'm like the poster child for
menstrual cups. I'm like, these are life changing, But why
is anybody told me about this? Yeah? I think that's
kind of a more recent thing too. And again we're

(19:31):
starting to see a beautiful space where people are being
open and honest about these things versus it being this
like taboo, hush hush. But I was like, all of
this happened to me in my thirties also, and and
I was kind of like ashamed of that at first,
but it was like nobody taught me otherwise, so like
sham on them, not me. And uh, the menstrual cup
for me is like I wanted. I found that I
had less cramping, like when I put a tampon and

(19:54):
it caused me to cramp a bit and with whatever,
like the pressure of where the menstrual cup was sitting
I had way less, I think, and it's like, at
first I had to wrap my head around the fact
where I was like, oh, you're shoving your hands up
here vagina and like that's kind of weird. But as
far as like cleanliness and hygiene goes, it's way better.
I agree, And then my mind was blown. I didn't
even realize that tampons were like dunked and bleach unless

(20:18):
you buy organic. I was never buying organic tampons, Like,
I didn't even think about that one. Sometimes the problem
with a lot of like organic two is that then
you're having the materials will kind of like piece off.
So I'm I'm all four mentional cuts and it's way
better from the environment, so I'm with you. I also
just started going to public floor therapy. I'm pregnant, so
I decided to go on before I give worth and

(20:40):
and be proactive. Um. But same thing. My doctor was like, oh, yeah,
your pulvate floor is really tight, and I was like, well, okay,
So like it's this like weird process where they're like,
all right, we need to like loose in everything before
you give birth and then tighten every backup. Wait, first
of all, congratulate sans thank you. This is your second child, right, no,

(21:03):
first kid? First kid? What do you do September? September? Okay,
so wait, is that a virgo? Yeah? My husband is
really really exciting about that. Before we even decided to
have like before conception, he was like, I want to
vergo bagger and I was like, I don't think this

(21:23):
is how that works. Um, that we're going to plan
our life around the fact that he's a virgo. I
love your husband already kind of guy. Yeah, um, should
be should be interesting. But wait, we're super deeper excited. Wait,
it's finally getting real. The my public floor therapist also
told me she was like, when women give birth, it's

(21:44):
basically like you're running a marathon. You know, your body
is going through a lot of stuff, and when you
run a marathon, you train for it, you go run,
you know, you like, um, you get yourself ready by
going a couple miles one day and then adding another
mile or two and keep going, going, going, and then
but when women give birth, they just people just expect

(22:06):
you just to like give birth and then that's it,
and you don't prepare for the marathon. And so I
would like that, like totally shifted my mind in terms
of like the public floor, physical therapy and doing all
these things, because it's true, like your body is going
through something super traumatic, so why would you not be
like training for it up until you do. Yeah, I've
heard the same thing, and my doctors say that she's

(22:28):
like a lot of my patients who tend to work
out up until they give birth have generally easier births
because you are like your training for a marathon. It's crazy.
And then yeah, it's the I I just read this
book called Bring Up Baby, and it's about like the
French system and like how well taken care of their
mothers are versus what we have here, And I'm like,
this is ridiculous that it is kind of They're like,

(22:51):
you know, we want everyone women are supposed to have babies.
But then like you get pregnant and you have a child,
and they're like, cool, you're on your own, have fun
with that. And it's and it is like I go
to a place called Origin Way do I go, oh amazing?
Oh do you have I go to Dr Anna Um? No,
I do not go but um But actually Kareem, the
founder of it Is, is one of our advisors for hemmingway,

(23:13):
and so that's how I was. She was like, you
should definitely get in here. But she kind of introduced
that idea to me where she was like, you know,
every other part of your body when there's trauma, you
get pt and your body goes through this huge traumatic
event and you're just left with nothing. And I was like,
oh wow, let me get ahead of that. So honestly,
it's that's so funny that you said that because I'm

(23:34):
like the biggest advocate for public floor physical therapy because
I had no idea what it was, and it totally
I think. I mean, I did like all the things.
So when I was getting all these chronic q t
I s, I started doing public floor physical therapy. I
changed my laundry detergent to like clean and fresh or
whatever or like you know, chemical free. I stopped wearing thongs.

(23:55):
And there was one other thing that I did. Uh.
So it's like hard to say which one of them actually,
Like the menstrual cup. I switched to the menstal cup.
So I did all those things like a matter like
four weeks um, but game changing, like life changing truly. Yeah. Um, yeah,
that's kind of funny. I feel like that happens a

(24:15):
lot with people in their periods. You tie a lot
of these things where like you try everything at once
and then you're like, what actually worked? Who knows? But
as long as it worked, great, And that's the other
thing too, right, I have to help people. I'm like, listen,
you have to go on your own journey, because what works.
We're so complex, you know, and so like what works
for one person may not work for another. Like, my
symptoms were so heavily tied to my diet, and so

(24:37):
my changing a lot of my diet took out a
ton of my symptoms. And it's so interesting because it's like,
you know, people are like go on all of these
pills to fix it, and like, literally I just had
to do the work and change my diet. Now I
don't really have the menstrual cycle symptoms that I did.
I mean I have none right now because I'm pregnant.
But before that, it's so wild. It's so there's so

(24:58):
much to like diet just and so I'm just happy
that you started humming away And I didn't know. So
you guys are uh partners with Origin? No, so when
she the woman who founded Origin or one of she's
a co founder, but um Karee, one of the founders,
is an advisor for Humming Away. I love that we're

(25:19):
all about and we have a wonderful medical work because
the same you mentioned earlier that like, you know, you're
not an expert, a lot of people come to you,
but it is we were kind of like, listen, living,
I know our experience and we're definitely here to change
the path for people, and in one introduced So what
we do is introduced non toxic solutions from Mextra psychosymptoms
and an educational platform. UM. But there is it's such

(25:42):
a delicate subject that we are like, we really want
to have a board of medical advisors so that they
can come back with the correct answers UM, and we're
kind of like, you know, we'll help when we can.
But then the main thing was to kind of provide
this service for people. That's so awesome. I just love you,
like I of you too. I feel like we're on
such a similar path. Well, you know, it's just crazy

(26:04):
because I don't like I get inundated with messages from
women that have said, like you know, they gave birth
and now they can't laugh without peeing and they never
even realized that there was like a solution or away,
and like it just makes me sad that, Like I
just feel like it's not talked about enough. People just
think they have to live with these Like I couldn't

(26:26):
imagine not being able to laugh and pee my pants
every time I laugh, Like that sounds miserable. I was
like my thing, I was like, I have I have
to pe every five seconds anyways. So when I got pregnant,
I was like, oh, no, it's all going to happen.
But it is. And and and that I think is
even more people are, uh, they're not as likely to

(26:47):
come forward and talk about those things. Like I'm really
lucky that I'm surrounded by a couple of girlfriends who
were like, yeah, i'd pe every time I laugh. And
I'm like, wait, that's a thing, you know, but most
people don't want to speak on that, but it's it's
something that's still many then who have given birth go through.
I mean, I'll follow up with you after I give birth,
and I'll let you know. I know, I'm curious. I'm
so curious, but you know, I do have to give

(27:08):
it like I was, because you know, I was going
and just taking all these pills and it was actually
my boyfriend. He was like, this is not good, Like
let's think about this, like let's slow down and like
let's figure out a solution. And if it wasn't for
him like kind of slowing me down because I think
also pre pandemic, you're in this like headspace of just
like Okay, this pill will fix this, Like I'll take that,

(27:29):
and like you know what I mean, Like it was
just kind of go go, go, go go, Like I
can't slow down to like actually like figure out what's
going on. And like that was really eye opening for me.
God for your boyfriend. I it's so funny. I went
through so my husband UM and my co founder's mom
is a home a path and so whenever you know,
we got together, it like completely shifted my viewpoint because

(27:50):
I was the same like I was just raised on
like western medicine. Doctor knows best and you take whatever
they give you. UM. And then my eyes were completely
opened and I was just like, oh no, this is
you know why am I? And I was on birth control,
but I was on a couple of other medications, and
you know, I made a decision that I was going
to try and figure out what was triggering me, versus

(28:12):
taking a pill to just fix it, which is hard
because in the moment, especially if we're all I think,
we have a lot more in our plates than we should. Um,
we want to fix the problem, you know, immediately, and
usually a pill is the way to do that. But
I will say I think doing the work and being
able to be free of those things and really were
I mean, it's all about kind of I think balancing yourself. Yeah,

(28:33):
it's a you know, it's a it's a beautiful feeling.
Just to back up, how long have you been married?

(28:55):
Almost four years? And how did you meet your husband?
So we met he uh ended up moving in with
one of the guys that I was. So I was
a part of this like best friend crew, and there
was like five dudes in me um, and he ended
up moving in with one of them and becoming a
part of that best friend crew. And so we just,
you know, not organically became homies. Um. For like five

(29:18):
years we were just friends. And and then one year
I end up buying When I bought my house, I
like I was the whole thing. I was like two
years it took me to get this house. Um, I
was like everyone come over, and so it was he
came over and it was the first time we were
not in a group of people. I think was what
really did it for me. And we talked for like

(29:39):
three hours, and when he left to go to work,
I was like, Oh, I want to date you, okay,
And then after that just literally stopped. He was a
bartender at the time, and so I like looked like
a complete lush but just like showed up at as
a work a lot and sometimes with close out with him.
And he finally after like two or three weeks of
those got the picture. Oh so you kind of like

(30:02):
made the first move. Yeah, it was. It was one
of those things because I'm like, it's such a weird
thing like that. I was like, how can you be
helping with someone for like five years and really truly
not realize that this is the love of your life? Um,
And and it did. It was just like literally like
something flipped and I was just like, oh, okay. Then

(30:24):
I can't imagine because I was never like a guy's girl,
Like I never had close guy friends. So for me,
it was either like I want to date you and
I want to make out with you, or I don't
really I want to be around not interested. Yeah, I
grew up I was My brother is a year and
a half older than me, and we grew up on
like dirt roads and you know, the horses and my

(30:45):
pies and all the things. So I think that for me,
I get out with guys quite well. Wait, that's so
so you guys have been married for four years together
for how long? Um we have been married for four
We were to go there for four or five before that,
like nine years, and it's just bla And we were
friends for like five years before that. So I'm just happy. Yeah,

(31:10):
it's it's really annoying to probably so many people around
us where we're like, oh my god, we are grossly
in love and it's like we wake up every day
and every day I'm like, you're my best friend, and
he's like you're my best friend. And it's I you know,
I think every relationship takes work. I will say, like,
there's definitely moments, but yeah, it's pretty awesome. I think

(31:31):
we have like my parents are the same way where
they're like kind of gross and annoying and love and
his parents are the same way. So there was definitely
like a bar that was there for both of us.
That's I love that I love the gross and in
love because I'm I'm the same way. And also i
was like, I spent so many years like dating and

(31:51):
just dating like it was rough. It was I had
a rough go at it. So now I'm just like
I appreciate him so much more because I'm just like
I was waiting patiently for you and You're real and
it is good. It can be just as good as
you imagined. Yeah, And do you ever think, like I
think back now, I'm like, huh, yeah, none of those

(32:15):
other guys would ever. And I'm friends with a lot
of my ex is still, but like I just start now,
yeah friendly, like we don't hang out, but like yeah, yeah, yeah,
I know what we're like. If one of them were
to have a kid, I would congratulate them, you know
type thing. But um, but I look at the relationships
I had and I'm just like, what, like, never ever

(32:36):
would that have worked long term? I don't know what
I was thinking, but I think who knows? How? Like
I mean, I think obviously there's a higher you know,
God's looking out, He's gotten got it going on. But
it's there's a plan, there's a plance to like I think.
I also I have to say, like I guess to
give my exes some credit. Like I also look back
at myself in my twenties and was like, like, I'm

(32:57):
so glad that me and Paul didn't date because I was,
you know, wild, I was the same. Yeah, and also
kind of just like I think when you look back
in your twenties, and I'm not saying generally and not
saying everybody in their twenties doesn't know, but I didn't
really know myself then, you know. So I feel like
when I went through my first like major heartbreak, it
was so devastating because I was like my life was

(33:19):
him and everything that he liked to do, and I
was just like, what does Tanya want to do? What
do I like to do? For fun? Like where are
my friends? You know? Like I didn't really have a
sense of self, and so that was huge because I
was like, if I would have married that guy, I
would have been I don't even know where I would
be today, honestly I would for yeah, yeah, I don't
even I don't I don't even want to know. Oh yeah, no,

(33:42):
I look at that too, where I think there's something
to be. I don't know. I'm thirty five now. And
my mom said to me a while ago if she
was like, your thirties and your forties will be such
a wonderful time because you'll know who you are, but
you'll still be young, and you know, you kind of
had this zest for life. But it's so true where
I'm like, I don't I mean, I don't feel old,
but I definitely feel like I understand who I am

(34:03):
and I'm comfortable with who I am for like the
first time, because in your twenties you're just you know,
they're meant. I think twenties are meant for mistakes and
you're meant to figure out who you are. And it's
so true, Like I'm when I was on birth control too,
and I got off birth control, my body just had
this like visceral reaction to it. It was just like
very jarring to see. And so after that, I was like,

(34:27):
I not going back on birth control. It's just like
not gonna happen for me. So that's why I was
also really important to figure out my cycles and or
to figure out like my phases, because now I'm like,
I know when I'm momulating and I'm just like extra careful. Yeah. No,
that's another crazy thing, right, just figuring out just like
I think it is. When you really look at it,

(34:47):
you're like, it's not that easy to get pregnant, like
you know, if you really like track your cycle and
you know, you know I used I used Natural Cycles
UM and did like the basil body temperature testing. Um,
what's the basi basil body So it's basically like there.
So I like Natural Cycles because they came. It comes
with like a thermometer and every morning, UM, like before

(35:10):
you do anything, you wake up and you take your temperature,
and your temperature shifts slightly whenever you're ovulating. And so
if you do it corriculate and you're consistent your UM,
the app will tell you like, oh, your your body
temperature is shifted, you're likely ovulating. And then I kind
of partnered that, like I had the strips this is
when I was trying not to get in. Then I
had just stepped on top of that and was like,

(35:32):
oh yeah, like you could see and track when I
was ovulating. UM. But I'm like, yeah, it's really you
don't have to be amber is controlled and not get pregnant.
I know, and I think that's such a misconception, especially
when you're younger. You think like that's the only way. Yeah,
well that's why I went on it where I was
like sixteen years old and had like, that's the other

(35:52):
thing to you. Like a lot of people again, I'm like,
if you want to get a birth control, fine, but
understand what it's doing to your body, right um before
you do. And I had no idea. I wasn't told
about any of the side effects, and I just got
on at a sixteen before my body even had a
chance to regulate my period. And so then coming off
of it sixteen years later when I was thirty two,

(36:14):
you know, my body was like what is going on?
And so of course I had like hormonal acne and
crazy mood swings and debilitating cramps, and it was just
like my body was was rebelling against the fact that
like all of these symptoms had been there, but I
had just kind of been asking them for so long.
And it was a horrible time. I know, it's like
it's very crazy. It's so crazy to think back. Yeah,

(36:36):
but then when you why did you did you get
off of it? Because you were experiencing the U T
I s or did you just decide? No? So I
got off of it because I was not in a
relationship anymore. I was going through a breakup and so
and I wasn't like into like I'm not really into
on uh unattached sex. Like I was like, I'm not
gonna be like sleeping around. So I just kind of

(36:57):
got off it to give my body a break. And
then and I realized what it did to my body,
I was like, oh, I can't go back on that. Yeah,
like it's gonna that's it's a hard pass for me. Yeah,
but I feel like when I started taking it, it
wasn't really I don't want to say an option, but

(37:17):
it's just like that's what it was, you know, like
you're you start having sex, you get on birth control.
I was just like that's what it was. Yeah for sure.
Um okay, well I could literally talk to you for
like a hundred years about that, but I do want
to pivot into your podcast because I love the concept.
So it's called the Twilight Effect and you guys are
basically you dissect each Twilight movie. You take a piece

(37:41):
by piece. Yep, so we will rewatch movie. My co
host mel and I and then we'll do a couple
of episodes where we just break down, like kind of
the play by play, UM with all of our thoughts
and concerns about it, And then we do a couple
episodes UM with someone we try and kind of tailor
it so that the person that we're interviewing has a
heavy airpart in that movie. UM. So we'll do a

(38:03):
couple of guests interviews and a couple that's just Sololy
and mal Um. But we've had some really fun poppins
for people for the rewatches as well, just like people
that do Twilight parodies and anyone who's kind of within
the Twilight realm um or that Twilight has had an
effect on we kind of bring onto the show. Was
that time like crazy for you? Yeah? I mean that's

(38:26):
what's been really fun about the podcast is that it's
so like when we were all in it, it is
it was this wild machine and like vacuum fish bowl
thing that we were a part of, UM and all
of us were super tight lipped and didn't really talk,
like we were kind of media trained and like you know,
there was only so much information you could give away
about the film, and we were really tight lipped. About

(38:47):
our our personal lives and so getting to do this
now fifteen years later and really explore what we were
going through has been really cool because it was like
when you think back on it, and I'm like, oh, yeah,
that was insane, and like, there are not many people
on this planet who have gone through the same thing
that we've gone through um or been able to be
a part of something that I think has had such
a profound impact on people's life. Like, it's really cool

(39:11):
to still be able to talk. We bring a lot
of fans on to talk about their experiences and it's
it's beautiful to see like the positive impact it's had
on people's lives. Yeah, for sure. But I remember, um,
so I was I'm like friends with Taylor Lawner, and
I remember when I first met him. I can't remember
what I think, this is maybe like five or six
years ago, but um there was like a security guard

(39:33):
was with them, and I was like just talking about
security stuff and I didn't, you know, you don't the
the the safety behind it all is is quite like
I didn't. Obviously I experienced it, and I loved Twilight
in that moment also, but I don't think I even
understood the how grand it was until like almost recently.

(39:57):
Oh yeah, it's I think that's one of the things
that people don't realize a lot is that when you're
part of a franchise like this, it is like it's
a wonderful thing, but your life's changed drastically and there
are things that you don't think you have to worry about,
like security measures that it does. It kind of thresh
you into this spotlight. And also we were in our twenties.

(40:18):
We're in our twenties that time when we're figuring ourselves out,
and to do that in the public eye was also,
you know, not always the easiest thing to navigate. I
can't I cannot imagine. My mom was like, I remember
coming out of the club one time getting photographedro My
mom was like, is that really what you would have
been known for? And I was like damn, okay, no, right,

(40:39):
but like how do you but like you can't do anything,
Like what do you do? You just like live in
a shell? Yeah, it was. It was definitely about well
I made sure where it was like at least if
you're coming out of clubs, don't come out drunk. But
it is like it's an unfair kind of thing where
you are in your twenties and and anything you do
is spoken about. And at the time, I think press

(41:00):
was a lot. Yeah, it was not a nice kind
of place to be, Like, um, things have certainly shifted
now and so yeah, I think you had to kind
of walk on egg shows a little bit. Was your
did Was your husband a fan of the of Twilight
or was he like I don't know that he's even

(41:21):
seen it. Um, I feel like he's seen one of them.
He definitely no, Um, he can appreciate it, but no,
it's not really like we've been rewatching them, um at
my house and so like popping in the room and
see some things and like kind of understands what's going on.
But it's funny like he doesn't. He wasn't really heavily

(41:42):
affected by it, even like I remember my dad and
my brother at a certain point when I invited them
to the premiers being like that's okay, you can invide,
you can invite someone else, and I was like, okay,
Like you know, it just wasn't there. Their thing which
I can kind of appreciate and like created some normalis
seen in my life. Yeah, is that what does your
what does your husband do? Um, he is an entrepreneur

(42:06):
at heart, so he has he's like not not in
the industry. He's and he does, he directs, and he
is and he rights. But he's not an actor, okay,
which is nice. It's nice because he gets like he
can appreciate what I do. But is I don't know,
doing another actor. I think comes with its own sleute
of difficulties. I can't just the schedules alone. I feel

(42:30):
like it's caused for a lot of conflict and relationships
with like actors and actors because I'm like, you get you.
Your life isn't your own when you're like on a
set right Like you're like you have this twelve hour
schedule and you're just filming and you have to maybe
move somewhere and live somewhere else, and it just feels
not really conducive to oh yeah, partnership. I remember going

(42:52):
through that in the midst of excuse me, in the
midst of Twilight, um, where like I would date someone
who also was in the industry in some form or not,
and like, yeah, it makes it really tough because neither
of you is going to give up your job. Um,
so yeah, I'm like the people who do make it work,
bravo to them, because I'm like, it is nice having
like Paul will hell come. He won't come out and
stay for a long time, but like we don't, you know,

(43:14):
the two week role. We try and stick by and
and it's nice to be able to kind of you know,
he can pick up at a certain point and come
visit me on set. Yeah, which is nice. My mom
still doesn't understand though, Like she my mom's like, so
do you have I was maybe going to go film
this movie before giving birth and my mom is going
to come out with me UM, just to make sure that.

(43:35):
I was like okay, and she's like, do you have
your SCRTU that? Do you have your flights yet? Like
I need to know. When I was like, Mom, I
don't know until they tell me. She still doesn't where.
She's like, well, what are they going to tell you?
I'm like I don't know, right, Like you just have
to do what you're told, Like you are got on
a plane and you go, yeah, it's so wild. Did
you I don't know if you saw did you see
this quote by Jamie Chung and she was talking about
um her decision to have a surrogate, and she basically

(43:59):
said I don't want to quote her, but it was
something along the lines of like, um, she had worked
so hard in this industry and she didn't want She's like,
I didn't wanna miss out on opportunities because I was pregnant.
And I was just like, you know what, And she
got a lot of heat for it, but I was like,
I'm so proud and happy that somebody's saying that out loud,

(44:20):
because I think a lot of women and I know
a lot of women that feel that way, you know,
like they're not necessarily don't have a Sarah Gate, but
they get there. They get a lot of anxiety when
they're pregnant, and then they go on maternity leave because
they feel like they're missing out on so much and
that their career is gonna like stop, and you know,
you get off the treadmill for a second and you

(44:40):
feel like you're out of it. And I was like,
nobody talks about this stuff, and I'm glad that she's
just like saying it out loud because we're all having
these conversations behind closed doors when all of us are
feeling it. Yeah, and she's I love Jamie Um. She's
actually a friend of mine, and I commend her for
saying that because I think it's a difficult thing to say,
any difficult to vision to make me honest about, and

(45:02):
something I completely understand because I'm I, you know, no
matter how much I wanted to have this baby, still
experience those things because it is tough. Especially you know,
when you're a man and your wife is pregnant, you
can still work throughout it. But yeah, as a the
second I knew that, the second that I announced publicly
that I was pregnant, that would be it until after

(45:24):
I give birth and after I'm ready to go back
to set. And then it is kind of that game
of like reintroducing yourself and being like, Hi, I'm still
the same person I was before, and I'm ready to
go back to set. And it's definitely something like that
seeps into my mind every once in a while even now,
where I'm just like that that moment of me being
ready to go back to work and maybe having to
wait an additional six months because you know, I'm not

(45:47):
at the like on everyone's tongue anymore. It's it sucks.
It's such a weird, like I have I have never
had a baby, but I try and put myself in
people's shoes because I was just talking to one of
my girlfriends and she was like, it's such a like
it's such a trip in your mind, you know. She's like,
you're watching other people do your show and like do

(46:09):
your thing and get close to the people that you
work with every day, and it's just like it's this
weird but you're so happy to be at home with
your baby and and and you know what I mean,
Like it's this weird dichotomy. Yeah, and just like you know,
like why doesn't anybody talk about this stuff? You know,
like nobody but everybody feels it. Oh yeah, I'll come
back on again post baby. I'll tell you all the

(46:32):
things that is happening, because I'm like, it's it's so true.
We're like, you obviously are grateful for the time that
you get because some people don't get to have maternity
and they don't get to spend the time with their children,
and so that's the other side of it, right, Um.
But but yeah, when you're sitting there going, oh, but
like I do like already because it's been a couple
of months, I'm like I miss being on set. I
love being pregnant, and this is you know, one a

(46:53):
wonderful time that like I already miss it. Do you
love it pregnant? I I don't think I love it
as much as some people. Where Like some people just
like are like I could have eighteen kids. I'm like, whoa, um,
but I have been very very lucky, and it's like
it's a very cool like the baby is kicking and

(47:14):
so like my husband being able to feel that and
like that, like those connections are being made right now.
So it's a really special time. So I think like
this part, I'm like, oh yeah, the first the first trimester,
I didn't really feel like I was just like I
feel kind of hungover like every day, like it wasn't
I didn't, Thank God, I was very lucky didn't have

(47:35):
like severe nausea or like anything debilitating, but I couldn't
tell anyone, And so it was just like this time
where I was like okay, and then you get into
the second trimester and I was like, oh, this is
pretty dope. I can I can get like You're like
I can handle this? Yeah, wow, Okay, Well, I I
know you're a busy gal, so I don't want to
take up any more of your time, but I just

(47:55):
want to say thank you so much for coming on
the podcast. You're amazing and I'm just grateful to have you.
Thank you so much, so thank you for having me.
This has been awesome, and please come back after you
We'll come back and talk post baby. How my coffee
floor is doing. I don't even get me tried to
have so many questions about birth. Are you doing a

(48:16):
um all natural birth? Yeah, I mean that's the plane.
So I think I've come to terms with the fact
that everyone says, like, you make a plan and then
the baby's like just kidding, um, but um, but yeah,
I would like it to be as natural as possible.
It's so funny I've decided that to mind you, I
have no idea what I'm gonna have a baby, but
I was like, listen, I'm a planner too. I support yeah,

(48:38):
like I'm going to do it all natural birth. Uh.
And then that's what everybody says, like, yeah, okay, wait
till you wait till it comes, and I'm like, we'll see. Yeah.
That's always been like my mom and his mom bothted
natural births, and so like I think it's just like
a that's what I have known. Um, but I also
have some friends that are like the past, like immediately
got the epidore role and everything, very happy they made

(49:01):
that decision. So I know, yeah, but I think I
think I'm gonna I'm gonna be able to push it out.
But I'm like, we were made to do this. That's
what I keep going back to you is, I'm just like,
we have been doing this forever and our bodies like
it's kind of That's one thing I've enjoyed about pregnancy
is like reading on all of the changes that happen

(49:21):
and how your body is literally made for this and
it grows a separate organ out of nowhere to keep
your baby alive. Is you know, It's it's mind blowing.
So I'm kind of so far, I am oddly calm
about the the idea of having to actually burn the baby. Yeah. Well,
I'm gonna send you all my good, good vibes, good

(49:42):
juju at least, good everything. So thank you so much,
Thank you so much, have a great rest of your week,
and thanks for scrubbing in. Thank you, see you later. Hi,