Control the Controllables: Brain Foods for Uncertain Times

From Period Shame to Period Power with Girliee Founder Engy Abdel Azeez

This week on Cycle Hood, I’m joined by Engy, founder of Girliee, for a powerful conversation about period health, womanhood, entrepreneurship, and breaking taboos around menstrual care. We talk about: • The story behind Girliee and why Engy created the brand • Period underwear myths, hygiene, sustainability & comfort • The cultural taboos around periods in the Middle East • Running, workouts & feeling secure on your period • Building a female-founded business while navigating pregnancy • Listening to your body through every phase of womanhood This episode is such an honest conversation about creating products for women, working with your body instead of against it, and redefining what period care can look like. ✨ Use code CYCLEHOOD for 20% off Girliee products. Follow us: @cyclehoodpodcast @shop.girliee

Befriending Uncertainty: What a Week in Sardinia Taught Me About Life

I'm back in Dubai and my heart is full. In this solo episode, I'm sharing my most personal and reflective takeaways from a yoga retreat in Sardinia, one of the world's five Blue Zones, where I spent a week disconnecting, going deep, and letting myself just be. From deleting Instagram and getting comfortable with boredom, to navigating real uncertainty as an Iranian woman not knowing if I could board my flight home, this episode covers a lot of ground. We talk about: * Why unstructured time might be the most productive thing you do * Befriending uncertainty (not just controlling the controllables) * Having fun with fear, and why that's on my bucket list * What "home" really means when you're building a life far from where you were born * The awareness index: thoughts, feelings, and why action completes the triangle * Filling your cup so full it overflows Plus the quote that stopped me in my tracks: "You're questioning the timing of a universe that has never missed a sunrise." If you've been feeling heavy, ungrounded, or stuck, this one's for you. Grab your journal, because this episode is packed with prompts to help you go deep, no flight to Sardinia required! 🎉 Exciting news: Cycle Hood just launched on Instagram! (I know finalyyyy!!!) Come find us, we're just getting started and we'd love to have you there. Follow us here [https://www.instagram.com/cyclehoodpodcast/] for wellness tips, reflections, journal prompts and everything in between. 💌 And if any of the topics in this episode stirred something in you and you want to dive deeper, slide into our DMs, at Cycle Hood we offer 1:1 holistic health coaching sessions tailored to your bio individual needs and the first discovery call is free.

The Best 50 Minutes of Your Day with Connor

In this episode of Cycle Hood, I sit down with Connor — Barry’s instructor, performer, storyteller, and the person so many of us know as “Mr. Good Vibes.” But behind the energy, dancing, and unforgettable classes is a story of resilience that feels like a movie. Connor opens up about growing up as a dancer in South Africa, finding fitness almost by accident, moving to Dubai after a breakup, and facing some of the hardest moments of his life while trying to build a future from scratch. From sleeping on floors, walking hours to work, surviving on bread and peanut butter, and almost giving up — to becoming one of Dubai’s most loved instructors and being voted number one instructor on ClassPass two years in a row — this conversation is about what it really takes to keep going when no one sees the full story. We also talk about the pressure of being “the good vibes person,” what it means to give people the best 50 minutes of their day, the performance behind fitness, the role of dance in Connor’s teaching style, and the next chapter he is building beyond fitness. This is a conversation about resilience, identity, ambition, friendship, and the people whose small acts of kindness can change the direction of your life. Connect with Connor: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notmoodie_connor/ [https://www.instagram.com/notmoodie_connor/] Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nioushaan/ [https://www.instagram.com/nioushaan/] Website: cyclehood.co [www.cyclehood.co] — book a free discovery session and explore my 1:1 coaching programs in hormone health, holistic health, nutrition, and life coaching.

Control the Controllables: Brain Foods for Uncertain Times

In this solo episode of Cycle Hood, I’m talking about one more thing we can bring back into our control when life feels uncertain: the way we nourish our brain. I’m breaking down the Antidepressant Food Scale (AFS) in a simple and accessible way — what it is, how it was developed, which nutrients are most strongly linked to brain and mental health, and which foods came out on top. We also get into omega-3s, BDNF, neuroplasticity, flavonoids, and why certain foods can help support resilience, mood, and overall brain function. This episode is not about perfection, restriction, or replacing therapy and medical support. It’s about understanding the physiology behind how food can support the brain, and using that knowledge to make more intentional choices in seasons of stress. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, emotionally heavy, or simply wanting to feel a little more supported from the inside out, this episode is for you. If you’d like deeper support, I offer 1:1 coaching programs that take a holistic approach to health and life. My 3-month coaching program includes 6 biweekly sessions focused on one key area of your life through a lens of physical, hormonal, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. My 6-month coaching program includes 12 biweekly sessions for a deeper, more comprehensive journey toward sustainable lifestyle change, hormone health, and overall wellbeing. You can learn more and book a free discovery session at cyclehood.co. And because gut health is such an important part of the brain-body conversation, I’m also sharing my Seed referral link here if you’d like to explore the probiotic I personally use: https://refer.seed.com/by/cyclehood [https://refer.seed.com/by/cyclehood] Connect with me on Instagram: @nioushaan Explore more: cyclehood.co

Finding Home Within: Breath-work, Belonging & the Power of Presence with Isha Sharma

Podcast description: In this episode of Cycle Hood, I’m joined by Isha Sharma for a deeply grounding conversation on breathwork, belonging, movement, mindfulness, and what it really means to feel at home within yourself. Isha is a sound healer, meditation trainer, yoga and Pilates teacher, and a public policy strategist working across international development. In this conversation, she shares her powerful personal journey — from moving constantly throughout childhood, to journaling from the age of nine, to living in an ashram in India, and how breathwork became a life-changing daily practice she has stayed devoted to for 13 years. We talk about the connection between breath and emotions, the difference between exercise and movement, what true health and healing can look like, and how women can reconnect with their bodies in a more holistic and empowering way. We also explore belonging, displacement, feminine power, purpose, and the importance of creating inner stability in a fast-moving world. This episode is for anyone craving more calm, clarity, connection, and a deeper relationship with themselves. Connect with Isha: @isharma108 [https://www.instagram.com/isharma108?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] Connect with me: @nioushaan If this conversation resonated with you and you’re ready to deepen your relationship with your body, your hormones, and your overall wellbeing, you can book a free discovery session with me through my website here: cyclehood.co