After walking through PCOS and infertility herself, Hannah Eriksen built a practice rooted in nourishment, not restriction. She now helps women balance hormones, beat PMS, and understand their cycles, starting with what’s on their plate.
Name: Hannah Eriksen
Pronouns: She/her
Day job: Women’s health dietitian, specialising in PCOS, endometriosis and infertility
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
How would you describe what you do in one sentence?
Empowering women with proven, personalised nutrition to sustainably restore ideal hormone function, so they can live with more clarity, hope, and confidence in bodies they *actually* like.
What drew you to women’s health and nutrition?
It all started when I tried to have babies. Until then, I thought it would be easy (it was for everyone else in my family!). I walked through PCOS, infertility, and miscarriage to have my two little people. Although difficult, I have learned so much about what influences our cycles and fertility, so that I can share all that can be done to overcome.
Where does mainstream health advice fall short on periods or hormones?
There is a general approach to “fix periods,” to make them “regular,” as if that’s the most important thing about a woman’s cycle. Periods are simply an indicator of ovulation. Ovulation is the clearest sign of a woman’s health status, being the first to change when something isn’t right. Women aren’t typically given the skills, knowledge, or agency to know more about their own ovulation; instead, the general approach is to stop ovulation altogether. This causes confusion, a lack of interest in the body, nasty side effects, and, most concerning of all, the causes are unresolved, so conditions get worse over time.
The other gap I see is not being offered natural alternatives to hormonal contraceptives, which radically mess with a woman’s physiology. If a woman wants to avoid pregnancy, there are rigorously studied, scientifically validated methods with a 99% success rate where women can know exactly what their fertile status is on any given day. I didn’t know this stuff when I needed it; but it does exist! Not every woman wants to know, but for those who do, it’s my job to help them access it.
What’s one myth you’re always busting with clients?
An ovulation-loving diet loves food, and lots of it, especially wholegrains and vegetables.
What does “Oh Goodness” stand for, and what’s its bigger purpose?
Oh Goodness is a phrase I use that captures the simple nourishment and wholesomeness that food provides when used in conjunction with a woman’s health history. Oh Goodness is also shortened to OG Nutrition, taking us back to the OG; those basics that we’ve forgotten in the minefield that is online nutrition advice. The bigger purpose behind our brand is to empower women with the skills and knowledge to support their bodies and hormone health naturally, using food, natural supplements, and attuned body awareness. I want all women I have the privilege to work with to have their healthiest cycles, period. (Pun completely intended.)
If someone dreads their period, where would you start with food?
After looking at their cycle data, blood tests, and lifestyle, with their nutrition I would be looking to see how much wholegrains they’re consuming daily (especially in their luteal phase), how many vegetables make it in per day, any nuts/seeds, and how much and how often they’re having legumes and calcium-rich dairy. I would also look to reduce the amount of processed meats, sugary drinks/foods, caffeine, alcohol, and (not a food) vaping.
What are the most common nutrition mistakes around cycles?
Cutting out carbs is the biggest one - most women don’t know they’re doing it. Carbs aren’t all equal, and there are certain ones we’re okay to leave behind. Wholegrains, on the other hand, contain glorious amounts of fibre, vitamins, and minerals that make for happier cycles.
Whenever I ask someone for an example of a whole grain, they say “bread.” However, like the name suggests, you’re looking for a whole grain. For example: unprocessed corn, brown rice, wholegrain/steel-cut oats, quinoa, buckwheat, bulgur, barley (potato and sweet potato make it into this category too). More processed grains like bread, wraps, and crackers can be enjoyed too, but I encourage women to check labels for the best information. The more fibre, the better so choose ones with more than 6g dietary fibre per 100g.
The second biggest mistake I see is too much fat - even from healthy sources like avocado, nuts/seeds, and olive oil. This is usually the culprit for uncomfortable bloating and low energy. A bit each day is very important, but most women are getting what they need without having to try too hard. Fat promotes more estrogen production, and oftentimes, more estrogen isn’t what a client needs.
Both mistakes I understand, given our culture’s focus on high-protein, high-fat, and low-carb diets. Perhaps for men this is the way to go, but it doesn’t seem to translate into happy cycles for us women.
Are there foods or nutrients you rely on for each cycle phase?
There’s simply not enough evidence at this stage to be able to confidently say, “eat this food during the follicular/luteal phase and it will make the difference.” However, with the increased progesterone in our luteal phase, wholegrains (wow, I’m a broken record) become more important, especially for those who experience increased pain, low energy, and low mood in the second half. If this is you, ask yourself: do I have at least four handfuls of wholegrains per day, some at each main meal? Likewise, colourful vegetables are always important, but you really notice it in the luteal phase if they’re lacking in quantity.
Seed cycling: helpful or hyped?
Seed cycling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice; it’s been around for ages, but there isn’t enough good-quality research yet to prove that taking certain seeds in certain parts of your cycle makes a difference. Seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients, so enjoying them in small quantities daily (I’m talking no more than ¼ cup of seeds and nuts combined per day) is a benefit to any woman’s cycle. Will you get more benefit from having specific seeds at specific times of your cycle? Probably not. Is it going to make things worse? Definitely not.
Can you really eat to support your hormones?
Yes, you can. Firstly, don’t skip meals (intermittent fasting seems to be unfavourable for women). Include wholegrains at breakfast, at least five handfuls of colourful vegetables per day, and at least two servings of high-protein, high-calcium dairy per day (bovine is best, but some can’t tolerate it, so make sure an alternative to your milk, yoghurt, or cheese has 10g protein per 100g and more than 300mg calcium per serve).
Reduce butter (and all things made with butter, like pastry, pies, scones, etc.), reduce processed meats (salami, ham, sausages, bacon), and enjoy no more than two small espresso coffees per day. And no vaping. Simple, right? ;)
What do you wish more people knew about PMS?
What you think is normal doesn’t have to be your normal. It can change quickly and improving your food can reduce PMS symptoms in even a couple of months. Also, craving chocolate - it’s very normal, but if it feels out of control, that is a hint that something is lacking nutritionally (which a friendly hormone dietitian could help solve for you).
Your go-to tips for easing period pain naturally?
Heat packs – so comforting! (try our rae Heat Pad - the ultimate period companion!!)
What does self-care look like for you on your period?
Permission to chill and not exercise if I don’t have the strength or energy. I usually want lots of hugs and understanding, so I make sure I get that from my significant other.
How do you balance being “healthy” with being human?
We never stop being human, and life will always interrupt our best-laid plans and habits. Instead, we find rhythms of being that are part-way between healthy and sustainable. I hold lighter expectations of myself, focusing more on the system of how to do something than the thing itself. Baby steps are not failing, and if I repeatedly do something I don’t want to be doing, I don’t rely on willpower to change but rather, I look at the hundreds of tiny decisions that ultimately are pushing me away from who I want to be and focus on changing those. Perfection is tantalising, but it’s a sure-fire way to unsustainability, so I also practice saying kind, encouraging, and compassionate things to myself.
Any self-care rituals or products that changed your cycle?
Nutrition has completely changed my cycle experience. I teach this stuff, and I’m still surprised by how much it makes a difference. I’ve had weird periods, irregular periods, and period pain that would be more consuming over the years, but each month I’m noticing zero PMS, apart from being slightly more tired and teary for one day prior, with no acne, no pain, no clots, and a moderate flow.
What’s a typical day like for you, start to finish?
I’m up at five to crank out some admin before I get the kids up (I have two, 3 and 1). On days that we’ve gone to bed late or are sick, I take a lie-in instead, because sleep is the best medicine. We all have breakfast together, and I’m with the kiddos until 9 a.m. when I start work with a decaf cappuccino.
Three days a week, I see clients for five hours straight, wrapping up my admin before I switch back to mum-mode and pick the kids up at 3 p.m. From there, it’s baking with the kids, or an outside adventure, or sometimes Paw Patrol to the rescue while I cook dinner. My meals are planned, and I enjoy it, so it doesn’t usually take long before dinner at 5:30 p.m.
No matter what I do, I always seem to make a lot of dishes, so it’s chaos while we clean and get the kids to bed by 7:30 p.m. Finally, it’s time for my husband and me to connect over outstanding admin (sooo romantic), reading, listening to music, or watching anything Formula 1 related.
Any new habits you’ve added (or ditched) for hormone health?
My most recent is getting natural daylight as early as possible to help kickstart my day, energy levels and ultimately for a good night’s sleep many hours later.
Where do you hope women’s health conversations go in 5 years?
Women know their bodies better than anyone and need to be able to tune in to what it’s saying. Alternatives to hormonal contraceptives that allow women to know exactly what’s going on (it is possible, and I teach clients all about it!) mean they can get a solution, rather than a quick fix that plasters over the issue only for it to show up later in life worse. Pills and surgery have a place, but when they’re the default options, many women are left unsatisfied and unsure what to do next.
If you had all women’s attention for 2 minutes, what’s your top health message?
You can feel in control of your body. Too often, we relinquish control to others - pills, surgeries, crazy-restrictive fad diets, expensive-as supplements -because we don’t know what else to do. It feels easier when someone else figures it out for us. The problem is, it’s only you in your body, ever.
Here’s the truth: you have an amazing body, capable of more than you even realise. It’s possible to know exactly what your hormones are doing day to day, to fuel your body to function its best, and to give yourself permission to take it easy when it needs to. It requires the valuable skill of listening to what your body is saying which is easier when surrounded by professionals who can support you to learn more. Not via quick fixes, but by empowering you to lean into the amazing and beautifully complex thing that being a woman is.
MY CYCLE
- My period in 3 words: So. Much. Better.
- Period self-care toolkit: Awareness, compassion and rest
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Most underrated period self-care hack? Naps!
- What’s your ultimate period outfit? Everything needs to “hang out” when I’m on my period. I’m all about cropped baggy T-shirts and elasticated waistbands on my wide-legged lounge pants.
- Contraception of choice: Billings Ovulation Method™
- On day 1, you’ll find me: Excited to start a new fertility chart; it always feels like a fresh beginning.
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What is your favourite comfort food? Spaghetti, for sure.
