We spoke to Clinical Naturopath Holly Hatton about hormones, stress, cycle tracking, and why “common” doesn’t always mean normal.

 

Name: Holly Hatton

Pronouns: She/Her

Day job: Clinical Naturopath

Location: Online clinic, but I also work for a clinic in Paddington, Sydney. Currently only seeing clients online as part of my return-to-work post-partum.

 

Describe what you do in one sentence.

I’m a clinical naturopath. I work with women to better understand their bodies and hormones, and support them to feel good throughout their cycle and beyond.

 

How did you end up specialising in hormone health?

After coming off the oral contraceptive pill, I experienced my own hormonal struggles. At the time, I was studying nutrition, which led me to see a naturopath at the student clinic. Using herbs to re-establish my cycle and manage ongoing symptoms was honestly amazing.

Going through that process made me curious about what was happening in my body, and I wanted to understand more. It also made me realise how little we’re actually taught about our bodies. Maybe I could have avoided the pill if I’d had more information. That curiosity led me to studying naturopathy and eventually specialising in hormonal health.

 

What hormone-related issues are you seeing most often right now?

Right now, I’m seeing a lot of women who haven’t been properly supported or advocated for. Women are often dismissed in healthcare, and I really want to help bridge that gap.

Clinically, I see many women struggling with contraception, whether that’s trying to come off it, dealing with severe side effects, or looking for other options. Supporting them in understanding what’s happening in their bodies and finding alternatives that work for them is something I’m really passionate about.

 

What do people misunderstand most about hormones?

I think it’s important to realise we aren’t victims of our hormones. Hormones are messengers. They’re constantly communicating information about what’s happening in the body.

When something feels off, the hormones usually aren’t the problem. They’re delivering the message that something else needs support. Because hormones are influenced by things like our nervous system, stress levels, blood sugar, and detoxification, we actually have more influence over them than we think.

 

Why is endometriosis still so misunderstood?

Am I allowed to say the patriarchy? Ha. But honestly, I can’t help wondering if this condition affected men, would we have more clarity by now?

Women have historically been left out of medical research, and endometriosis has paid the price. Pain has long been dismissed or normalised in women’s healthcare, and I think that culture of “just push through it” has slowed progress significantly. The conversation is changing, but we still have a long way to go.

 

What tends to drive inflammation and symptom flare-ups most?

Our modern lives play a significant role. We’re more stressed and busier than ever, with overscheduled lives and very little time to rest and recover.

Layer that with poor sleep, processed foods, alcohol, altered gut microbiomes, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in our food, packaging, makeup, cleaning products, and even the air we breathe, and it creates a perfect storm for inflammation.

For some people, that cumulative load eventually shows up as symptoms. It won’t be the full picture for everyone, but understanding what might be contributing for you personally is a really empowering place to start.

 

You talk about working with the body, not against it. What does that mean in practice?

It starts with listening to your body. For most of us, that needs to be relearned because we’ve spent years being taught to push through or silence symptoms rather than question them.

Working with the body means paying attention and asking why. Why does my energy crash in the second half of my cycle? Why do I get headaches before my period? Symptoms are information. Instead of shutting them down, we use them as a starting point to understand what the body needs.

 

If someone’s struggling with their cycle, where should they start?

So overwhelming, especially now with AI thrown into the mix. It’s hard to cut through the noise. I’d start by tracking your cycle, if you aren’t already. Track your cycle length, the details of your bleed, and how you feel throughout the month. That information alone is incredibly valuable and gives you somewhere to start. Beyond that, seek support from a trusted practitioner who will listen and treat you as a whole person, not just a set of symptoms.

 

How do the liver, gut, and nervous system connect to hormone health?

The liver and gut are two of our primary detoxification pathways, and both play a role in processing and clearing hormones. If either isn’t functioning well, whether digestion is sluggish or the liver is under strain from lifestyle factors or medication, hormones that should be cleared can start to recirculate.

The nervous system is also deeply connected to our cycle. A chronically stressed or overactive nervous system can increase some hormones and suppress others, creating an imbalance.

 

How much does stress really impact periods?

Hugely, but it varies from person to person. Not everyone will stress themselves out of a period, but for some people the connection between their nervous system and cycle is highly sensitive.

One mechanism worth knowing about is called the “pregnenolone steal.” When the body is under chronic stress, it prioritises making cortisol, our stress hormone, over sex hormones like progesterone. Essentially, the body chooses survival over reproduction, which can lead to low progesterone, worsened PMS, and disrupted cycles.

In more extreme cases, chronic stress can lead to hypothalamic amenorrhoea, where the brain essentially switches off the reproductive system and periods stop altogether. It’s a powerful reminder that your nervous system and cycle are in constant conversation.

 

Which endocrine disruptors should people realistically pay attention to?

I agree it’s not helpful to become obsessive here. We live in a material world, and it’s hard to avoid these chemicals entirely.

If someone wants to reduce their exposure, the best approach is slow, sustainable swaps rather than a complete overhaul overnight. Reducing plastic use is a big one, and never heating food in plastic is non-negotiable.

Beyond that, gradually switching your makeup, perfume, cleaning products, cookware, and even clothing choices can make a meaningful difference over time. Small, consistent changes add up.

 

With so much diet advice online, what do you focus on instead of restriction?

Often, it’s about bringing things back to basics. Are you eating three balanced meals a day and actually fuelling yourself? Are you getting enough vegetables, fruit, and water?

So often, we jump to complex protocols when the foundations aren’t even in place. I also love including functional foods in treatment plans, foods that actively support hormone health, liver detoxification, gut function, and the nervous system.

It creates a strong foundation alongside the herbal and nutritional medicine we use clinically. Ideally, over time, the food becomes the medicine, and we can taper off the therapeutic support. It’s less about what to cut out and more about what to add in.

 

What role does movement play in managing pain or fatigue?

I’m a big advocate for intuitive movement, especially when pain or fatigue is involved. It comes back to working with the body and listening to it. On days when you have more energy, often during the follicular phase, go to the HIIT class, push yourself, and enjoy it. On days when you feel slower or overstimulated, choose a restorative yoga class, a walk in nature, or even just a really good stretch.

 

What’s your take on supplements? Helpful, overused, or misunderstood?

Honestly, all three. Supplements can be incredibly helpful when they’re used appropriately for the individual, in the right dosage and form. They’re overused when people take something just because it worked for a friend, without understanding whether it’s right for them. And they’re misunderstood because a lot of people try supplements and feel like they don’t work, often because that first principle is missing.

There’s also a common belief that natural means safe, and that’s not always true. Herbs and nutrients can interact with medication and may be contraindicated in certain situations. That’s why working with a trained practitioner matters so much. Quality matters too.

 

What does good cycle health actually look like?

A healthy cycle comes and goes without causing too much disruption to your life. You might notice the changes, but they shouldn’t have you cancelling plans, being afraid to wear white, or dreading the week before your period. Your cycle shouldn’t feel like a burden.

 

What’s your relationship with your own cycle like?

I’ve recently had a baby and am still breastfeeding, so I’ve been without my cycle for almost two years, which feels wild to me. My cycle has recently returned, and it felt like welcoming an old friend. I’ve had ups and downs with it in the past, but I feel more in tune with my body now than ever.

 

Do you change how you work or live throughout your cycle?

Honestly, no, not in a structured way. I don’t schedule my life around cycle phases or block out my calendar for my luteal phase. But I do try to listen to my body intuitively.
If I’m feeling slow and introverted, I lean into that rather than fight it. If I’m feeling energised and clear-headed, I use that.

I think there’s a lot of pressure in the wellness space to cycle-sync everything perfectly, and for most women, that’s just not realistic. Tuning in and responding to how you actually feel day to day is more sustainable for me.

 

What’s something you wish you had understood about your body earlier?

That consistency is better than perfection. I spent a lot of time going all in, then burning out because it wasn’t sustainable, whether that was with diet, exercise, or stress management. What I’ve learned is that small, consistent habits done most of the time are what make me feel my best.

 

If someone feels disconnected from their body, where should they start?

Start simple. If you aren’t already tracking your cycle, start there. Even just noting where you are in your cycle and how you feel each day can help build a picture. From there, slow down enough to listen to what your body is telling you instead of constantly pushing through. And if you’re feeling really lost, find a trusted practitioner to help you peel back the layers together. You don’t have to figure it all out alone, and you don’t have to fix everything at once.

 

If every woman listened for one minute, what would you want her to understand about her body?

That your symptoms are not something to push through or put up with. So much of what women experience has been normalised: painful periods, debilitating PMS, exhaustion, and mood swings. But "common" and "normal" are not the same thing.

 

MY CYCLE

• My period in 3 words: pre-pregnancy – work in progress, post-pregnancy – welcomed, manageable and intuitive.
• Period self-care toolkit: heat, ginger tea, magnesium and dark chocolate.
• Most underrated period self-care hack? Rest! Especially if you feel your body is asking for it.
• Contraception of choice: Condoms and cycle tracking.
  
• On day 1, you'll find me: Listening to my body. Sometimes that’s resting, sometimes it’s not. 
  
• Scarlet pick: Period Cup! I also love when clients use one, as it becomes a great clinical tool, giving us an accurate picture of how much blood is being lost each bleed.