Ep 21: Periods, endo and pain from the Ice Age, an evolutionary look with Dr Deena Emera.

Why do we have periods at all, when most mammals don’t?In this episode we catch up with Dr. Deena Emera, evolutionary biologist and author of A Brief History of the Female Body, and look at menstruation through an evolutionary lens that shifts the usual framing.We unpack what’s actually happening between the brain, ovaries and uterus, and why menstruation may be less about a monthly inconvenience and more about an active, coordinated process. One of the more interesting ideas is the uterus behaving less like a passive lining and more like a kind of checkpoint, responding to what’s happening upstream.We also get into how far modern cycles have drifted from what the body likely evolved for. More cycles across a lifetime, higher hormone peaks, and a different symptom burden. That context matters when you’re thinking about pain, PMS, and conditions like endometriosis.If you work in this space, or you’re trying to make sense of your own cycle, have a listen to this great hour of evolutionary insight.Find Dr Emera's great book here:https://www.amazon.com.au/Brief-History-Female-Body-Evolutionary/dp/1728275156More on Prof Beverly Strassman: https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/bis/