Amanda Sevilla - Getting Back Her Period, Body Positivity, Self-Love, and Nutrition Musings

Summary: Amanda Sevilla is a nutrition student at Loma Linda University, which is where I will be starting grad school in the Fall. You may know amanda as "applesandamandas" on YouTube and Instagram, where she’s really active in promoting a plant-based diet. Amanda is great for lots of reasons, but what I wanted to talk to her about in particular is her experience with getting her period back after dealing with an eating disorder. It is sadly somewhat common for young girls to lose their period (amenorrhea when they begin eating a plant-based diet. For Amanda, this happened not when she made that dietary change, but as an effect of her previous eating disorder. However, that too is a relatable experience for many people, myself included. We also ended up delving into some specific nutrition talk, covering topics like iron, protein, calcium, the importance of focusing on whole foods rather than specific nutrients, etc. When you put two nutrition nerds together, it’s bound to happen. Here's the thing, though: I want to make a disclaimer that this is more of a conversation than an interview. Listening back through the recording, I cringe at how much i took over that conversation at times--so much so that I questioned whether i should even post this. But I do think Amanda’s story is one that will resonate with many people, and it’s an important topic. So I’m sharing it despite these downsides to the recording. (Amanda, I am sorry. I will record another interview with you again in the future, and showcase YOU in the spotlight more - i know how much you have to share!) This is a learning process, I am learning, and I will be better in the future. I hope you gain something from our exchange.