How it all started
Hi, I'm Madeleine
How I went from studying Fashion Business in London to starting a business within female wellness in Stockholm, Sweden.
Hi, I’m Madeleine, the founder of SVAAN, and I want to share with you how my personal journey with PCOS led me to create cycle-syncing supplements that I wish I had when I first received my diagnosis.
At 23, I was living in London, just finished my studies in fashion business at Istituto Marangoni, when life threw me a curveball. I began fainting at my new job at a marketing agency in Shoreditch, and experienced pain in my ovaries. My body was sending signals that something was off, but I didn’t fully understand what was happening. I had tried different contraceptives, including a copper spiral, which I thought might be causing my anxiety. But it only led me to the emergency room, where doctors discovered that I had polycystic ovaries.
The official diagnosis? PCOS. My doctor didn’t offer much hope for solutions. "You’re not overweight, and you're healthy otherwise," he told me. "We’ll talk again when you want to have kids." At 23, I shrugged it off, not fully grasping the lifelong implications.
The Search for Solutions
As the years went by, I kept trying different contraceptives, including the NuvaRing, which seemed to work well for me for a couple of years. But when COVID hit, stress overwhelmed my system, and the fainting spells returned. I went to the emergency room multiple times, each visit with a different diagnosis—migraines, low blood pressure, stress. Still, I knew something deeper was wrong.
After moving back to Sweden and going through another health check, the PCOS diagnosis resurfaced. Once again, I was offered the same "solution": go on the pill. But by this point, I was done with hormonal contraceptives. I was determined to find another way.
My Turning Point
The breakthrough came while listening to a podcast featuring Alisa Vitti on Boss Babe. Suddenly, everything clicked. I realized I could manage my PCOS naturally through lifestyle changes, the right diet, and supplements tailored to my cycle. I devoured books like Vitti's “Beyond the Pill” and “In the Flo”, learning how women’s bodies are designed to function on a 28-day cycle rather than the 24-hour rhythm men follow. It was a revelation.
Why were women expected to fit into a world that wasn’t designed for their biology? Why was I pushing myself to work, socialize, and live by standards that didn’t align with my natural cycle? These realizations changed everything.
Embracing the Power of Cycle Syncing
I began syncing my life with my cycle—adjusting my workouts, nutrition, and even my social life based on my body’s needs. During the follicular phase (before ovulation), I focused on building energy and enhancing focus. After ovulation, during the luteal phase, I shifted toward calming supplements to manage anxiety, cramps, and PMS. This approach was life-changing, but it was time-consuming. Every morning, I found myself mixing various supplements in my kitchen—maca, ashwagandha, reishi, you name it.
That’s when the idea for SVAAN was born. Why wasn’t there a simpler solution? Why couldn’t there be a supplement that matched my cycle without the daily hassle?
The Birth of SVAAN
After over two years of research, countless podcasts, and a lot of trial and error, I created SVAAN’s cycle-syncing supplements. These are designed to help women feel their best through every phase of their menstrual cycle. One formula supports energy and focus before ovulation, while another helps manage PMS and emotional well-being after.
There’s a gap in the market for products that make it easy for women to sync with their cycle without sacrificing convenience. SVAAN is my answer to that gap. We want to educate women about their bodies and empower them to use their natural cycle as a superpower—without having to spend hours every day or overhaul their entire lifestyle.
Embracing Balance
At the heart of SVAAN is a belief in balance. You don’t have to choose between being the "Pilates girl" who drinks matcha and the "party girl" who loves a night out. You can be both—embracing your natural cycle while living the life you want.
I believe women deserve better solutions for their health, and it’s time we stop trying to fit into a world built for a 24-hour clock. We deserve products and routines that honor our bodies' natural rhythms without the need for extremes.
At SVAAN, we’re not here to make cycle syncing complicated. We’re here to make it simple, accessible, and powerful—so you can focus on living your best life, both in and out of sync with your cycle.
Love,
Madeleine
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