Terry Chang (left) and Dr. Ulrike Kaunzner (right)

Meet Terry Chang and Dr. Ulrike Kaunzner, the Founders of Two Moons Health, a holistic health company reshaping hormonal care with seed cycling capsules that naturally alleviate PMS and perimenopause symptoms.

What started as a simple conversation among friends—Terry, a lawyer, and Ulrike, a doctor—has since blossomed into an innovative mission-driven business. Both women were no strangers to the monthly toll of PMS and, as they listened to similar stories from countless others, they realized how widespread yet under-addressed the issue was. Fueled by a shared belief in the power of natural remedies, they turned to seed cycling, a practice known for its positive impact on hormone balance. Subsequently, they developed the first seed cycling capsule—an accessible solution for modern women seeking relief. 

In our conversation, Terry and Ulrike opened up about the challenges of creating a product in a largely overlooked market, the pivotal moments that shaped their journey, and their vision for empowering women to reclaim control over their bodies.

Tell us the story behind your company’s founding. How and why did you start working on Two Moons Health? 

UK: It all began on a chilly night in November 2023 in Manhattan at a social gathering.

TC: It was actually an annual ritual among our group of women friends that has gone on for nearly a decade. I host a clothing swap, where instead of throwing away or donating clothes we don’t want anymore, we try on and trade hand-me-downs. Like a fashion potluck.

UK: A sustainable fashion potluck.

TC: Right. One woman’s trash is another woman’s gold. It helps to have stylish friends; I feel very blessed. A group of us, including Ulrike, were all standing around in my kitchen, snacking at the counter after some fashion “arbitrage.” I opened up about experiencing the intense mood rollercoaster of PMS: crying spells, unbearable sadness and loneliness, flashes of anger, and feeling very out of control. Also the unpleasant physical symptoms of bloating, water retention, painful cramps, and brain fog—all of which would haunt me for a couple days like a personal tsunami, wreaking havoc in my life, and then swiftly disappearing with my next cycle. I felt like I had tried everything including the antidepressants and hormonal birth control that Western doctors typically prescribe for PMS. But these treatments had so many side effects I stopped. Daily exercise and nutrition helped but couldn’t subdue the storm completely. In a very “Eat Pray Love” moment, I had even seen a healer in Bali who prescribed helpful yoga poses and sprinkled some refreshing magic water on me, but it still wasn’t enough.

UK: I suggested seed cycling, a known integrative, holistic method that involves the use of four different seeds—pumpkin, flax, sesame, and sunflower—during different times of the month. This is a practice that women have been using for a while. There are research papers about the positive effects of those seeds on estrogen and progesterone.

TC: Then I said, “Well, that sounds better. But couldn’t we make it a lot more convenient for women?” All these seed combinations seemed really complicated and, let’s be real, we’re New Yorkers; we don’t cook—well, not very well, anyway!

UK: The evening ended with us vowing to develop a convenient, easy-to-use product to solve this distressing, monthly pain point that so many women endure.

TC: At that moment, we discussed a seed cycling snack bar or a bite. But, after doing some market research, we pivoted to a simple capsule.

What is the underlying mission of Two Moons Health? How does your work make a difference in people’s lives?

Two Moons’ mission is to enhance the joy, wellness, achievement, and performance of women in their personal and professional lives so that they can truly shine. This means reducing stressors or unnecessary suffering that diverts them from achieving their goals and fulfilling their true potential.

What sets Two Moons Health apart in a crowded market?

We’re the first company in the world to introduce the technique of seed cycling in a capsule format, for which we have a patent pending. But along with this tangible and effective product, we believe in the intangibles of community, education, and advocacy. Women often don’t feel they can speak openly and honestly about the grave menstrual or menopause issues they are experiencing due to societal stigma and expectations of perfection. It’s a form of censorship or self-censorship, in which social norms and pressures are chilling free speech for women. 

Consequently, medical research in this area is underfunded and women are underserved because social taboos muffle the cry of those who are suffering silently. We want to reframe this problem and empower women to speak up about their bodies and their needs. We are asking, “How can we encourage women to embrace what is natural and authentic in all parts of their lives and their life cycle? How can we encourage them to speak openly with one another so they don’t feel they must face these unsettling health or emotional challenges alone?” We also wish to provide education around our natural biology. How do hormones influence our body and what does hormonal imbalance do? What are expected or unexpected changes happening in my cycle and how do I effectively rebalance them?

What core values guide Two Moons Health? How do these principles reflect your personal values and how do they influence your leadership?

Our core values are health, empowerment, and freedom. We’re guided by a sense of sisterhood, as we’re both the eldest of three sisters in our own families. We each wanted to build the type of company we imagine our sisters, nieces, friends, and future generations would love to work for.

Terry Chang

How do you personally define success? In what ways does this definition guide both your business and personal life?

TC: Excited to jump out of bed when I wake up every morning. To do this amazing and important work while continuing to feel passionate and grateful to have the opportunity to contribute in this way.

UK: Feeling in tune and being able to share this work. I’m deeply grateful for everything I learn every day from my family, friends, and patients.

When your work life gets intense, how do you disconnect and recharge? 

We met over 16 years ago and became good friends through our shared love for music. We were both enrolled in a piano performance master class for advanced amateurs through The Juilliard School evening division in 2008. We bonded as young professionals working long hours at the time, both having played piano since we were four years old. We both still turn to it in our free time as a meditative practice. These days, along with music, other favorite balancing activities we both enjoy include meditation and moderate exercise such as swimming, pilates, yoga, walks in Central Park, and going to museums. Also, who doesn’t love a good dinner out with old friends?

Dr. Ulrike Kaunzner

What advice would you give to other women wanting to start or grow businesses in an intentional way?

Remember that your greatest pain point can also be your greatest inspiration for invention. In trying to puzzle through a challenging wellness problem for ourselves, we landed on an innovation that could bring relief and a brighter future to others as well.

Also, always reach out and ask your consumers what they really want and listen closely to what they say. Don’t assume you know already. Our original idea to simplify seed cycling was to create a snack bar. However, when we did a market poll, we found out that a dramatic 64% of women preferred a capsule format. 

It wasn’t the result we expected. But our potential customers’ preference was so clear that we knew we needed to pivot and create a solution to answer their needs. Since no seed cycling capsule yet existed in the world, we had to invent one. But we couldn’t just invent what we wanted. We had to stay curious, open, and empathetic, so we could understand what our customers wanted and adapt to serve their needs and fulfill their wishes.

Terry and Ulrike are members of Dreamers & Doers, an award-winning community that amplifies extraordinary women entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders by securing PR, forging authentic connections, and curating high-impact resources. Learn more about Dreamers & Doers and get involved here.

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