7 Things Every Woman Should Know About Their Cycle
Periods are now coming out in the open. Perceptions have shifted and women are starting to celebrate and embrace their monthly sign of fertility. Bleeding is not something that has to be embarrassing, endured, hidden, or pharmaceutically ‘treated’ with birth control. By simply observing your monthly menstrual cycle, we are able to learn so much about our state of health and possible hormonal imbalances. Our menstrual cycle is a barometer of health, and when you are healthy and your hormones are balanced then your period will arrive gently, regularly and with minimal discomfort, if any. If your health needs some improving then this may be reflected in your period and manifest as pain, acne, nausea, headaches, clots, irregular bleeding and a sporadic cycle. Often when you fix your health and address the underlying issues then you also fix your period.
A ‘normal’ bleed
Most women’s cycles sit somewhere between 25-35 days. This often fluctuates month to month and a bleed can last between 2-7 days. However, a bleed lasting longer than 5 days may suggest that your oestrogen levels are too high (oestrogen thickens your uterus lining so therefore you will need to bleed for more days to shed it). There is so much information that we can deduct from your flow (colour, amount, frequency, clots) they all relate to your current state of health. If you are suffering with large clots, pain, bloating, mood issues, irregular cycles, acne or nausea then these are all outward signs that you may need to seek expert advice from a health care professional to harmonise your hormones.
Mucous is normal
Cervical mucus or discharge is normal. You might have noticed that it changes throughout the month and the consistency also changes too. Mucus is often white or clear. When it is clear, slippery, wet and you can stretch it between your fingers that that is your ‘fertile time’ and suggests that you are about to ovulate. Mucus which is green, yellow, feels itchy or smells offensive needs to be investigated further.
Pain is not normal
Menstrual pain is not normal, and women are often surprised to hear this. This is because of course your period is unique to you and maybe a painful period is your norm and quite often we are told its normal for women. Pain, cramping, vomiting, the inability to go to work/school are all signs that you need to have some further investigations. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, PMS, PMDD are common conditions and unfortunately some women aren’t properly diagnosed for years. Normal period pain is caused by the release of prostaglandins as your uterine lining breaks down – by reducing these inflammatory prostaglandins we can reduce your pain. Natural medicine can effectively reduce pain and period discomfort making yours free and easeful.
Ovulation isn’t always day 14
We are told that the perfect menstrual cycle lasts 28 days and we ovulate on day 14. In theory this is great, but there aren’t many women who have 28 day cycles!!. Tracking your cycle (basal body temperature, cervical mucus, moon, pathology – either through testing your saliva or blood) is the best way to know when you are ovulating. If your cycle is longer than 28 days, then your ovulation will also be later. Progesterone is the hormone that rises after ovulation – so a blood test can confirm this, as can checking your morning basal body temperature before you rise (progesterone is thermogenic which means your whole body temperature increases and you will see a significant rise after ovulation has occurred, it will remain elevated if you are pregnant and if not then will drop just before your next cycle).
What you eat affects your cycle
Anti-inflammatory foods can help reduce pain and inflammation so eating an abundance of these foods can help reduce painful periods. Inflammatory foods such as alcohol, coffee, processed sugar, gluten, dairy and processed foods can often contribute to inflammation and may be contributing to pain around ovulation time or when your bleed starts. Dairy is a well-known contributor to irregular and painful cycles, acne, bloating, fluid retention and PMS. The reason being is that it contains naturally occurring hormones, including oestogen and insulin-like growth factor and is an acidic food. Try eliminating it for four weeks, note any symptoms and see if you notice a huge difference.
Stress can affect your cycle
Stress undoubtedly effects every area of our health including our hormones. If our sympathetic nervous system (which is designed for survival and gives us our fight and flight response) is on chronic high alert, then progesterone and oestrogen (aka main female sex hormones) decreases and this in turn suppresses ovulation. Its’ our body’s way of cleverly looking after us and letting us know that something has to change. It’s basically shouting that it needs some help in harmonising its hormones through balance and self-care and when it feels safe and out of danger (when chronic stress is eliminated) then it is safe enough to ovulate / reproduce.
Why organic is best
50% of the world's cotton is now genetically modified (GM), and cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops - so unless the cotton is certified organic, tampons could contain GM cotton and be full of chemicals. Normal ‘conventional’ tampons and pads often have a plastic coating that helps the product slide in and out – again, these plastics can be absorbed in to our bloodstream and are known to disrupt our hormones. Tampons come into contact with delicate tissues that have direct entry to the bloodstream. Anything you put inside you will be easily transmitted. There are so many great options, menstrual cups, period panties, and 100% organic cotton tampons and pads that are non-chlorine bleached, GM free and 100 % biodegradable.
I am a naturopath, clinical nutritionist, mother, nature lover and yoga enthusiast – just to name a few of my passions. I’m a degree-qualified naturopath, and I help women have more rich and fertile lives. I have a passion for helping women restore balance to their hormones, connect with their fertility and lead epic vibrant lives. Learn more about how you can work with me here.