Welcome to the complete guide on periods. Also known as the menstrual phase, menses, or monthly flow of the menstrual cycle, periods are often what women dread most in their monthly cycle.
I hope that this topic will be a part of a movement that normalizes menstrual talk and gives women the confidence to celebrate their periods, instead of dreading them.
Periods are a huge part of the innate feminine wisdom of the female body and deserve far more praise than they receive.
What is a Period?
As noted above, a period is a part of the menstrual cycle. In this post, I discuss how I like to refer to the menstrual cycle as the ovulation cycle instead.
This is because all of the events of a woman’s monthly cycle are working towards and the result of the event of ovulation, which occurs once in every healthy cycle.
A period, or menses, is a beautiful part of the cycle, in which the uterine lining sheds as a result of no pregnancy occurring. This shedding occurs so that the body can prepare once again for the possibility of pregnancy.
In women of reproductive age, periods are a vital sign of health.
What is Happening while You are On Your Period?
Simply put, throughout a woman’s previous cycle, her endometrium, or uterine lining, builds up, under the influence of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
This lining builds up through the hormone estrogen in order to receive a fertilized egg to maintain a viable pregnancy.
After ovulation, progesterone maintains this enriched uterine lining to support the potential of an egg which has implanted in the uterus.
If egg fertilization and implantation do not occur, then this thickened uterine lining sheds in menstruation due to falling progesterone levels.
If you want to learn more in-depth about the entire menstrual cycle, check out my complete guide here.
What Your Period Can Tell You About Hormonal Health
As I mentioned above, periods are a virtual sign of health. They can indicate a lot to a woman about the hormonal health of her previous cycle. You can read more about why that is here.
What a Healthy Period Looks Like
A healthy period can vary in a few different factors, but in general should look like this:
- 3-7 days of bleeding without spotting
- At least 1 day of medium or heavy bleeding.
- 30-80 mL of blood loss
- Nearly or completely symptom free
Healthy menstruation indicates that the body is in sync with its hormonal systems and is getting the support it needs.
A menses outside of this range can tell a woman a few different things out of her health:
A period that is too long or too short can reflect that estrogen was out of balance in the previous cycle.
Not enough bleeding can indicate that estrogen did not sufficiently build up the uterine wall.
Too heavy of bleeding can indicate too much estrogen, or other hormonal issues such as fibroids, PCOS, or Endometriosis.
Painful menstruation can indicate that hormones are imbalanced within the body, and that the body is not getting the support it needs and is under stress and inflammation.
Spotting can indicate insufficient progesterone levels
The Dreaded PMS
Often women dread menses due to the PMS symptoms that tag along for the ride. These are some common period symptoms:
- Acne
- Bloating
- Gas
- Loose Stool
- Breast Tenderness
- Constipation
- Cravings
- Dizzy Spells
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Mood Swings
- Insomnia
Sounds fun, right? It is important to note that these symptoms should never be extreme. PMS is categorized as 1 symptom experienced about 3 days prior to menstruation.
PMDD is categorized as at least 5 symptoms experienced around 7 days prior to menstruation. If you are experiencing this, I highly recommend seeking medical attention from a naturally-minded doctor who will look at the root of these issues instead of simply prescribing birth control to mask symptoms.
It is very common to experience both PMS and PMDD. However, just because something is common, does not mean it is normal. Often these symptoms are the body’s way of crying out, asking you to pay attention and get help.
There are several different root causes of painful periods, which can be fixed through lifestyle changes and the proper medical attention. Often these symptoms are related to hormonal imbalances.
If you want to learn more about period symptoms and how to tackle them, check out this episode of the Are You Menstrual Podcast.
Periods on Hormonal Birth Control
Often, women are prescribed birth control in order to regulate menses and minimize symptoms. However, there is a big problem with this line of thinking:
If a woman is on hormonal birth control, she is not having a period. Instead, she is having a withdrawal bleed due to estrogen levels.
Let’s think about it this way: Hormonal birth control’s job is to suppress ovulation. Menstruation can only occur if ovulation has occurred.
Therefore, bleeding on birth control is not a true menses. It is a withdrawal bleed due to the unnatural hormones being pumped into the body on a regular basis.
If you want to learn more about this, check out my complete guide to hormonal birth control here.
Staying Healthy on Your Period
Sometimes periods are simply uncomfortable because there are lifestyle changes to be made. Even with hormonal imbalances that may need more attention, by being proactive with her health, a woman can alleviate many of the symptoms that she experiences while menstruating.
Lifestyle can play a huge role in hormonal health, and I have listed out4 changes below that can make a huge difference in how a woman experiences her period.
Removing Toxins for a Better Period
Environmental toxins can play a large role in how period symptoms are experienced. This is because the toxins which women are exposed to are often endocrine disruptors that literally disrupt the way hormones communicate throughout the body.
When hormones are being interrupted, it can throw off a woman’s cycle pretty easily.
Making simple changes in makeup or cleaning products can make a huge difference in this arena. If you want to learn more about where to find the toxins in your home and how to begin removing them, check out this post.
Prioritizing Sleep on Your Period
As the body is losing blood, it is important to get adequate rest so that minerals and energy can be replenished during this time in a woman’s cycle. Prioritize going to bed early enough that you will get at least 7 hours of sleep, though if you know your body needs more, aim for more. Listen to your own intuition.
Cut off screen time in the evenings and light exposure so that your circadian rhythm can work to raise melatonin levels.
By getting enough sleep, some period symptoms may be alleviated and the body will be able to better regulate hormones.
Try to prioritize rest during the day during this time as well. Take at least an hour to relax and do something you enjoy like reading a good book with your favorite cup of tea, or soaking in your glorious clawfoot tub.
What to Eat on Your Period
My main recommendation for this time of the month falls in line with what I recommend for your entire lifestyle. You can check out my top nutrition tips here.
While on your period, avoid processed foods and refined sugars. Try to prioritize proteins, fats, and healthy carbs. Prioritize nutrient dense foods and hydrate with mineral-rich liquids such as adrenal cocktails or bone broth.
Enjoy that chocolate as long as it does not have additives in it. You can turn it into something fun like bone broth hot chocolate or a gelatin-rich pudding.
Eat plenty of food and do not restrict calories. Your body needs nourishment and energy at this time in your cycle.
Learn more about nutrient density here.
How to Exercise While on Your Period
Try to get gentle movement during this time of your cycle. In fact, movement can be a huge contributing component to lessen PMS symptoms as the body is able to flow in a rhythm. While cross-fit or intense cardio during this time could hinder hormonal production, other types of movement will enhance it. Here are some types of exercise that are great to do while on your period:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Strength Training
- Bow String Yoga
- Walking
- Swimming
Normalizing Periods
Periods are an incredible function within the female body that serve great purpose. So, instead of feeling embarrassed about your monthly flow, celebrate your innate femininity. Practice gratitude for your periods and know that they are a window into your overall hormonal health.
Recap
Now you are an expert on your period. A healthy period is essential to a healthy lifestyle so hopefully this post gave you some insight in how to take charge of your period.
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Go check out this post tho learn more about the Fertility Awareness Method.
