Menstrual Health

Are you someone who has always loved their monthly bleed or despised it and seen it as the enemy?

I have come to learn that our menstrual cycle is one of the most precious tools we have for our own insight and connection to what we hold on to in the body. Every woman I have ever met that has had a hard time with periods, has also had some aspect of trauma or percieved a traumatic situation at some point. Sometimes these moments are lost in the subconscious until we give ourselves permission to unlock and heal the wound. Our body is always reflecting our deep seated needs to us but to learn its language is a tricky sometimes very triggering journey.

Since my 4th child my periods have been regular, guiding, sacred and very much a welcome release for my body.

It wasn't always like this however and although I didnt ever really have any specific problems, I saw my bleed as an inconvenience that made me crave sweets, feel tired, grumpy and tearful.....and bloated. That was until my Grandma told me each bleed has a lesson to bring. It is the opportunity to look at what magnifies itself emotionally, face it, welcome it and honour the message by working through it, finding out what the body and mind need.....I mean really need. So many of us numb this part out in a world that asks us to carry on and deliver no matter what.

It's the doorway to healing, no matter what your bodys symptoms are, whether they are extreme or subtle. I learnt through the elders that if I learnt my body's language and listened to its message with love and action, when I came to my menapause I would float through it. So that is exactly what I started to do many years ago and Little by little I noticed my period started to follow the moon cycle, becoming the most regular it have ever been, pmt was a passing thought and I began to love the deep sensation of dropping in to my body as my blood flowed.

This happened over years of unlearning, unravelling unhealthy belief systems and learning and giving myself permisiion to be heard by myself. This process is never ending and the effects come slowly but they last. One day I realised, I had this amazing deep relationship with my body and my menstrual cycle that also given me a sense of being part of the Earth's cyclical magic, I was a piece of life's jigsaw, a unique energetic being that was not seperate from the seasonal nature of anything and I too needed to move with the ebb and flow of the seasons that chimed within.

We once would have been taught this stuff and the wise women and mothers of the tribe would have passed their knowledge and wisdom of the bodys language through the family lineage . Our lost knowledge is older than humanity. It's the seed of life.

Although the learning is deep there are some practical simple steps you may want to implement to help your menstrual journey........

Maintain a healthy weight

Obesity and being overweight contribute to hormonal imbalance, inflammation, and period problems. If your current weight is higher than what is ideal for your height and body type, consider what you can do to return to a healthier weight gradually.

The keyword is gradually though!

Even though obesity and weight gain contribute to period problems, sudden weight loss can be a problem, too. 

Extreme dieting or over-exercising puts a lot of stress on the body. This slows down weight loss and exacerbates period problems. 

If you need to lose weight, do so slowly and gently. As your body returns to a healthier weight, your reproductive system will return to healthier periods, too.

Eat iron rich food or take a supplement

Iron is found primarily in red blood cells. Since your body sheds menstrual fluids every month, it's crucial to replenish your iron reserves. Another reason why it's so important to amp up your iron intake is that most women are iron deficient.

Iron reduces fatigue, improves concentration, and boosts immunity. 

Adding more iron-rich foods into your diet will help your body maintain a healthy equilibrium both on and off your period. 

Excellent sources of iron include:

• Shellfish

• Spinach, and other dark leafy greens

• Liver and organ meats

• Legumes

• Red meat

• Beets

• Raisins

• Prunes

• Apricots

Wear comfortable clothes

High-waisted skinny jeans and tight yoga pants are trendy, but set aside sweaty Betty leggings and wear something loose and comfortable instead. 

Tight clothing prevents you from taking deep diaphragmatic breaths. It also restricts movement in the abdominal area. 

When these muscles can't move freely, they restrict blood flow to your reproductive muscles and organs. 

When circulation doesn't deliver essential nutrients to your reproductive organs and pelvic region, they become stiff and stagnant. That spells period problems. 

Make some adjustments to your outfits. This way, your reproductive organs, and pelvic region can move more freely and get the nutrients they need from a healthy flow of blood to that area.

Prioritise sleep

It's easy to write off sleep. Who needs it, right? Well, you do, that's who!

During sleep, many important hormones get secreted. Skimping on sleep robs you of hormonal balance. 

So, make sleep a priority and give yourself seven to nine hours to sleep every night. 

Furthermore, try to limit your exposure to hormone-disrupting blue light at night, and try to expose yourself to moonlight instead, or as it's sometimes referred to, "moon bathing."

It's no coincidence that the 28-day moon cycle mirrors the female menstrual cycle. According to Jillian Lavender, founder of The London Meditation Centre, "The moon has an especially powerful influence on our daily and monthly cycles."

In earlier times, women's bodies were more in sync with the moon's rhythm. Today, most of us are disconnected from lunar cycles. This may be one of the many reasons why women suffer from period problems.

To remedy this, simply go outside and relax under the moonlight. With time, the soft light emanating from the moon may bring regularity back to your cycle and ease period problems.

Reduce your sugar intake

Your sweet tooth might not like this final tip, but your period will.

Sugar increases stress, insulin hormones, and inflammation. Combined, this dangerous trio spells disaster for your cycle. Sugar turns up period pain, acne, bloating, and estrogen dominance. So, if you'd like to get rid of hormonal dysfunction and period problems, take sugar out of the picture. 

This means replacing processed carbs with whole foods and swapping sugary beverages with refreshing alternatives. The sacrifice is worth it. 

With time, your body will be supported and nurtured with nutrients from whole foods, and not stressed and inflamed with added sugars and processed carbs. (5, 6, 7)

Don't wait until your period starts to dabble in self-care. Practice smart self-care throughout your entire cycle. The more you do, the more comfortable your period will become. 

Start with these five easy strategies to support better reproductive health and drama-free periods.

Give yourself permission to rest

Rest will change your mindset as well as your mental, physical and emotional state. When we rest, we crave less sugar or toxic food because we are in a healthy state and able to listen and be more intuitive to our body's needs.

Try not to worry about lack of sleep, sometimes rest can do the same thing and if you struggle on your own, try out a yin yoga or restoravive yoga class or download a yoga nidra or meditation to listen to. Resting is something we do when our mind is released from over stimulation so although a feel good film may help, try not to use the tv as a go to but instead pick up a feel good book or magazine, do some colouring or crafting.

Next time your monthly bleed makes an appearance, welcome it as a friend that needs listening to........