Our Monthly Cycle, Part 5: Menstruation - Cultivate a Better Understanding of Your Period in Order to Thrive Instead of suffer
We will spend 30+ years menstruating. And the way I look at it, our monthly cycle is one the longest relationship we’re likely to have in our lives. So, why do most women hate their periods, feel embarrassed to talk them, or constantly feel at war or frustrated with this natural process?!
It’s time to move past the shame and embarrassment of periods. In this series ‘Our Monthly Cycle’, we’ve been covering all of the phases of the monthly cycle. Now, we’ve made it to the main event (I guess you can say) -- menstruation. What’s normal? What’s not? How to make symptoms less intense (or eliminate them altogether)? How can we better understand this monthly occurrence in order to thrive, instead of suffer?
That's what this blog post will cover :)
As a review - there are four phases in the monthly cycle and each one has a purpose.
Menstrual Phase - 3-7 days. Releasing, letting go, turning inward.
Follicular Phase - 7-10 days after you stop bleeding. Likely when you’re open to new things.
Ovulation - 3-4 days. Fertile, receptive, when your hormone levels are at their highest.
Luteal Phase - 10-14 days - During the first week of this phase you will have more energy then in the second half you’ll likely want to shift toward taking more care of yourself to prepare for the menstrual phase.
Please note that all of the phases in the monthly cycle can (and will) vary in length and transition in and out of each other. Our bodies don’t just flip a switch from one phase to another (we aren’t robots - thank goodness). These phases are integrated and flow from one to the other with overlap. The beauty of all of this is that it isn’t concrete and it’s all connected. Whatever you are doing right now will have an impact on your future period (for better or worse) and I think that’s really cool. Our choices greatly impact our health.
Here’s what happens:
On day 1 of our cycle (day one of bleeding), when we aren’t pregnant, our bodies shed the uterine lining (the endometrium). This is what we see as period blood (menstrual fluid). Remember how we talked about the corpus luteum in the last past? Well, this is where the corpus luteums job comes to an end. As it gets fully reabsorbed progesterone production drops off. This is what triggers the uterus to shed the endometrial lining. During our period, our hormones are at their lowest. This is a good time to slow down, relax, and reflect.
The average adult cycle lasts 4-7 days. A healthy period is one with a strong flow without any clots and shouldnt be inconveniently heavy or painful. You will likely feel the “sensation” of your uterus contracting but there shouldn’t be so much pain that calls for pills and pain relievers. The average flow amount should be about ~50 mL., or in the range of 25 - 80 mL (you can convert this to ounces but it’s a little easier to explain in mL).
The easiest way I found to figure out how heavy my flow was was by using a menstrual cup (I chose a cup for a lot of reasons, but this was definitely a deciding factor). I wanted to know if my flow fell within the normal range. I knew it was HEAVY but I also knew it was normal…. Some months were so painful and heavy I had my doubts but turns out my period falls within the normal range every month and I am grateful for that (and my menstrual cup). A regular tampon holds 5mL of fluid and a super tampon holds 10mL, so if you are using tampons you’ll want to pay attention to how “full” the tampons are and count those accordingly (*You can always check the box of whatever product you're using to confirm how much mL/oz it holds).
Our period is so important that it has been deemed the fifth vital sign of health (along with pulse, temperature, breathing rate, and blood pressure). This means, if you pay attention, your period is always telling you something about your health. You can also look at this monthly bleeding as a time of letting go - literally - but also internally (mentally and emotionally). Our hormone levels are at their lowest and our bodies are letting go of what was to prepare for the next cycle (what could be). What a wonderful time to release what isn’t working in our lives and think about where we want to shift our focus in the coming month.
The consistency, color and duration of your flow is what you need to be paying attention to as it’s a powerful sign of your hormonal health.
Interpreting your flow:
Cranberry/cherry red + no clots = good hormonal health
Deep dark red/purple/blue with clots or lumps = estrogen levels are too high in proportion to progesterone. You are likely also experiencing heavier periods and pain.
Brownish = low progesterone
Pink/pale pink = estrogen is too low.
Missed or irregular period = hormones are way off balance/out of whack.
Overall, cramps, heavy bleeding, late/missed periods all tell us our hormones need support.
The moment I realized I could improve my period with diet and lifestyle changes my whole world opened up. It’s okay to experience symptoms or “out of whack” cycle as long as you take that information and make changes for the better. We’re all always going to go through highs and lows of stress and as we’ve learned, stress can greatly affect our period. So, like I said, take the information you are given each month as signs for what to do next.
“I was late… “
Your late period isn't something you should ignore. It’s your body telling you you’re under chronic levels of stress and unable to operate optimally. There’s a great line from the book Women, Hormones and The Menstrual Cycle that says this, “A missed period due to stress is rarely a serious problem and the cycle usually re-establish a normal pattern once the episode is over (unless the woman becomes so worried about the changes in her cycle that she aggravates the hormone balance by being even more stressed!).” <- this is me! I catch myself worrying about stress and worry and if I don’t pay attention and notice this mental pattern things get even more stressful. Can you say viscous cycle? All of this work… this paying attention to… is to empower us to know ourselves and take charge of our own health, every day. That’s what I’m getting to here. The more you pay attention and notice your physical, mental, and emotional states, the better equipped you can become for managing the highs and lows of daily life. This includes entering into a healthier relationship with your cycle.
Food for menstruation:
Foods that support kidneys and help balance hormones
You can compensate for low hormone levels by increasing protein (protein is rich in amino acids which are involved in hormone synthesis).
Nutrient dense foods
Warming foods
Foods with a low glycemic index help keep blood sugar steady
Seafood, kelp, nori can help remineralize your body with iron and zinc
Other food items I like during this phase: Wild rice, Beets, Kale, Mushrooms, Beans, Sesame and sunflower seeds, Pork, Miso, Soups and stews.
Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for combatting period cramps.
Loose stool is due to the absence of progesterone to slow down transit. If this is something you’re dealing with, head back over to the ovulatory and luteal phase blog posts to learn about progesterone and how to know if you’re ovulating and producing enough progesterone.
Overall - please remember that “average” can be tricky/frustrating to understand individually as you work through this information. Listen to YOUR own cycle and determine what is normal for you. If you have a specific concern or something feels really off, consult with your doctor. Important factors to track are regularity of period, length, amount of pain, and color and consistency of menstrual loss.
To help you start observing, I’ve created a free pdf daily tracker that you can use and a menstrual phase cheatsheet. Sign up below and you’ll be one step closer to better understanding your cycle and daily health.
Stay tuned for the next blog post where we’ll be diving deeper into the hormones that play important roles in the monthly cycle.