How to Keep a Healthy Menstruating Body

The effects of progesterone and oestrogen need to be understood.

But most of all, menstruation has to be seen as a natural occurrence whereby monthly weakness and vulnerability are associated with the strength of women, especially their ability to procreate.

Most women’s views on menstruation are laid down in their early years, depending on the emotions surrounding it.

Mothers, family, and society create some part of this view.

The young woman’s physical experiences govern the rest, including discomfort and pain.

Women naturally feel more vulnerable both premenstrual and during menstruation.

The physical pains associated with the premenstrual phase are often the most debilitating part of the menstrual cycle.

The ability to help herself through these times using foods, diet, herbs, and other natural methods is a real gift to any woman.

Understanding what can be done needs to become more widespread as it could change many negative feelings and beliefs surrounding menstruation and alleviate very real physical discomfort, which of course only dampens the joys of womanhood.

Herbs do excel when it comes to hormone regulation and should be used more frequently.

Menstruation should not be painful;

The blood should flow with ease, with no clots (clots tend to suggest an oestrogen excess), and should be brownish red rather than a bright red (the latter indicating poor assimilation and possibly an excess of sugar).

If the flow is dark red and stringy, excessive unassimilable proteins, especially from meat and eggs, are likely to be the cause.

The menses can last anywhere from a day or two to seven or more days, but between four and six is considered normal.

After menstruation has finished, you should feel uplifted as your hormonal balance changes again.

Provided you have kept your iron and calcium levels up with seaweeds, nettle leaf, pau d’ arco inner bark, yellow dock root, or red raspberry leaf tea, you should feel spirited, excited, and at peace.

Menstruation can be an enjoyable time for a woman, especially if the bleeding is not too heavy or painful and the emotions are not excessively haywire.

From the onset of premenstrual symptoms (up to ten days before the period) to one or two days into menstruation, tension, anxiety, tearfulness, depression, and even anger can build up, smoulder, and erupt.

Water retention can make you feel large and clumsy, while little upsets can become major issues.

If you have these symptoms, you need help from herbs, exercise, and a good diet.

Some women can experience painful ovulation or even postmenstrual blues, but these can usually be helped and realigned so that symptoms are lessened or eradicated.

#01

If you have water retention problems, sprinkle plenty of celery seeds on your food.
Drink dandelion root tea.
Hormone imbalance often produces the situation in the first place, especially excessive oestrogen with too little progesterone.

#02

Gamma linoleic acid (GLA) helps balance the female system.
Take one capsule of black currant seed oil or evening primrose oil a day.
GLA can also help with aching eyes, fuzzy head, bloating, fatigue, and other premenstrual symptoms.

#03

If the adrenal glands and kidneys are not functioning correctly, they will need to be built up using Siberian ginseng root, among other herbs.

#04

Use relaxing essential oils for cleanliness and to avoid cystitis and vaginal infections.
Organic lavender, geranium, and chamomile are wonderfully soothing and are in tune with your hormones add one or two drops to your bathwater.

#05

Use plastic-free and chemical-free sanitary napkins.
Try to avoid using any kind of tampon, but if you do, it should also be chemical- and plastic-free.
Tampons of all descriptions keep stale blood where it shouldn’t be, even if they are changed every four hours.
Some women even experience life-threatening toxicity from using tam-pons known as toxic shock syndrome.
There is also considerable speculation that pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis can arise from tampon use over the years.

#06

Wear cotton or silk pants and avoid sweaty nylon pantyhose or other tight, airless clothing.
Don’t restrict your belly with tight skirts or trousers.

#07

Keep your circulatory system healthy; exercise and breathe deeply.
Look after your nervous system and make sure magnesium and calcium levels are maintained.
Take care of your immune system, echinacea may be enough to boost it for a few days if you feel low.

#08

The contraceptive pill will upset normal menstruation.
There are, however, some circumstances in which it is preferable to the risk of pregnancy.
Consult your doctor, as some people are in higher-risk health categories and are therefore unable to use the pill.
Ensure that you are fully briefed on the possible side effects of the type of oral contraception that your doctor prescribes.

#09

Don’t plan exhausting work or social schedules around these times stress disrupts the delicate balance of hormones.
Think ahead and plan accordingly, permitting yourself to take time off if you’re able.

#10

The colours of menstrual blood are important.
A good menstrual colour is reddish-brown.

#11

Avoid tea, coffee, and alcohol.
They are all known to disturb the hormonal balance, increase sugar imbalances, and congest the liver.
If you have sugar cravings, eat fruit or choose bitter and sour foods, which will offset the craving for sweetness.

#12

Avoid foods with high-fat content, such as dairy products and meat, as these affect prostaglandin levels in the body.
Avoid all hormone-fed meat, dairy products, and eggs, as these will also disrupt your hormonal balance.

#13

Make up a tea that is especially good for premenstrual and menstrual symptoms, containing dandelion (for liver health and water balance) along with red raspberry and nettles, both of which are rich in iron and calcium.

#14

General hormone balancers include blessed thistle leaf and flower, chaste tree berry, sarsaparilla root, and red raspberry leaf.
Liver health is important; therefore, consider liver cleansing and supportive herbs.