What is a “normal” period and do I REALLY need one?
"I don't care about getting pregnant so getting a period doesn't matter right now, right?” … WRONG!
Whether or not you are trying to conceive, you NEED to be having regular, healthy periods each month and I am committed to teaching you WHY and HOW to achieve this.
Why does your PERIOD matter?
Your menstrual cycle is a sign of true health. (Some studies are even beginning to use the menstrual cycle as a 5th vital sign). The nature of female bodies were made to reproduce. But to do this successfully our bodies must feel capable, healthy, and SAFE enough to do so.
If your body is filled with stress, inflammation, etc. it will no longer be focusing on reproduction. Instead it will be focusing on doing all it can to find homeostasis, balance, and HEALTH again. When this happens ovulation gets suppressed (or stopped), hormone production gets delayed (when stress is high, internally or externally, production of sex hormones is the LAST thing your body is concerned with), and your period goes out of whack or completely missing altogether.
So, if your period is wonky, irregular, filled with unpleasant symptoms, or MIA altogether, it's not 'normal'. It's a sign that your body doesn't feel safe or healthy enough to reproduce successfully. I don't know about you, but to me THAT is sign that there is a PROBLEM.
Remember, your body is SMART and only wants to keep you safe.
Why do HORMONES matter?
Now that you know why it's important to pay attention to your period’s symptoms and regularity, let's talk about why HORMONES matter in the first place.
Well, other than reproduction, hormones are also involved in almost every other system in your body and they are a very important part of many of our daily functions.
Here are just some of the things your hormones affect daily:
energy
moods
mental health
weight
sleep
stress response
bone health
heart health
digestion
brain health/ memory/ cognition
body temperature
blood pressure
If hormones become imbalanced over an extended period of time, this can lead to many health complications. PCOS, osteoporosis, nutrient deficiencies, hair loss, fatigue, depression, low energy, thyroid disorders, and memory dysfunction are a few examples.
What is a “NORMAL” period?
Even though we are all different, there are still some specific characteristics that a healthy period should have for all of us. These are simple traits that you can easily assess for yourself.
But before I get into what those traits are, I want you to know that your period should NOT be a stressful and dreaded time of the month. Women are often told that PMS, cramps, depression, anxiety, painful periods, etc. are 'normal' and the only way around these dreaded symptoms is to silence them with pharmaceuticals. Suffering from periods that SUCK is very common, but I am here to tell you its NOT normal and it's most definitely not something you need to push aside with pharmaceuticals. Suffering monthly or suppressing your body's natural rhythms with artificial medicines are NOT your only two options.
You CAN choose to discover the root cause of your symptoms and begin to support them naturally instead for symptom-free, healthy periods. ( For example.. Period pain, headaches, and acne can all be due to estrogen and progesterone imbalances, gut issues, or high androgen levels. So, until we discover and address those imbalances at the root, we won't see or feel any change in our symptoms.)
Okay, let's explore what a healthy period actually feels like so you can begin assessing your symptoms and taking control of your health.
Here are the main characteristics of a HEALTHY period:
3-7 days of bleeding (with less than 3 days of spotting before and after)
consistently arrives every 23-35 days
little to no cramping (usually on the 1st 2nd day of your bleed)
minimal PMS symptoms (including period pain, headaches, acne, mood swings, etc.)
Bright or saturated red in color (This can be described as cherry, ruby, rose, etc. Anything else.. light pink, brown, dark and purpley, orange, or watery colors, can all be a sign of an imbalance, infection, or nutrient deficiency).
Maple syrup consistency (not full of clots and clumps, OR watered-down juice consistencies)
So, do you need really NEED a period?
YES. Your entire menstrual cycle gives you all kinds of clues about your overall health and is crucial for understanding your hormonal balance.
If you have a period, start paying attention to how often it comes, how long it lasts, how heavy or light it is, the color, the symptoms, etc. If you do not have a period (or you have a period that comes and goes whenever it wants), that's a sign that something else is going on and discovering the root cause is going to be extremely important.
If you are looking for more support, you can check out my 3 month Hormone Healing Program where together we will address exactly what's going on in your body. <3