Tips for a Better Period, Naturally.
A long time ago, I accepted the lie that having a period was gonna stink! I was going to have mood swings, bloating, cramps, fatigue, headaches, acne and a heavy flow, no matter what I did. And guess what?? It came to fruition!! Each month it would come, I would have to take ibuprofen and tylenol, lay under a heating pad in the fetal position and just cry. My Mom and sister both had the same experiences, along with many of my friends, so I thought this was normal. A few years ago I started working with an integrative ObGyn and found there were things that I could do to help my body naturally. Over time, my period improved and I no longer have to die each month. I am writing this blog post to help all the women out there who struggle with their menstrual cycle. If you have really difficult periods or your cycle is way off, then please reach out to an integrative/functional OBGYN to get the support you need! If you need a suggestion and live in the south shore area of Massachusetts, I highly recommend Bella Natural Health with Dr. Dawna Jones and Horizon’s Health and Wellness with Dr. Aslami.
For now, let’s learn to live well with our periods!
Nutrient and Supplement Support
Whenever possible get your nutrients from foods, but when that’s difficult to do make sure your nutrients come from food sources and are called “bioavailable” or “chelated”. These terms indicate that the nutrient is formulated in a way that your body recognizes as something it wants to absorb and use. Vitamin D and Calcium are two nutrients that help with pms. High doses of Vitamin D may help with reduction in backache, tendency to cry, and reduction in pain. Calcium supplementation effectively alleviates the majority of mood and somatic symptoms (this strongly suggests that pms represents the clinical manifestation of calcium deficient state). Adding vitamin B6 (beef liver, tuna, salmon, poultry chickpeas, dark leafy greens, bananas, papayas, oranges, and cantaloupe) to your diet may be helpful for pms.
Thiamine (B1) (yeast, cereal grains, beans, nuts, and meat) and riboflavin ( eggs, green vegetables, milk and other dairy products, meat, mushrooms, and almonds) from food sources helps with pms symptoms, as well.
Chaste Berry Supplement: breast pain, swelling, cramps, moodiness, headaches (check with a functional/integrative doctor)
Phytoestrogen, a doTERRA supplement, is a blend of standardized plant phytoestrogens that support hormone balance gently and naturally. It also includes concentrated flax seed lignans to promote healthy metabolism.
Thiamine/Vitamins B(1) and E (sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut/peanut butter, beet greens, collard greens and spinach, pumpkin, red bell pepper, asparagus, mango, avocado) are helpful for menstrual cramp relief.
Turmeric, magnesium and zinc may be helpful for period pain.
Ashwagandha, an herbal supplement, supports health stress levels and stable moods.
Probiotic foods and supplements, along with a high fiber diet can support a healthy gut microbiome which in turn helps with estrogen detoxification. Many women find themselves with too much estrogen in the body which can lead to all sorts of symptoms.
So much of what ails us can be eliminated through a good foundation of nutrient support. As much as possible, get your nutrients from organic, whole foods, and supplement with a bioavailable multivitamin/mineral and omega complex. You will hear me say it over and over again, but so much of what we should focus on is the basics-eat well, move your body, get a good night’s sleep, reduce your toxic load, balance your schedule/say “no”, and spend time with family and friends. Focusing on and building these beautiful bases of support will help you live optimally for a long time! You are worth the money, time and effort.
Chiropractic Work & Massage
Although chiropractic care may not come to mind straight away for a better period, it really does help! Having a consistent chiropractic or osteopathic care appointment can help the body maintain balance and relieve lower back pain associated with cramps. Massage can be extremely supportive to the body, as it relieves muscle tension, cramps, and improves blood flow. Who doesn’t love how they feel after being adjusted and getting a soft tissue massage??
Exercise
As a physical education/health teacher, wellness coach, and exercise physiologist, I will always recommend exercise as a base of support. Moving your body is part of the human experience and it’s one that is often forgotten because of our busy lives. I would argue that you will actually gain more time when you add exercise to your weekly routine! Because exercise helps you to have more energy, think more clearly, tend to tasks more easily, and increase positive thoughts, you will be getting more done faster than before and suddenly you have more time in your schedule! It’s amazing! Anyways, consistent exercise, whether it is low intensity like yoga or high intensity like HIIT training, has a positive effect on your menstrual cycle. Studies have found that women noticed a significant reduction in period pain after two months of consistent exercise (30-45 minutes 3xs a week). Have I convinced you, yet?
Essential Oils
Oh my gosh! Where would I be without my doTERRA essential oils?!?! Seriously, though, these little amber bottles of plant goodness have done SOOOOO much for me and my family. If you have no idea about essential oils or want to know more, click on the tab below to get free access to a beginner’s essential oil class. It will be well worth your time investment! What you need to know is that essential oils are more than just pretty smells. If you use certified pure therapeutic grade doTERRA essential oils, you will be supporting your body’s health and wellness.
My go-to essential oils for period support include lavender, clary sage, a blend called Clarycalm, copaiba, wild orange and peppermint. Lavender is all things calming, and I love to add a few drops to a carrier oil and rub it over my belly and lower back to help soothe occasional discomfort during the first few days of my period. Lavender can also be applied to the pulse points and nape of the neck to support relaxing feelings. Clary Sage and Clarycalm can be used daily to support healthy hormone balance, but also acutely, when you may need extra soothing support on the abdomen. Use peppermint with lavender diluted topically to soothe any areas that need extra attention. Add a drop of copaiba to that mixture for maximum support and press a drop of copaiba to the roof of your mouth. Peppermint and wild orange can also support a positive mood and energized feelings, so I love to diffuse them together or inhale a drop of each from cupped hands. Like I always say, with essential oils what works for me may not work as well for you. Please reach out through social media if you have any questions or need other suggestions!
Natural progesterone cream/bio-identical hormone therapy
I have used both Vitex/Chaste Berry supplements and natural progesterone cream from a compound pharmacy to help balance my hormones, after having Andrew. Within a couple of years of having him, my body started showing symptoms of peri-menopause and I was miserable! I would have one good week a month, and the other three weeks were filled with extreme mood swings, my period coming and going as it pleases, and horrible cramps and heavy flow when it did show up. It took about 9 months for my cycle to regulate but it was well worth the time, money and effort.
Like any change in life, it’s important that you take on what you know you can handle, and seek help if you need it. You may be wanting a better period so badly that you are ready to jump all in, and if you are in that place, you may want to work with a wellness coach, like me, or a naturopath or integrative obgyn. If you are struggling with your period and have identified that you have many areas in life that need support, please click on the button below to schedule a 20 minute discovery call with me to see if we are a good match. I would love to get to know you and your goals. If we are a good match, together we can identify the root cause of the problem and work to heal that area(s) of your health. If you feel that you need an integrative medical practitioner, check out The Institute for Functional Medicine’s website here.
*Please note, herbal remedies, supplementation with micronutrients, exercise and essential oils require consistency and time to help the body shift. You may not see a difference overnight, but within a few months, you should start to see a change.
