Your Menstrual Cycle: Understanding Your Period, Your Hormones & Your Whole Health

Your Period Is More Than Just Bleeding

As women, we can spend a huge part of our lives menstruating, yet how often are we actually taught what our periods are telling us?

A period is not simply something that arrives each month and needs to be managed. Your menstrual cycle is a beautiful and complex process involving your hormones, reproductive organs, nervous system and overall wellbeing.

As a homeopath and natural health practitioner, I believe it can be incredibly valuable to become more aware of your own cycle.

How long is it?
How heavy is your bleeding?
What colour is your blood?
Do you experience cramps?
How do you feel emotionally before your period?
Does your energy change?
Do you notice headaches, bloating, breast tenderness or digestive symptoms?

These details can help you understand your own menstrual pattern and notice when something has changed.

There is no such thing as one "perfect" menstrual cycle. Your cycle is individual to you.

But understanding what is generally considered normal — and knowing when something needs further investigation — is an important part of looking after your health.

What Is a Menstrual Period?

Your period is the part of your menstrual cycle when the lining of the uterus (womb) is shed and leaves the body through the vagina.

The first day of your period is Day 1 of your menstrual cycle.

Throughout the month, your hormones are constantly changing. Oestrogen rises and helps the lining of the uterus grow. Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from the ovary, and progesterone rises afterwards to prepare the body for a possible pregnancy.

If pregnancy does not occur, hormone levels fall and the uterine lining is shed. Your next period then begins. (nhs.uk)

So although we tend to think of our period as a few days of bleeding, it is actually one part of a much bigger monthly cycle.

How Long Should Your Menstrual Cycle Be?

You may have been told that a "normal" menstrual cycle is 28 days.

But 28 days is only an average — and your cycle does not have to be exactly 28 days to be healthy.

For most adults, menstrual cycles of approximately 21–35 days can fall within the usual range, while periods generally last around 2–7 days. (nhs.uk)

What Does Your Period Blood Colour Mean?

It is completely normal for menstrual blood to change colour during your period.

You might notice:

Bright red: Often seen when the flow is heavier and the blood is leaving the uterus relatively quickly.

Dark red or burgundy: Common as the flow becomes slower.

Brown: Usually older blood that has taken longer to leave the body.

Pink: Can occur when the menstrual flow is very light.

You may also notice small clots, particularly on heavier days.

There is a lot of information online claiming that the colour of your period can diagnose hormonal problems. In reality, blood colour on its own doesn't tell us very much.

I prefer to look at the bigger picture: your cycle length, bleeding pattern, pain, PMS symptoms, energy, mood and any changes from your usual cycle.

How Much Bleeding Is Normal?

Every woman is different, and menstrual flow can vary considerably.

The NHS estimates that approximately 20–90 ml of blood may be lost during a typical period. (nhs.uk)

Rather than worrying about an exact measurement, it can be more helpful to ask:

Is this normal for me?

Very heavy bleeding can include needing to change a pad or tampon every 1–2 hours, bleeding through clothing or bedding, passing large clots or having periods that last more than seven days.

If heavy bleeding is affecting your everyday life, leaving you exhausted or causing symptoms such as breathlessness, please speak to your GP.

Period Pain: When Is It Normal?

Some period discomfort is common.

During menstruation, the uterus contracts to help shed its lining. These contractions can cause cramping or aching in the lower abdomen and sometimes the lower back or thighs.

Some women experience mild cramps for a day or two, while others have more noticeable discomfort.

Gentle movement, walking, stretching, massage and applying warmth to the abdomen may help some women manage period pain.

But severe period pain is not something you should simply learn to live with.

If your pain is:

• Severe

• Getting progressively worse

• Preventing you from working or carrying out normal activities

• Affecting your sleep

• Associated with pain during sex

• Associated with pain when passing urine or stools

• Occurring between periods

then it is important to seek medical advice.

Conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis and fibroids can cause significant pelvic and menstrual pain.

As a practitioner, I believe strongly that complementary care should never mean ignoring symptoms that need proper medical investigation.

Looking at Your Period Holistically

When I work with women, I don't believe that we can understand menstrual health by looking at hormones alone.

Your body is interconnected.

Your nutrition, stress levels, sleep, digestion, emotional wellbeing, physical activity and general health can all form part of the picture.

Supplements to Support Menstrual Health

There is no single supplement that every woman needs for "hormone balance".

I prefer a food-first and individualised approach, considering diet, symptoms, medications and, where appropriate, blood tests.

Some nutrients that may be relevant include:

·       Magnesium

·       Iron

·       Vitamin D

·       B Vitamins

Homeopathic Remedies Traditionally Considered for Period Problems

Magnesia phosphorica

Traditionally considered for spasmodic, cramping menstrual pain, particularly where warmth and pressure provide relief.

Colocynthis

Traditionally associated with intense, gripping or cramping abdominal pain, especially when the person feels better bending double or applying strong pressure.

Chamomilla

Traditionally considered where menstrual pain is accompanied by marked irritability, sensitivity and an unusually low tolerance for pain.

Pulsatilla

A traditional remedy often considered where symptoms are changeable and menstrual patterns may be irregular or variable, alongside emotional sensitivity and a desire for reassurance.

Sepia

Traditionally considered when menstrual and hormonal symptoms occur alongside feelings of emotional exhaustion, being overwhelmed or disconnected, together with characteristic pelvic symptoms.

Lachesis

Traditionally associated with menstrual symptoms that are particularly intense before the period and improve once the menstrual flow begins, alongside its characteristic overall symptom picture.

Belladonna

Traditionally considered for sudden, intense and congestive symptoms, particularly where pain is throbbing, hot or strongly inflammatory in character.

Nux vomica

Traditionally considered where menstrual symptoms occur alongside irritability, digestive symptoms, sensitivity and the effects of stress, overwork or excess.

These examples illustrate why individualisation is so important in homeopathy.

Your Period Is Part of Your Health

I believe that women's health deserves to be looked at as a whole.

Your period is not an isolated event. It is part of a monthly rhythm involving your hormones, nervous system, reproductive health, nutrition, emotions and overall wellbeing.

If your periods are painful, heavy, irregular or accompanied by difficult PMS symptoms, you don't have to simply accept that this is "just how your body is".

If you'd like to talk about your menstrual health and explore how homeopathy can support you, I offer a 20-minute discovery call where we can discuss your concerns and decide on the best next step for you.