An earlier menarche, better nutrition, fewer pregnancies and a longer life expectancy mean that today’s woman will have many more periods in her lifetime than her ancestors did.
And with that increase in number of menstrual cycles, coupled with increasing levels of stress and toxicity in our environment, we are seeing more menstrual difficulties including painful and heavy periods (menorrhagia), irregular periods (oligomenorrhoea), and absent periods (amenorrhoea).
It’s hard to tune into the four phases of your menstrual cycle if yours is missing. Hypothalamic amenorrhoea is a common reason why previously menstruating women find their periods have stopped.
This condition has surged with the popularity of women adopting intense Crossfit or other high-intensity, high volume workout regimes combined with strict diets (paleo, raw, vegan or generally low calorie). It occurs when the hypothalamus, a gland in the brain that regulates body processes, slows or stops releasing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), the hormone that starts the menstrual cycle. Common characteristics of women with hypothalamic amenorrhea include:
- Low body weight
- Low percentage of body fat
- Very low intake of calories or fat
- Emotional stress
- Strenuous exercise that burns more calories than are taken in through food
- Deficiency of leptin, a protein hormone that regulates appetite and metabolism
- Some medical conditions or illnesses
Having experienced this condition myself, I understand the pressure on women to alter their body shape and physiology to such an extent that it impacts on their normal biological cycles. For the average western woman, living in tune with the cycles of her body - and definitely the cycles of the moon - is too far-flung a notion to consider, let alone integrate into her already packed schedule.
Current fitness notions of “chiselling out eight-pack abs,” “killing the urge to sleep in,” or the more recent “minimising your mons pubis,” have little relevance to ordinary lives, especially women’s lives. These ideas are inappropriate and even harmful. To create “washboard” abs or a six pack requires a woman’s body fat percentage to fall below 17-18%, a level at which she is likely to experience interruptions to her hormonal and menstrual cycle.
I remember a stretch of my early twenties when I was training for half-ironman triathlons, studying veterinary medicine at a load of 40 hours a week and working. I had the coveted six-pack and could beat the boys up mountains in off-road adventure races. At one point I had not menstruated for eight months. Initially I was thrilled to not have to deal with the bother of periods but soon learnt that my loss of sex drive in the short term and increased risk of osteoporosis in the long term were not really worth the “convenience”. Additionally, I was always injured and spent inordinate amounts of money on physiotherapy and chiropractic.
My body was chronically stressed and for some time I mistook this period-less, hardened state as a “good” thing. That I could suppress my bothersome feminine nature proved I was able to do it all, to finally keep up with and “beat the men” both academically and physically. Yep, huge inadequacy issues there!
Had I not discovered yoga and met a wonderful naturopath who put me back on the right track, I may have ended up a far bigger mess than I did.
Stress and menstruation
As I discussed in depth in this article, the biochemical changes that take place in our bodies when we experience acute and chronic stress can range from mild imbalances to disastrous consequences. Menstrual problems such as painful, irregular or missing periods are one of the louder hints that our bodies are not in balance, usually as a result of, or contributed to by stress - physical, environmental, psychological, or chemical. Female biology is not designed for the long-term pressure of the modern world. Many women are experiencing PCOS, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and infertility as a result.
One of the simplest and most powerful things a woman can do to balance her reproductive biology and even heal menstrual and fertility issues, is to tune in to her menstrual cycle. Diet, lifestyle, and stress all impact on the ease and regularity of the cycle, although the impact of these factors has become less obvious with the modern-day tendency to take an aspirin or go on the Pill the moment an issue arises.
Discovering the wisdom of your menstrual cycle
Despite our instant-fix, pharmaceutical-orientated culture, there is an increasing understanding that the menstrual cycle is intricately dependent on nutrition and inner harmony. Many women want to control or treat their menstrual difficulties with common-sense and everyday remedies which they can administer themselves, or use non-drug alternatives such as herbal medicines.
This doesn’t mean that the Pill or pharmaceuticals are wrong - sometimes, for some women, they are perhaps the most convenient or appropriate choices. But alternatives do exist for those women who want an alternative, or wish to adopt a lifestyle change.
Built into our monthly cycle as women is a healing replenishment system. Women often follow the phases of the moon, because the moon rules the flow of fluids in the body - which means men have cycles too! We just don’t know what they are yet. And unless women get a handle on their own cycles, men don’t have a chance in hell. So let’s get started.
The 4 stages of your menstrual cycle
Below I outline the four phases of your menstrual cycle, plus nutritional advice for each phase.
Want a shorter version complete with spiritual and emotional suggestions too?
Access my Resources section to download my one-page reference chart to stick on your fridge or keep handy in your handbag!
Pre-ovulatory (Follicular) Phase: After you have a period, you begin to develop a new egg in your ovary. At the same time you also have outgoing hormones being elaborated by the ovary, and you enter a cycle of inspiration, of doing things - you’re cheerful and energised. As Dr. Christiane Northrup, OB/GYN and visionary puts it, “our society loves women in the follicular phase!” Your energy tends to be outgoing, making this phase a time that is ideal for giving birth to something outside yourself.
From a nutritional perspective, now is the best time to do a gentle cleanse to complement the hard work the body has done in releasing the old womb lining. By “cleanse” I don’t mean dive into a 10-day juice fast every month, which is far too extreme for most people, and unnecessary. Keep it simple and gentle by incorporating some freshly pressed vegetables juices, some raw salads if it’s not too cold, and adding raw spinach, sprouts or shredded kale to cooked soups just before serving – this is particularly pertinent as we go into Winter.
Drink plenty of water or sip on herbal teas to assist in detoxification and stay hydrated. Essential for all chemical processes in your body, water also helps memory. I suspect that premenstrual headaches have a lot to do with dehydration. Start drinking more water today, particularly in hot weather or if you exercise heavily. Because of the many chemicals used in our water supply, a water filter is essential. Or buy bottled water in clear glass bottles only.
Ovulatory Phase: At ovulation, women are often described as electric; our libido is at its peak. In the old times when women lived on the land, this phase of a woman’s cycle usually occurred at the full moon. Conceptions still take place at the full moon more than any other time, although conceptions do take place at other times as well. And waitresses report getting the most tips at ovulation because they are maximally open to “cross-pollination” from all sources!
Even though you might be feeling fantastic, don’t get carried away at parties or push yourself even harder during this naturally energetic time by increasing coffee consumption. Women are more affected by alcohol and for longer than men. They have lower body water content (49 per cent for women versus 58 per cent in men) and so a given volume of alcohol is diluted into a smaller volume of body water. They also metabolise alcohol more slowly because they have a smaller liver cell mass than men. Party too hard now and you’ll feel the effects not just the morning after, but also at your next period when your body is eliminating the month’s waste.
Excess consumption of coffee taxes the adrenal glands, pushes adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormone) levels up which leads to greater fat deposition, and has been linked to the development of bladder cancer. Its consumption to excess is not recommended.
Take advantage of your naturally increased energy levels by making an effort to prepare nourishing meals for yourself more often. Some women I know enjoy holding a monthly full moon healthy feast or pot luck to capitalise on their raised energy levels, metabolism, and joyous feelings!
Pre-menstrual (Luteal) Phase: If we don’t get pregnant, we move into a cycle of deep inner reflection and release. This is where many women experience PMS. Because this is when the tide is out, and everything on the bottom of the river that you don’t want to see, will show up. So everything that is not working in your life will hit you like a tonne of bricks in the two weeks before your period, particularly in day 3 or 4 before your period is due.
Rather than seeing this as a curse, as many women have been taught to do, we could see it as an opportunity to see what’s not working so that we can go within and do something about it. This is the beauty of our monthly clean-up cycle!
If you have a lot of stuff coming up at this time (which according to Northrup many women do due to 5000 years of patriarchy and being told our menstrual cycle is “the curse”), it’s a good idea to start paying attention to how you’re dealing with the emotional issues in your life. If you are connected to the earth and your cycles, you are better able to transform pain.
And if we don’t do this during our 20’s and 30’s, wait and see what happens during menopause when 50 years of unresolved stuff hits you between the eyes! If we don’t start to honour our monthly wisdom and actively take part in our monthly clean-up cycles, we’ll have a lot of garbage removal to do when menopause hits, a time when we are meant to be going into the wisdom years of our lives.
During the pre-menstrual phase, ensure adequate energy by eating slow-release complex carbohydrates for greater stamina and fewer energy slumps after eating. This is important for anyone troubled by blood sugar symptoms, especially women who have premenstrual sugar cravings.
Magnesium can also assist in cases of hormone and blood sugar abnormalities, and is found in dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, bananas, dried fruit, and dark chocolate – which may explain those chocolate cravings!
Zinc is also essential to tone down skin breakouts – oysters, spinach, pumpkin seeds, grass-fed red meat, mushrooms and raw cacao. Just make sure if you choose to get some of your magnesium and zinc from chocolate that it’s the high quality dark kind, with at least 70% cacao.
Although tempting during this phase, try to avoid overeating as it puts an excess load on the digestive tract and increases the incidence of gall bladder disease. The heart has to work harder, and blood lipid profiles are more likely to be abnormal. The risk of high blood pressure also increases.
There are many herbal medicines that can be used for menstrual difficulties. Perhaps the most well known is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) which seems to be capable of improving amenorrhoea, menstrual irregularities, and many of the common premenstrual symptoms, such as fluid retention and breast soreness. Consult your health practitioner before taking any herbs as many cannot be taken with other medications.
When women lived on the land and bled on the dark moon, they were considered between the conscious and unconscious worlds, and often their wisdom was used to guide the tribe. This is a time to go within, slow down, rest, or be in quiet communion with other women.
Due to our failure to adequately honour this sacred time of the month and our feelings of obligation to “soldier on” through work and the daily stresses of life, exhaustion and tearfulness have become common during this time. Nourish yourself with nutritious, season-appropriate foods such as vegetable soups, hearty stews and bone broths during winter. In winter, moist, raw foods don’t provide enough carbohydrate to counterbalance the energy expenditure needed to stay warm.
Winter foods should be mainly beans, legumes and root vegetables, and salads can be made from root vegetables and cabbage. These are warming and comforting foods on a cold winter’s day. It is especially important during your period to get enough slow burning carbohydrates, good fats and healthy proteins to give your body all the building blocks needed to create a healthy new uterine lining.
Also, ensure adequate iron intake to replenish iron lost during menses through the blood. Sources include grass-fed red meat, oysters, mussels, eggs, silverbeet, lentils, cashews, prune juice, figs, and blackstrap molasses. In some cases (especially for those who bleed heavily), an iron supplement may be warranted - get your blood tested and consult a health practitioner for advice.
Foods for healthy menstrual cycles
It's important to remember that each woman's needs are unique. No one diet fits everyone, but there are some useful dietary guidelines. The following guidelines are ideal for continuing wellbeing for all women, but particularly for those who suffer from any menstrual problem including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), endometriosis and dysmenorrhoea, fibroids, cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and an irregular cycle.
No matter how small the changes you've made to your diet, you may have days when you can't do it. This is perfectly normal, so don't beat yourself up for eating less healthy foods - enjoy eating them, and then continue again the next day with the healthier foods. Do it consciously, and plan treats for yourself such as massages, yoga, days in nature or catch-ups with friends.
Whole foods and minimally processed foods. Go for brown rice instead of white rice, wholemeal flour rather than white flour. Minimally processed foods include fruits and vegetables and fermented foods such as miso and sauerkraut.
Fresh food. I have a contract with myself not to eat food that's more than a day old. For example, I might make enough dinner so there's some left over for a lunch box the next day, but if I haven't eaten it by then I throw it away. It's important to avoid food that has gone mouldy, particularly if you have allergies. Remember to enjoy foods in season.
Organically and biodynamically produced food is tastier and contains more vitamins and minerals than conventionally grown food. Most importantly, it doesn't contain the pesticides, chemical fertilisers, growth hormones, and antibiotics that regular fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs and dairy products contain. Avoid genetically engineered food at all times. Buying certified organic food is icing on the (healthy) cake.
The greatest possible variety. You're more likely to get the range of nutrients your body needs if you have a varied diet. You're also less likely to get bored!
Vegetables. Most veggies are rich in vitamins and minerals. Particularly good ones for women with menstrual problems are root veggies and the green leafy varieties. Make your diet vegetable-centric and watch your energy levels soar!
Whole grains including brown rice, organic corn, oats, rye, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth and wheat. If wheat worsens bloating and gas, its a sign that you could be sensitive to it. In your quest for menstrual health, I would even go so far as to say that wheat be one of the foods you consider giving up for four weeks to see if it makes a difference to your energy levels and symptoms.
Legumes. These include lentils, kidney beans, adzuki beans, chick peas, haricot beans, lima beans, black-eyed beans, black beans, and split peas.
Seeds and nuts. Excellent sources of must-have menstruation minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and iron. It's important to store nuts, seeds, and their spreads in the refrigerator to prevent them from becoming rancid. Eat nuts and seeds within a few weeks of purchase and only buy from shops where there's a high turnover of stock. Avoid stale nuts and seeds at all costs.
Fruits. Enjoy fruits that are seasonal. Fresh fruit is a good source of vitamins and fibre.
Oils. Use only cold-pressed, unrefined oils. Olive (extra virgin only) and sesame are the best for every day use. Avoid canola oil. Ideally buy oils in brown bottles, to minimise the deteriorating effects of light, and keep them in the refrigerator. Don't even think about buying the deodourised, sanitised (hydrogenated) versions you find in supermarkets. Hydrogenation creates an immune damaging fat and these oils have no goodness left in them.
Essential fatty acids (EFAs). Essential for good health, EFAs are particularly important for women with menstrual problems. We need them for the formation of the "friendly" prostaglandins that help to ease cramping. Particularly rich sources of EFAs are fatty fish, flaxseed (linseed), evening primrose, and fermented dairy. Enjoy freshly ground linseed sprinkled on you food as an economical and easy way to get these nutrients.
Tofu and tempeh. Made from soybeans, tofu and tempeh are good protein sources. Soybeans are a source of plant oestrogens, which may help relieve PMS symptoms by competing with your own level of oestrogen when it's too high. Tofu is not fermented, so if you have severe health problems or very poor digestion, avoid eating it and stick to tempeh or other fermented foods.
Tamari. A gluten free fermented soy sauce made from water, salt and soya beans. Use as a salt substitute as it contains much less sodium which can contribute to water retention.
Miso. A fermented soya bean paste, miso contains protein and is a great aid to digestion - as long as you don't boil the paste - and a good salt substitute.
Seaweeds. A powerhouse of minerals, vitamins and amino acids, seaweeds are an excellent source of iodine, calcium and iron in an easily assimilated form. Never mind diamonds being a girl's best friend, minerals are - seaweeds are a great way to ensure you get plenty of them! Seaweeds will help prevent damage to tissues from chemicals, heavy metals, and certain types of radioactivity; offset stress, boost stamina, and restore sexual interest. Types of seaweed include nori, arame, kombu, wakame and Tasmanian float leaf. You can also buy kelp seaweed in tablet and powdered form, using the latter as a salt substitute if you wish.
When a woman honours her menstruation, she honours the natural cycles not only in her body, but the natural cycles of the moon, the earth, and nature. She is in touch with the wild and eternal part of herself.
When you study different societies, the more earth based they are, the more they think of nature as being a beneficial force, the more they also value the feminine and consider menstruation to be important. Those cultures always celebrate a girl’s first period as a joyous event.
When you go to the other end of the spectrum and you see patriarchal cultures which fear nature and attempt to control it, which live as distant from the earth as possible, they also fear the feminine and will try to suppress menstruation, and also have myths and taboos that it’s dangerous, polluting, dirty, shameful, a curse, and that there is essentially something wrong with women. That’s a distortion of the understanding that a woman’s blood is powerful.
Understand and make friends with menstruation and your menstrual cycle, and it will reward you with deeper self-knowledge, stacks of energy, and the radiant health that a balanced body and mind bring!
Remember, you can download my easy reference Menstrual Phases chart from my Freebies section now for FREE.
May moontime magnificence be yours!