Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle

Modern culture wants us to believe that many of the symptoms associated with a woman's menstrual cycle are normal, but they're not. Symptoms like PMS, anemia, and cramping are all signs of an imbalance and are an indicator of overall health. Here are the signs to consider about your menstrual cycle and what you can do to help balance your hormones.

What are Signs of a Healthy Cycle?

1. Consistency is Key: A healthy cycle should be consistent and occur between 28-33 days. Less than 25 days may be a sign of low progesterone and/or estrogen dominance. More than 35 days is another sign that you may not be ovulating. Try a saliva hormone test and choose natural balancing methods.

2. Red like Cranberry Juice: Don’t let the bright coloring scare you. That’s actually the sign of a healthy cycle. Keep track of how many days and the heaviness of the flow of each cycle. A healthy cycle should be 4-7 days and steady. Heavy bleeding may be a sign of estrogen dominance, endometriosis, or other conditions.

3. Get to Know Your Body: One of the best things you can do for your reproductive health is to get off chemical hormones like birth control pills. A safe way to do that is to get to know your body through its natural signs like mucus and how fluid and discharge change. Clear, long, and stretchy mucus - think of raw egg white - is a sign of ovulation. Follow a program like FertilityCare KC to learn how to do this safely and effectively. This is also an effective and safe approach to natural family planning.

4. Less Symptoms: We’ve all heard and/or experienced the painful symptoms of having a period, but did you know that having those symptoms is not normal? Symptoms like PMS, anxiety, cramping, and swelling are all signs of an imbalance or blockage in the body. Below are a few things you can do to get your body balanced and restored.

How Can I Help Balance My Hormones?

1. Eat a Colorful Diet: A diet filled with bright and colorful fruits and veggies helps support healthy hormones and overall health. Foods to avoid: hormone-filled meat, soy, heavy fatty foods, dairy, sugars, processed grains, alcohol, soda, and process foods. Get our free Eating by Design Guide to learn more about healthy eating.

2. Get Rid of Synthetic Estrogens: Estrogen dominance plays a significant role in hormonal imbalances. Avoid all hormone-filled foods and replace your deodorant, makeup, and other personal care items with natural products. To help rebalance estrogen try DIM by Nature’s Way.

3. Take Herbs: All the herbs and herbal formulas below are great for balancing hormones.

   1. Vitex (chaste tree berry)

   2. Red raspberry leaf

   3. Stinging nettle

   4. Red clover

   5. Burdock root

   6. Balance by Herbally Grounded

   7. Progesteronic by Wishgarden

   8. Proferia by Arthur Andrew Medical

4. Our Top 5 Products for Healthy Hormones:

   1. Endocrine Balance by Dr. Morse

   2. Maca Products by NHI (you must log in to view these products)

   3. Deer Antler by Royal Velvet

   4. Pure Vegan B-12 Spray by Aerobic Life

   5. Minerals:

      1. Biocean .9 Isotonic by Quebec Inc.

      2. Inner Vitality by Morningstar

      3. Selenium or Zinc by Biotics Research

5. Cleanse the Liver & Lymph: Liver and lymph health are linked to women’s hormones. Cleansing these organs opens up the blockages that may be causing your hormonal imbalance. Try our Spirit of Health Cleansing Programs for step-by-step instructions on how to do this. You’ll know you’re on the right path when your symptoms are less from month to month.

Learn more about having healthy menstrual cycles by signing up for our free program,
Eating by Design Hormone Edition.