Menstruation represents one of the most powerful phases in a woman's cycle. In our article "The 4 Seasons of the Woman," we explore sensations, phase lengths, foods, and the energetic aspects of each menstrual phase. In this article, I aim to provide essential insights into managing your menstruation by understanding your menstrual blood to assess your inner health, understanding more about what they call PMS, and navigating the world of feminine products.
Menstruation is a truly beautiful experience that women undergo; in reality, we are surprisingly fortunate to have it as it serves as a monthly report card on our health. By observing the colors, textures, and odors of our menstrual blood, our body communicates vital information about our internal organs. It's incredible, isn't it? Your body is continually communicating with you, offering insights into your well-being, as long as it isn't dulled by medications like birth control or processed foods.
Let's delve into how to interpret our menstrual blood to gain valuable clues about our health:
Healthy menstrual blood is vibrant red, rich, and bright. It flows smoothly with minimal clots and has no unusual or fishy odor. If this describes your regular flow, you're likely in excellent health!
This color may indicate the beginning or end of a period, suggesting possible stagnation in uterine circulation. If you observe this color, consider trying circulatory teas and incorporating foods that enhance circulation. Sometimes, this might occur a few times a day, which can be normal. However, it might be wise to focus on fortifying and improving your blood.
During other phases, increase movement activities. If you're menstruating and wish to alleviate stagnation, try gentle ground yoga, avoiding any positions where you're upside down, as this can cause blood to rush into your uterus and lead to infections.
Consistent light pink blood might indicate low estrogen levels and high-stress hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) affecting estrogen production. To address this, consider adding estrogen-boosting foods like soy products, almonds, and round fruits such as apples or peaches to your diet. Increasing flaxseed consumption can also be highly beneficial. Additionally, monitor your mood, stress levels, and environment.
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, take time for relaxation and self-reflection. Eliminate stressors from your life, especially during this phase. Spend more time meditating, journaling, or simple time with yourself in nature.
Remember, your menstrual blood is like a report card, reflecting your overall lifestyle and the preceding month's experiences. To receive a healthy report card, you must treat yourself to health the entire month, not just during menstruation.
If you are seeing gray or orange blood, It's crucial to consult your doctor and pay attention to your cervical fluid signs during other phases. Tracking your cervical fluid enhances your awareness of your yoni (vagina) and overall health, allowing you to identify any potentially dangerous or life-threatening issues early on.
According to Alan Fogel from Psychology Today, emotional pain activates the same areas of the brain as physical pain, specifically the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex.
This insight becomes particularly intriguing when considering menstruation, as the physical pain of cramps often intertwines with emotional sensations. It's as though everything built up throughout the month is now surfacing for acknowledgment.
For some women, mood swings occur during the luteal phase instead of menstruation. This phase acts as a thinning veil, removing the ovulation goggles and revealing the raw truth of our emotions.
Keeping track of your moods, especially during cramping, can be incredibly helpful. When menstrual pain strikes, pay attention to the emotions and thoughts that arise. These feelings might reflect something repressed, urging you to confront and work through them.
Maintaining a phase journal where you record your moods, energy levels, feelings, and bodily fluids can provide valuable insights. Identify the phase when you feel most emotional and delve into its root causes. This practice can enhance your understanding of your emotional landscape during different menstrual phases.
Are you aware that tampons can be harmful, not only for your body but also for the environment? A study conducted by an Argentine research team revealed alarming findings. Eighty-five percent of tested products, including tampons, sanitary pads, sterile gauze, and cotton swabs, contained glyphosate, classified as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization.
Glyphosate, an herbicide found in Roundup, should not be introduced into our systems, especially our reproductive spaces. Tampons and pads consist of cotton, plastics, and polyester, materials that can emit harmful chemicals, making them unsuitable for such a sensitive area.
Consider this tragic incident from my old roommate working in the ER: a young woman came to visit the ER, feeling unwell but not critically, maybe just a small fever. They couldn’t find anything wrong with her so she was sent home, only to be found deceased days later. The cause? Toxic shock syndrome from leaving a tampon in for too long.
Regardless of the seemingly small amounts of chemicals in these disposable products, prolonged exposure poses significant risks. We must take measures to avoid such possibilities. Other factors besides leaving a tampon in too long is actually the fact that tampons tend to stick to vaginal walls, and if your flow is light, when you pull it out it causes small abrasions which may also lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Additionally, disposable products contribute significantly to our landfill crisis. According to Obstetrics and Gynecology, disposable pads take 500 to 800 years to break down in landfills, with materials like plastic (such as the plastics in the pads and tampon applicators) never truly biodegrading. It is calculated that each woman will use and dispose of between 5000 and 15 000 pads and tampons in her lifetime!
Using disposable tampons and pads is neither environmentally nor health-wise sustainable. The good news is there are alternative options available!
In a pinch this is not the worst option you could turn to. On an environmental impact level these are pretty great given you can use them for about 10 years before needing a new one. Another positive factor of the moon cup is when it comes to observing your menstruation blood for health, this is a great way to collect it for your own diagnostic.
However,
This does have a negative impact on the energetics of menstruation. During this time your natural energy is flowing in a downward motion, everything needs to go down and out. Inserting the cup disrupts your body’s natural energetic flow and may create stagnation. This also often increases the sensations of bloating and could lead to more cramping and cysts.
The other unpleasant factor of the moon cup is the possibility of spilling. Personally I only had this happen once, but for my poor friend while on an airplane had herself a serious mess. Standing up to exit the plane with her daughter her cup shifted and poured out the entire thing. She had to sit and wait for everyone to leave the craft and help the flight attendants clean up the seat. What a nightmare!
For myself the moon cups were not very comfortable either, I also had to tie a string to the end of mine to pull it out otherwise it would take me 45min to an hour hurting my fingers trying to remove it. Not fun.
So although the environmental impact is far better, I wouldn’t fully suggest these as a full time product. I do keep one in my backpack just in case I run out of underwear or something happens but haven't had to use it for 4 years now.
Reusable pads are a pretty good option when it comes to managing your menstruation. You can strap them to most pairs of underwear and then wash them at the end of the day (or a few times throughout the day if your flow is heavy). It doesn’t prevent the natural down flow of menstrual energy, and is far better for the environment than disposables.
This may be very beneficial in the sense of getting to know the quality of your blood and developing more knowledge in your own health assessments. However, this is a pretty inconvenient method given you would have to wash it so often which takes a lot of energy.
Cost wise they tend to be 10$-12$ a pad and often come in packs of 3, soft cotton options may be found and purchased at Getrael.
NOW, we have come to the ultimate menstruation product, at least in my opinion. Menstruation underwear has been a miracle sent from the heavenly realms of manifestation.
Period underwear is a cloth material that absorbs menstruation blood easily. No mess, no leaks, nothing shoved up into the vagina and halting energetic and physical flow, no hassle and might I say, SUPER comfortable! This is also a great option for those who do want to rinse out the underwear to use the blood for their plants and health observation purposes, or simply throw them in the laundry if none of that interests you.
Period underwear comes in ranges from light to heavy flow, so you may select a few pairs for optional wear depending on the days. Personally I own 5 pairs, three of them heavy flow just in case. Most women generally only need two heavy flow and pick 2-3 more for the trail off days.
The cost of these tend to range from 20$-40$ a pair depending on where you’re looking, so the initial investment might be a little strong but they do last for years. Also while you are shopping be mindful of what materials they are using. It broke my heart to see THINX underwear had to settle a class action lawsuit for having PFAS, or forever chemicals, in their material. Forever chemicals, which are skin absorbent, rubbing right at the opening of your yoni? Yeah, that’s not what you want.
So when it comes to purchasing safe period underwear I recommend Wuka, Modibodi, and Aisle. These are third party tested and peer proven to be an excellent choice. You really can't beat the convenience and comfort period underwear has to offer, plus no more contributing to growing the landfill!
Most women were not taught how to manage our menstrual season, I know for me I experienced shame even from close family members when I “became a woman”. Menstruation is nothing to be ashamed of or grossed out by, in fact it is a woman's most powerful time of her cycle and the more each woman becomes more educated and enlightened of the beauties of her cycle the more empowered she becomes. Menstruation management doesn’t have to be a mess or shameful, I hope you found this article enlightening and discovered some share worthy information for your fellow peers within it. Menstruation education brings change to the nation.
https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijgo.14311
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/toxic-shock-syndrome-tss
https://www.wombenwellness.com/courses/
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