7 Tips To Help Understand and Manage Menstrual Symptoms

Disclaimer: This post should not be considered medical advice. Please refer to your doctor for medical advice.

1. Remove embarrassment and shame surrounding menstruation

Menstruation is a part of life. If not directly your life, it is still something that is most likely experienced by someone close to you, and there is much value in understanding, appreciating and respecting the menstrual cycle. I remember being so embarrassed about my period when I was younger, that I refused to even talk about it with anyone. My cramps were debilitating to the point that my education and social life were impacted (sounds dramatic, but it's true!). I also did not understand what was truly going on with my body, as the cycle is much more complicated than just bleeding for a few days each month. To be honest, I am still myself learning, and although there is definitely more normalization and discussion on the topic these days (thanks to social media), I still hear a number of degrading jokes, comments and overall misunderstanding on the subject. Ignoring something that plays such a large part of many individual's lives will not make it go away. I am not saying you have to go around talking about your period all day, and I certainly understand that it not the most enjoyable part of life. However, it is a normal one, so, please, do not feel shame around it and educate yourself.

2. Remember that each individuals experience and health is unique.

Do not compare yourself to others, and bear in mind that what may work for someone else might not work for you. I have spent many hours online researching ways to ease and manage my menstrual symptoms, becoming quite frustrated when I would come across someone saying something like, “period cramps aren’t serious or an excuse to miss work”, when in fact, mine have been that serious at times. Especially before I found methods that started to work for me. Reflect on what your own personal experience is like and the impact your symptoms have on your life. Debilitating cramps? Extreme fatigue? Bloating? Cravings? Or all of the above? The next tip on the list will help you to better understand your symptoms and is to…

3. Track your cycle!

I am now in my late twenties and still come across many women who do not track their cycle. For some, it's because they barely experience any grief from their periods (damn them! ok now, remember what we said, no comparison here!!) and other times it is because they simply still do not have a great understanding of their cycle or how to track it. I recommend using an app and I personally use Flo (the free version). This is not sponsored, I just enjoy the layout and education involved. Tracking your cycle gives you some control over this mostly uncontrollable event. You will learn roughly how long your cycle is, if your period is ever late or early, when the onset of your symptoms occur and when they are at their worst. You can do your best to plan your schedule around these times, (which I will discuss in a future post) and know when to incorporate healing practices that work for you. On the topic of healing practices, there are a number of them which leads me to my fourth tip....

4. Be realistic

When it comes to any lifestyle habit or change, such as a weight loss journey or new fitness routine, you need to be realistic. How exactly in this case? By being honest with yourself about your current relationship with and understanding of your cycle. Reflecting on how much time and money you are able/willing to allocate? There is a lot of advice circulating the internet on this topic with a number of supplements, treatments, and products recommended. For you, it may start with simply tracking your cycle or incorporating one supplement. Or, you may be willing to take it further and see a naturopath or other medical professional for support. What you do may have nothing to do at all with your willingness, but could instead depend on what is available to you geographically or financially, for example. It could be that you do not have physical access to a medical professional, or the funds. Most methods cost money and not everyone has the ability to be constantly trying out new supplements or products. It is also important to note that including all of the options out there is not likely realistic and may not even be necessary to find some relief that works for you. Ok so while I just said that seeking out professional/medical advice might not be doable for everyone, it is my 5th tip (just keep reading!)...

5. See a medical professional

Seeking medical care can be scary no matter the reason and like I said, not always easily accessible. I live in British Columbia and right now it is very difficult to get in to see a doctor, never mind having your own family doctor. Even if you do get in, if they do not have experience or specialization in women's health, they may not be of much help or support to you. I am a nurse and have much respect for medical professionals, so I don't mean to bash physicians, I just am realistic about the limitations of the medical system as a whole. I also believe in advocating for your own health and self...safely. If you do choose to try figuring out what works for you without professional guidance, be proactive. Look up where your products are coming from, the side-effects of supplements and if they interact with any current medications you are taking, and track how the practices you are engaging in make you feel. That being said, there really is still great benefit to seeing a medical professional. They can be tremendously helpful in finding ways to ease your symptoms. A physician can assess the physical and/or mental symptoms you are experiencing and help work towards a solution. There are a lot of medications out there and a physician can prescribe and educate appropriately. For example, analgesia for pain or anti-depressants if needed for mental health. I am not at all saying an anti-depressant is necessary or will work for you, but that is exactly why I am saying it is best to speak with a doctor. Your hormones may also be unbalanced or maybe you have a vitamin deficiency, therefore blood work could be of use. A naturopath could also be helpful in many ways if that option is available to you. Naturopaths generally have more time for thorough evaluations and are of much value when it comes to working with herbal remedies, as the options are seemingly just as endless as pharmaceutical options. This leads me to tip number 6...

6. Make use of herbal remedies but approach with caution

There are a number of herbal remedies offered as menstrual relief in the form of pills, tinctures, powders and more. It is important to realize that herbs can be wonderful and used daily for many benefits, but they can also be much more powerful than you may think. Certain herbs can have strong influence on your hormones, such as chaste-berry, that may be found in blends offered for menstrual symptoms. There are also a number of interactions between herbs and western medicine, such as St. John's Wort and anti-depressants. That being said, a number of universally agreed upon "low-risk" herbs exist and can be wonderful and low-cost additions to your diet. For example, mint and ginger teas are a great addition and are scientifically proven to help alleviate certain menstrual symptoms. For example, both herbs have proven to reduce menstrual cramps (1,2). They are also proving to be effective for digestive issues, which are commonly experienced menstrual symptoms (3,4). I personally try to include both teas (and other types as well) daily, allowing the herbs to work their magic all month long. I also am diligent about when I take pharmaceuticals during the month, which leads me to tip #7...

7. Begin taking your pain medication early!

If your cramps impact you to the point that you require analgesia, and once you have found an option that works for you (or an alternative medicine practice), consider when in your cycle it is most effective to begin taking them. I have personally found the most relief by starting 2-3 days before my period is set to begin (this is why we track!). This way, the medication is already working and honestly the only way I am able to function on day one (but remember, we are all unique!). I also find that by the time I am that close to my period, I have other body aches and tenderness that is interrupting my day to day. Including analgesia and other self-care rituals help ease these symptoms. I would like to say that ideally, I would not take any pain-killers or at least not often, but they are the only thing that allow me to function for now...like I said, I am still figuring things out for myself as well!

I did not want to make this post too long, but I will do another post on PMS specifically and some more hands on practices to include soon.

I hope you found this post helpful. I would enjoy reading about your own experiences and tips that you utilize below.

Sources:

1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4979258/

2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3518208/

3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019938/

4) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29372567/