Is it just me, or do you feel as though you have spent half your life having a period but not really knowing what the heck is going on? It’s as though we are groomed to believe that talking about our menstrual cycle is taboo and unladylike. Our body sends us a handful of symptoms, and these symptoms are a report card for what is going on inside. Many of us have come to expect and accept obvious signs of hormonal imbalances as “normal” because we have not been taught otherwise. Rates of infertility, miscarriage, reproductive disorders (i.e. PCOS, endometriosis, etc.), adult-onset acne, and hormonal imbalances are higher than ever. All the while, the symptoms are bodies are screaming to us have fallen on deaf ears because they have probably been masked with some sort of pill that never really solves the problem.
I’ll admit, I never really understood (nor cared about) the complex orchestra that is the female hormonal cycle until taking a Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) class right before my husband and I got married. It was amazing how acknowledging and understanding signs and symptoms that my body naturally provided could either help me or prevent me from getting pregnant. In addition, identifying potential underlying issues based on irregularities in my menstrual cycle connected me deeply to my body and made me achieve a sense of belonging to an ancient sisterhood. I no longer feel like a foreigner in my own skin since learning how to read my body’s cues through the course of the month. It has been liberating and empowering to pinpoint and translate specific symptoms into practical solutions. Learning about my body and the natural processes it goes through has helped me, and several of my clients, work with their bodies to regain their woman-hood.
There is a time and place for birth control pills and FAM is not for everyone, but I strongly believe that as women, we should arm ourselves with knowledge about our own hormones and bodies to, at the very least, reduce our risk of reproductive disorders, infertility, and certain cancers. We all deserve the chance to make informed decisions about our care and not be funneled into the pharmaceutical treatment model right away.
During this series of blog posts, my goal is to provide you a tangible and easy to understand explanation of women’s hormones, the menstrual cycle, fertility awareness methods, reproductive disorders, and real-food strategies you can incorporate to better manage your health.
If you’ve ever thought to yourself:
- “When was the last time I had my period?”
- “Is this heavy cramping and bleeding normal”
- “Doesn’t everyone have to take a sick-day on the first day of their cycle?”
- “Why do I have acne now as an adult?”
- “Wait, I don’t need ovulation sticks to know I’m ovulating?”
- “What is with all this facial hair?”
- “Ugh, sex again? No thanks!”
…then let’s talk!