Menstruation. Power. Peace. Three words that for the average person don’t fit synonymously in a sentence together. Yet, what if our period were powerful AND peaceful? What if it were a celebration and not a curse?
We often stand in awe of the forces of nature around us: the moon changes her face every night, the seasons shift, inch by inch each day, the tides march their way up and down the beach and we honour it all. Yet we curse the same forces that cycle within us. And honestly, why not? For so many women, menses is a dark time, a confusing time, a painful time. A time of misunderstanding and isolation. For many, our cycles are something to curse rather than celebrate.
Let’s face it: so few of us were initiated into our bleeds with a sense of knowledge, ownership or power. As girls we came to expect that menstruation would be a royal inconvenience and as women, many of us have ample evidence of just that: hot water bottles and a store-house of advil, days off from work, school or sport, damaged clothes, injured egos and the inevitable weight gain as we eat our way to comfort. We have gotten used to hiding our truth and struggling to remain ‘stable’; afraid we may lose at work or in our relationships because we spoke abruptly, sharply or perhaps just… directly.
Menstruation impacts every human being on the planet: 50% of the population will bleed at some point in their lives and a full 100% of the population is here because of it. Perhaps it is time we reframe our menses from curse to celebration and step into our power, experiencing our peace.
Although this sounds good, for many women this road seems impassable and the notion of a powerful and peaceful period seems impossible. If this feels like you, you’re not alone. For a long time, a long time ago, I was there too. Let me help create a road map out of this difficult place.
Balancing a cycle begins with understanding.
First, we need to understand that we as women are NOT cursed and our cycles are not designed to mess with us. Our bodies work with us, not against us. It is really important that we understand this. If our cycles are painful, highly emotional or erratic, there is something wrong. And usually at a deeper level within another area of the body. Please don’t accept the symptoms of hormone imbalance as simply being “what it means to be a woman” because this is the myth. Your cycle can be smooth, easy, balanced. It may take some time depending on what is going on for you health-wise, but it is possible to be at peace with your period.
Remember, our hormones are cycling every day of the month, not just when we bleed. They are coordinated in an incredible orchestration that involves virtually every facet of our bodies. Our menstrual cycle reflects the health of the rest of our body. So if our cycle is out of balance, there will be other areas out of balance too.
Body systems that impact our menstrual cycle:
- digestion (do you experience daily & regular bowel movements, well-formed & easy to pass?)
- nutrition (do you eat what your body needs to be optimally well?)
- immune function (illness & auto-immune disease affect hormone balance).
- stress (cortisol, our primary stress hormone, has a powerful impact on our menstruation)
- sleep & circadian rhythm (do you get consistently 8+ hours of sleep & sleep well? )
- thyroid health (is your thyroid functioning optimally?)
- metabolic function (are your blood sugars balanced properly?)
- BMI & weight balance (is your weight in your wheelhouse or do you struggle to stay balanced?)
- exercise (do get regular exercise that is in the best-suited to your body?)
- mood health (do you struggle with anxiety, depression or any other mental health concerns?)
If you struggle with any of the above areas, again, you are not alone. So many of us do, which is why so many women struggle with their cycles! When we balance the overall health of our body, our hormonal health balances too. It may take a little bit to get it all sorted, but once you do, you will look back and your cursed cycle will become one of celebration.
Power & Peace
Truly, when our bodies are in balance, our cycle becomes powerful and peaceful. As women, we have been given this incredible gift every month whereby we have the opportunity to check in with ourselves and our world in an incredibly powerful way. Our bleed can be a gentle reminder to connect with ourselves and the world around us; it is an opportunity to grow, to shed, to rejuvenate, to love. And the power of this is what brings our peace.
Women Wonder
Join our Women Wonder workshop to learn some valuable tools, such as Seed Cycling and Moon Cycling, which can truly help to bring your cycle into a better balance for you. For details, please call the clinic! 604-688-1169.