Q> Sharon, tell us about your first menstrual cycle.
A> I was 14 when I got my first period. I thought I was late, compared to the other girls in my class who already had it a year or two ago. I still remember clearly it was the eve of Christmas. We were all getting ready to attend the midnight mass. I was wearing this beautiful navy blue dress with a lovely lace jacket. I was so engrossed in getting ready that I had totally ignored the weird feeling down there.
When it was hard to ignore. I used the washroom just to be sure and there you have it. Ladies and (mature) Gentlemen – I have officially joined the menstruating tribe. I got my periods. Yay! My mother was very pleased. She assured me everything will be fine but the entire time in church, I feared staining the beautiful dress or someone noticing my big butt. I thought sanitary pads made my butt look big, naive 14-year-old me.
Fast forward to the present age - now in my early 30’s. After 15+ years of menstruating and understanding the importance of having them regularly, using the right products, eating and resting well is how I started enjoying my menstrual cycle.
In this post, I will be sharing tips to follow when the cramping gets bad, products to use, and mindsets to change with regards to menstruating. So, come along. But first, answer me this -
Are you afraid to be feminine?
Because make a note of this – Everything feminine in a woman is symbolized in menstruation and each week in a month is different. Let me explain the weekly seasons chart that every woman carries within her body.
Week 1: Winter – Also known as Shark week or bleeding week is considered as a time for cleansing and removing all negative thoughts and impurities from your body. A time to contemplate, be silent, and take adequate amount of rest. The aches and pains we feel is a way of our body telling us to slow down and honor the body’s natural rhythms.
Week 2: Spring – As pre-ovulation period kicks in many women feel their energetic best. Think renewed, refreshed, cleansed, happy, and independent. This is a time to consider new projects as your creative energies are at its prime best and also you’re more focus-driven this week than compared to other weeks.
Week 3: Summer – The ovulation phase is here. This is a period when many women look and feel more good and attractive. A time where you may feel the need to connect with others the most. You feel more social and want to nurture relationships by hosting, cooking, or being of service to others. Also, this is the week where you’re chances of getting pregnant are the highest.
Week 4: Fall – The pre-menstruation week is a very intuitive phase for most women. They may experience a sudden rush of emotions and thoughts that usually do not occur during the week.
Now as you know which week you shift in moods, wants, and needs, you can be proactive and more in control of your life. As empowered women, we must become more self-aware and navigate through the storms of life with more grace and confidence.
I believe it is important to talk about menstruation in order to overcome the traditional inhibitions we carry and handle the issues revolving around them in a better way.
Do you push through energetically even when it’s hard?
PLEASE DON'T.
Here's what I do when the cramping gets hard to manage:
Hot bottle massage especially the tummy area or the lower thigh and back area is really helpful.
Drinking loads of water and having seasonal fruit juices during the day time.
Sipping on some nice warm green tea mixed with honey is also very soothing.
Eating a spoonful of peanut butter with a fruit like a banana, then later having some yogurt, and munching on some sprouts is how I go about the whole day.
Avoiding all kinds of processed packaged foods and not drinking tea or coffee is crucial. Being proactive and opting for fresh, healthy homemade food is best.
Because your food is your medicine. This basic step will also ensure you have a healthy body in general.
Doing 20 minutes of light yoga exercises during menstruation is also very helpful. Watch this video for more details. Work out regularly for strength building and to maintain good health. In addition, try meditating and doing some breathing exercises.
Getting quality sleep is also key for maintaining a good hormonal balance. Therefore, sleep and wake up at the same time every day to stay vibrant and balanced both inside out.
Also after using menstrual cups, I noticed my cramping was considerably less. Before I would have severe cramps every alternate month especially on day one. I remember running home from the office on day one because the cramps were intolerable. Now, it's a total game-changer, I relax on day one of my periods.
I have shared all about my experience using a menstrual cup in another post. Click here to read about it.
The advertisements and the messages media portray are often about how best we can forget about our periods. But menstruation or periods is not a process to bear with but a gift to be grateful for.
If we continue to look at menstruation as a problem, the day would not be far when we could buy pills easily without a prescription to postpone our periods. It is, in fact, already happening.
Suppressing the beauty of menstruation is suppressing everything on earth that is feminine.
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