In the 1920s, women were warned not to sing during menstruation; in the 18th century they were advised not to dance; and in medieval times, those who had a “sanious flow together with the menses” were made to sit on a mass of wild rocket. Women have been bombarded with period advice – largely by men – throughout history.
Now, there is another option: the period coach. Nicole Jardim AKA The Period Girl is one such coach, and part of a burgeoning industry. Jardim’s goal is to “empower women with the information that I think they never got” and provide them with “the tools to make sometimes radical, long-lasting change”. Through her Facebook page, blog and clients, she estimates she has given menstrual health advice to more than 100,000 people around the world.
Most are women aged between 20 and 35 – which is “when the symptoms become quite acute, and also when they are possibly worried about fertility”. Most, she says, find her while Googling late at night.
Yes, women have menstruated minus expensive pep talks – Jardim’s prices start at $400 (£280) – for centuries, but with irregular periods, extreme pain, infertility and general menses-misery still common complaints, what tips can she impart to help us all improve our menstrual health?
Get to know your flow
“Become your own expert. Menstrual cycle tracking, which you can do via apps such as Kindara, Glow or Clue, help determine what’s normal for your body. Track when your period arrives, how long it is and what it looks like. Throughout our cycles, energy levels fluctuate, bowel movements change, as does our sex drive, moods, cravings and sleep. So it’s great to be aware of your cycle.”
Optimise your vitamin D levels
“I call it the period vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency could be a factor in irregular cycles, and might play a role in infertility and the development of polycystic ovary syndrome. Get yourself tested and, if your levels are low, get some safe sun exposure each day, or take a supplement. Dietary sources aren’t as effective but you could include oily fish: mackerel, salmon and tuna. I would recommend eating maitake and portobello mushrooms that have been in the sun for 30 minutes because they absorb sunlight at an amazing rate.”
A combination approach for the post-partum period
“Typically, your period should come back between six and 18 months after giving birth. It could be the same as it was before or it might be super heavy, painful and have lots of clots. Pay attention to that – if it happens continually over three to six months, there may be a hormonal imbalance and you should see a doctor to get a full thyroid panel test – one possibility is postpartum thyroiditis. Eat dark, leafy green vegetables and sources of healthy fats such as avocado. Try to get as much sleep as possible when you have a small human on your hands.”
Limit your interaction with plastics
“There is increasing evidence that synthetic chemicals in our environment interfere with the body’s carefully regulated hormonal messenger system. One of those is BPA; some studies show it can have a variety of effects on our hormones. Avoid plastic water bottles, limit food that comes in cans, be wary of plastic flip-flops. Look out for safer sex toys too!”
Think more positively about stress
“Our bodies respond to stress by producing cortisol and other stress hormones. Alarm bells sound and our ovaries think it’s not OK to ovulate or have babies, so women in long-term, stressful situations tend to have irregular cycles, heavier periods or trouble conceiving. Don’t avoid stress but, rather, try to shift your mindset – that can alter how your body responds. Rather than telling yourself, ‘I’m so stressed’, reframe it as, ‘I don’t get handed anything I can’t handle’, or: ‘I have a support system in place that can help me get through this.’”
Understand the four phases of your cycle
“The menstruation, follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases. When we understand these we can live more in sync with them – understanding how our hormones are working is key to living our best life. During the first phase, when you get your period, your energy is lowest; do yoga, go for a walk and avoid high-impact exercise. Moving towards ovulation, our energy levels, sex drive and ability to be bold start to dominate. This is a great time for more physical activity, to ask for a pay rise or have an important conversation as brain skills are at their peak. In the luteal phase, analytical skills are good – pay attention to your thoughts, because intuition is heightened around this time.”
Tampons are taxing – go green
“Tampons and pads are bleached and contain a harmful chemical known as dioxin. Because our vaginal tissue is super sensitive, these chemicals can be absorbed. I have repeatedly found that women with heavy and painful periods see symptoms reduce and even disappear when they switch to 100% organic products or use menstrual cups or period underwear.”
Get enough zzzzzs
“If melatonin – the night-time hormone that helps dictate our circadian rhythms – is too high or too low it can impact ovulation, fertility and our menstrual cycles overall. Make your bedroom as dark as possible and reduce your exposure to blue/screen lights at night, by getting an app such as F.lux for example.”
Magic of magnesium
“If there was ever a supplement I would recommend for women who have periods it would be magnesium. I call it the natural valium mineral and it can help to reduce cramps. Take a supplement, or eat leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, swiss chard and broccoli, which are also rich in it.”
Eat in sync with your cycle
During your menstrual phase, your body is losing key nutrients. I’m a big fan of smoothies, soups, stews and iron-rich foods such as liver or kidney beans.
