The Period Talk.. Cramps: Normal vs. Common
So, I was pursuing my studies in naturopathic medicine when I really came to understand the difference between what was normal and what was common. Up to this point, I really thought that monthly Aunt Flow visits were supposed to have some sort of symptom attached to it. Cramping, I thought everyone had. Didn't they? Didn't everyone's mom say that they'd all been through this and that we would have to endure the same, pop the occasional pain killer and get on with it.
Maybe not with all periods, but maybe a little breast tenderness, some cravings for that decadent piece of chocolate or perhaps an entire bar, mild bloating, occasional breakouts even.. and the case of either the sobby sister, finding even the purring kitten commercial will bring on waterworks.. or better yet the irritated don't-talk-to-me-or-dare-say-anything-100%-inaccurate-or-inconsiderate-unless-you-want-an-eye-roll-snarky-retort-or-dun-dun-dun-the-silent-treatment.....
Jeez all these emotions.
There was at some point in our lives where this may have felt true, so true that we anticipated, expected and prepared for the dreaded doomsday or rather 5day doom period, ready to go, with the Advils or Midols, telling our girlfriends, I got it, and being a little more wary of the contents in our purse, should anyone see that pad or tampon sticking out. We also had to consider if it was a light, regular or a heavy day, and for those who didn't want another decision to make, (gosh do I really have to decide one more thingggg) during this week, just decided to be cautious than sorry and become the one who just bought the overnights round the clock to avoid any accidents. If any bit of this sounds like what you may have thought about your period, then this article is for you.
What I learned during my schooling, was that I wasn't actually having these conversations. In fact, so many girls had NO idea what a cramp even felt like. WHAT!!!?? How could that be? How can a woman go into her 20'S and have never felt a cramp. Now here's where I started feeling like the odd one out and decided that I would have this talk with all my teen and adult patients, cousins and any future daughters with period concerns.
Having symptoms during your period is something I understand now is not physiologically normal, but rather common. How does this change things? And does this mean I'm not normal? No it doesn't mean you're not normal, it means that you have options on how to anticipate and experience your period. To live through a pain-free, symptom free period. For REAL!!
Knowing that something is not in balance and can be put into balance is the key to have a symptom free period. And to come to love this part of being a woman and what it means to be on a cycle.
This entails several things, and I hope that every girl starting out on her period knows to love her body and recognize when the body is communicating signs of inflammation and discomfort.
What I learned that completely changed my experience and views on periods for the better. Watch the video's below for an intro into '6 Natural Ways to a Happy Period'.
PART 1: Period Talk - 6 Natural Ways to Healthy Period PART 2: Period Talk - 6 Natural Ways to Healthy Period
