Very few of us were taught that much about our periods or our bodies at school. We’ve had to muddle along in the dark for most of our life, trying to figure things out when our period is bad or goes missing and ask Dr Google if we’re stuck.
I’ve set out here the period 101 info that we ALL should have been taught as kids and, frankly, reminded of several times through our life!
This is what we would like to see during our main menstruating years, which is our late teens to early 40s (you can learn more about perimenopause periods here):
- Your cycle should be 25-35 days long, it is ok for it to change by 2-3 days here and there
- Your period should last 3-7 days. The first day of your period is the one when you have a proper flow and need to use menstrual products, spotting does not count as your period
- During your period you should use around 6-10 pads or 10-20 tampons
- Spotting 1-2 day before your period properly arrives is fine
- Period colour varies but we are ideally looking for a vibrant red colour
- Small clots around 1cm are ok
- Everyone’s flow is different, but we don’t want your period to start-stop-start
If your period is really short and light or oh so bloody heavy and long, or you spot for days and days, or your period is AWOL there are LOADS (and I mean bloody loads!) of really simple things you can do to ensure you have a healthy period.
Always try the “low hanging fruit”, easy peasy stuff first like:
- Go to bed 20 minutes early
- Drink a glass of water when you wake up
- Make sure to do 1 thing to make you laugh every day
- Eat a protein rich brekkie within 60 mins of waking up AND before your first coffee for the day
- Make time everyday to lie down for 5 mins with your eyes closed listening to relaxing music
- Up your veggies in every meal so 50% of your plate is veggies (yes, 50%!!).
I could go on!!
I share loads more really easy (and virtually cost-free) stuff on my 6-week live course Embrace Your Cyclical Power. Come and join an amazing group of women who, like you, want to get back their va-va-voom and be as strong and healthy as possible (with minimal effort!).
