Empower Your Cycle: Holistic Strategies For Menstrual Health

Explore holistic strategies for managing menstrual discomfort, overcoming PMS and promoting overall well-being. Dive into the interconnectedness of nutrition, lifestyle, and yoga as we uncover practical tips to ease menstrual challenges. From prioritizing sleep to embracing mindful nutrition and nurturing yoga practices, this session empowers you to cultivate a deeper connection with your body and thrive month after month.

Transcript

Om and welcome.

My name is Debbie.

I'm a holistic nutritionist with a focus on lifestyle and incorporating simple healthy habits.

In this audio session we'll dive into holistic approaches for menstrual health,

Drawing on the interconnectedness of nutrition,

Lifestyle,

And yoga.

As women,

Our menstrual cycles offer vital insights into our health.

Yet many of us contend with distressing symptoms like pain,

Nausea,

And mood swings.

Despite their prevalence,

These challenges aren't inevitable nor should they be normalized.

Instead,

They signal imbalances within our bodies that warrant attention.

So from prioritizing sleep to embracing mindful nutrition and nurturing yoga practices,

We'll uncover practical tips to ease PMS and menstrual discomfort.

Now let's explore 10 tips for managing painful periods through nutrition and lifestyle.

Tip number one,

Prioritizing sleep.

We know that an early bedtime and a deep sleep is essential to our overall health.

Observe how your mood,

Your energy,

Your hormones,

And fitness improve after a good night's sleep.

Remember sun exposure in the morning and during the day,

Along with and avoiding artificial blue light after sunset supports your circadian rhythms and your sleep cycle.

Find a bedtime routine that works for you to relax your body and mind such as reading,

Journaling,

Or prayer.

Tip number two,

Avoiding excess caffeine.

Caffeine is a stimulant which can contribute to the muscle cramping and coffee in excess can deplete magnesium from the body.

Consider avoiding coffee for the first few days of your period or decrease your consumption and ensure you're supplementing with hydrating beverages like coconut water,

Salt and lemon water,

And fresh juices.

Black coffee also happens to spike blood sugar and stress hormones,

Especially when taken on an empty stomach.

I recommend consuming your coffee with organic cream or coconut cream and an added sweetener to benefit your thyroid and your metabolic health.

Tip number three,

Reducing inflammation.

Our body is inflamed when we are menstruating,

Meaning an inflammatory diet will do wonders to support us in feeling better.

This means avoiding processed foods like fried foods,

Snack foods,

And alcohol as these are all inflammatory.

Up your intake of pasteurized meats,

Well-cooked vegetables,

Fresh fruits,

Bone broth,

Turmeric,

And ginger.

That takes us on to tip number four,

Consuming fresh ginger tea.

A couple days before and during your period you want to boil and simmer fresh ginger root in water for about 15 minutes.

You can also add raw honey after it cools down to sweeten.

Many studies have proven the effectiveness of ginger for dysmenorrhea.

In some studies ginger was shown to relieve pain and discomfort more than painkillers and without the harmful side effects.

Tip number five,

Increasing consumption of magnesium-rich foods.

Our body craves magnesium when we're on our period as this helps to relieve stress and muscle cramping.

Consider investing in a good magnesium supplement such as magnesium bisglycinate,

Yet also opt for dietary sources like organic dark chocolate,

Real sea salt,

And bone broth.

Tip number six,

Support your metabolic health.

Our blood sugar sensitivity is directly related to our hormones,

Especially conditions such as PCOS,

So please check out my audio which is all about supporting blood sugar and metabolic health.

Tip number seven,

Take time for yourself.

Even if it's ten minutes a day to be alone,

Lie in shavasana,

Write or process emotions,

Make an effort to create space for silence and solitude.

Indigenous people historically viewed menstruation as a time when girls and women are spiritually powerful.

It's also believed to be a time when young women could have visions.

Embrace this sacred time in a way that feels empowering to you.

Tip number eight,

Continue to move however feels best for you.

Of course avoid strenuous activities before and during your period as the body is already under stress.

Instead try gentle movements such as walking,

Yoga,

Biking,

Qigong,

Or whatever activities you enjoy.

Tip number nine,

Including cinnamon in your diet.

Cinnamon is one of the best herbal medicines to utilize during your cycle,

Especially if experiencing heavy bleeding.

It acts as a blood anticoagulant,

Powerful anti-inflammatory,

And supports healthy blood sugar sensitivity.

Be sure to use real Ceylon cinnamon from the health food store.

No more than a quarter teaspoon a day.

Tip number ten,

Epsom salt baths.

Epsom salt baths are beneficial during the menstrual period due to their ability to increase magnesium levels in the body.

Magnesium again helps relax the muscles,

Including those in the uterus,

Alleviating cramps and promoting relaxation.

The baths also aid in reducing stress,

Improving sleep,

And potentially detoxifying.

In addition to herbal medicine and awareness of our nutrition,

Our daily habits,

Yoga offers postures to relieve uncomfortable symptoms during a painful period.

Each pose has its own unique benefits which can improve pain relief,

Stress,

Bloating,

Headaches,

Hormonal imbalance.

A consistent yoga practice will do wonders for your overall mental,

Physical,

Hormonal health and wellness.

Yet by even practicing a few of these poses during a painful period,

We can find immediate relief.

The first pose I want to share is supta baddha konasana or reclined bound angle pose.

Now you can write these down and look any of them up online so that you can get a visual.

This posture helps to relax the abdominal muscles and open the hips and pelvic region,

Supporting overall reproductive health.

It also works well to improve relaxation.

Now this pose has you lying on your back with your arms away from the body,

Palms facing up,

The soles of the feet together and the knees wide.

So the knees and the legs are resting on the floor.

Chin is tucked in and you can come into this posture with or without props.

So with props might look like having a bolster lengthwise under your upper body with an extra little blanket for your head and maybe some support for your knees to rest down on.

The second posture is salambhasana or locust pose.

This posture is very safe and effective at relieving back pain as well as stretching the uterus and the muscles of the uterus,

Relieving the contractions that we experience as menstrual cramps.

And so this looks like lying on your belly.

It's a very gentle backbend.

You stretch your arms back towards alongside your body and you stretch your toes and on an inhale you lift your upper body up and you lift your legs up.

Hold for a few seconds,

Exhale,

Relax down and you can practice that two more times.

So that was salambhasana or locust pose.

And there are a few variations of that posture as well.

The next posture is viparita karani or legs up the wall.

This is my favorite posture among many,

Very effective at calming and rejuvenating the body and mind,

Improving digestion,

Circulation,

Relieving heaviness in the legs.

You want to ensure that your hips aren't right up against the wall but a few inches from the wall and you can place a blanket or a pillow under your hips for added support under your head.

So again lying on the floor with your legs stretched up against the wall.

The next posture is setu bandhasana or bridge pose.

Useful in relieving back pain and pelvic discomfort.

It also stimulates the thyroid gland to support overall metabolic health.

Make sure your feet are parallel and that your buttocks is engaged,

Chin tucked in and feet are evenly pressed flat on the floor as you inhale to lift your chest up stretching your heart towards your chin.

You can incorporate blocks here for added support.

Next posture is balasana child's pose.

This is a wonderful go-to resting pose to relax your back muscles and calm your mind.

You can place a bolster lengthwise underneath the torso and head or a folded blanket between the hips and heels for more support.

Again knees together or apart sitting on the heels relaxing your forehead on the floor,

Arms forward or back alongside the body but you want to make sure that your foreheads resting on something and that your hips are resting on something.

So balasana child's pose.

Of course ensure you're comfortable in each pose incorporating as many props as necessary to help to bring the pose to you.

Remember to breathe deeply through your nostrils relaxing unnecessary tension or clenching.

You should be able to find ease and breathe breathe comfortably in each pose.

Thank you for joining me on this journey to embrace holistic approaches to menstrual health.

By prioritizing sleep,

Mindful nutrition and nurturing yoga practices you can cultivate a deeper connection with your body and alleviate menstrual discomfort.

Remember your menstrual cycle is not just a monthly inconvenience it's a reflection of your overall well-being.

By listening to your body and implementing these holistic strategies you can empower yourself to thrive month after month.