Cramps to Confidence: Your Period's Secrets

Periods can be a real pain, but getting a grasp on what your body's up to can unveil the silver lining behind the cramps and chaos.

Mood swings, abdominal cramps, bloating, bleeding, cravings—there's enough on the period's menu to make anyone cringe. It can turn you into an emotional bungee jumper and make you feel, well, less than stellar. Yet, beyond this onslaught of temporary troubles lies a deeper story within your menstrual cycle.

Why is your menstrual cycle important?

Every woman is different (and hear us roar!) and our menstrual cycles reflect that. Grasping your cycle and its symptoms isn't just about being in touch with your mood swings or energy dips; it's about understanding the symphony of hormones and rhythms that make you, you.

Consider it Mother Nature's way of giving your body a check-up, ensuring all systems are a-go, while also prepping your body for the miraculous possibility of pregnancy. Some of us might be cruising towards motherhood, while others are sprinting in the opposite direction, but the body's symphony plays on.

Common symptoms which are actually a blessing in disguise 

Let’s talk about Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Those hormonal rollercoasters leading up to your period? They're the culprits behind acne, anxiety, breast tenderness, headaches, irritability—the whole shebang. We've all griped about them, but it's time to flip the script on period woes and embrace a more positive spin.

Cramps: There are some women who will never in their life get cramps. Others will cramp so hard they’ll petition health services to allow for mandatory work leave. 

Major Blessing:

Painful as it is, those cramps are your uterus flexing its muscles, ridding itself of the old lining to usher in the new. Consider it a monthly reset button, flushing out excess iron and other debris that could spell trouble later on.

Tender Breasts: Your hormone levels fluctuate right before Aunt Flo comes a knocking, causing an increase in estrogen which can take you up a bra size in no time; as well as a spike in progesterone which causes milk ducts to puff out. The result can leave your boobs feeling painfully tender. 

Major Blessing:

While breast pain can be a pain, it’s your body’s way of preparing your body - boobs and all - for a potential pregnancy. Without this change, you would never be able to produce the milk needed to breastfeed, giving us the badass ability to nurture a life. Talk about girl power! 

Cravings: During the days before and at the start of your period, your body is going through some wild hormonal shifts, throwing your body out of whack. During this phase, we all have a run of emotional eating - that’ll be 12 krispy kremes, please… 

Major Blessing:

Due to the shift in hormones your body is craving certain nutrients, for example, a lot of ladies crave a bit of chocolate at the beginning of their period. Have you ever wondered why smashing a block of Cabury's Roast Almond or Rocky Road chocolate feels perfectly justifiable once a month? Well, it’s because the craving is real. Cocoa is high in magnesium which is something your body runs low on at the beginning of a period and thus, craves. 

Vee tip: Choose dark chocolate over milk. It’s lower in sugar and higher in the nutrients your body is craving.

When it's all said and done, your period matters, and it's uniquely yours. No shame, no embarrassment—just a natural part of you. It's your body's whisper, ensuring everything's on track, and yes, sometimes it comes with cramp-induced exclamation marks. By embracing your cycle, deciphering those signals, you hold the power to rewrite the period narrative. Remember, it's a blessing that wears a sly disguise.

Period, end of story. 

xx

References:

https://www.yourperiod.ca/normal-periods/menstrual-cycle-basics/
https://hellogiggles.com/lifestyle/health-fitness/pms-symptoms-should-talk-doctor/

https://rubycup.com/blogs/your-period/your-menstrual-cycle

https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/stages-of-menstrual-cycle#takeaway