Decoding your menstrual cycle
Four common period problems, their root causes and what you can do about them
Hello friends! I’ve just wrapped up a week (okay, maybe two weeks) of celebrating my 46th birthday. 🎉
I shared some reflective thoughts on the day (and last year’s listicle still holds strong!), treated myself to plenty of nourishing, joy-filled activities — good food, spa and sauna, dancing, and skating — while generally taking life really easy. I also hosted a small casual gathering with some good friends. 🥰
This month, I’ve been engaging in a practice called wintering. As Katherine May puts it — wintering is “a time for reflection and recuperation, for slow replenishment, for putting your house in order. Doing these deeply unfashionable things — slowing down, letting your spare time expand, getting enough sleep, resting — is a radical act now, but it’s essential.”
So it’s been a slow start to the year, with my intention-setting process still unfolding. But… I have finally landed on my theme for 2025: Create & Cultivate. Yes it’s two words — I couldn’t decide between them, so I thought, why not both? 😊
Despite the lack of productivity, I am still committed to writing on Substack twice a month. So, as promised, here is part two of my series on “How your period reflects your overall health”. Go grab a hot cuppa and settle in for this one!
Your menstrual cycle offers incredible insight into your overall health.
Each symptom or trait can give you important information and tell you how well your body is being supported — or where it might need extra care.
That said, you don’t need to strive for “perfect” periods. There’s a nuance here that often gets overlooked — particularly on short-form content platforms like Instagram.
I genuinely love the ebb and flow of our hormonal phases and wish more of us could embrace living in harmony with our cycles. While it’s normal to experience shifts in mood, energy, and productivity throughout the cycle, these changes shouldn’t be so disruptive that they interfere with daily life, make you dread certain phases, or cause you to hate your body. Ideally, they should feel more like a gentle ebb and flow.
Think: the tides of the ocean as opposed to a rollercoaster ride!
This is where tracking your cycle can provide powerful insights — offering a heads up when something in your body needs extra support.
In this guide, I’ll explore four common period problems, how to recognise them, their root causes, and key actions you can take to support your cycle.
1. Painful periods (dysmenorrhea)
What to look for:
Anything more than mild cramps which are easily managed with one or two painkillers. Believe me, it IS possible for most people to have pain free periods — don’t let anyone gaslight you into believing that being in pain is normal!
What can cause this:
High pro-inflammatory prostaglandins (like PGE2 or PGF2a) which are compounds in the body that can worsen cramps, ovulatory pain and migraines. These types of prostaglandins are raised by diets high in inflammatory omega-6 seed oils and sugar.
Chronic stress or inflammation in the body, which can be due to food sensitivities, environmental toxins, liver detoxification problems or gut issues.
A diet low in anti-inflammatory nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and polyphenols.
Secondary conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids.
Having a tipped or tilted uterus can also cause period pain.
What you can do:
Reduce sugar and omega-6 seed oils (such as canola, rapeseed, sunflower, corn, peanut and safflower) where possible. Historically humans had an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 1:1 or 2:1, but modern diets now have ratios of as high as 15:1 to 20:1.
Identify and remove food sensitivities from your diet — common culprits are gluten and dairy.
Incorporate more anti-inflammatory foods like cold water fish, blueberries, walnuts, flaxseeds, grass-fed beef, bone broth, ginger and turmeric or supplement with a quality IFOS certified omega-3 fish oil.
Address gut problems such as intestinal permeability (a.k.a leaky gut), dysbiosis (imbalanced gut flora) and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).
Use heat therapy, herbal teas like raspberry leaf and chamomile, or gentle stretching and movement to relieve cramps naturally. A trained pelvic physical therapist or arvigo therapist can help with a tilted uterus.
If you suspect a secondary condition — really advocate for yourself and try to get a screening and diagnosis to help you form a proper treatment plan.
2. PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
What to look for:
More than mild fluctuations in mood or emotions — such as anxiety meltdowns, depressive episodes, or angry outbursts that negatively impact relationships. Symptoms may also include:
Bloating and fluid retention
Cramps or lower back pain
Acne
Salt or sugar cravings
Nausea or vomiting
Sleep disturbances (e.g., insomnia) and excessive fatigue
Headaches or migraines
Brain fog
Breast tenderness or pain
Lowered libido
What can cause this:
Low progesterone levels due to problems with ovulation — either lack of ovulation, irregular or compromised ovulation (common during perimenopause). Progesterone is critical for calming the nervous system, easing anxiety and stabilising mood swings.
Blood sugar imbalances which can lead to energy crashes, anxiety, irritability and mood swings. This is often the end result of skipping breakfast, surviving on caffeine and not eating enough protein or fibre.
High or dominant oestrogen due to liver detoxification issues, gut problems, chronic inflammation, thyroid issues, perimenopause or obesity.
High chronic stress which impacts ovulation and progesterone levels.
Expecting yourself to live, work, exercise and BE the same person every day of your cycle and not slowing down, especially during your luteal phase.
What you can do:
Stabilise blood sugar by eating enough protein, fibre and health fats with every meal (this also helps combat cravings), not skipping breakfast and having coffee after a protein-rich breakfast.
Be compassionate with yourself and give yourself permission to slow down to reduce stress. Prioritise time in nature, rest, play and pleasure.
Support oestrogen detoxification by eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cabbage or cauliflower, and by working up a sweat regularly (sauna is great for this!) or using castor oil packs.
Don’t over-exercise or push yourself to train at the same intensity every day and ensure you are eating enough nutrient-dense whole foods (especially protein) to fuel your activity level.
Add magnesium-rich foods like dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. You can also supplement with magnesium glycinate or use a topical magnesium lotion or spray. Herbal remedies such as chasteberry (vitex) can also help boost progesterone levels naturally (particularly helpful in perimenopause).
3. Heavy periods (menorrhagia)
What to look for:
Losing more than 80ml of blood per cycle (around 16 regular pads or tampons).
Passing clots larger than 2.5cm.
Experiencing flooding or needing to change your pad or tampon more frequently than every two hours.
Waking up at night to change protection.
Doubling up on period protection (eg. using both a pad and tampon).
Feeling exhausted, weak, depressed or experiencing brain fog after your period due to low iron from significant blood loss.
What can cause this:
High oestrogen relative to progesterone (sometimes referred to as oestrogen dominance) - you can investigate this through a mid-luteal hormone blood test or DUTCH test (dried urine test for comprehensive hormones).
Poor liver detoxification and/or gut dysbiosis — which can affect how well your body processes hormones.
Over-exposure to environmental toxins, xenoestrogens and endocrine disrupting chemicals such as BPAs, phthalates, parabens and microplastics.
Nutritional deficiencies, particularly in iron or vitamin C. Low iron can be both the cause and result of heavy periods — a vicious cycle.
Secondary conditions such as uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, endometriosis, hypothyroidism, or a hereditary bleeding disorder called Von Willebrand Disease. The copper IUD is also known to cause heavy bleeding.
What you can do:
Support the liver and oestrogen detoxification by eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cabbage or cauliflower. Other helpful strategies include working up a sweat regularly through exercise or sauna, castor oil packs (not during your bleed) and herbal support like milk thistle.
Stop drinking alcohol and smoking as this places excess strain on your liver stopping it from effectively processing hormones.
Reduce exposure to hormone-disrupting toxins from cosmetics, personal care products, fragrances, sunscreens, plastic bottles or containers, takeaway coffee cups and aluminium cans. Choose organic produce where possible and filter your drinking water. The Yuka app or EWG website are two great resources to vet products and find safer alternatives.
Ensure adequate iron intake through organ meats, animal protein, leafy greens, legumes, or supplementation if needed (always check with your healthcare provider first). I personally recommend Simply Heme as the best form of supplemental iron because it doesn’t cause GI issues and is much more bioavailable than standard non-heme iron supplements.
Advocate for yourself with your GP if you suspect a secondary condition such as uterine fibroids, adenomyosis or endometriosis to get a diagnosis.
4. Missing or Irregular Periods
What to look for:
Menstrual cycles shorter than 24 days or longer than 35 days.
Light periods with less than 25ml of blood loss (fewer than 5 pads or tampons, often with light pink colouration).
Periods lasting two days or less.
A luteal phase shorter than 10 days.
Lack of cervical fluid during the follicular phase.
What can cause this:
Lack of ovulation due to low levels of oestrogen. Use my cycle tracking guide to help you determine if and when you ovulate.
Chronic high stress and elevated cortisol levels (which can disrupt ovulation) — this can come from psychological, physical, emotional, external or internal stressors.
Low body fat or low body weight leading to insufficient energy for hormone function. Sudden weight loss can also cause this.
Over-exercising or over-training, especially without enough fuel, rest or recovery.
Nutritional deficiencies from malabsorption (due to gut issues) or under-eating. Restrictive diets like vegetarian or vegan diets, low-carb diets or low-fat diets, regularly skipping breakfast or fasting.
Secondary conditions like PCOS or thyroid disease.
What you can do:
For missing periods, it is important to prioritise nutrient dense meals ideally three times a day — with a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
For irregular periods (especially with PCOS) balancing blood sugar and monitoring for insulin resistance is crucial. Prioritise fibre and protein rich meals, and try not to eat naked carbs.
Be compassionate with yourself and give yourself permission to slow down and rest. Try incorporating stress management techniques like yoga, journalling, or mindful walks.
Don’t over-exercise or train fasted. Try to have at least 15g carbs and protein before a workout if you like to exercise in the early morning, and then have breakfast within 45 minutes after.
Ensure you are eating enough nutrient-dense whole foods to fuel your activity level, especially protein. Aim for at least 1.6g of protein per kg of ideal body weight, or more if you are actively strength training.
If you found this helpful, I offer even more personalised and supportive guidance through one-to-one coaching. If you’re ready to overcome your hormone or menstrual health challenges, reach out! Let’s arrange a free discovery call to see if we’re a good fit.
