Vaginal Wellness and Period Care

Aunt Flo, Carrie, That time of the month, Bloody Mary, menses, cycle your period has been referred to by quite a few nicknames. The truth is, the female body and reproductive system are both intricate and fascinating.  Some cool fun facts, females are born with all the eggs we’ll ever have. The menstrual cycle is more than just the period. In fact, the period is just the first phase of the cycle. The menstrual cycle is actually made up of four phases that interact and overlap. The brain, ovaries, and uterus work together and communicate through hormones (chemical signals sent through the blood from one part of the body to another) to keep the cycle going.  The four phases of the menstrual cycle are menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation and the luteal phase.

A menstrual cycle starts with the first day of the period and ends with the start of the next period. A healthy menstrual cycle usually lasts between 28 and 32 days, with a bleeding time of 4 days. The length may vary from cycle to cycle and may change over the years.  This all depends on your nutrition, your activity level prior to and during your cycle, stress levels and toxins you consume or expose yourself too, all play a part in your cycle length. Cycle length changes between menarche (when periods first start during puberty) and menopause (when periods stop permanently).

Your menstrual cycle: the hormone estrogen rises as an egg matures and then leaves the ovary (ovulation) to travel through the Fallopian tube. As your cycle continues, hormone levels continue to rise and thicken the lining of the uterus.  If the egg is fertilized by a sperm cell, it will attach to the uterine wall, and that’s how a pregnancy starts. If it’s not fertilized, the egg breaks apart, your hormones drop back down, then your body sheds the lining of the uterus. Blood from the lining comes through the cervix and then out your body.

Having a better understanding of the menstrual cycle is important for you to better prepare and have sufficient period care prior to and after you cycle. Our reproductive organs are in a constant motion from one phase to the next. During these times we should be aware of what we are experiencing and reconnect with our womb.  It helps us better prepare throughout our cycle and prevent the body’s reaction to being over-active, under stress, exposed or consuming toxins and having imbalance right before or during your cycle. These reactions typically present themselves as cramps, brown or pink blood, odorous menstrual blood, excessive bleeding, short cycles, long cycles or irregular cycles.  

Nutrition is key for whole body health, but especially reproductive health.  A piece of cake or peach cobbler can through your whole pH off. What you choose to put in your mouth and what you consume physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, are all vital factors in how your cycle will function. Also, poor period care affects the whole body. Lack of knowledge had me with a horrible menstrual experience every month. I bled for 7 full days like clockwork, cramped, had an attitude out of this world and was a lethargic, angry lady on a mission to destroy all who looked at me sideways. I found comfort in my love with bread. The softness was like pillows floating softly around my mouth, it understood me. I also loved cheese, Twizzlers and cocktails on the weekends, weekdays or whenever I was in the mood for it to be 5pm somewhere. Of course not knowing this at the time I set myself up for failure every month. Dairy is horrible for the entire body. The pus that it creates is not synthesized causing excessive mucus to form and imbalance in the body. Sugar also causes imbalance in the pH of the vagina and can lead to infections such as bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections.  I had to realize that my body is my house and if I don’t keep it clean it will be infested with things that can and will harm me . 

I took control of what I could control and began to prepare my body throughout the month for my menses. This began with my jump start V-steaming plan to get my body adjusted to steaming by cleansing, releasing, tightening and toning my reproductive system. I maintained that by V-steaming weekly and increasing my water intake.  Your water intake depends on your size and weight, and also on your activity level and where you live. You should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day.  For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, that would be 150 to 200 ounces of water a day. If you are more active throughout the day you will need to drink more water because of overexertion and water loses from sweating.  I did not move mountains all at once, with these shifts and changes they were all gradual and consistent which impacted me significantly.

 I begin my day with eating an avocado with cracked pepper and pink Himalayan sea salt. Avocados are amazing for reproductive health and fertility they are packed with healthy fats, folate, and antioxidants.  To get my sugar fill I replaced my Twizzlers with fruit. My go-to favorites are mangos, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, cucumbers and apples. They keep my blood sugar levels intact, bowels regular and maintain my pH. I removed all pork, beef, limit my chicken, seafood and introduced more vegan options. Now, look, I am not saying go vegan but if you can, you will benefit tremendously.  I attempted and lasted 4 months. I settled on balance and limit my chicken and seafood to 3 or 4 days and the other days were meatless and/or vegan. It is about balance not perfection you are already perfectly you. 

Hygiene on your cycle or not is an absolute must.  Walking around ripe and stank is not a good look. Knowing how to clean your vulva by wiping from front to back and using mild organic soap such as Dr. Bonner’s brand or African Black Soap (which I provide on my site) can cleanse and nourish the skin without stripping and causing pH imbalance.  I also v-steaming consecutively 3 days prior to my cycle and 3 days after, before I shower. In the shower I massage my breasts, armpits and up my neck to my ear in circular motions to help release any build up in my lymph nodes and increase lymphatic flow. Our breast and reproductive systems are intertwined. If you notice when you are about to start your cycle your breast tend to get very sensitive, also when you become pregnant. Breast massage can help alleviate that.  After my shower I do my abdominal, fundal (top of uterus), ovaries and pelvic massage. This helps increase blood flow to the abdominal area for better digestion and circulation through the intestines and reproductive organs. I follow that by using a heating pad for 20 minutes the week prior to my cycle and 20 minutes during my cycle to also help with circulation. Which is very important in preventing clots and stagnant dark blood. During this whole process I practice intentional deep breathing, which helps me focus and be present with the rhythm of my movements and frequency. After my 20 minutes with the heating pad I do a few stretches to get my blood moving and then finally rest, rest, rest.

We tend to keep the same speed throughout the month of our cycle. Which causes uterine fatigue and the release of dark or pink blood during the menstrual cycle. Our body is responding to our failure to have several seats and relax. I get it, we have to work because the bills are not going to stop just because you’re bleeding. Remember the key is balance. Every woman’s cycle is different, but most women typically have an idea of when they will start to menstruate. This may sound overwhelming but it is not. As women ya’ll know we make happen what we want to make happen. So, don’t form excuses, select 30 minutes to an hour to solely dedicate to your self-care. It is absolutely essential to your health and is as necessary as brushing your teeth, bathing and going on Instagram for the 20th time that day. Stop allowing your health to suffer because of complacency, you control you. Don’t treat the problem get to the core and heal the problem. Healing Begins Within!