Self care is so important. And at no time is it more important than when you are on your period. Menstruation is a natural part of a woman’s cycle, and one that has too long been seen by women as shameful, dirty, a burden, something to get through, and something to control when in fact, it’s a time for women to honour their womanhood and give themselves a break.
If you are person who menstruates, then you know it’s about a week of your life where you feel tired and achy and even unwell. But for too long women have forced themselves to go to work, to exercise, to keep going during a time when we really should be resting and taking it easy–resting when you are menstruating can relieve period pain and also helps balance the hormones. I’ve done a lot of diving into learning about menstrual cycles and womanhood and how women are deeply connected to nature and the lunar cycles in the last year. I won’t go into all of that in this blog post, but what I really want to get across here is that when you are menstruating you need extra self care and rest. And Netflix binging and eating potato chips isn’t the kind of rest and self care I am referring to. Though, that can be part of it for sure!
So in this blog post, I want to talk about how you can create a self care kit that will support you during that difficult week when you are menstruating. This self care kit is not a list of physical things you can do or take to feel better, but rather an outline of how to support yourself as a feminine being during your menstrual cycle.
Use Natural Feminine Products
One of the things you’ll need in a period self care kit is, obviously, some form of feminine hygiene products. One of the best things I ever did for myself as menstruating woman is switch from using commercially made, chemically filled pads to organic cotton ones that are re-usable. Period pants are a big thing now, but several years ago I switched to Hannah pads and I found that my periods were just a nicer experience overall. One of the benefits of using pads that are made from organic cotton and are not chemical filled are that you’ll experience less period pain. They are more breathable, which means there’ll be less chance of irritation or other things, like fungal infections. Using these sorts of washable and re-usable pads might seem like a bit of a luxury, but in the long run you’ll save money and it’s a lot more healthy. And honestly, they are not that hard to wash and care for and it’s really not as gross as you might think it is. If you aren’t keen on washing your pads, find a brand like NatraCare that are disposable but still made with all natural materials and not chemicals.
Enjoy a Cuppa
Now, if you know me, you know I love tea. But I’m learning that certain herbal teas are better for women’s health than your regular old cuppa of black tea. Hibiscus in tea helps balance female hormonal and reproductive health, and you can totally make your blend as well! There’s lots of ways to add herbs that support female health to your water intake and enjoy! I especially love what I’ve learned about this kind of self care from Rewilding the Feminine so be sure to check out her Instagram and blog.
Hydrating on your period will definitely help ease cramps and I love the idea of making that hydration even more beneficial to our health as women. Be sure to have hydration available all day long!
Take it Easy
We have been told that essentially, we can do anything as women. And women are powerful and strong beings. But denying our natural cycle by continuing to work and do at an exhausting pace all of the time means we are harming ourselves. You know women who do this. Work a full time job, do all the drop offs and pick ups with the kids, prepare meals and keep the home in order. If you know women who do this, you might think of them as supermoms, or superwomen, or strong. And yes, women can do all of these things…but doing all of these things comes at a price. Many of those women are exhausted, anxious and struggling with things like weight loss and chronic fatigue.
When we are on our periods, it’s time to take a break. Take a day off of work, or at the very least, take it easy at work. Work from home if you can, or leave early if you can. Or, dare I say it, do less for that day. Those emails will be there tomorrow. That presentation can be done later. Or maybe those phone calls can wait. You know what I mean. Take it easy.
This is important because when we are menstruating, our bodies are purifying themselves. It’s a cleanse. So be sure rest and recharge during this time. Go to bed early with a good book and a comfy pillow.
Crystal Healing
I’ve talked before about using crystals to support your mental health, but they also can support you during your period. Moonstone is a crystal linked to the moon, which is linked to women’s menstrual cycles and is a great crystal to support your hormones during this very hormonal time. Rose quartz is connected to our circulatory system and can relieve period pain. Hemititate is used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with grounding and to help improve iron absorption in the body–something we might need more during our period.
Yoni Steam
If you haven’t heard of this, get ready. It’s vaginal steaming. Essentially, you boil herbs and then sit over a bowl of the boiled water and herbs and steam your vagina (and uterus). If this sounds wild, well, women are kind of wild because we are deeply connected to nature and its cycles. There are benefits to this ancient practice as it aids in reproductive health, can increase fertility, and help ease period symptoms. I have tried this and it’s a relaxing practice, and one that is easily incorporated into any period self care kit. When you steam is dependent on why you are steaming–are you trying to get pregnant? Are you postpartum? Are you trying to improve period symptoms like pain and fatigue etc.
I was advised to steam a day or two after my period finished, but it’ll be different for everyone depending on your stage of life and your body.
Thoughts and Musings on Womanhood
These days we talk a lot about how the world is built on patriarchal ideas and systems that exclude and devalue women. And while I’m not into today’s feminism of what is seemingly man hating and turning away from the idea of having a family, I do understand that the world is built in a way that makes life harder for women. We are overworked and under appreciated and it’s my belief that women themselves have been apart of creating a modern society that is essentially toxic for our mental and physical health. We have sought what were traditionally men’s job in a men’s world, and done well (because of course we were always capable of being doctors and lawyers) but we have integrated into that work system without honouring our womanhood and cyclical natures. We go to work and school when we are ill with coughs and colds as well as when we are menstruating and in some countries, nearly immediately after childbirth. And we are taught that that is just life and to deal with it quietly.
Is it any wonder then that we suffer so much from period pain and things like polycystic syndrome? Women are failing to honouring who are they on a spiritual level when they deny themselves things like hobbies and friends and breaks but are also denying their bodies by powering through during times when they should be resting and using products that are causing disregulation to our natural cyclical nature. We are failing to be our authentic selves by acting as though menstruation is just a lousy week to get through. From my own personal experience, embracing my cycle has been nothing but a positive experience and I have only started to scratch the surface of doing so. I’ll share more as I learn more.
Share your thoughts below!