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Irregular, Painful, or Heavy Periods 

Experiments have shown that women with irregular menstrual cycles have become more regular by sleeping with a soft light on to stand in for the light of a full moon during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth days of their cycle, the days they would ideally be ovulating. After a few months, their cycles regulate. This is called the Dewan effect, and it seems to show a connection between light and the menstrual cycle. Perhaps it also explains old traditions in which women went out and talked to the moon when they were having difficulties with their periods. In our modern world as we increasingly disconnect ourselves from the natural patterns of life it would seem that more and more women are having menstrual irregularities.

There has always been a strong connection between the moon and the menstrual cycle. A full cycle the moon (a synodic month) lasts 29 and one half days. The moon's cycle is clear, and very predictable, and it was the first way we measured a month.

Oddly - or perhaps not oddly at all - the human menstrual cycle is very similar to the moon's cycle. The average length of the human menstrual cycle is about 28 days, which is closer to the moon's cycle than any other menstruating animal. This old association of months, moons and menstruation is even present in our language. Menstruation comes from the Latin word "menses" which means the menstrual flow, but is also the plural form of the word "mensis" which means month. The word for the first time a girl menstruates - menarche - is made up of the Greek word for month (men) and the word for beginning (archie). In different places at different times all over the world, people have associated the full moon with ovulation and dark of the moon with menstruation. In some places, when the moon dissapears from the sky it was said to be menstruating. Another name for a period is "moontime." Some women still notice that they tend to bleed either at the full of the moon or the dark of the moon, but not at the quarters. Legends of different cultures say that all women used to bleed together, matching their cycles to the cycle of the moon. The moon has always been associated with women, as in the goddess Diana, the goddess of the moon.

Our environment, our diets all have a major impact on our body, no where in our body is this more true than on the stress it places on our endocrine (hormone) systems.

Our endocrine system is a highly complex and inter dependent part of our physiology, and one that is all too often under recognized by allopathic ( so called ' modern ' ) medicine. Allopathic medicine seeks to treat our ailments as serrate issues, and so offers us surgical procedures such as Dilatation & Curtitage, and even Hysterectomy, and so called ' Hormone 'drugs like Provera and Noristhrasone. However all these are often like taking a sledge hammer to crack a nut, and in the case of the hormonal drugs (which are anything BUT real, bio-compatable hormones) are the most potentially damaging & lethal drugs a woman can take. For many of the women we know with menstrual irregularities the cure has been simple; follow a diet with processed food removed and use Natural Progesterone Cream, because all to often menstrual irregularities are the result of Oestrogen Dominance. While you are doing this go and see your doctor for a full diagnosis, but always make sure that YOU are the one deciding whether to pursue their treatments, after you have investigated the option they offer thoroughly. Keep in mind that doctors are trained by a system set up to perpetuate the sale of pharmaceutical drugs and as such they do not always have a terribly objective view of women's health care. .

Managing Menstruation Naturally

The supplements we have listed below have been studied in clinical trials and have been found to be effective in assisting with painful periods. For the best result you should take them over a period of three months, at the end of which you should be reassessed in order to monitor improvements and changes and then adjust the supplement program according to your new condition. we suggest that you make sure you buy supplements from a reputable source of good quality, such as Life extension Foundation or Vitamin Research Products. Aslo see the Supplements section.

Vitamin B1
This B vitamin is very effective in helping with period pain. In one study, it was given to 556 women (aged 12 to 21 years) who had moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea. Some of the women were given the B1 first for 90 days and then changed to a placebo. Others were given the placebo first for 90 days and the B1 next. A full 87 percent of the women were completely cured after starting the B1 treatment. This effect remained for at least two months after the B1 was stopped.

Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is needed to help produce 'good' prostaglandins which help to relax and widen blood vessels as opposed to 'bad' prostaglandins which increase the womb contractions and increase the pain. So it is worth taking a good B-complex supplement. This vitamin has been shown to significantly reduce the intensity and duration of period pains.

Vitamin B12
Because both vitamins B1 and B6 are helpful with treating period pains, the best approach is to take a vitamin complex. This also gives you vitamin B12 and it has been found that a combination of fish oil and B12 is actually more effective than just fish oil on its own for relieving dysmenorrhoea.

Vitamin E
Up to 70 percent of women have found the supplementation of vitamin E to be useful in treating painful periods.

Vitamin C and bioflavonoids
Bioflavonoids are helpful with period pain because they help to relax smooth muscle and reduce inflammation. Bilberry is one of the best bioflavonoids for this, but other bioflavonoids can be helpful. Include berries of any kind (including blackberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and even grapes) in your diet.

Bromelain
This is an enzyme contained in pineapples and it has been found to be extremely useful for treating painful periods. It has anti-inflammatory properties and helps as a natural blood thinner. Bromelain also acts as a smooth muscle relaxant and is thought to decrease the 'bad prostaglandins and increase the 'good' prostaglandins

Magnesium
Magnesium acts as a muscle relaxant and it has been shown to have a beneficial effect on painful periods and lower back pain so it is worth taking as a supplement. Magnesium also has the ability to lower the 'bad' prostaglandins that may be causing the womb to overcontract, along with vitamin B6, magnesium is required by your body to help convert the essential fats into beneficial prostaglandins so always take them together.

Zinc
This mineral is important for eliminating period pains because it is needed for the proper conversion of essential fatty acids in much the same way as magnesium.

Essential Fatty Acids (Omega Oils)
Taking EFAs in supplement form is extremely important in the treatment of painful periods. Research over many years has shown that women with low intakes of Omega 3 fatty acids ( from fish, linseed and walnuts), have more painful periods than women who have a good intake. The study that found this link also discovered that the extent of the pain was connected to the ratio or balance of the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats. The women with the worst period pains ate a much lower ratio of Omega 3 fats in relation to Omega 6 fats in- a 1 to 4 ratio -this is also the ration that the body needs these factors in on a daily basis.

Menstruation & Hypersensitivity

A friend of mine fell seriously ill last year and for a while it appeared that she was going to die as her body become toxic and sepsis (Blood poisoning) set in. The big mystery was what had caused this episode. After much testing and investigation the cause was found to be sanitary products. After 13 years of using sanitary towels and tampons her body had suddenly become sensitized to these products. She has since recovered. It took her many months, and several messy accidents to hit upon the right product to replace the toxic tampons & towels of the multibillion dollar feminine products industry.

Sea Sponge Menstrual Tampons

Sea sponges are another healthy alternative to tampons which are linked to cancers, endometriosis, cramping and excessive bleeding. All of these issues stem from the by products of bleaching the rayon fibers used in conventional tampons. Jade and Pearl Sea sponges are dioxin and rayon free! The sponges can be reused for up to a year, but it is recommended to change them after every six months.

First, wash your hands thoroughly. Wet your sponge. Then thoroughly squeeze out excess water. Insert the sponge into your vagina using your fingers. If you feel any pressure, remove your sponge and trim around the sponge to make it an even, smaller size. The Sponges are pre-shaped and so should never be just cut in half.

Sponges are soft and textured like your vaginal wall and very easy to use. They are hypo-allergenic so very safe to use and as they are re-usable they are easy on the environment as well as not requiring the use of poisonous chemicals in their production. Sea sponges are a healthy alternative to tampons which are linked to cancers, endometriosis, cramping and excessive bleeding. All of these issues stem from the by products of bleaching the rayon fibers used in conventional tampons. Sea sponges are dioxin and rayon free! The sponges can be reused for up to a year, but it is recommended to change them after every six months.

How to use

Simply feel for the perimeter of the sponge, grasp it and pull gently. For easy retrieval, you may sew a piece 100%, un-dyed cotton thread to the sponge. However, the sponge is delicate, so take care when removing with the string.

First, wash your hands thoroughly. Wet your sponge. Then thoroughly squeeze out excess water. Insert the sponge into your vagina using your fingers. If you feel any pressure, remove your sponge and trim around the sponge to make it an even, smaller size. The Sponges are pre-shaped and so should never be just cut in half.

Rinsing and Storage

You may soak them in any of these mixtures below for up to 30 minutes or more:
1. A solution of ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide and ¼ cup of water. This will also re-bleach the sponge if it becomes discolored from use.
2. A solution of a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in a cup of warm water. Tea Tree oil is a very effective germicide and has been proven to inhibit up to 60 strains of bacteria, including S.Aureus. This will also eliminate any odor on your sponge.
3. A solution of 1Tbsp. apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of warm water.
4. A solution of 1 Tbsp. baking soda in one cup of warm water.
5. A solution of 1 Tsp. Colloidal Silver to 1 cup of warm water. There is no pathogenic organism known that is not killed by Colloidal Silver in 6 minutes or less. Its use is also of benefit to women who suffer from recurrent candida (yeast) infections.
*Soaking a sponge in the Tea Tree mixture we mention above then inserting it into the vagina is a great way to get rid of an active yeast infection. For some women it can be irritating so use discretion

Sponges should not be artificially dried, just leave them to air dry.

Early Menstruation

Over the last thirty years its has been noticed that girls are starting to menstruate earlier in their lives. In the west the average age for start of menstruation is now just 12, with many starting as early as 10, down from 15 three decades ago. So what is the reason for this ?

Initially it was put down to improved childhood nutrition until it was realized that in fact while calorific intact had improved the nutritional value of what was being eaten had decreased. Then research discovered just how many chemicals in our every day environment mimicked the action of oestrogen in the human body, bringing on menstruation earlier. Since 1945 there has been a jump of 90,000 types of man made chemical in the environment. Sixty years ago there were no traces of man made, hormone mimicking chemicals in human fat cells, now there are 500 that are very clearly detectable, and trace amounts of another 400.

The female body, surpassingly enough, was NOT meant to menstruate as much as it does today, and it is not good for it. In the past a later start to menstruation, more pregnancies during life and a cleaner shut off in menopause meant that women were having some 40% fewer periods than they do today. Menstruation is a natural process that is being tricked into over drive by pollution, and it will have a long term health impact that we do not yet fully understand.

The link between age at the onset of menstruation and breast cancer risk has been well-established. Studies show that women who begin their periods before age 12, as compared to women who started their periods at age 14 or older, have a 20% increase in risk.

But does this mean that every woman who began her period at a younger age should fret about getting breast cancer? Absolutely not! Remember that the age at which menstruation began is just a small factor contributing to a woman’s overall risk of getting breast cancer.