Understanding your menstrual cycle can improve you menstrual health,well-being and sex life. I will explain in simple steps to give you information you need to know and what to find out.

image source:http://sleephub.com.au/menstrual-cycle-and-sleep

The menstrual cycle is a series of natural process that your body goes through. During your period cycle your hormone levels rise and fall and these hormones can also affect your mood and level of energy. During your menstrual cycle the reason you might experience menstrual cramps is that the uterus lining breaks down and sheds,then after the last day of your period,your body prepares for ovulation. Here a hormone called follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) stimulates your ovaries to produce a matured egg.

The length of a women's menstrual cycle can change throughout her life. Irregular periods are common among adolescent women, and in women approaching menopause. Factors such as stress,extreme emotion(good or bad),weight changes,excessive physical actions and travelling can also cause irregularities in a women's menstrual cycle.

Common Menstrual Problems

Most commonly reported menstrual problems are an absence of periods,painful periods,heavy bleeding and bleeding between periods.

Absence of period( Amenorrhoea )

Outside of pregnancy,amenorrhoea is usually the result of hormonal disturbance. The disturbance can be caused by a wide range of factors including weight gain or loose often amenorrhoea is temporary,with menstrual periods returning in time. Women who aren't pregnant and have not had a period for longer than six months should consult their doctor.

Bleeding Between Periods

Bleeding or spotting between periods can be symptoms of a number of conditions like STI ,gynaecological cancer,endometriosis,fibroids or a thyroid disorder. It can also be a side effect of some contraceptive or medications. If a woman experiences bleeding between periods she should consult her doctor.

Painful Periods(Dysmenorrhea)

While some women experiences only mild discomfort when they have their period,other women suffer from severe pain,this kind of pain isn't normal and women should consult their doctor if the pain interferes with their ability to function normally. Period pain can be the result of the substance that causes the uterus to contract during a period.

What Your Period Blood Says About You

Your period can tell you a lot about your health it can provide key insights into your hormone health and your hormones keep everything from your brain to your reproductive system running smoothly. There are a few changes you should watch out for particularly when it comes to the colour of your flow. Below are 6 things your period blood is trying to tell you about your health

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If Its Pinkish.......

You may have low estrogen levels. Especially if its accompanied by a lighter-than usual flow. Studies have found that excessive exercise can lower estrogen levels which can subsequently mess your period,sometimes it may not seem like a big deal. So if you've recently started training for a marathon,have started working out for the first time in your life or have upped the intensity of your workouts and you notice that your periods are suddenly light in colour and flow or less frequent,talk to your doctor.

Image Source:https://www.prevention.com/health/color-of-your-period-blood-and-health

If Its Watery Looking......

If you bleed through pads or tampons in less than an hour,wake up at night to change your pads or tampons several times or feel tires and foggy,it cant hurt to get your iron level checked. An iron deficiency might instead be caused by heavy periods. If you notice your period getting lighter and lighter when it would ordinarily get a bit heavier you may have a nutritional deficiency.

Image Source:https://www.prevention.com/health/color-of-your-period-blood-and-health

If Its Dark Brown.....

I'm not sure why this happens in all cases,but sometimes the blood is sitting around for a while and comes out particularly slowly. You may have older bits of uterine lining and blood that are just now making their way out of your body. But don't panic its normal. So seeing some dark brown blood at the beginning of your period or towards the end of it is nothing to worry about.

Image Source:https://www.prevention.com/health/color-of-your-period-blood-and-health

If Its Thick Jam-Coloured Red With Large Clots...

Uterine fibroids are another possibility. They're most often benign,but they can be painful,so if you suspect they're behind heavy,clot-filled periods,ask your doctor for an ultrasound. You may have low progesterone levels and high estrogen levels. While clots the size of a quarter or larger can indicate a serious hormonal imbalance. I recommend reducing your consumption of sugar,soy and diary and see if that makes a difference.

Image Source: https://www.prevention.com/health/color-of-your-period-blood-and-health

If Its A Mix Of Gray And Red.....

Women who miscarry sometimes notices gray chunks of tissue that look like liver or also experience a really foul,necrotic stench you may have an infection, such as an STD / STI . Get tested so you can get the right treatment.

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If Its A Bright Cranberry Red......

You have a healthy,regular period. Everybody's normal will look different,but generally speaking a consistently bright red flow that looks a little like cherry Kool-Aid is a signal that everything is working as it should.

Reference 1: https://www.prevention.com/health/color-of-your-period-blood-and-health

Reference 2: https://womhealth.org.au/conditions-and-treatments/understanding-your-menstrual-cycle-fact-sheet

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