4 Things My Painful Periods Taught Me

I hated my period until I turned thirty. Then I really hated my period. I was a few months off The Pill when I discovered what my menstrual cycle was really like. My uterus was a balloon filled with a gallon of hot lava trying to flow out of a pin prick for the first three days of each period. I had various debilitating aches for two weeks out of my three week long cycle. (Yes, just 21 days!) My mood swung wildly throughout the month. The cherry on top of this shiitake sundae was acne.

Fast forward five years and now I love my period. This year I began working with Nicole Weigl, a naturopathic doctor, to heal my hormones with improved nutrition, herbs, and self-care. Within a few months of closely following her recommendations I saw results.

The experience of having wacked out hormones for several years then being healed in months taught me four things that I know can help anyone who is suffering from a chronic health condition.

• Illness is a gift. It's a big arrow pointing at areas of your life that need attention.
• Hating a part of your body is the least effective way to get it to heal. Loving is the best!
• Reading books and blogs about health doesn't make you better. Actually applying the information does.
• Don't judge yourself if you can't incorporate healthy lifestyle changes on your own. It's okay to get help, even if you're a health coach trained at an amazing school like Integrative Nutrition :-) .

Did your menstrual cycle teach you something? Share your story at my next Period Party, At these parties, I hold sacred space for sisterhood and share some tips on how you can have a happier period too. 

Maxim, the wonderful daughter-father owned company that makes 100% cotton, chlorine-free natural tampons and pads gives every guest gets a special gift and one lucky guest will win a big giveaway prize.

Hope you can make it to my next period party! Sign up to receive my weekly wellness newsletter (and read it regularly- I promise it's good stuff) so that you don't miss it and all the other fabulous resources I share.

Olivia Lane Lovejoy is a Blogger, Green Living Educator, and Health Coach trained at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. 

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