Is your period too heavy?
I have been having lots of conversations in Clinic and with girlfriends about what a heavy period is. Some women have been surprised by what a heavy period actually is, the thing is, your health can sometimes become your normal.
Your low energy is your version of normal, your period is your version of normal… but the thing is, it doesn't mean that it is optimal or where it should be at. That is why reassessing yourself is really important!
So let's break down how to define a heavy period
You don’t want to be losing anymore than 80ml per bleed; this is approximately 4-6 tablespoons of blood. This quantity often surprises people; it really isn’t a lot of blood. If you are flooding, bleeding through tampons and changing multiple times per day, if you empty your cup more than once or if you are bleeding longer than 5 day; chances are your period is too heavy.
How to assess this at home
The best way to see where you are at is by using a menstrual cup; I know not everyone is a fan of them and I find there is a nack to using them correctly. When I got my period back after having my son I bought a Tom Organics one from Woolies, I was surprised that the (BPA free) plastic it is made from was much softer than the one I had previously used. I find the suction to be less intense.
So to check-in and see where your blood loss is at, I recommend buying a menstrual cup and using it for 3-4 periods to see where your blood loss is at.. and if it’s heavier than 4-6 tablespoons.. its time to do some work on balancing your hormones. Doing a test like this every few cycles is a good way to keep in touch with your body.
Why your blood loss matters
You may be wondering, why does it matter? If you are flooding through your sanitry products it makes sense, but perhaps you are managing your period ok even though you are on the heavy side. Heavy periods don’t normally exist in isolation (it comes with other symptoms); therefore if your energy is low, your fatigued, you experience brain fog, ongoing iron troubles, PMS, mood changes around your period, period pain, perhaps you want to have a baby in the future; all of these reasons are why your blood loss matters and I suspect if you’re experiencing a heavy period, there is more happening for you at the same time.
The good news?
There is there is a lot you can do to balance your hormones, naturally. Herbal medicine, diet and lifestyle changes are powerful in this area. You don’t have to continue suffering with these symptoms.
xo Ell
