Menstruation is a cornerstone of women’s health that comes with many layers that work to both our advantage and disadvantage. On one hand, we possess and control the greatest wonder of life itself: reproduction. In contrast, this unique ability comes with many challenges that disrupt our physical and emotional stability. Though any period of hormonal turbulence can induce stress, anxiety, and discomfort, research tells us women today are particularly concerned with six common issues during menstruation. If you’ve ever experienced irregular periods, horrible period cramps, abnormal bleeding, or symptoms of PMDD, know you are not alone.

Let’s go over the most commonly-reported menstrual cycle problems for women today.

Hormonal acne

Hormonal acne can be incredibly frustrating to manage, affecting the self-esteem of women around the globe. Breaking out before or during your period happens because of the fluctuating levels of hormones your body produces, impacting several areas of your health including your skin. This pervasive and persistent concern can be tended to by:

• Updating your skincare routine. Swap your cleanser for a more gentle one, and explore salicylic acid-based treatments that are non-comedogenic.
• Cut out sugar and dairy. Reducing your intake of both sugar and dairy can induce drastic differences in your skin’s health (not to mention the rest of your body too). Increased insulin levels lead to increased sebum production, which is the technical way of saying clogged pores. What’s more, dairy contains hormones that impact your already fluctuating hormones during menstruation, contributing to worsened, more frequent acne breakouts.

Irregular periods

Irregular periods can happen as a result of new lifestyle changes, increased stress levels, or thyroid imbalances. They can also be a symptom of a more severe underlying condition, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or perimenopause. Your menstrual cycle is considered irregular if it is shorter than 21 days or longer than 35.

Tips for irregular periods:

• Track your menstrual cycle. Given the recent news in government oversight, we recommend tracking your period manually (in a written or digital notebook) rather than using a period tracking app. This is important information to have if you want to tackle the root cause of sporadic cycles.
• Turn daily wellness practices into habits. Stay on top of stress management using mindfulness techniques like yoga and meditation, or use a women’s wellness supplement like Ladykind’s award-winning hormone-balancing tinctures to get you right. As always, try to maintain regular physical movement and a healthy, balanced diet too.
• Inquire about prescription hormone treatments. It’s important to have the above tips down before calling your doctor. If these don’t regulate your menstrual cycle, your doctor may suggest trying hormone therapies or other prescription treatments, like a birth control pill, to help regulate your period.

Painful cramps (Dysmenorrhea)

Did you know that painful period cramps, also known as dysmenorrhea, are the leading cause of women staying home from school or work? This makes dysmenorrhea a top menstrual cycle concern that should be addressed with urgency. While period cramps are never pleasant, dysmenorrhea is a debilitating sharp, throbbing pain in the abdomen caused by uterine contractions during menstruation. Painful period cramps can also be a sign of underlying conditions that should be treated by a doctor, including fibroids and endometriosis.

Tips for painful period cramps:

• Use natural pain relievers. Ladykind offers a set that includes two sublingual tinctures (one to use during the day, and one to use at night) and a highly effective period pain relief cream. Take 20% off your purchase of the A Better Day Set, which includes full sizes of all three for around-the-clock relief from the inside out. Just enter ABETTERDAY20 at checkout.
• Keep your heating pad close by. Heat therapy is a great natural remedy for pain. Laying a heating pad over your cramping abdomen helps to relax the uterine contractions and reduce the sensation of pain.
• Take magnesium supplements. Magnesium and omega-3s are among some of the best ingredients for alleviating menstrual discomfort. Pssst- Ladykind’s Wind Down Nightly Mind-Relaxing Tincture is rich in black cohosh, as well as several other natural star compounds, that serve as an all-in-one solution for dysmenorrhea.

Absent periods (Amenorrhea)

Missing your period might happen every once in a while, but when it becomes a routine occurrence it’s time to investigate. Stress, pregnancy, and medical conditions like PCOS are examples of instances that inhibit your menstrual cycle. Here’s what you can do:

• Confirm you are not pregnant.
• Stay on top of stress management using professional help (i.e. therapy), mindfulness practices, and Ladykind’s women’s wellness solutions.
• Maintain a healthy metabolic cycle (diet and exercise)
• Consult with your healthcare provider so they can take a deeper look at what could be causing your amenorrhea.

Abnormal bleeding (Menorrhagia)

While it’s not normal to soak an entire maxi pad in a matter of a few hours, unfortunately it is pretty common. Another top menstrual cycle concern is menorrhagia, or unusually heavy bleeding during menstruation. Many women who experience this feel discouraged by the lack of control they have over their period, and see no other solution than to sit in silent suffering. While we recognize dealing with these symptoms can be extremely frustrating, here’s some tips we have to manage as best you can:

• Take iron supplements. Because of the heavy and constant blood loss, there is a risk of developing anemia. To proactively prevent this risk from growing, it doesn’t hurt to get on an iron supplement, such as folic acid.
• Swap your tampons and maxi pads for a menstrual cup instead. Menstrual cups can take some time to get used to, but they can handle more volume than other feminine products so you don’t have to keep running to the bathroom every five seconds.
• Seek professional guidance. With menorrhagia, it’s always a good idea to get checked out by your OBGYN for a professional’s advice on prescription medications or other pharmaceutical treatments that can help reduce heavy periods.

PMS and PMDD

Although premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) have similar symptoms, they differ in the severity of those symptoms.

A whopping 75% of women are affected by PMS and report experiencing symptoms like bloating, headaches, and breast tenderness on or around their time of menstruation. Similarly, PMDD is an acute version of PMS that affects between 3 to 8% of women. The symptoms of PMDD are more elaborate than those of PMS, ranging from the emotional impact of mood swings, depression, and anxiety, in addition to physical ailments like headaches, joint pain, and muscle tension. PMDD also contributes to the tendency to overeat on your period, as well as sleep disturbances.

Unfortunately, science and technology has not been able to identify the exact cause of PMDD. What we do know though, is that the common culprit amongst all symptoms relating to PMS and PMDD share one common denominator: hormone imbalance. Alas, there are still habits you can adopt that can provide a palliative solution.

• Increase your intake of calcium, vitamin B6, and complex carbohydrates.
• Exercise to release endorphins, which helps to reduce mood swings and irritability.
• Explore natural remedies like Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medicinal practice that has helped women deal with reproductive health and wellness concerns like these for centuries. Fun fact: Ladykind products blend ancient herbal remedies from Ayurveda with other modern earth-derived star ingredients, such as cannabidiol, to offer some of the best solutions for menstrual cycle problems and hormone imbalance on the market today.

Improve your period health today

No doubt, managing these menstrual cycle problems is a constant, overwhelming process. But you don’t have to suffer in silence. Rest assured if you suffer from any of the symptoms outline above, you’re not having an isolated experience. There is support available to you to that will help you get back to feeling your best self again.

Ladykind’s women’s wellness products are designed to support menstrual health, mental health, and regulate your circadian rhythm so you can focus on the aspects of your life that matter most. Try our starter set and say goodbye to the painful and debilitating symptoms that come with PMS, PMDD, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, irregular periods, and menorrhagia in just four days.

This highly coveted set allows you to try Ladykind’s three award-winning period products in mini sizes, which leverages ingredients from ancient medicine practices with modern wellness supplements like CBD to pave your way to a better menstrual experience ASAP. The set includes two sublingual tinctures (one for daytime and one for nighttime) that help your body maintain hormonal homeostasis, and one powerful topical pain relief cream that pairs perfectly at any time of day.

Don’t worry, Ladykind also offers these game changers in a set of full size products for you to indulge in after you’ve experienced their magic. Ready to dive in? Take 20% off your purchase of the full-size set when you use discount code ABETTERDAY20 at checkout. Get your Ladykind products today to manage stress, relieve pain, and sleep better today.