Female Friday

Female Friday is BACK this week, with a couple of hot links! Lately I've been trying new things - like golf! I can hit a ball past the 50 - and as someone who is not particularly skilled in sports, seems like a huge achievement for me!

Here's what you should be reading

The future effects of stress during pregnancy (link)

"Children of mothers who experienced a death in the family during their pregnancy are more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is one of the first studies to show the impact of in-utero stress on mental health later in life."

While family deaths may not be able to be avoided, this study makes the case for taking care of mental health during pregnancy - especially if you hope to avoid mood disorders in children. A mother's mental health is important during and after pregnancy, and seeking support should not be avoided. 

Reducing menstrual cramps (link)

There is value knowing what is available to you for those painful periods, but I can't say I agree with this entire article. Here's my take:

• To calm inflammation, avoid inflammatory foods. If you're eating a pint of ice cream before and during your period, know that it can lead to more inflammation (and more pain!). Investigate your food choices and your stress levels around the time your cycle begins. 

• Birth control will not 'fix' your period. Birth control acts as a temporary bandage for your period problems, and once you go off it, those symptoms are likely to come back. Investigate it further. Plus, if you have debilitating cramps, it might be endometriosis. 

• Stay active. Certain yoga poses have been shown to be helpful for period pain. On a personal note, I save high intensity workouts after my period is over because I do believe in rest and relaxation during bleed days. It also fits in with the yin/yang perspective as the beginning of the cycle is more yin-based. 

• External heat on the abdominal area. Agree!

• Talk to your gyno. Or your ND to figure out how to relieve the pain from a holistic perspective.  

Best Menstrual Cups (link)

Are any of your favourite menstrual cups on this list? I've only tried the DivaCup. PS. If you do use a menstrual cup, be sure to use it safely!

Experiencing a period as a trans man (link)

An illuminating read with an accompanying video, about a menstruating man. 

"In one scene, Bliss changes their pad in a men's restroom and then has to roll it up and put it in their pocket because there aren't trash cans inside the stalls. And in another, they walk down an aisle full of pink and purple period products, lamenting how everyone who makes and markets pads and tampons assume that only women use them."

Endometriosis and birth control (link)

"In a 2017 study “Progestin-only pills may be a better first-line treatment for endometriosis than combined estrogen-progestin contraceptive pills” Dr. Robert Casper also praised progestin-only birth control pills as a viable option for endo women."

I would add a caution about progestin-only birth control methods, because there have been studies linking them to depression and lowered feelings on quality of life.