The Real Life RD

helping you find peace with food and your natural body size

  • the RD & NP
  • Online Courses
  • Women’s Wellness
  • Speaking
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Hormones, Reproductive Health

What Your Period Can Tell You About Your Health

September 19, 2018 By Robyn 17 Comments

Our menstrual cycles can tell us women a lot about our health. As someone who went 10 years without getting a period on my own (I never bled unless taking birth control) and was continually told I was “fine” even though I was far from “fine” I’ve become rather passionate about educating women on their reproductive health. I don’t know everything, but I’m building my knowledge daily in hopes of knowing as much as I possibly can.

I feel like as women we don’t get educated enough by the healthcare system on our reproductive health so we walk around not really knowing much about our bodies – at least I felt that way through my teens and early twenties. And because of this, it’s really difficult for us to make informed, empowered decisions about our health.

normal vs abnormal changes in your period

If you’re like me, and not getting your period at all, here are several posts in addition to these three posts that I hope are helpful for you. If you’re taking hormonal birth control for any reason, unfortunately the bleeding you experience at the end of your pill pack won’t tell you much about your health since what you experience is a withdrawal bleed from not taking the hormones instead of an physiological period. Back in my teens and early twenties I thought I was getting an actual period on birth control like you would if you weren’t on birth control. I didn’t know when I bled on birth control it from the withdrawal of hormones, not from my body going through an actual menstrual cycle.

Also, keep in mind that some forms of hormonal birth control affect your “period” so you don’t get in monthly, that can be a normal and expected side effect. But most forms of hormonal birth control work cyclically so you get a withdrawal bleed every month. Whether you are taking birth control or not, my hope is that you find this post informative.

What is considered a “normal” period?

A couple of things to consider…if you’re still under the age of 18, you might experience longer cycles (greater than 35 days and even longer than 45 days between your periods) and/or you might not ovulate every cycle. This can be quite normal – your body is still developing and maturing and cycles usually normalize with age. For adults though, menstrual cycles are between 21 and 35 days. So from the time you start your period one month to the time you start your period the next month would be 21-35 days. Every woman is going to have a different “normal” within that range and you might experience some variations in length from month to month. That’s okay. But overall, women tend to have an average cycle length plus or minus a couple days.

Ideally, your period lasts two to seven days. Before your period you might experience some mild changes within your body like slight breast tenderness, mild cramping and a little bit of moodiness. But overall, these are very mild and do not interfere with your day to day life. PMS isn’t necessarily “normal.”

The first few days of your period are probably heavier, but not excessively heavy. You should be able to wear a super tampon for 3-4 hours and not leak. At the same time, bleeding isn’t too light for those first few days to where you can simply wear a panty liner and be fine. Blood should be a cranberry red color and should be that color throughout most of your period. You might notice a few small clots (dime sized) but anything larger could signal something else.

One really important thing to remember about your period is that one off changes in your cycle or period itself isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. Our bodies just sometimes do different things and we don’t know exactly why. It becomes more concerning, if you experience these changes for 3+ months in a row.

Normal vs Abnormal variations

I created this chart below to help illustrate normal vs abnormal changes in menstrual cycle and flow – keep in mind that this is not 100% exhaustive as that would probably be pages and pages long – but I’ve included the most common reasons for changes in your cycle. As always, check with your health care provider since they will know your individual health and needs – not the internet 🙂

normal vs abnormal changes in your period

Things to consider that might affect your period

Something you can do right now before getting in contact with your health care provider if you’re concerned is to do an inventory of your lifestyle.

Ask yourself these questions! Are you:

  • getting enough sleep?
  • nourishing your body with adequate energy and macronutrients?
  • exercising at an appropriate frequency and intensity for your body?
  • chronically stressed out?

Sometimes our bodies are resilient enough to handle an imbalance with one of these things, but when they face more than that (for example lack of sleep and stress or stress and intense exercise) our reproductive system is affected.

Consider any medications you might be taking and ask your health care provider if those could be affecting your cycle. Again, remember that one off ‘abnormal’ variations in your cycle are normal and normally not a cause for concern. But if you’re experience recurring symptoms, go see your health care provider.

What to do next if you suspect something might be up

First, get a professional medical opinion before relying on Dr. Google. This post is certainly not medical advice since every body is different. So make sure you’re caring for yourself by getting good medical care. From there, depending what might be going on, here are a few resources that might be helpful:

  • You can sign up for my free email course on healing hormones here
  • Here is a series of blog posts I wrote on PCOS a few months back
  • Here is post on having a longer follicular phase and another post on having a shorter luteal phase
  • Julie Duffy Dillon has a fantastic course for treating/managing PCOS using an Intuitive Eating and HAES framework
  • If you have irregular or absent periods, I have an online course that walks you through the healing process step by step
  • Heather Caplan has a webinar on women’s reproductive health and nutrition you can register for here
  • The book, No Period, Now What, can be a great resource if you’re missing your period and/or facing infertility

I hope this post has been helpful, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

References

Bleeding Disorders in Women. (2015, August 28). Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/blooddisorders/women/menorrhagia.html

Women’s Health Care Physicians. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Adolescent-Health-Care/Menstruation-in-Girls-and-Adolescents-Using-the-Menstrual-Cycle-as-a-Vital-Sign

Women’s Health Care Physicians. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Abnormal-Uterine-Bleeding


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

  • Not Getting Your Period Is Not NormalNot Getting Your Period Is Not Normal
  • Why You’re Not Getting Your Period {Part 2}Why You’re Not Getting Your Period {Part 2}
  • Things You Might Not Know About Your Reproductive Health & HormonesThings You Might Not Know About Your Reproductive Health & Hormones
  • Learning Your Body With Fertility Awareness MethodsLearning Your Body With Fertility Awareness Methods

Filed Under: Hormones, Reproductive Health Tagged With: health, menstrual cycle, period, womens health

« 5 Thoughts [life + work updates and an IE tip]
Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern »

Comments

  1. Melissa D. says

    September 19, 2018 at 8:25 am

    THANK YOU for this post! I have often felt “abnormal” in the period world, but finally somebody has spoken about what is normal in a straightforward and easy to understand way! In fact, I think I am “normal” when it comes to my period. Thanks for writing this…extremely helpful!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 19, 2018 at 6:56 pm

      I’m so glad you found it helpful Melissa! I too felt “abnormal” for many many years – but I’m so glad you have found it helpful and it’s brought clarity that you are having a healthy cycle!

      Reply
  2. Katy says

    September 19, 2018 at 11:27 am

    Period problems are so frustrating! I have been on various forms of hormonal birth control over the last few years and have had nearly nonstop spotting/bleeding for approximately a year. My OB-GYN seems to disregard my concerns, telling me to just wait it out, although she did order an ultrasound over the summer which came back normal. Three days ago I decided to stop taking my birth control pills and let my body try and reset itself. I’m in a tough spot because I just got new health insurance with a very high deductible and can’t afford to see a different doctor or get any testing done.

    Long story short – your blog gives me hope that I can get back to normal eventually!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 19, 2018 at 6:56 pm

      I totally empathize with you being in that tough spot Katy! I am thinking of you and hoping you can get some good care soon – in the meantime I hope this is empowering and encouraging <3

      Reply
  3. Emily Swanson says

    September 19, 2018 at 6:50 pm

    It’s so fascinating that our periods can say so much about where our bodies and minds are at; and I think you have taught me SOOO much more than I ever learned before I was 20. Finding your blog was one of the best gifts for learning about the beauty of how God designed the woman’s body.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 19, 2018 at 6:57 pm

      That means so much Emily. I too wish I had this information back in my late teens/early twenties 🙂

      Reply
  4. Alyssa says

    September 19, 2018 at 7:37 pm

    Hi, Robyn. Thank you so much for this helpful blog post! I read a lot about PCOS and HA in this community, but I was curious if you had any interest in doing a post on endometriosis. I was diagnosed with this a few years ago and it’s been a nightmare. OBGYNs try their best, but they haven’t been too helpful. Thank you for all of the work that you are doing. ❤️

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 21, 2018 at 4:53 pm

      Hi Alyssa,

      Yes! We have a post on endometriosis coming up by the end of the year so look out for that. I work with clients who have endometriosis and through my work with them have gotten a glimpse into how incredibly painful and hellish it can be so I am thinking of you! There is some good research on supplementation and lifestyle changes that can be helpful!

      Reply
  5. Sydney says

    September 20, 2018 at 1:45 pm

    I love this post, it’s so helpful!!
    I know there’s a course on irregular periods and how to restore it, but I have always had an irregular period so there’s nothing to restore it to. Sometimes I don’t have a period for months and then I’ll go through a phase of having one every 2 weeks. My OBGYN says having an irregular period is totally normal, do you agree? Or is there something I can do about it?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 21, 2018 at 4:54 pm

      Even though I don’t know your personal history Sydney, I wouldn’t call that “normal” unless your on a medication or have a medical diagnosis where this is a known and expected side effect.

      Reply
  6. Heather says

    September 20, 2018 at 2:00 pm

    this is really helpful! I was wondering if you have any insight to this… I had a history of restrictive eating (3+ years ago — doing fine with it now) and came off birth control about 2.5 years ago. i started getting my period again about 1.5 years ago — april 2017. since then it has been somewhat irregular but mostly just longer cycles (35-45 days). so far all of my blood work has come back normal (FSH, testosterone, prolactin, estradiol) I’m concerned I’m not ovulating and don’t know what else to ask my doctor to check for. she is still of the opinion that I need to gain weight, but I am not convinced that is the primary problem

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 21, 2018 at 4:55 pm

      Hi Heather – I hear your concerns! I hope the links I referenced at the bottom of the post will be helpful for you and if you’d like additional support we are happy to work with you 1:1 as a client!

      Reply
  7. Courtney says

    September 20, 2018 at 10:09 pm

    I have an elavated prolactin level, which there isn’t much talk about. I had to take medication to reduce it in order to conceive, but now I don’t know if I “need” to take it if I’m not trying to conceive, if that makes sense. Without it, my cycle length can be anywhere from 40-60+ days and when I do get my period it’s spotty and doesn’t even require a tampon. Any insight into the prolactin level cause of irregular periods?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 21, 2018 at 4:56 pm

      elevated prolactin like you’ll see in the chart can cause skipped periods…the links I referenced below have mention of prolactin too!

      Reply
  8. Emily says

    September 21, 2018 at 4:38 pm

    This is SUCH good information! My cycle is a weird normal. Mine never occurs the same dates as the month before, but I know my signs and it’s always regular and Norma, during. I feel a lot of ladies are not educated on what to be aware of if something is off. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      September 21, 2018 at 4:56 pm

      glad you found it helpful Emily!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Sunday Skinny 9/23/18 - Skinny Fitalicious® says:
    September 23, 2018 at 6:06 am

    […] What Your Period Can Tell You About Your Health – Helpful info! […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

A non-diet dietitian and nurse practitioner helping women find peace with food, accept their natural body size and heal from hormonal issues and period problems.

More On Lady Hormones

How Birth Control Methods Affect Your Hormones, Period and Fertility

What Your Cervical Fluid Can Tell You About Your Reproductive Health

women's reproductive health

Women’s Reproductive Health 101

I have yet to experience postpartum myself, but I've had many clients and readers that have been through that season of life. Or perhaps you are currently living through the postpartum period. Every woman's body is different, therefore every woman's experience after giving birth will be different. What works for one woman, might not work for the next. While one woman might go through postpartum and adjust to newborn life quiet seamlessly, another woman might find it much more difficult. She might need the support of medication, therapy, extra help and many other things. One way is not better than the other - they are simply two different ways of navigating the postpartum period. I hope this post helps you better care for yourself, whatever that means for you. There's no right or wrong way to care for yourself as a mom or your new baby.

Postpartum Hormones: what’s happening in your body and how to care for yourself

* indicates required

Categories

Get in Touch!

Follow Me!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

I talk a lot about moving, eating, and living intuitively so you can be well hormonally and live a fulfilling life in line with your values

The Real Life RD on Pinterest

  • Instagram Find: Viktoria's Awe-Inspiring Kids Rooms Filled With Pretty Design - NordicDesign
  • 10 X DE MOOISTE KINDERKAMERS VAN INSTAGRAM OKTOBER
  • Wooden Rainbow Lamp Wooden night light Kids room decoration | Etsy
  • This cute little walk-in wardrobe for kids is too cute of an idea! Loving the white tones with a pop of teal drawers
Follow Me on Pinterest
We veered from our usual Friday night homemade piz We veered from our usual Friday night homemade pizza (minus the dough, we leave that to @albemarlebakingco) because we are eating pizza tomorrow with some friends - instead I called my mom and asked her how she makes her chicken fingers and we fried up a big ole batch of chicken nugs 🙌🏻🤤 along with a sheet pan full of sweet potato fries and a simple arugula salad dressed with parmesean, olive oil and s&p. Oh and my moms honey mustard recipe for dipping. It’s SO DANG GOOD.  Over the past 6ish months we’ve been practicing (and practicing and practicing bc it doesn’t come naturally) unplugging from technology and slowing down and resting and just being for one day a week. Some call it Shabbat. Some call it Sabbath. Maybe you call it something different. All I know is IT IS SO GOOD FOR MY WEARY SOUL and the day I look forward to ALL WEEK. Sundown on Friday to sundown Saturday. Nothing but rest. For us that means hiking (or something outside) and napping and reading and being with friends and eating really good food. And drinking some really good wine or craft beer. Sometimes whiskey. 😛  And because I know I’ll get asked about the chicken finger recipe and also because it’s too good not to share and Momma Coale said I could, here ya go:  Cut chicken breast into thin strips or small pieces (I prefer nug size bc the breading to chicken ratio is perfection). Salt and pepper those babies really well. Then dredge them in all purpose flour, then egg, then panko - just like you would bread anything else. Then fry them up in a light oil - I use avocado oil because that’s our everyday oil. You could also use canola or peanut oil. Just fill a pan with an inch or so of oil on medium high heat. They only take 2-3 minutes per side. You can always temp them to make sure they are at least 165 degrees F to really make sure they are done. Dunk in all the sauces and enjoy!  Happy weekend!
I am not a craft mom. My version of crafts is baki I am not a craft mom. My version of crafts is baking because 1) my toddler actually engages with it and 2) we have tasty things to eat in the end.  Wanna know how long crafts last in our house? Approximately 23 seconds. Maybe 51 on a good day. So we just stopped crafting a long time ago and instead started baking.  And when I need my toddler to stay in one place, I turn on the faucet. I am still utterly amazed at how long water can entertain a small human. And it’s FREE. 🙌🏻 well, mostly..  Send me all your favorite baking recipes because we are on a roll over here 👩🏻‍🍳
Just left my mom vacation. 💆🏻‍♀️ I do Just left my mom vacation. 💆🏻‍♀️  I don’t know what this says about me. Anybody else find the dentist weirdly relaxing? For the most part, I love being with my two tiny humans all day, but BLESS does it feel good to lay in a chair for 60 minutes with my eyes closed and do nothing except hold my mouth open.
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 two babies are asleep at the same time in their beds (and not on me) for the FIRST TIME IN 7657 DAYS and dear lord I could cry tears of relief straight into this latte and bowl of chocolate chips bc I woke up this morning exhausted and weary and told Nick I didn’t want to parent today 🤣 Not even calling this self care. It’s sanity right now. And even if it lasts 5 minutes it will be 5 minutes of freaking glory. p.s. yes that brick is crooked bc v uneven floors are part of the charmed package of this old house
Learning over and over again in this season that f Learning over and over again in this season that feels unsettled and chaotic and longgggggg that sometimes, you just need the viewpoint of a toddler to remind you that the seemingly insignificant things & moments really are....straight up magical. And that yes, these mundane days are packed full of goodness & beauty if I keep my eyes fixed on what actually matters.
Spent two hours at Lowe’s this morning and wow, Spent two hours at Lowe’s this morning and wow, wowww 🤯 Asked at least six people where to find something and their opinion on all the options bc holy decision fatigue. Nursed my newborn on the floor of the paint aisle. And BLESS my new contractor friend Matt I found in the lumber section that pushed my cart around and helped me avoid the mistake of buying exterior wood for some DIY bathroom shelves.
.
I’m giving all our bathrooms a DIY makeover and I couldn’t be more of a rookie. So shoutout to all my Lowe’s buddies and YouTube 😜 You’re making this happen.
We are now officially homeowners. WUT? We didn’t We are now officially homeowners. WUT? We didn’t plan to close on a house 10 weeks after having a baby, but here we are. And we are so, so grateful.  And I’m also terrified. We’ve moved three times and lived in three different states since we got married three years ago. After six years spent living in New York City and Boston, moving back to Charlottesville was really, really hard for me. I cried a lot those first six months because my heart ached for the northeast and for city life. I wanted to pack up and go back to Boston ASAP. It felt so different and so quiet here and at times, very lonely. Even though it felt like the next right step, I second guessed our decision A LOT.
.
But here we are 10 months later ready to continue investing in this neighborhood we’ve come to love. And this community of people that have become so dear. Ten months later and it feels so, so right. And although committing to settling down here for a good bit feels really scary to me, it also brings so much peace to know we aren’t moving again anytime soon. We are here to plant and grow. And raise our babies in this house as we make it a home. It’s also really fun to have one of your best friends be your realtor. We love you @kelli.teter.nesting 🤗
.
Now, to see if we make it out of this kitchen renovation all in one piece 🤪
my go-to breakfast these days is two fried eggs in my go-to breakfast these days is two fried eggs in ghee with sautéed spinach (also in ghee) and an english muffin with more ghee + some sort of jam on half for that sweet & savory combo. we discovered these local english muffins (from The Bread Basket) and they are doughy and delicious and we are obsessed.
.
I’ve found that I need a solid source of protein and lots of fat for breakfast to keep me full while breastfeeding this time around vs with Cal, I was so into big bowls of pb & chocolate chip banana oatmeal. just goes to show our bodies know what they need and change cravings accordingly. also, just a psa: go pick up the maple butter from @traderjoes bc it is bonkers 🤤 and lastly, shout out to my husband bc a lot of mornings he is making this bfast for me while I nurse & try to pull myself out of bed - don’t for a moment think I’ve got it together 🤪
I’ve had many thoughts rolling around in my brai I’ve had many thoughts rolling around in my brain of if/how to use this platform in a way that aligns with how I want to live my life. I’m finding it tricky to discern that when 90% of my use on this app is for professional purposes. But I’m not sure if even professionally, it makes sense for me. Because I feel more aligned with what matters to me when I’m not regularly present here.  I’m not really sure what things will look like moving forward, but for right now I’m here to share with you that I somehow found some spare minutes between newborn & toddler life to write a post with some semi-coherent thoughts on life lately. 🤪 You can head there by clicking the link in my profile.
I’ve been completely disconnected from social me I’ve been completely disconnected from social media and that’s been vital for me during this tender postpartum period of transitioning from a mama of 1 to 2. But today, I’m bopping on briefly to share how Teddy entered this wild world with you - if you’re into a lengthy, detailed birth story, the link in my profile will lead you to the blog post 💙
Theodore “Teddy” Lars Nohling joined our famil Theodore “Teddy” Lars Nohling joined our family at 12:48am on Wednesday after a quick and swift labor & birth at home 💙 Thank you Father for another healthy baby boy & your abundant, tender love for us. What an undeserved gift.
Very grateful to be carrying another baby past his Very grateful to be carrying another baby past his due date, but also....LET’S GO DUDE. Still over here eating dates (check out the @ebbirth article on the research showing dates can help ripen (aka soften) your cervix, reduce the need for medical intervention in labor and can overall, improve birth outcomes) drinking red raspberry leaf tea and sleeping as much as possible with a 19 month old running around. And also trying to survive July in VA without public pools or splash pads bc it is BLAZIN HERE (and I’m a wuss with the heat 🤪)

Copyright © 2021 · The Real RD· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer


Terms and Conditions | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy