Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary
Leading the change to better periods and hormones
Articles about common period problems including irregular periods, PCOS, endometriosis, painful periods, PMS, PMDD, heavy periods, and perimenopause. From the perspective of a women’s health specialist with more than twenty years of experience. Treatments include diet and lifestyle changes as well as simple nutritional supplements such as magnesium and zinc.
More than twenty years ago I discovered something: When I stopped having dairy, I stopped having period pain.
Since then, I’ve worked with thousands of patients who have had the same result. For many women (not all), stopping dairy can dramatically improve period pain, heavy periods, endometriosis, acne, and PMS.
Soy contains phytoestrogens or “plant-estrogens,” which sounds bad but by out-competing estradiol, phytoestrogens can have a beneficial anti-estrogen effect in women of reproductive age.
That’s why soy and other phytoestrogens can make periods lighter and improve estrogen excess symptoms such as PMS and heavy periods.
Thank you to my nutrition professor, who first taught me about vitamin B6 (pyridoxine or pyridoxal-5-phosphate) for PMS. It is an effective, reliable treatment for premenstrual mood problems, including PMDD.
Back then (35 years ago), vitamin B6 relieved my own premenstrual symptoms so dramatically that it was my eureka moment in natural health and menstrual health. Thanks to B6, I realised that although period symptoms are common, they’re not normal.
Perimenopause is the two to twelve years before menopause. It can cause heavy periods, mood swings, insomnia, and night sweats.
Menopause (also called post-menopause) is the life phase that begins one year after the last period. The first couple of years can cause hot flashes, weight gain, and insomnia.
Perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms can be relieved by natural treatments such as magnesium, taurine, progesterone, and transdermal estrogen.