When Aunty Flow Comes To Town

I’m not a Dr but after doing some research, I found ways you can suppress your period. One of the reasons many women don’t try period suppression is because they are accustomed to believe that a monthly period is necessary for good health. In the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals survey, 89 percent of women said they worried that there might be long-term health effects, and 66 percent said that period suppression just didn’t feel natural. 

Researchers believe fewer periods can help improve quality of life for women especially those in military or athletes. 

If you don’t struggle with heavy flows, lucky you. One out of five women suffer from heavy flows, also known as menorrhagia (meh·nr·ei·jee·uh).

The average menstrual cycle is about 28 days, and the actual period part ranges from 2 to 7 days. A period that lasts longer than five to seven days is considered prolonged menstrual bleeding. The total amount of blood lost during one period is usually about 60 milliliters (around 2.7 ounces). On average, a woman can generally lose up to around 16 teaspoons of blood (normally a lot less) during their cycle. It might seem and look like a lot but it’s not. 

Shortening your period with natural cruelty-free menstrual products/ methods: 

Periods can be a monthly inconvenience and interfere with your daily or future plans. It is believed that natural pads help shorten periods as opposed to commercial brand pads and tampons. There is no evidence that proves this, but some methods can increase the speed at which the menstrual blood leaves the uterus, which may shorten the period.

It’s no secret hormonal birth control such as the pill, implant, progestin shot and IUD is a way to prevent your period flow. Doctors refer to this as “menstrual suppression.” However, certain methods may work for some people. 

Birth Control pills allow you to skip your period altogether with continuous cycling (starting a new pack of birth control instead of taking placebo pills in the 4th week). The traditional OCP is taken for 21 days, followed by 7 days of placebo pills. It is important to know that all prescription medications in the United States are tested on animals as required by the Food and Drug Administration. Also know that there is currently no oral contraceptive available that doesn’t contain lactose, the hormones they contain are often from animal products. Many types of hormonal birth control contain estrogen, which is known to increase the risk of developing blood clots. Please consult your doctor before considering this option. 

Tampons might be a convenience and help soak up blood but they are not as good as you may think. It can block menstrual flow from the vagina which can make your period last longer. There’s also the risk of getting TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome). Not only are tampons bad for the environment but believe it or not, they are tested on animals.  

Avoid tampons and use menstrual pads instead, not just any pads try using natural chloride free pads.

Organic pads are more breathable due to the absorbent cellulose core and soft organic cotton cover to lock away menstrual fluid, compared to ones made with synthetic fibers that contain plastic content which can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. 

Pads that are made with synthetic fibers contains only a small percentage of cotton, and some of them contain no cotton at all. Pads from common brands use fabrics to imitate the texture of cotton and are often perforated (pierced with holes) to help absorb flow a little faster than organic pads. You can notice the difference in the texture between a common brand pad and an organic cotton pad.  

When using commercial or generic brand pads, I feel the need to change them as often as opposed to organic pads. During my last period I tried organic pads* throughout the whole cycle to see if it helps the flow end faster. My cycle didn’t last longer than 5 days. 

A good hormone-free alternative is to try to eat a healthy, balanced diet packed with lots of fruits and vegetables. 

Exercise helps lighten your menstrual flow, and it’s also useful for reducing water retention, bloating and cramps. The movement of the muscles during exercise may also help more uterine blood exit the body, potentially reducing the duration of a period. It also reduces stress, and even alleviates mood, because of the release of ‘happy hormones’ called endorphins.

Vitamin C may help reduce your progesterone (prow-jeh-str-own) levels which, help break down your uterine lining more quickly – shortening your period. It effectively lowers the heavy bleeding from the uterus during periods. This is caused due to the anti-estrogenic properties in vitamin C. 

Raspberry Leaf is said to help ease heavy menstrual bleeding while improving egg quality. It contains something called fragarine, an alkaloid found in raspberries, which is known to help tone and tighten muscles in the pelvic region (helps relieve cramps) preventing hemorrhage due to its high iron content and astringent qualities. The tea is also high in tannins (a naturally occurring chemical found in wine) which is believed to strengthen the uterus and reduce heavy and irregular bleeding during your cycle. 

I recommend you try a hot cup of Stash Wild Raspberry Hibiscus Herbal Tea. I drank it on my first day of period and it prevented cramps (this is based on my experience only).

Climaxing is yet another form of a natural pain-reliever and can help keep cramps away. 

So, anything that can get the uterus to exit blood faster is probably going to speed the process along. Sex or masturbation that leads to orgasm can stimulate contractions in the uterus, which may result in more menstrual blood leaving the body through the vagina. Having an orgasm releases ‘feel-good’ hormone like oxytocin and dopamine that help ease pain like menstrual cramps.

According to medical doctor, Dee Fenner of Michigan Medicine Von Voigtlander Women’s Clinic at the University of Michigan, having sex on your period can come handy when rushing aunty flow to end by causing contractions in your uterus that occur when you orgasm, which then helps your menstrual flow by squeezing out more blood. “Although no studies have been done on this, it’s likely that menstrual blood in the uterus is squeezed out during orgasm,” says Dr. Fenner. While there is no evidence that proves this a fact, it is worth a try.

Heating pads placed on your stomach help make the blood flow from your body. The faster all of that blood flows, the sooner your period will be over.

Magnesium is believed to help create an incline in estrogen so when you increase your intake, it can make your period end sooner. It can also help reduce the amount of blood you lose during your period. To get more magnesium eat dark chocolate, oats, pumpkin and watermelon.

There you have it, some methods to help shorten your period when aunty flow decides to pay a visit.