What’s your period telling you about your health?

Any uterus having citizens in the world knows what it’s like to have crazy, unpredictable, embarrassing, and often painful bowel movements – and audible air flow – during their Girl Flu.

When everything you eat and even some of the things you drink turn into immediate regret and a hasty trip to the bathroom, it’s easy to feel like your uterus is your enemy.

But if you tend to get cravings, nausea, or have some, ahem… bowel changes before your period....

That’s a really good sign that your digestive system is on the weak side.

The good news is, you can help your body before your Monthly Friend even starts, by supporting it with clean eating – and avoiding a few things that aren’t helpful at all.

Here are 3 things to add to your diet to boost your digestive health:

1. Fruit & Leafy green vegetables – Full of water and high in natural sugars, you’ll stay hydrated and energized without the spikes of crashes of refined sugars.

2. Chicken and Fish – Another iron – and protein – rich food you can add to your diet. And the Omegas found in fish can reduce the intensity of period pain.

3. Dark chocolate & Nuts – A tasty and beneficial snack, dark chocolate is rich in iron and magnesium, while nuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as protein, magnesium, and various vitamins.

*If you need to spice it up, add some Turmeric – Nature’s spicy anti-inflammatory.

*Bonus Sip – Peppermint tea is an excellent relief for muscle cramps, nausea, and diarrhea. Not to mention, your body needs all the fluids it can get!

Things you should definitely avoid during your period include:

• Salt

• Sugar

• Coffee

• Alcohol

• Red Meat

• and anything spicy and delicious.

"Maybe if period pain burned calories, it'd be worth it."

— Unknown

Menstrual Mythbuster

We’ve all heard the bad rap your Monthlies get, and for many women, it’s a time of horror, pain, and erratic mood swings.

But there’s a disturbing myth going around about periods:

PMS and cramps are normal and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The truth?

The symptoms that we attribute to PMS are actually excellent diagnostic tools to show you areas of your body and health that need some attention.

Yes, even bloating, back pain, and the Misery Poops serve a purpose – to let you know that something isn’t quite right.

So how do you balance your body and calm down Aunt Flo so she doesn’t rain on the parade every time she comes to town?

Prime Your System for A Premium Period Experience

You Are What You Binge Eat

When it comes to your overall monthly happiness, what you put in your body is crucial for weathering the storm, so be careful when indulging in some of your favourite sinful indulgences.

Things to avoid:

Caffeine – I know mornings are rough at the best of times, but starting your day with a dose of coffee is a great way to supercharge your cramps because caffeine makes your blood vessels constrict. Not to mention it can give you a serious case of the crankies.

Salt – Resist the urge to tame the Cthulu in your Uterus with Sea Salt & Vinegar chips, unless you want to feel the bloat of Davy Jones’ Locker.

Red Meat & Dairy – Steak and cheese will only make your cramps worse, so satisfy your iron craving with plant based foods like chickpeas and lentils.

Download our complete Womb Support Cookbook and find your favorite new recipe to beat your period cravings.

Alcohol – Although the Crimson Tide seems like it would pair nicely with a box of Merlot, the truth is, alcohol only makes everything worse. It throws off your hormones, slows your digestion, and dehydrates you. Who wants PMS and a world class hangover?

Sugar & Refined Carbs – Talk about inflammation! When your Red Wedding comes, say no to the cakes or suffer the wrath of Fatigue & Bloating!

Things to indulge in:

Chocolate – The darker, the better! Chocolate is loaded with magnesium, which helps with period bloat, and increases your happy serotonin levels.

We’ve created the perfect Black Bean Dark Chocolate Brownie recipe to boost your iron and magnesium levels in one darkly decadent indulgence.

Avocado – Full of healthy fats and potassium, to reduce cramping and fulfill your craving for fatty foods.

Self-joy – Yes, orgasms. So cuddle up to yourself and nurture your uterus with blissful oxytocin!

Vitamins & Supplements – Folic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium all help to reduce cramps and moderate mood swings.

Try our Cycle Supplements, designed to help you regulate your PMS with complete vitamin support.

Rest and restful exercise – A body that’s menstruating is a body that’s working hard to flush hormones out of your system, so help it out by sleeping 8 hours and skipping the Cross Fit in favor of gentle yoga or light exercise.

Check out our Flo Flow videos on YouTube for gentle exercises designed to help you ease your body through menstruation.

Perfect your Period!

Hey there, womb warrior! I'm Joselle Carpenter, women’s wellness coach, period advocate, and registered OB-GYN, owner of Hormone Harmony, an academy created to help women manage their hormonal cycles and create their best womb health.

In my Gyno practice, I helped countless women find relief from their overwhelming PMS, and now I want to take it one step further, and help women embrace their hormone cycles and treat their PMS symptoms from a place of understanding and compassion.

It’s time to break the silent taboo around women’s bodies and empower them through education and acceptance of the nurturing power of their uterus.

Check out our articles in “Womb Warrior Magazine” and tune into our guest spot on the “Hormones 101” podcast.

Harness Your Hormones

Check out these helpful resources to find balance in your body!

1. Follow us on Instagram. From helpful tips and mindset hacks, to mindfulness reels and Q&A Lives, @HormoneHarmony has everything you need to stay ahead of your PMS symptoms and on the right track for overall body health.

2. Listen to my Podcast interview on “Period Power” I share my passion for everything about womanhood, including my own battle with endometriosis.

3. Want guidance on how to create the best routines for Shark Week? Book a consultation with me. We’ll not only assess your period symptoms, we’ll look at your whole lifestyle and find ways to better support and regulate your hormonal health and mental wellness.

Relax into your Flo

Now that you've got some insight into how to nurture your body through your Moon Time, keep an eye on your inbox for a Womb Wellness Plan based around your quiz results.

Over the next week, I'll share with you more menstrual management tips and tell you more about how to create the best hormonal health for your body.

"Yes, I am on my period. No, that doesn't mean that my anger is irrational."

— Unknown

Your body is operating at optimal levels and your monthly cycle is smooth sailing all the way! You have hit the menstrual jackpot, maybe from genetics, maybe from healthy lifestyle choices, perhaps you were gifted at birth by a fairy godmother. No matter what the cause, you are blessed!

But that doesn't mean you completely dodged the bullet. Menstruation still depletes your body's resources and your Time of the Month can leave you feeling a bit weepy, tired, and even craving a good cuddle and some tub time.

It’s good to take a step back and let your body rest when it’s entering it’s Crimson Cleanse time.

But because your period is normally so nice and regular and mild, it makes it even more important to pay attention when things go a little sidewise.

By noticing changes in things like regularity, flow, and any abnormal PMS symptoms, you’ll be able to keep your body systems in balance by tweaking a few simple things.

Here are a couple things that could affect your period:

Digestion – You’ll know your diet needs to be addressed when your bowel movements suddenly become tumultuous during your moon time. Staying away from refined sugars, alcohol, salt, red meat and dairy will help to keep your guts in line – and your bathroom time free for mirror selfies.

Stress – cortisol levels caused by stress can mess with all of your body systems, and especially your menstrual cycle. Experiencing high levels of stress in the 10 days before your period can increase your PMS up to 3x, and leave you wondering when Mr. Hyde is going to take over. So say no to stressful schedules and obligations, and yes to relaxing epsom salt bubble baths.

Dear tampon commercial, when I'm on my period, I don't wear a white bikini or do a backflip. Sincerely, real women." — Unknown

Menstrual Mythbuster

We’ve all heard the bad rap your Monthlies get, and for many women, it’s a time of horror, pain, and erratic mood swings.

But there’s a disturbing myth going around about periods:

PMS and cramps are normal and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The truth?

The symptoms that we attribute to PMS are actually excellent diagnostic tools to show you areas of your body and health that need some attention.

Yes, even bloating, back pain, and the Misery Poops serve a purpose – to let you know that something isn’t quite right.

So how do you balance your body and calm down Aunt Flo so she doesn’t rain on the parade every time she comes to town?

Prime Your System for A Premium Period Experience

You Are What You Binge Eat

When it comes to your overall monthly happiness, what you put in your body is crucial for weathering the storm, so be careful when indulging in some of your favourite sinful indulgences.

Things to avoid:

Caffeine – I know mornings are rough at the best of times, but starting your day with a dose of coffee is a great way to supercharge your cramps because caffeine makes your blood vessels constrict. Not to mention it can give you a serious case of the crankies.

Salt – Resist the urge to tame the Cthulu in your Uterus with Sea Salt & Vinegar chips, unless you want to feel the bloat of Davy Jones’ Locker.

Red Meat & Dairy – Steak and cheese will only make your cramps worse, so satisfy your iron craving with plant based foods like chickpeas and lentils.

Download our complete Womb Support Cookbook and find your favorite new recipe to beat your period cravings.

Alcohol – Although the Crimson Tide seems like it would pair nicely with a box of Merlot, the truth is, alcohol only makes everything worse. It throws off your hormones, slows your digestion, and dehydrates you. Who wants PMS and a world class hangover?

Sugar & Refined Carbs – Talk about inflammation! When your Red Wedding comes, say no to the cakes or suffer the wrath of Fatigue & Bloating!

Things to indulge in:

Chocolate – The darker, the better! Chocolate is loaded with magnesium, which helps with period bloat, and increases your happy serotonin levels.

We’ve created the perfect Black Bean Dark Chocolate Brownie recipe to boost your iron and magnesium levels in one darkly decadent indulgence.

Avocado – Full of healthy fats and potassium, to reduce cramping and fulfill your craving for fatty foods.

Self-joy – Yes, orgasms. So cuddle up to yourself and nurture your uterus with blissful oxytocin!

Vitamins & Supplements – Folic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium all help to reduce cramps and moderate mood swings.

Try our Cycle Supplements, designed to help you regulate your PMS with complete vitamin support.

Rest and restful exercise – A body that’s menstruating is a body that’s working hard to flush hormones out of your system, so help it out by sleeping 8 hours and skipping the Cross Fit in favor of gentle yoga or light exercise.

Check out our Flo Flow videos on YouTube for gentle exercises designed to help you ease your body through menstruation.

Perfect your Period!

Hey there, womb warrior! I'm Joselle Carpenter, women’s wellness coach, period advocate, and registered OB-GYN, owner of Hormone Harmony, an academy created to help women manage their hormonal cycles and create their best womb health.

In my Gyno practice, I helped countless women find relief from their overwhelming PMS, and now I want to take it one step further, and help women embrace their hormone cycles and treat their PMS symptoms from a place of understanding and compassion.

It’s time to break the silent taboo around women’s bodies and empower them through education and acceptance of the nurturing power of their uterus.

Check out our articles in “Womb Warrior Magazine” and tune into our guest spot on the “Hormones 101” podcast.

Harness Your Hormones

Check out these helpful resources to find balance in your body!

1. Follow us on Instagram. From helpful tips and mindset hacks, to mindfulness reels and Q&A Lives, @HormoneHarmony has everything you need to stay ahead of your PMS symptoms and on the right track for overall body health.

2. Listen to my Podcast interview on “Period Power” I share my passion for everything about womanhood, including my own battle with endometriosis.

3. Want guidance on how to create the best routines for Shark Week? Book a consultation with me. We’ll not only assess your period symptoms, we’ll look at your whole lifestyle and find ways to better support and regulate your hormonal health and mental wellness.

Relax into your Flo

Now that you've got some insight into how to nurture your body through your Moon Time, keep an eye on your inbox for a Womb Wellness Plan based around your quiz results.

Over the next week, I'll share with you more menstrual management tips and tell you more about how to create the best hormonal health for your body.

"Yes, I am on my period. No, that doesn't mean that my anger is irrational."

— Unknown

Cortisol is often the culprit in so many health issues, and your period health is no exception! When you stress out, your period can become erratic, unpredictable, and chaotic!

Studies have shown that women who experience significant stress in the two weeks leading up to their period are 3x more likely to have exacerbated PMS symptoms.

So don’t take on that extra project that’s going to eat up all your time and will to live.

Give yourself permission to not fill your calendar or To-Do-List.

And take a moment to chill the eff out and let your body do the serious work of building and dismantling a baby room that isn’t actually needed.

So if your poor breasticles are whimpering with tenderness, your headache is out of this world, and you’re irritable beyond all reason… it might be time to address your hormones, because your body’s detox system is down and isn’t doing it’s job of cleaning up your hormonal leftovers.

And that’s not all! The more out of balance your hormones become, the more likely you are to experience insomnia, poor mental health and depression, and low sex drive paired with the sahara desert of dryness.

Like it isn’t enough that you ruin your cute underwear most months.

But there are some ways to combat hormonal imbalance and improve your period health, before and during Shark Week.

Up your vitamin and supplement game by adding:

Calcium/magnesium citrate in a 1:1 ratio with vitamin D3. Magnesium helps fluid retention, breast tenderness, anxiety, fatigue and bloating while calcium assists with cramping and other PMS symptoms because it is specifically involved in estrogen detoxification.

Vitamin B complex. This can reduce water retention, breast tenderness and irritability.

Fish oil and evening primrose oil taken daily may reduce breast tenderness, mood changes, weight gain, abdominal pain, and cravings associated with PMS. These fats influence the production of prostaglandins that regulate pain and inflammation in the body as well as aid hormonal balance.

Bonus Tip*

Take a Bath (Or several) – Add your favorite essential oils and a heavy scoop or two of Epsom salts and soak your worries away. The magnesium in the salts will help with bloating, water retention, and muscle aches, and the smell of lavender will ease you into restful relaxation.

"Stressed because period is a week late, period is a week late because of stress?" — Unknown

Menstrual Mythbuster

We’ve all heard the bad rap your Monthlies get, and for many women, it’s a time of horror, pain, and erratic mood swings.

But there’s a disturbing myth going around about periods:

PMS and cramps are normal and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The truth?

The symptoms that we attribute to PMS are actually excellent diagnostic tools to show you areas of your body and health that need some attention.

Yes, even bloating, back pain, and the Misery Poops serve a purpose – to let you know that something isn’t quite right.

So how do you balance your body and calm down Aunt Flo so she doesn’t rain on the parade every time she comes to town?

Prime Your System for A Premium Period Experience

You Are What You Binge Eat

When it comes to your overall monthly happiness, what you put in your body is crucial for weathering the storm, so be careful when indulging in some of your favourite sinful indulgences.

Things to avoid:

Caffeine – I know mornings are rough at the best of times, but starting your day with a dose of coffee is a great way to supercharge your cramps because caffeine makes your blood vessels constrict. Not to mention it can give you a serious case of the crankies.

Salt – Resist the urge to tame the Cthulu in your Uterus with Sea Salt & Vinegar chips, unless you want to feel the bloat of Davy Jones’ Locker.

Red Meat & Dairy – Steak and cheese will only make your cramps worse, so satisfy your iron craving with plant based foods like chickpeas and lentils.

Download our complete Womb Support Cookbook and find your favorite new recipe to beat your period cravings.

Alcohol – Although the Crimson Tide seems like it would pair nicely with a box of Merlot, the truth is, alcohol only makes everything worse. It throws off your hormones, slows your digestion, and dehydrates you. Who wants PMS and a world class hangover?

Sugar & Refined Carbs – Talk about inflammation! When your Red Wedding comes, say no to the cakes or suffer the wrath of Fatigue & Bloating!

Things to indulge in:

Chocolate – The darker, the better! Chocolate is loaded with magnesium, which helps with period bloat, and increases your happy serotonin levels.

We’ve created the perfect Black Bean Dark Chocolate Brownie recipe to boost your iron and magnesium levels in one darkly decadent indulgence.

Avocado – Full of healthy fats and potassium, to reduce cramping and fulfill your craving for fatty foods.

Self-joy – Yes, orgasms. So cuddle up to yourself and nurture your uterus with blissful oxytocin!

Vitamins & Supplements – Folic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium all help to reduce cramps and moderate mood swings.

Try our Cycle Supplements, designed to help you regulate your PMS with complete vitamin support.

Rest and restful exercise – A body that’s menstruating is a body that’s working hard to flush hormones out of your system, so help it out by sleeping 8 hours and skipping the Cross Fit in favor of gentle yoga or light exercise.

Check out our Flo Flow videos on YouTube for gentle exercises designed to help you ease your body through menstruation.

Perfect your Period!

Hey there, womb warrior! I'm Joselle Carpenter, women’s wellness coach, period advocate, and registered OB-GYN, owner of Hormone Harmony, an academy created to help women manage their hormonal cycles and create their best womb health.

In my Gyno practice, I helped countless women find relief from their overwhelming PMS, and now I want to take it one step further, and help women embrace their hormone cycles and treat their PMS symptoms from a place of understanding and compassion.

It’s time to break the silent taboo around women’s bodies and empower them through education and acceptance of the nurturing power of their uterus.

Check out our articles in “Womb Warrior Magazine” and tune into our guest spot on the “Hormones 101” podcast.

Harness Your Hormones

Check out these helpful resources to find balance in your body!

1. Follow us on Instagram. From helpful tips and mindset hacks, to mindfulness reels and Q&A Lives, @HormoneHarmony has everything you need to stay ahead of your PMS symptoms and on the right track for overall body health.

2. Listen to my Podcast interview on “Period Power” I share my passion for everything about womanhood, including my own battle with endometriosis.

3. Want guidance on how to create the best routines for Shark Week? Book a consultation with me. We’ll not only assess your period symptoms, we’ll look at your whole lifestyle and find ways to better support and regulate your hormonal health and mental wellness.

Relax into your Flo

Now that you've got some insight into how to nurture your body through your Moon Time, keep an eye on your inbox for a Womb Wellness Plan based around your quiz results.

Over the next week, I'll share with you more menstrual management tips and tell you more about how to create the best hormonal health for your body.

"Yes, I am on my period. No, that doesn't mean that my anger is irrational."

— Unknown

There are things that can be done to alleviate PMS symptoms, definitely, but when your cramps are reaching an 11, your back and hips feel like they're trying to defect to a different planet, and your mood swings are bordering on homicidal… it might be time to talk to your doctor.

The longstanding trend of treating women's menstruation as taboo and off limits in daily conversation has led to a very harmful shroud of mystery around what's normal for women to feel when your little red friend blows in like Hurricane Sandy.

The result? Many women believe that their absolutely horrific monthly PMS and menstrual woes are just part and parcel of being a woman.

Fact: 1 in 10 women suffer from a condition called endometriosis, the unfortunate habit of your uterine cells deciding that they're bored and want to go exploring, spreading cells to other parts of your body, like your intestines, your bladder – pretty much anything that's nearby and down to make a connection.

And the results are pretty ungroovy – painful cramps, painful urination, painful sex – PAIN!

The problem is, many of the symptoms of endometriosis are also found on the list of PMS symptoms, including depression, bloating, fatigue, sexual discomfort, and exceptionally painful cramping.

Sound a bit like Aunt Flo on a John Wick story arc?

But because we don't talk about our periods, many women are unaware that they're even afflicted with something more than just kinda wicked bad, life disrupting periods.

And endometriosis is only one of the things that can cause brutal cycles.

Hormonal thyroid imbalance, polyps and fibroids, even good old anemia (lack of iron), can disrupt your cycle and leave you wondering if you're going to survive next month's Crime Scene.

But don't fear! There are ways to treat these conditions, and often the results mean life resumes business as usual, without the Red Room theatrics.

Hormonal treatments – a progesterone based oral contraceptive or I.U.D. are just what the doctor ordered, and can help keep many uterine issues in check.

Surgery – unfortunately, in the case of cysts, fibroids, and polyps, sometimes a surgery is required to get to the root of the problem and alleviate the pain that can come with owning a uterus.

Diet & Lifestyle – to help with any doctor administered medication or procedures, there are things you can do to help your body deal with the unfortunate reality that feels like a scene out of Carrie.

Cutting out alcohol, refined sugars, nicotine and caffeine can be a bummer, but your Outraged Baby Maker will thank you! Feed her some vitamins and the occasional avocado and see how much she mellows.

"Periods. Of all things, why blood? Why can't it be like...fairy dust or something?" — Unknown

Menstrual Mythbuster

We’ve all heard the bad rap your Monthlies get, and for many women, it’s a time of horror, pain, and erratic mood swings.

But there’s a disturbing myth going around about periods:

PMS and cramps are normal and there’s nothing you can do about it.

The truth?

The symptoms that we attribute to PMS are actually excellent diagnostic tools to show you areas of your body and health that need some attention.

Yes, even bloating, back pain, and the Misery Poops serve a purpose – to let you know that something isn’t quite right.

So how do you balance your body and calm down Aunt Flo so she doesn’t rain on the parade every time she comes to town?

Prime Your System for A Premium Period Experience

You Are What You Binge Eat

When it comes to your overall monthly happiness, what you put in your body is crucial for weathering the storm, so be careful when indulging in some of your favourite sinful indulgences.

Things to avoid:

Caffeine – I know mornings are rough at the best of times, but starting your day with a dose of coffee is a great way to supercharge your cramps because caffeine makes your blood vessels constrict. Not to mention it can give you a serious case of the crankies.

Salt – Resist the urge to tame the Cthulu in your Uterus with Sea Salt & Vinegar chips, unless you want to feel the bloat of Davy Jones’ Locker.

Red Meat & Dairy – Steak and cheese will only make your cramps worse, so satisfy your iron craving with plant based foods like chickpeas and lentils.

Download our complete Womb Support Cookbook and find your favorite new recipe to beat your period cravings.

Alcohol – Although the Crimson Tide seems like it would pair nicely with a box of Merlot, the truth is, alcohol only makes everything worse. It throws off your hormones, slows your digestion, and dehydrates you. Who wants PMS and a world class hangover?

Sugar & Refined Carbs – Talk about inflammation! When your Red Wedding comes, say no to the cakes or suffer the wrath of Fatigue & Bloating!

Things to indulge in:

Chocolate – The darker, the better! Chocolate is loaded with magnesium, which helps with period bloat, and increases your happy serotonin levels.

We’ve created the perfect Black Bean Dark Chocolate Brownie recipe to boost your iron and magnesium levels in one darkly decadent indulgence.

Avocado – Full of healthy fats and potassium, to reduce cramping and fulfill your craving for fatty foods.

Self-joy – Yes, orgasms. So cuddle up to yourself and nurture your uterus with blissful oxytocin!

Vitamins & Supplements – Folic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium all help to reduce cramps and moderate mood swings.

Try our Cycle Supplements, designed to help you regulate your PMS with complete vitamin support.

Rest and restful exercise – A body that’s menstruating is a body that’s working hard to flush hormones out of your system, so help it out by sleeping 8 hours and skipping the Cross Fit in favor of gentle yoga or light exercise.

Check out our Flo Flow videos on YouTube for gentle exercises designed to help you ease your body through menstruation.

Perfect your Period!

Hey there, womb warrior! I'm Joselle Carpenter, women’s wellness coach, period advocate, and registered OB-GYN, owner of Hormone Harmony, an academy created to help women manage their hormonal cycles and create their best womb health.

In my Gyno practice, I helped countless women find relief from their overwhelming PMS, and now I want to take it one step further, and help women embrace their hormone cycles and treat their PMS symptoms from a place of understanding and compassion.

It’s time to break the silent taboo around women’s bodies and empower them through education and acceptance of the nurturing power of their uterus.

Check out our articles in “Womb Warrior Magazine” and tune into our guest spot on the “Hormones 101” podcast.

Harness Your Hormones

Check out these helpful resources to find balance in your body!

1. Follow us on Instagram. From helpful tips and mindset hacks, to mindfulness reels and Q&A Lives, @HormoneHarmony has everything you need to stay ahead of your PMS symptoms and on the right track for overall body health.

2. Listen to my Podcast interview on “Period Power” I share my passion for everything about womanhood, including my own battle with endometriosis.

3. Want guidance on how to create the best routines for Shark Week? Book a consultation with me. We’ll not only assess your period symptoms, we’ll look at your whole lifestyle and find ways to better support and regulate your hormonal health and mental wellness.

Relax into your Flo

Now that you've got some insight into how to nurture your body through your Moon Time, keep an eye on your inbox for a Womb Wellness Plan based around your quiz results.

Over the next week, I'll share with you more menstrual management tips and tell you more about how to create the best hormonal health for your body.

"Yes, I am on my period. No, that doesn't mean that my anger is irrational."

— Unknown