Most women only know when their period starts and ends, and sometimes they may even be off by a couple of days due to changes in their diet. But in the world of women’s health, there is a lot more to understand about the entire menstrual cycle – not just your period. When thinking about your cycle in its entirety, there are so many things to consider, including the number of days in your cycle and days of menstrual flow. Whether or not you are planning for a new addition to the family, it is important to understand your whole cycle, not just the start and stop times of your period.

It’s very important to keep in mind that diet plays a huge role in regulating your menstruation, from bloating to even missing a period. Right before and during your period, it is a good idea to increase your fruit intake. Eating foods that are high in potassium can help with bloating, such as bananas and cranberries. Drinking plenty of water during this time is also a cheap and naturally effective way to flush out any toxins and sodium in your system that can cause puffiness in your skin and reduce water retention. Like a little spice in your food? Try adding some fresh ginger to the foods you eat to help relax and soothe those very muscles that cause cramping. A diet that is high in fiber can actually cause your cycle to be irregular and may potentially flush out some of the estrogen in your body. Keeping a good balance between both fiber and saturated fat will help you to keep a regular cycle. Aside from balancing your diet in the right places, it’s also good to keep in mind that smaller, more frequent meals are best. This helps keep your blood sugar and your mood up.

Calcium, Evening Primrose oil, Wild yam, Monks pepper and Magnesium are other good natural supplements to add into your diet. In fact, for women 19 years to 50 years of age, 1000mg of calcium should be included in your diet daily. For some women, primrose oil has been known to soothe menstrual pain and inflammation. Wild yam is another natural method of helping with not only menstrual discomfort but postmenopausal symptoms. Today, wild yam is said to be used more to replace hormone replacement therapy. Monks pepper, also known as chasteberry, is something else to consider when looking for more natural ways to help with menstrual pain. Monks pepper also helps to alleviate pre-menstrual tension. Lastly, it’s good to remember what you’ve been doing during your entire cycle to anticipate any irregularities like sudden weight loss or weight gain.