One of the most empowering things you can learn as a woman is to pay attention to your menstrual cycle. The time leading up to your period, as well as your bleed itself, provides powerful clues about what’s happening beneath the surface with your hormones, neurotransmitters, digestion, metabolism, and even your nutrient status. As Lara Briden beautifully coined, your cycle is your monthly report card. Your body is speaking to you through symptoms and subtle signs, and all it takes is a little attention to understand what it’s asking for. Before we explore common symptoms and what they mean, let’s get clear on what a healthy cycle should actually look like.
Characteristics of a healthy menstrual cycle
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Bleeding lasts 2–5 days, with spotting (if present) no more than 8 days
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Colour is bright or deep red (not brown for several days)
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Clots are small, no larger than a 5-cent coin
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Blood loss is around 50 mL. Heavy bleeding is defined as losing 80 mL per cycle (for context, one completely soaked tampon holds 5 mL)
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Cycle length is 21–35 days and relatively consistent month to month
‘Normal’ symptoms
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Mild cramping at the onset of bleeding (not debilitating)
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A little emotional sensitivity (but not significant anxiety, depression, or mood changes)
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Stools can be looser for a day or two but don’t disrupt daily tasks
This is your A-grade report card. Once you understand what a healthy cycle should look like, it becomes much easier to recognise when your body is communicating that something needs support.
Common symptoms and what they mean
Symptoms offer insight into how balanced your hormones are, how well your nervous system is coping with stress, and whether your digestion and liver are keeping up with hormonal clearance, among many other things. If you’re not getting an ‘A’ on your report card, know that there are plenty of natural ways to improve your ‘grades’ (and your hormones).
1. Brown spotting before your period
Often a sign of low progesterone or a shorter luteal phase.
2. Heavy bleeding and large clots
Commonly linked to higher oestrogen levels, poor oestrogen clearance, or underlying inflammation, and may also indicate low iron.
3. Debilitating cramps
Usually a sign of elevated prostaglandins (inflammation), excess oestrogen, or poor detoxification. It is never something to dismiss as “normal”.
4. Severe mood swings or anxiety before your period
This can reflect low progesterone, reduced GABA or serotonin activity, blood glucose instability, or high stress. Some women are also more sensitive to hormonal shifts, which can resemble PMDD-like symptoms.
5. Mid-cycle spotting
May signal an ovulatory issue, a temporary hormone fluctuation, or stress-related disruption.
6. Very short (<21 days) or long (>35 days) cycles
Often tied to ovulation issues, thyroid dysfunction, under-eating, chronic stress, or PCOS-like hormone patterns.
7. Breast tenderness, bloating, or headaches
These symptoms can reflect oestrogen dominance, low progesterone, inflammation, magnesium or iodine deficiency, or blood sugar instability, especially when they’re more intense or prolonged.
8. PMS that disrupts life
A sign that the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal loop (or brain, hormone and nervous system connection) needs deeper support to stabilise mood, energy, and emotional resilience. This is not something to simply push through each month.
How to support hormones naturally and minimise symptoms
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Balance blood sugar: eat regular meals with protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to support mood, energy, ovulation, and progesterone
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Lower inflammation: focus on whole, minimally processed foods, plenty of vegetables, and cycle-appropriate movement. Minimise excess alcohol and caffeine
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Support liver and gut: these organs help clear excess oestrogen. Include fibre-rich foods such as leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains, and detoxifying foods like cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale), garlic, and beetroot
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Minimise environmental disruptors: reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in perfumes, plastics, and cleaning products where possible
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Utilise herbal medicine: Withania, Chamomile, Motherwort, and Siberian Ginseng can help with stress resilience and emotional balance, all of which are found in ‘In Flow’
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Move mindfully: aim for moderate, consistent activity rather than over-exercising, which can cause added stress to the body and impact hormones
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Prioritise sleep and stress management: both are crucial for hormonal balance
