101 – Your Period- the 5th Vital Sign

“When you think of your menstrual cycle as a vital sign, then you recognize that when you’re having this cycle that falls way outside of the parameters, it’s a sign of an underlying issue. If you were in your house and your fire alarm started going off because there’s a grease fire in the kitchen, your solution wouldn’t be to take the battery out and then go about your day.”

– Lisa Hendrickson-Jack

Like any other vital sign, your menstrual cycle is an indicator of your overall health. If your cycle is falling outside of normal parameters on a regular, consistent basis, then that is a sign of something very specific happening health wise. Tracking my cycles was actually how I found out that I had PCOS. Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, certified fertility educator and holistic reproductive health practitioner, explains how to monitor this critical vital sign and what your pattern might be telling you. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss:

• The menstrual cycle as a diagnostic tool
• What a “normal cycle” looks like
• How thyroid issues affect your cycle
• What you should know if you’re on the pill
• Light exposure’s impact on your cycle
• The lowdown on toxicity and menstrual products

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