What Is Holistic Medicine?
Holistic medicine is an approach to healthcare that emphasizes the treatment of the whole person rather than just focusing on specific symptoms or illnesses like traditional medicine. This approach includes the physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and environmental influences that can affect a person's overall well-being.
The Benefits of Approaching Menstruation Holistically
Approaching menstruation holistically can open you up to a new perspective. It can allow for a more comprehensive understanding and management of your menstrual cycle. Check out these benefits and suggestions for kicking off your holistic approach to menstruation:
Understanding the Whole Picture
Holistic menstruation considers factors like stress, nutrition, lifestyle, and emotional well-being, which all have a huuuge influence on your menstrual health–think of it like your body’s holistic ecosystem, where everything works together for a common goal. By balancing these factors, it may be possible to identify underlying issues contributing to menstrual problems such as irregular periods, pain, or other symptoms.
100% Personalized Care
Holistic menstruation is tailored to Y-O-U, taking into account personal history, preferences, and menstrual symptoms specific to you. This individualized attention may lead to more targeted and effective solutions to relieve symptoms you experience during your menstrual cycle.
Environmental Awareness
Considering the environmental impact of menstrual products and encouraging sustainable options like reusable menstrual cups or organic cotton pads aligns with a broader holistic perspective.
Emphasizing Natural Solutions
Holistic approaches to menstruation prioritize natural remedies and lifestyle changes. This includes modifications to your nutrition, exercise, herbal supplements, or mindfulness practices. These can help manage symptoms without relying solely on traditional medication and focus on wellness.
Mind and Body Connection
Recognizing the link between mental and physical health allows for implementing new approaches that address both. Incorporating practices, such as yoga and meditation, or talking with a support group or therapist, can help manage stress levels and emotional factors connected to menstrual issues.
Empowerment through Education
Holistic menstruation allows for an opportunity to educate yourself about your body and align yourself with your menstrual cycle, which, let’s be honest…feels really great when you finally connect the dots of your cycle. This makes room to make informed decisions about your care and brings an awareness that can foster a positive relationship with your body and your menstrual cycle.
Complementary Therapies
Integrating various therapies like acupuncture, massage, or herbal medicine with conventional care can offer additional support in managing symptoms and enhancing well-being.
Spiritual and Cultural Considerations
For some, holistic menstruation is connected to spiritual beliefs and practices. A holistic approach to menstruation can honor and integrate these perspectives, fostering a more personalized and respectful approach to your cycle.
Preventative Focus
By focusing on the underlying causes and promoting an overall boost in well-being, holistic menstrual care has the power to prevent and/or alleviate menstrual problems before they become more severe or chronic.
Growth in Community and Support
Holistic menstruation emphasizes the importance of building a community and support system and acknowledges that social factors play a role in health. Taking the time to talk with fellow menstruators about experiences and symptoms may lead to understanding that you’re not alone. Coming together to discuss topics openly can lead to a more supportive and compassionate approach to menstruation.
Going Beyond Orchyd MD™
When approaching menstruation holistically, collaboration between healthcare providers and menstruators and an openness to exploring different therapeutic processes is crucial. It offers a more nuanced and empowering perspective on menstrual health, supporting physical well-being and a positive, respectful relationship with your body and menstrual cycle. Chat with a doctor on Orchyd MD™ to create a healthcare strategy that works for you.
How to Care for Your Period Holistically
Cycle Syncing
Cycle syncing is a great practice that aligns your lifestyle choices, such as nutrition, exercise, work, and social activities, with the different phases of your menstrual cycle. It’s based on the understanding that hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle can influence various physical, emotional, and cerebral functions.
Pelvic Steaming
We get it, it may sound a little woo-woo to some, but pelvic steaming has amazing benefits. It’s also known as vaginal steaming, yoni steaming, or v-steaming and is a practice that involves sitting or squatting over a container of herbal-infused steam. The idea is that the warm steam and herbs may provide therapeutic benefits for the pelvic and vaginal area, such as promoting relaxation, detoxification, enhancing fertility, assisting in postpartum recovery, and overall support for your menstrual cycle. We love the Womb Protector Ritual by The Fullest, a powerful trio that helps with overall pelvic wellness and supports our cycle.
Seed Cycling
Where do we even begin with the benefits of seed cycling? It really is a game changer for supporting a balanced menstrual cycle, as it aims to alleviate the experience of PMS symptoms, less painful periods, and minimizes mood swings while improving your hormonal health. Don’t know where to start? Check out the Orchyd Marketplace to peruse options.
Acupuncture Points
There is a laundry list of acupuncture benefits, but there isn’t enough talk about the amazing things it does for your cycle. Acupuncture can relieve PMS symptoms, stomach cramps, tender breasts, menstrual pain, headaches, and more. We’re obsessed with the Ear Seed Kit by WTHN, which aids with reducing stress, relieving pain, and restoring your overall hormone balance.
Quick Tips to Live More Holistically
With so many things out there to try for a more holistic approach to menstrual care, we advise starting easy and taking small steps to find what works for you and your menstrual health.
Here are some quick tips to start your journey to holistic menstruation:
- Adopt a weekly or monthly yoga practice
- Start with 5–10 minutes of meditation each day
- Exercise according to the phase of your cycle
- Start seed cycling
- Take daily herbal supplements
- Swap to eco-friendly period products