You might think a painful period is normal and just part of being a woman. But it’s not. Sure, painful periods are the status quo, but that doesn’t make them healthy or normal. Instead, it’s a big indication that many women – maybe including you – have hormonal imbalances. The good news is, you can address them and say goodbye to painful periods. 

1. Hormonal imbalance

All of your body’s hormones are regulated by the endocrine system. However, when this is thrown off kilter, your hormones get thrown off, too. What sort of things lead to hormonal imbalance? 

You might expect serious conditions or life-changing events. But the truth is, hormonal imbalance is caused by every day things, like stress, sleep deprivation, sugar consumption and environmental toxins found in everything from household cleaning products, to your cosmetic bag. 

The solution? 

Start prioritizing sleep and stress reduction techniques. Limiting sugar consumption and avoid endocrine-disrupting ingredients in both household and beauty products. 

2. You drink lots of coffee

For some ladies, life without coffee is hard to imagine. But the truth is, many of us simply aren’t designed for coffee. That’s because the body requires a specific enzyme called CYP1A2 to metabolize coffee and to get it out of the system. However, most of us don’t produce enough of this enzyme. 

This is a problem because CYP1A2 is also responsible for getting rid of extra estrogen – not just caffeine. So, if we drink lots of coffee, the body uses up what little CYP1A2 we do have to get rid of coffee, leaving our bodies full of extra estrogen. This in turn can increase the risk for cyst and fibroid formation – both of which can make periods more painful. 

The solution?

Limit your coffee intake and consider replacing it with caffeine-free beverages, such as chicory root coffee, dandelion root coffee, as well as carob- or maca-based drinks.