• About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Healing From the Inside Out
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa Testimonials
  • Health Coaching Services
    • Coaching with Dr. Pompa
    • True Cellular Detox
    • Lab Testing
  • Recommended Reading
    • Fasting for a Purpose
    • Series
      Top 5 Health Strategies
    • Series
      Heavy Metal Detox Done Right
  • Events
  • Search
  • Shop Online
    • Supplements
  • Cellular Detox
    • Cytodetox
    • Mold Detox
    • Body Cleanse
    • Thyroid Detox
    • Viome Review
  • Cellular Health
    • Why Am I So Tired?
    • L-Glutamine and Gut Health
    • Burst Training
    • Healthiest Sunscreens
    • Tapping for Healing
  • Fasting
    • 5 Day Water Fast
    • Coffee While Fasting
    • Fasting and Thyroid Conditions
    • How to Break a Fast
    • Working Out While Fasting
  • Diet
    • Adrenal Fatigue Diet
    • Bone Broth for Weight Loss
    • Diet Variation™ Guides
    • Cellular Healing Diet
    • Clean Eating Meal Plan
    • Healing Foods
  • Nutrition
    • Amasai
    • Amino Acids Benefits
    • Black Seed Oil
    • Cultured Vegetables
    • Purple Potatoes Benefits
  • Lifestyle
    • Financial Freedom
    • Functional Exercise
    • Health Biohacks
  • CHTV Podcasts
    • CHTV Live
      (Fridays at 10am est)
    • Search Podcast Archives
    • 2021 Episodes
    • 2020 Episodes
    • 2019 Episodes 254 +
    • 2018 Episodes: 202-253
    • 2017 Episodes: 150-201
    • 2016 Episodes: 97-149
    • 2015 Episodes: 47-96
    • 2014 Episodes: 1-46
  • Recipes
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

Dr. Pompa

The #1 Website for Real Natural Health Solutions

  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Healing From the Inside Out
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa
    • Dr. Daniel Pompa Testimonials
  • Health Coaching Services
    • Coaching with Dr. Pompa
    • True Cellular Detox
    • Lab Testing
  • Recommended Reading
    • Fasting for a Purpose
    • Series
      Top 5 Health Strategies
    • Series
      Heavy Metal Detox Done Right
  • Events
  • Search
  • Shop Online
    • Supplements
  • Cellular Detox
    • Cytodetox
    • Mold Detox
    • Body Cleanse
    • Thyroid Detox
    • Viome Review
  • Cellular Health
    • Why Am I So Tired?
    • L-Glutamine and Gut Health
    • Burst Training
    • Healthiest Sunscreens
    • Tapping for Healing
  • Fasting
    • 5 Day Water Fast
    • Coffee While Fasting
    • Fasting and Thyroid Conditions
    • How to Break a Fast
    • Working Out While Fasting
  • Diet
    • Adrenal Fatigue Diet
    • Bone Broth for Weight Loss
    • Diet Variation™ Guides
    • Cellular Healing Diet
    • Clean Eating Meal Plan
    • Healing Foods
  • Nutrition
    • Amasai
    • Amino Acids Benefits
    • Black Seed Oil
    • Cultured Vegetables
    • Purple Potatoes Benefits
  • Lifestyle
    • Financial Freedom
    • Functional Exercise
    • Health Biohacks
  • CHTV Podcasts
    • CHTV Live
      (Fridays at 10am est)
    • Search Podcast Archives
    • 2021 Episodes
    • 2020 Episodes
    • 2019 Episodes 254 +
    • 2018 Episodes: 202-253
    • 2017 Episodes: 150-201
    • 2016 Episodes: 97-149
    • 2015 Episodes: 47-96
    • 2014 Episodes: 1-46
  • Recipes
Home » Articles » Understand Your Menstrual Cycle: 5 Period Myths Revealed

Understand Your Menstrual Cycle: 5 Period Myths Revealed

September 10, 2019 //  by Dr. Daniel Pompa//  Leave a Comment

FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn

Understand Your Menstrual Cycle: 5 Period Myths Revealed: Between parental talks and middle-school health class, it’s safe to say that many women did not get an adequate education in reproductive health. This lack of information is rooted in the taboo subject of women’s bodies and sex, paired with a general spread of misinformation. Often parents and educators didn’t get adequate education themselves, and so the information being passed down is lacking or flat out wrong.

period myths

Understand Your Menstrual Cycle: 5 Period Myths Revealed

Understanding your body as a woman is one of the most empowering tools. It enables women to take back their power and participate in caring for their bodies and their health. The menstrual cycle is indicative of whole-body health. Having these tools and information enables women to become a part of the conversation with their healthcare providers, and it empowers them to pass on this information to the next generations to come.

Let’s bust some myths and lay down some facts regarding the menstrual because hey, it’s better late than never!

Period Myth #1: You Can Get Pregnant on Every Day of Your Cycle

A major myth that is often perpetuated by reproductive healthcare educators is that you can fall pregnant any time during your monthly cycle. This is not true. Women have a fertile window that lasts 5-6 days, and the rest of your period is, in fact, infertile.

Knowing your fertile window requires developing body literacy, a field of reproductive health that teaches you to chart your menstrual cycle, among other things. Various methods include taking your basal body temperature (BBT), becoming aware of your cervical fluid, and the position of your cervix. Getting to know your body will enable you to pinpoint your fertile window to over 99% accuracy (when the technique is applied correctly).

Although there are apps out there that predict your fertile window based on previous months, this is not a suitable way to know your fertile window. You should never predict your fertile window because ovulation is impacted by external factors like stress, meaning that the date can vary from month to month.

The sympto-thermal method of charting your cycle is the most accurate and requires observing your body’s state daily to make assessments and conclusions. There are many books and online literature to learn more. There are also guides, such as Holistic Reproductive Healthcare Practitioners (HRHPs). This guide correctly teaches the Justisse Method on how to chart your menstrual cycle and become body literate.

Knowing your fertile window has significant implications whether you’re interested in avoiding pregnancy or are trying to conceive. If you’re trying to prevent pregnancy, becoming aware of your fertile window means you can better equip yourself during that period and take extra precautions. For those trying to conceive, knowing your fertile window means you can concentrate your efforts at the right time of the month!

Myth #2: You Ovulate Several Days Per Menstrual Cycle

Another common myth within the realm of female reproductive health is that you can ovulate more than one day per month, which is not valid. Although you can release more than one egg, the body begins to release progesterone after ovulation. Progesterone stops ovulation for the rest of your cycle until the time you menstruate.

Unlike rabbits, the female human body undergoes an intricate and specific hormonal pattern leading up to and following ovulation. We do not simply ovulate when sexually aroused (like our long-eared furry friends).

Myth #3: The Length of Your Cycle and When You Ovulate

This “period myth” is essential to understand. If your period is late and you aren’t pregnant, there was likely disruption is the pre-ovulatory phase of your menstrual cycle. As we’ve explored above, you only ovulate once per cycle, and this is the time between your menstruation and ovulation is the ‘flexible’ part of your period. The phase after ovulation, before menstruation, is known as the luteal phase and for the most part, it is a fixed number of days.

If your period is ‘late’, it’s generally due to an influence on your body during that pre-ovulatory phase. Often this means stress, which can be chemical, emotional, or environmental. Common reasons for fluctuations in the duration of your menstrual cycle include:

  • Travel
  • Change in an exercise routine
  • Sudden change in diet
  • Change in sleeping patterns
  • Illness (either bacterial or specific to reproductive health and hormones like PCOS, endometriosis, or thyroid disease)
  • Fasting
  • Too much blue light exposure after sundown
  • Too much EMF exposure
  • Stress (at work, at home, etc.)

There’s no need to worry if your cycle isn’t exactly 28 days, in fact, for most women it isn’t. What you should keep track of is what a typical length is for your body. A healthy range can be anywhere between 24-35 days, and so being ‘late’ has less to do with the population’s average and more to do with what is normal for you.

It’s also worth noting that women are not robots that always menstruate on the same day each month. Stress is an inevitable part of being human. If you fluctuate slightly from month to month, there is no reason to worry or intervene. If your cycle varies wildly from one month to another, you may consider managing stress and addressing lifestyle factors. Also, consider working with a qualified functional medicine practitioner to take a closer look at your hormone levels.

Period Myth #4: If You Bleed, You Ovulated

Although menstruation always follows ovulation, bleeding doesn’t necessarily mean that you ovulated. The term ‘menstruation’ refers to the bleed after you ovulated, but the bleeding that can happen even if you haven’t ovulated is called a ‘breakthrough bleed.’

Breakthrough bleeding during an anovulatory cycle (a cycle where you don’t ovulate) can happen for a few reasons. To understand, let’s explore the hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle.

An estrogenic hormone called estradiol rises steadily for the first half of a ‘normal’ cycle. This hormone supports the growth of your uterine lining and helps trigger ovulation. Ovulation occurs when an egg (or more) is released in the ovaries, which then becomes a corpus luteum. At this point, the corpus luteum begins to secrete another hormone called progesterone. This hormone further strengthens the uterine lining in preparation for a potential pregnancy.

If a sperm does not fertilize the egg, it stops producing progesterone, which results in the shedding of the uterine lining, a process that is known as menstruation. Without ovulation, there is no corpus luteum or progesterone secretion, but at some point, the uterine wall still sheds. This breakthrough bleed is caused by a drop in estrogen (not progesterone).

There are multiple reasons for anovulatory cycles, generally rooted in stress. Having a significant change in schedule, diet, sleep, or any other lifestyle factor can impact your hormones enough to skip ovulation that month. If anovulatory cycles are chronic, it is essential to manage stress as well as examine hormone health with a qualified practitioner. It could be a symptom of various reproductive health or hormonal conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, or thyroid disorders.

Period Myth #5: The Pill Can be Used to Regulate Your Menstrual Cycle

The pill is an oral contraceptive that uses synthetic hormones to shut down your hormone production. By taking the pill, you are effectively suppressing your body’s natural hormones. Therefore, you do not ovulate, nor do you menstruate.

The bleeds that occur while taking the pill are called breakthrough bleeds. They were actually introduced as a way to make the pill feel more natural to women back in the 1950s when it was first put to market. Indeed, these bleeds were included as a marketing tool. The manufacturers thought that a birth control pill that completely removed monthly bleeding would sound too unnatural.

Many doctors continue to prescribe the birth control pill as a way to ‘normalize periods’ or ‘regulate hormones.’ However, the reality is that the pill has no such effect on the body. These hormones are not even real hormones. All they do is suppress your body’s natural functions. This may appear to fix the problem, but unfortunately, they just suppress it.

When women come off of the pill, they are often faced with these same pre-pill problems. These problems re-emerge, and often, these problems have worsened. It’s important to realize that the pill does not get to the root cause of any hormonal reproductive health issues. Therefore, it should not be taken as a means to heal the body in that way.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of some period myths. With this new understanding, you can gain a more intuitive approach to your menstrual cycles and hormonal health.

That’s why 50 Ways to Women’s Wellness is such a game-changing event for women. 

Created BY women, FOR women—it features over 50 female thought-leaders who will teach you their BEST secrets for health, wealth and happiness.  This includes body image issues, emotional healing, self-esteem and more—with speakers like Fran Drescher (former star of the Nanny)… Oprah’s executive producer… and many more.  

On day 2 of the event, we learn about sex, hormones, and pregnancy with topics like healing the pelvic floor, understanding your menstrual cycle, and stem cell therapy for aging and sexual health.

Go here to register for 50 Ways to Women’s Wellness (it’s FREE, yet space is limited) and get a front-row seat to every powerful talk

If you’re a practitioner and interested in supporting women in your practice, register for the Beyond Women’s Wellness Event in California this November!

References

Briden, Lara. Period Repair Manual: Natural Treatment for Better Hormones and Better Periods. Place of publication not identified: publisher not identified, 2018.

Halpern, Vera, Laureen M Lopez, David A Grimes, Laurie L Stockton, and Maria F Gallo. “Strategies to Improve Adherence and Acceptability of Hormonal Methods of Contraception.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd004317.pub4.

HRHP, Geraldine Matus. Justisse Method: Fertility Awareness and Body Literacy a Users Guide. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012.

Loucks, Anne B. “Effects of Exercise Training on the Menstrual Cycle.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise22, no. 3, (1990). https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-199006000-00001.

Nagma, Shahida. “To Evaluate the Effect of Perceived Stress on Menstrual Function.” Journal Of Clinical And Diagnostic Research, 2015. https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2015/6906.5611.

“Ovulation Questions.” American Pregnancy Association, July 16, 2019. https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/ovulation-faq/.

Weschler, Toni. Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health. New York: William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2015.

Wilcox, A.j. “On the Frequency of Intercourse around Ovulation: Evidence for Biological Influences.” Human Reproduction19, no. 7 (January 2004): 1539–43. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deh305.

FacebookTweetPinLinkedIn

Category: Health

Previous Post: «Women and overtraining Women and Overtraining: When Exercise Destroys Your Health
Next Post: What is Generational Toxicity? Safe Detox Methods clean detox»

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your comments±.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




± By commenting on this post, you are agreeing to be added to future newsletter and email lists.

Primary Sidebar

This Book Available for Practitioners Only

Dr. Pompa Fasting Kit
Revelation Health
Discount Lab Testing
Listen to Health Hunters Radio
Cellular Healing TV
Camano Island

Footer

drpompa.com
The Number 1 Website for
REAL Natural Health Solutions!divider-footerAs-Seen-on_footer

Contact

Dr. Daniel Pompa
Park City, UT 84098

divider-footer
Watch, Listen & Subscribe

Watch Cellular Healing TV
Listen to the Archives
Subscribe to the Podcast

divider-footer

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Articles

  • Top 10 Toxins: Are You Ready to Detox Your Life? May 4, 2022
  • Boost Your Digestion Naturally: 7 Easy Tips April 22, 2022
  • Test for Toxins in Your Home (& Tips to Detox Your Home) April 8, 2022
  • Toxic Chemicals Banned in Europe Are Still Being Used in America March 25, 2022
  • How to Hydrate Yourself (Hint: It’s Not Water) March 15, 2022

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Daniel Pompa, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as noted. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Pompa and his associates. Dr. Pompa encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

Site Footer

Dr. Pompa does not practice conventional medicine. More specifically, he does not examine, diagnose or treat, or offer to treat or cure or attempt to cure, any mental or physical disease, disorder or illness, or any physical deformity or injury; and Dr. Pompa does not recommend or prescribe, or recommend changing dosage or discontinuing, any prescription medications or pharmaceutical drugs.

Dr. Pompa has retired from chiropractic in order to more effectively pursue his dream of world health.

  • Copyright Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Anti-Spam Policy
  • Shop Online

Copyright © 2022 Dr. Pompa & Cellular Healing TV · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc