When I read the blurb for this book - Heavy Flow by Amanda Laird - and it mentioned how the shame some may feel in talking about menstruation should end, and that we should be looking at our cycles as indicators of overall health, I knew I had to read it.
I have for some time thought the same thing - that we should be talking to each other more about our menstrual cycles. When you discuss symptoms you have with friends, you may find out that a symptom is very common and normal, or that a symptom is atypical and should be checked out. Without dialogue, knowledge cannot be gained or shared.
I was also intrigued by the idea of looking at our cycle as a vital sign, just as we may do with our blood pressure, for example. That was an idea I hadn't really thought about before.

The book is in 3 main sections - first, an essay on historical views of menstruation, period shaming and why this should end. Second, a thorough explanation of the menstrual cycle. And third, what we can do to make sure that our whole body is healthy, so that our menstrual cycle can function optimally.

When I read the first section of the book, I felt infuriated at the way that people menstruating have been looked down upon in the past (and present), when it is something that literally half of the world's population goes through, and is vital for us to continue as a species! The author also brought out how comparatively little research is done into reducing period pain and symptoms. One example mentioned was how endometriosis, which causes extreme pain to many (including a close friend of mine) and has no cure, can only be truly diagnosed through invasive surgical procedures; yet a recent study was done, not on what can be done to help sufferers, but on how it affects the sex lives of their male partners.
I have felt this same bias a few years ago when my menstrual cycle went crazy, and became 14 days on, 14 days off. When I went to my family doctor, to make sure this wasn't a sign of something serious, and to see what could be done to recalibrate my cycle, he said, "That must be annoying for your husband." I was thinking, what? I am spending half of my life bleeding, it's annoying for me! The family doctor agreed to refer me to a specialist, who spent 3 minutes with me and then gave me a prescription for birth control to, as he said, "control heavy periods." But that wasn't the problem, they weren't heavier than normal, they were just way longer. And if he had asked any questions about my medical history, he would have found out that when I had taken birth control pills before they had not agreed with me and given me many side effects, so it was not something I wanted to take again. He didn't do any examination or order any tests. Okay, thanks for the help! After finally being able get some testing done, I found there was nothing wrong, just perimenopause, and the cycle eventually went back to normal. That's why I feel this book is important - to help educate people so they don't display this bias, and to bring attention to the fact that more research needs to be done on this topic.

The second section of the book examined in detail the menstrual cycle, including all the phases - menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation and the luteal phase. It also discussed the different hormones produced, some of which I had never heard of, such as luteinizing hormone, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Several months ago, I read a different book on menstruation, but the information was pretty slight, and didn't go nearly as in-depth as this book did. I enjoyed the thoroughness, I actually learned a lot I didn't know before.

The last part of the book had advice on nutrition, diet, stress, pain relief, and much more to contribute to whole body health. One concept mentioned was seed cycling, where you eat certain seeds at various points of your menstrual cycle to balance your hormones. This is something I definitely wish to explore further.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and finished it in 2 days. I think it is essential reading for everybody - to reduce stigma, to educate and to enable us to be as healthy as we can.

Note: I received an advance copy of this book for review through Netgalley.

What an astonishingly necessary book. It is never too late to learn new things or learn more about your body, especially when it's a function largely ignored, if not denigrated in culture. I can't recommend it highly enough of you ever had a period. PS. This book is pretty trans inclusive. WIN.

I was having a particularly horrid, crampy day when I saw this new offering on #netgalley (#heavyflow) and was rewarded with a free review copy for comment. Nearing the back end of the trauma that turns at least one week of my life into a nightmare and facing the prospect of getting older and having new and other unpleasant issues to deal with, it occurs to me how little, until recently, I really understood about the whole process.
While I might not be onboard with all of the potential items mentioned in the book ( sorry I just can’t with the steaming bit- too goop-y for this one), in the most part, Laird delivers some really valuable and informative content in an easy to read manner without preaching and with a delightfully open approach. This is the kind of education we as women should be providing to young women out there. Which bits are really which, what does what and what to expect are fundamentals that seem to be lacking in our education as a rule. Men need a better understanding too, because their education by porn these days is really letting them down.
Casting aside shame, taboos and biased information is valuable, I mean who out there bleeds blue ink unless they live in a sanitary product commercial? For more information about the book and its author check out: https://www.dundurn.com/books/Heavy-Flow . This is one hex we need to break.
5 out of 5 real facts are far more powerful.


This book isn't just about everything that happens during the menstrual cycle or details of all the genitalia and hormones the female body consists of, it's also a funny compilation of instances where the medical industry privileges male experiences over women's. Amanda Laird trained as a dietician and is the producer of Heavy Flow Podcast, so she is imminently qualified to provide nutritional guides and remedies, plus all the product options available from the mass marketed to the non-toxic, environmentally friendly.

As mom to two pre-adolescent girls, I am so glad I read this book when I did. As Laird puts it, "positive early menstrual experiences yield more positive body image and better general health behaviors". I so much prefer being able to emphasize positive aspects of menstruation (such as stronger bones and muscles, increased athletic performance, and heightened creativity! protection against future breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis!) rather than just having to tell my kids they'll be putting up with a potentially painful monthly mess for the next 40 years.

There is a lot of repetition that should have been edited out, and liberal mis-use of the word literal. But the list of resources at the end is glorious.