As women our period is our monthly report card when it comes to our health. Your body gives feedback on your overall wellbeing and health on a monthly basis through your period symptoms such as the colour, volume and duration.
Have you ever thought about what your period colour means? This is definitely not something you were taught in your school biology lesson, I know, but it is SO important to understand.
Here are your period types:
Type 1: Bright red: Great period! Your blood is flowing freely and your body is using nutrients effectively to produce high quality blood.⠀⠀
Type 2: Brown: Stagnant blood. Might be lower levels of progesterone.⠀
Type 3: Purple / black: Very stagnant blood. May experience cramping or pain. Might be an indication of very/no progesterone.⠀
Type 4: Light pink: Your body is not extracting enough nutrients from your food. Might be due to digestive issues or low estrogen.⠀
Type 5: No period: Might be due to PCOS, stress, thyroid disease, coming off the pill or pregnancy. ⠀
Your period is your monthly report card as Dr. Lara Briden describes so beautifully. It is a reflection of your overall health and should always be recognised as a vital sign. I invite you to start noticing the colour of your period over the next three months. Note down the colour as well as any other information such as duration and quantity.
Need guidance?
Join our next online My Moon Cycle Course for more guidance and a deeper dive into how to read your period and how to support a healthy menstrual cycle.
References:
- ACOG Committee Opinion No.651: Menstruation in Girls and Adolescents: Using the Menstrual Cycle as a Vital Sign. Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Dec;126(6):e143-6.PubMed PMID:26595586
- Briden, L. 2018. Period repair manual. Greenpeak Publishers
- Hendrickson-Jack., L. 2019. The fitth vital sign. Fertility Friday Publishing Inc.
- Karchmer. K. 2019. Seeing red. Tiller press.