Hi, Ms. Menses... (the early stage)

It was a regular school day and my classmates and I were getting ourselves ready for PE right after lunch break. Everyone was in good spirits except me. I was snappy, super irritated and had an unfamiliar, nauseating knot in my stomach all morning.

As I slowly and unwillingly got dressed for class, I told one of my classmates how I was feeling and to stay back for a bit to wait for me...good thing I did. Within minutes, I was spread across my desk, weak and feeling so out of it. I had fainted.

She quickly got the school nurse to come check on me and I was given permission to leave school early. I asked her to walk me down to my mother's restaurant, about a 10 minute walk away from the school.

As I leaned on her and we crept through the streets of Kingstown, I still felt nauseous and now scared. Scared because not only is this feeling unlike any that I've ever felt before, it was now starting to intensify. Oh, and let's not forget that I had just fainted out of nowhere.

I began to feel a sharp pain in my lower back and abdomen which later sent a burning sensation down my leg. I couldn't wait to get to my destination to sit down and really get to the bottom of things.

Once we arrived, my classmate explained what happened as I quickly ran to use the restroom. As I sat hunched over (by now the pain was getting more intense), I noticed a small dot on my underwear and immediately knew what time it was...I quickly told my mother and we had "the talk" then she gave me some painkillers and some hot tea.

Over the next few days I suffered from extreme pain in my lower abdomen, nausea and vomiting (I literally kept nothing down, not even water), pounding headaches, constipation and painful bloating. I would literally cry out for help to anyone who would listen, yet, everyone acted as if I was just suffering from "a unique case of the menses" that could be solved with only warm compresses and a pill or two.

Little did I know that this would be my "norm" for the next 10 plus years. Days off from school and work and even rescheduling outings because I simply could not cope. Yay, welcome to womanhood *stares into invisible camera sarcastically*

Girl you doing too much! (getting some answers)

Oh, and painkillers...no help! Not only did they fail to alleviate my pain, I eventually found out that I was allergic to both Aspirin and Ibuprofen. As if I needed one more thing to deal with.

I had noticed that every time I was on my period my eyes would swell up. At this point I was already dealing with so many symptoms that I figured that this was yet another one. Oh well.

Until one day at work, as I was curled up in the conference room with my eyes swollen, bawling for relief, my co-worker got concerned and urged me to schedule an appointment. And so I did that same day.

I left work early and went to the doctor's office. After a few questions and check-ups, she let me know that I am allergic to any medication with Aspirin or Ibuprofen (which caused the swelling). I was also diagnosed with Dysmenorrhea at age 17.

And for my next act...a grapefruit-sized companion! (it's time to get real)

Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for extremely painful periods (like I described above). There are two types, primary (occurs as soon as your first cycle) and secondary (can develop later on in life due to things like fibroids, endometriosis etc.).

Although I got answers that I can now use to help me navigate each month, I still didn't understand fully what was going on. In my mind, I thought "ok, so I have a cycle that is more unbearable than most...now what?"
Not realizing that periods shouldn't be painful AT ALL.

Fast forward to 5 or so years later. By now, I've come to terms with the fact that my periods are simply the worst. It kept getting more and more painful. I had just moved to the US so I had access to a bit more resources that helped manage the pain (e.g. frequent trips to the E.R. for emergency drips and strong pain meds since most over-the-counter painkillers had, you guessed it, aspirin and ibuprofen.)

I had just started my culinary journey and my goal was to focus on Caribbean food with a healthy twist. It was a personal journey for me because I had just entered the world of plant-based cooking. One day as I was battling things out with "Ms. Menses", I felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen on the right side as if something had ruptured.

I rushed to the E.R. and per usual, was met with confused stares and questions that made me feel as if maybe I am overexaggerating the pain...I wasn't. A couple of ultrasounds later I was told that a grapefruit-sized fibroid was the new culprit that was worsening my already painful periods.

It was time for me to get real about my menstrual health.

Let's make a deal and work together! (the real, sustainable change begins)

I was devastated. I was shocked. But I wasn't defeated. The doctor gave me a couple pages titled "fibroid care" where it detailed a number of ways to manage, shrink and remove fibroids. These methods ranged from surgical to diet and lifestyle changes.

As a Caribbean girl and someone who prefers holistic methods, I opted for the latter. I totally revamped my eating habits and started cutting out food options that only worsened my symptoms. I started (loosely) tracking my cycle, and the week before it starts I would juice and eat nothing but fruits and veggies and "healthy" things. My goal was to reduce and minimize my pain as naturally as possible.

This was a good start. I started noticing that my pain wasn't as intense but the nausea and headaches still persisted. And honestly, there were some months where I would miss my routine and suffer greatly. It worked, but it wasn't sustainable. I needed real change, not just a quick fix.

I decided to seek some answers from my OB/GYN. I explained everything that I've shared with you thus far and her first plan of action for me was to get on "the pill". Yes, the one that they all say is the "best" response to period issues. I didn't know any better at the time and reluctantly tried it for one month and immediately knew that it wasn't for me. I then checked back in with her to share my experience and let her know that I no longer wanted to use it, instead I would prefer to explore holistic methods. Her response, "the juicing and natural methods won't help with the painful periods"

Interesting take. I left that day determined to remain in the driver's seat of my menstrual health and honestly, my overall health.

I enrolled in programs and received certifications in plant-based nutrition and hormone health studies. I learned about the workings of the menstrual cycle and how to use holistic methods such as diet and lifestyle changes to nourish and support your hormones for healthier periods.

This knowledge has since enriched my personal journey where I have now curated a lifestyle that affords me pain-free cycles, without another prescription.

I learned how to make a deal with my cycle and work with it, and not against it. The striking back pain and burning sensation in my leg? Gone. Days curled up in pain? No more.

It took reframing the way I viewed my cycle--not as punishment but as an indicator of my overall health. I now understand how diet and lifestyle changes go hand-in-hand for a holistic healing experience that can give you more energy, less bloating and healthier periods.

This space is created for women like me who are tired of hormonal imbalances that cause painful periods and are ready to take on a holistic journey to healing. It took me a few years, but that doesn't have to be the same for you.

Let's heal together. Thank you for listening, and I'm happy that you stopped by.

If you've been told in order to achieve these results you would need some sort of prescription (i.e. birth control), then you'd want to hear this.

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