CBD for Periods & Menstruation

Cramps, mood swings, back pain, heavy flow … before I even finish to tell you the other symptoms, you probably could already guess what it’s leading towards- period pain! Everyone experiences periods differently but almost every women experience some form of discomfort… especially for those women with Endometriosis where the symptoms of a period are multiplied.

Usually, we are advised to take a couple of paracetamols, grab a hot water bottle, drink some hot chocolate or just grin a bear it. IF ONLY there was something from nature which could help soothe your monthly pains, anxieties and break-outs? Well, there actually is! Is CBD oil the answer?

The Period 🙁

I don’t need to tell you too much about the menstrual cycle because if you are reading this, you may already know but it is important to draw out the key points to help you understand what CBD for periods can do. The period is the natural process where the female body prepares for pregnancy. It is when an unfertilised egg attaches itself to the uterus wall which is flushed with blood to provide it nutrients. When pregnancy does not occur, the lining is released – this is what causes your bleeding, inflammation and some pain. The side effects of this are cramping, headaches, nausea, tender breasts and a flush of hormones; which itself can cause acne, bloating, fatigue and mood changes. If you are anything like me you can experience anything from feeling a little snappy or have a massive increase in anxiety or feeling depressed. Damn! Us chicks have it tough.

We all feel these changes differently, some are light but others suffer from embarrassing or debilitating symptoms. Especially those women with endometriosis who suffer most of all! CBD oil for heavy periods is one of the most searched CBD related terms on the internet.

Endometriosis

So, some of you may be asking what is Endometriosis – well normally during menstruation the uterus flushes with blood and cells grow in the womb. Endometriosis is when these cells grow outside of the womb or in unexpected areas, like the fallopian tube or uterus.

This can cause an escalation of the existing menstrual symptoms; meaning a lot of pain, increased blood flow and plenty of severe and potentially life-changing complications. Find out more by clicking the link.

What is CBD?

So, What is CBD and how can it be used for menstruation? CBD is one of 113 cannabinoids that are derived from the Cannabis family of plants. I know what you are thinking, and yes-it is LEGAL. Cannabis has two main compounds, CBD and THC. THC is prohibited by the misuse of drugs act 1971 as it is psychoactive and causes the ‘high’ associated with marijuana. It is therefore illegal in the UK and other parts of the world so let’s draw you into CBD. High concentrations of CBD can be extracted from hemp and it is associated with a wide range of health and well-being benefits. It does this by stimulating the endocannabinoid system (a nice tongue twister of science). CBD for heavy flow seems to be a popular search online!

The endometriosis in our bodies consists of two parts: the CB1 &CB2. These components interact with CBD to regulate and enhance normally bodily functions. In other words, if your body is under attack (from viruses or bacteria) or is sick, CBD helps your body to return to a perfect balance.

Does CBD Help With Menstruation?

We all know those nasty pains during our periods, it is because of the changes in hormone levels which lead to contractions in the muscles which further increase inflammation in the uterus. Especially with endometriosis, it is the endometrial tissue that grows outside of the uterus that increases inflammation, heavy flow / bleeding and increased pain.

This is where CBD comes in: when CBD stimulates the endocannabinoids system, your body starts to get to work to regulate the symptoms. Although your period is completely normal, it knocks the balance of your body slightly.

The endocannabinoid system targets lots of issues which are characteristic of the period. It can reduce:

Pain

Inflammation

Acne

Anxiety & Depression

Stress Levels

By utilising the healthy stimulation of the ECS, you can see how we can reduce the symptoms we all suffer during our periods. CBD is a powerful activator of the ECS!

How To Take CBD for your Period!

For most of us, the period only comes on once a month so it may be easy to make the mistake that you should only take CBD during the period itself. CBD works best when it is kept at a constant level in your body and stimulates your ECS throughout the rest of the month. It is, therefore, best to slowly build up the levels of CBD in your body and maintain this by taking some every day. It is best to start low and build up from there.

Many women we know who take CBD for their periods have two bottles at the ready or some CBD tea. If you keep a nice and low level of CBD through the month and in the week leading up to the period you start to take a higher concentration or start supplementing the CBD in another way, this may be an effective way to combat the oncoming monthly onslaught!

Why HerCBD for woman issues?

There are many CBD companies out there, but there are few in the UK that are purely focussed on supporting with women issues, specifically menstruation. Periods are a taboo topic and when women cannot speak freely of what is happening in their bodies, it becomes very difficult to provide the right support.

Here is where we come in: Her CBD is a social enterprise that provides CBD products for women’s’ health and well-being. We offer natural and organic products that help relieve pain, whether it is physical and menstrual-related or mental and need additional comfort. 100% of the profits go towards charities and organisations which provide support for women experiencing endometriosis and menstrual-related issues. We work alongside our partners across the UK and Africa to end the general stigma of menstruation and provide a safe and comfortable hub where women can feel safe to talk about their bodies and access the right to menstrual products where necessary.

If you feel as passionate about this as we do, please support your ECS and others in the world by buying some CBD for Her CBD!