You cancel plans, stock up on pads, and rotate between the heating pad and painkillers like it’s a full-time job. Meanwhile, the world calls it “just your period.”

But there’s nothing just about bleeding through your clothes, cramping so hard you feel sick, riding out a period that overstays its welcome (or completely disappears on you). If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and you’re not being dramatic. That’s not just part of womanhood. That’s a hormone imbalance worth decoding. So let’s break down what’s really happening when your period feels like a battlefield.

What’s a Healthy Period Supposed to Look Like?

Here’s the general range for a healthy menstrual cycle:

• Cycle length: 21–35 days
  

• Bleeding length: 3–7 days
  

• Flow: 30–80 mL (roughly 2–6 tablespoons of blood)
  

• Symptoms: Mild cramps, slight fatigue, manageable mood shifts
  

Anything outside this range—especially consistently—is worth paying attention to. Here’s what your body might be trying to tell you.

1. Cramping That Feels Like a Full-Body Shutdown

The science: Cramping is caused by prostaglandins, inflammatory lipids released when your uterus contracts to shed its lining. The more prostaglandins, the more intense the contractions—and pain.

Women with higher estrogen levels or low progesterone often have more prostaglandins, which is why hormone imbalance = worse cramps.

What helps:

• Magnesium reduces prostaglandin synthesis and smooths uterine muscle tension.
  

• Dong quai has antispasmodic and vasodilating effects, improving pelvic circulation.
  

• Ginger and cramp bark act as natural COX-2 inhibitors, reducing inflammatory pain signals like ibuprofen—but gentler.
  

2. Heavy Bleeding That Leaves You Wiped Out

The science: Heavy periods (menorrhagia) are often linked to estrogen dominance—when estrogen levels are too high in relation to progesterone.

Estrogen thickens the endometrial lining. Without enough progesterone to balance it, that lining builds and builds… until your body sheds it all at once. Cue clots, flooding, and exhaustion.

Common root causes:

• Low ovulation frequency (often due to stress, PCOS, or perimenopause)
  

• Poor estrogen clearance (via sluggish liver or gut)
  

• Fibroids, polyps, or thyroid imbalances
  

What helps:

• Chaste tree (Vitex) supports the LH surge needed for ovulation, increasing progesterone naturally.
  

• Dong quai regulates smooth muscle tone in the uterus and improves blood flow.
  

• Iron and B vitamins replenish what you lose monthly and support red blood cell production.
  

3. Long Periods That Drag On

The science: A normal bleed should last 3–7 days. Longer bleeds can stem from:

• Low progesterone (which should stabilize and shorten your flow)
  

• Anovulatory cycles (bleeding without ovulation = poor hormonal coordination)
  

• High estrogen (thicker lining = more to shed)
  

• Slow estrogen metabolism (common when liver detox pathways are sluggish)
  

What helps:

• Vitex to regulate ovulation
  

• Dong quai to support endometrial tone and reduce stagnation
  

• Reduce alcohol and processed food to support liver Phase I/II detox
  

• Consider testing thyroid and prolactin if long cycles are chronic
  

4. When Your Period Disappears (Amenorrhea)

The science: Missing periods mean your body isn’t ovulating. This could be due to disrupted communication between your brain and ovaries.

Causes include:

• Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (from stress, under-eating, or over-exercising)
  

• PCOS (high LH and androgens disrupting ovulation)
  

• Thyroid dysfunction (T3 and T4 influence both ovulation and menstruation)
  

• High prolactin (which suppresses GnRH and downstream LH/FSH release)
  

When ovulation doesn’t occur, there’s no progesterone to trigger a healthy withdrawal bleed.

What helps:

• Eat enough, especially fats and carbs to support leptin and kisspeptin signaling (both needed for ovulation)
  

• Dong quai supports blood flow and can stimulate uterine function when cycles are absent
  

• Vitex can support ovulation by gently nudging FSH and LH back into rhythm
  

• Address root causes (like stress, PCOS, or thyroid issues) with testing and support
  

The Estrogen-Progesterone Dance: Why Balance Matters

• Estrogen is your builder: it thickens the uterine lining and supports growth.
  

• Progesterone is your balancer: it stabilizes the lining, reduces inflammation, and keeps estrogen in check.
  

Period Support, the Femigist Way

We approach period care like a conversation with your hormones—not a war. Our formulas blend traditional herbal wisdom with modern research, including:

🌿 Period Support, the Femigist Way

At Femigist, we believe period care should be proactive, not punitive.

Our formulas are rooted in plant-based science and cultural tradition—designed to gently support your hormones from root to flow. Whether you’re dealing with cramps, mood swings, heavy bleeding, or irregular cycles, here’s how we help you come back into rhythm:

✨ Balancing Brew

A loose-leaf herbal tea designed to bring your hormones back into harmony—gently, consistently, and deliciously.

Key ingredients:

• Raspberry Leaf – tones the uterus, eases cramping, and supports a healthy endometrium
  

• Chaste Tree (Vitex) – supports ovulation and balances estrogen-progesterone
  

• Lady’s Mantle – helps regulate heavy or prolonged periods
  

• Ginger – anti-inflammatory, supports circulation and eases PMS discomfort
  

• Nettle – rich in iron and minerals, helps replenish and reduce fatigue
  

• Spearmint – shown to reduce androgens, supports regular cycles

Because at Femigist, the goal isn’t just to “get through” your period—it’s to understand it, honor it, and support your body through it.

TL;DR: Your Period Is a Monthly Check-In From Your Hormones

✅ Painful, heavy, long, or missing periods are driven by hormonal imbalances—not random bad luck
✅ Estrogen and progesterone need to be in sync for balanced cycles
✅ Cramps = high prostaglandins; Heavy flow = estrogen dominance; No period = disrupted ovulation
✅ Herbs like dong quai and chaste tree, along with lifestyle + nutrition, can restore balance

💛 Ready to support your cycle smarter?

👉 Try Balancing Brew for daily hormone + uterine support
👉 Take our Hormonal Imbalance Quiz to pinpoint what your symptoms mean

Want a chart breakdown of hormone shifts by cycle phase? Or a visual “What Your Period Is Trying to Say” Instagram series? I’d love to build that out next.