It took Jackie Handy more than two decades to find out the cause of her heavy periods and severe menstrual pain, after doctors told her time and time again that she was “imagining it” and that it was all in her head.
“I was often made to feel like I should ‘just get on with it’ by medical professionals,” says Handy, 51, Managing Director of Runway Global Ltd from Shropshire.
Handy has worked to raise awareness on diversity and inclusion in business. She has a TED Talk about the importance of shaping workforces of the future to avoid perpetuating discrimination – but she believes that women are routinely discriminated.
Although things are improving, she says, “there’s still more we can do to both educate employers and support those with limited access to sanitary products. I always felt that women were biologically disadvantaged having to spend thousands of pounds over their lifetime on products. I always said if men had periods, then products would be free.”
Beyond the Joke: The Scientific Reality of Menstrual Stigma and Women’s Health Inequality
“You must be on your period” – the dreaded sentence. Maybe it’s a jovial joke or as a judicious jab, but did you know that there’s some truth behind it?
The brain’s medial temporal lobe changes in size during different stages of the menstrual cycle. A recent Nature Mental Health study suggests that oestradiol-dominant menstrual phases may be linked to greater hippocampal volume, which is rich in hormone receptors and is associated with emotional regulation and cognition.
The study aims to contribute to a better understanding of how endocrine factors shape healthy adult brain dynamics. But it was only released less than a year ago.
“For decades, the medical trials industry has been male-focused,” says Neela Prabhu, 46, a London-based qualified homeopath with almost 20 years of experience as a community pharmacist.
“Even the fact that sanitary pads were tested for absorption using only saline solution – not actual blood – until August last year, speaks volumes about the lack of study in this area.”
Women’s brains are severely understudied. According to the National Library of Medicine, women’s health is generally underrepresented in research – that concerning reproductive health is hampered by a lack of understanding of basic uterine and menstrual physiology.
“From the snake in the garden of Eden tricking Eve (hence pain in childbirth) to the Asian viewpoint that you can’t worship while on your period, as you are ‘unclean’, the patriarchy has entrenched this idea to society about a normal bodily function,” says Prabhu.
“Pre-menstrual tension is often used as a joke by men,” she adds. “Women have come to expect pain, low energy and generally feeling terrible before and during their periods.”
Unravelling the Science Behind Menstrual Myths and Women’s Brain Dynamics
Menstruation’s still pretty much a stigma – people who bleed have decided to take charge and find their own way out of the pain.
“Conditions such as endometriosis have an average time of diagnosis of eight years. This is because women are not believed or their symptoms are brushed off as ‘normal’,” Prabhu says.
Candice Mason, 41, a trained tea sommelier from Hertfordshire, found a cure for her menstrual pain in tea. She spent five years looking for a diagnosis until doctors found she had endometriosis. After her first surgery, she went through induced menopause in her twenties.
“When I was diagnosed there was no social media, and you didn’t talk about period problems. I got a book ordered from my local library and within the book was a chapter about self-care and lifestyle changes that could help,” Mason says.
This was the beginning of what turned her into a self-healing businesswoman and eventually the owner of Mother Cuppa Tea, which uses natural botanicals and teas to support health and well-being.
It also led her to stop taking the medication which brought on menopause, as she felt she could successfully manage her symptoms herself.
Mason considers herself “incredibly lucky”. As many as six out of ten cases of endometriosis may go undiagnosed, according to MedicalNewsToday. Studies published in the Social Science & Medicine Journal show that most women experience delegitimisation of their symptoms and that their concerns are “fobbed off”.
“When I went regarding issues in the last few years, I was pushed form pillar to post. I ended up finding and paying for a private women’s GP,” says Mason.
Endometriosis, Dismissal, and Alternative Healing
Morgana Allan, 42, also suffers from endometriosis. She works with female clients around the world, helping them build businesses “to embrace people who bleed and need down time during the month”.
She was dismissed by her GP, who blamed the pain on her eating disorder – which she has since recovered from. “I was told I just had to suffer whatever came my way.”
It wasn’t until she was 28 that she was investigated for endometriosis, which led to a full hysterectomy.
But Allan has also found a non-medical alternative to heal her pain. She’s been working with the lunar cycle and creating a monthly routine for herself, rather than a daily routine, which she says helps women keep on top of their health.
“The fact that we still have so much to learn really highlights that women’s place in the world is still a work in progress,” she says. “At the end of the day, periods aren’t just menstruation. There are changes throughout the entire month – that contributes to dips in energy, concentration, and mood.”
Just for Alt-Natives' readers, get an exclusive 20% off from your first order @ Mother Cuppa with the code HOLLOWAY20.
Comments