#072 Your menstrual cycle; periods, pain and the pill with medical herbalist Natasha Richardson

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Natasha studied at a much younger age than most herbalists after working for Neal’s Yard and being inspired to get a degree in the subject of herbs. Then her own challenges with her menstrual cycle led her down a path of self-discovery and becoming an expert when it comes to periods and herbal remedies. We start by chatting how we are raised to believe periods should be painful, so we don’t question it, and also how we should simply be the same everyday despite our cycle.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We discuss how buying Paracetamol feels more acceptable, and is much easier to find, then buying a herbal solution. We look at the place painkillers have in our lives and how they can support herbal remedies but can also disconnect us from the signals our bodies are trying to feed us.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do you think your pain symptoms are connected to your mind and anxiety? Do you plan around your period? Do you believe that you can have a peaceful period?</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Natasha discusses her goal through her work with women to have a better period and what that means to each individual woman. We then switch to discussing the contraceptive pill and Charelle highlights the control it allows her to have with her cycle and life but the fear of coming off the pill one day and the consequences. </span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Natasha advises how she isn’t against contraception but is intrigued by the secondary uses it can be subscribed for such as acne and heavy periods. Verity highlights being in a same-sex relationship she doesn’t need contraception against pregnancy but is being advised to take it by doctors to help her heavy periods, which is very frustrating to her.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We delve deeper into the use of the pill and its history within our society and how to converse with the opposite sex about menstruating. We