Holy moly, friend, has the narrative around menstruation changed in the last ten years!!! Once something our moms only talked about when the dreaded day arrived, a topic we dared not discuss with our friends, and something we live with/suffer through/dread every month only to do it again in 28 days– that was my personal account for the first twenty-plus years of my menstruating life.
But now…now women are viewing their cycles as a superpower worth embracing and educating themselves on and I’m beyond excited to see it.
To say I wish this information was available when I was younger is an understatement, and as I share my newfound period knowledge with patients, friends, and women around me, I know I’m not alone in this sentiment. Unfortunately, research regarding women’s hormones is considered difficult, expensive, and unreliable, because every person’s cycle is just a liiiiiiiiiittle bit different, effected and complicated by factors like genetics, nutrition, activity level, stress, etc.
And while the ideas of eating and exercising according to our cycle phases, optimizing our energy during ovulation versus menstruation, naturally managing hormones to beat bloat, cure cramps, and put an end to PMS might have been available all these years, it definitely wasn’t as well accepted, popular, or utilized. Thankfully, women are learning that their period really can be a beautiful thing with a bit of education followed by proactivity and mindfulness when taking action.
RELATED POST: 7 Holistic Menstrual Cycle Hacks to Help You Thrive During Your Period
If you too are wondering where this information has been all your life, and are also wishing you had it years ago…wish no longer! There are podcast episodes, blog posts, and social media profiles a plenty dedicated to this very topic. While I take advantage of all of the above, my favorite way to learn is through reading (any other highlighter-lovers in the house?!?), and there are just as many books on the topic of menstruation with my favorites listed here.
Whether you’re looking for small cycle adjustments or could use an entire period overhaul, there’s a book here for you…I guarantee it. How to to track your cycle, properly plan for/avoid pregnancy, manage period symptoms, and “just” realize what an amazing thing it is to be e woman are all [here]. Pick the one (or three) that seems the best for the season you’re in and once you find ~the one~ that speaks to you the most, gift it, share it, and shout about it to every woman you know. Because once you have info this good, it’s hard to keep it to yourself.
#1- In the FLO: Unlock Your Hormone Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life by Alisa Vitti
I’m putting this beauty of a book right at the top because I find myself referring back to it monthly for my own health and pulling it off my bookshelf to recommend to patients regularly. This is one that’s both a great read from cover to cover but can also be skimmed as needed to find exactly what you’re looking for to make the most of your menstrual cycle.
If you like the idea of biohacking your hormones through nutrition, exercise, and allocating your energy, can appreciate easy-to-read charts, and love walking away from books with an action plan…this one’s for Y-O-U. In the FLO is where I’d start if you’re new to the idea of making the most of your cycle, but also a ~must~ if you’ve been in the period wellness game for a while. Grab your highlighter and get ready to fold over those dog-ears– this checks all the boxes and I 100000000% recommend.
#2- Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time and Energy Management for Ambitious Women by Kate Northrup
This one’s for the woman who’s trying to do it all but wants to make the most out of the time she’s spending and could use a little permission to slow down in-between. Do Less is the perfect guide to harnessing your feminine power and doing work, relationships, productivity, and motherhood in harmony with your monthly cycle and using each phase to its full potential.
While a little more woo-woo than most of the book recs here, Kate Northrup still manages to provide realistic (and effective) steps to living in a way that’s in sync with your cycle that even the busiest of women could implement. I’ll be honest, this one’s not where I’d start if you’re looking for improved period health and symptoms (see #1 and #4 for that), but if you’ve got all that info down and want to take things to the next level and ~literally~ feel like a new woman by the end…this is the breath of fresh air you’re lookin’ for.
#3- Roar: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Gut Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life by Stacy Sims, PhD
My fellow athletes (yes…that means you too, mama workin’ out in the living room at nap time) this is your new bible. If you’ve ever wondered why some mornings you wake up ready to move fast and lift heavy and other days stretching with a cup of coffee feels more your speed, Dr. Stacy Sims breaks it all down in Roar. It’s a pretty powerful thing to understand that hormones effect how you feel and move, and this is your playbook to optimizing your menstrual cycle through food and fitness.
This is the first book I read as I was becoming more familiar with the idea of “hacking” the menstrual cycle. And while not solely about period health, it’s a great place for the scientific-minded person to start learning about the power of hormones, especially in relationship to exercise. I completely changed how I workout and gave myself wayyyyyyy more grace in the gym after this one. If you have an alarm set in the morning to get your workout in, this belongs right next to it on your nightstand.
#4- Period Repair Manual: Natural Treatment for Better Hormones and Better Periods by Lara Briden, ND
Ok…I love In the FLO, but Period Repair Manual is a clooooooose second and also one every woman should read ~at least~ once. I’m a big fan of books that contain both the crunchy and conventional, and this is that perfect middle for all things hormones, birth control, and period symptoms. While there’s nothing “fun” about this book (aka– don’t expect to be entertained), you’ve got to open this up if there’s anything about your period you don’t like, you’re looking for more info on birth control, or want some tips on talking to your doctor about all of the above.
Think of this book like an encyclopedia (do they even make those anymore??). Search the topic you’re looking for in the back and you’ll find easy-to-implement facts, tips, and hacks just a few pages away. Seriously…pick this one up for yourself, then include it in every birthday/Christmas/just-because gift you give this year. Just don’t be upset when it outshines the others.
#5- Period Queen: Life Hack Your Own Cycle and Own Your Power All Month Long by Lucy Peach
Have you ever read a book and wished you were the one who wrote it? I basically have a girl-crush on Period Queen and I’m not ashamed to tell the whole world about it. (Fairly) hot off the press, if all the books above had a gorgeous, fun sister, this would be her. There’s the same hormone-hacking, menstrual cycle-harnessing goodness inside, but this one was just hard to put down.
Lucy Peach writes in a way that’s endearing for women of all ages (I’ll be buying this for Sloan when she’s a teenager!), sharing relatable stories that you can’t help but want to emulate. More of a “feel good” and “I got this” than a “how to”, this book is the pep-talk every woman needs when learning to track, understand, and ultimately use the many benefits of her cycle. If you need some motivation to take action and manage your menstruation…this is it.
I’ve personally gone from wondering where to find information like this to being overwhelmed at the amount available and nearly crippled at the thought of implementing it all. But in my journey from an endometriosis diagnosis to a laparoscopic excision, relying on birth control for pain, getting off birth control to naturally manage endo, a pregnancy despite doctor’s expectations of infertility, and now a life where I forget I have endo altogether, I’ve learned a piece of advice I’d like to share– take it one step at a time. (Maybe read that again if you have to.)
RELATED POST: The Day I Quit Taking Birth Control for Endometriosis
RELATED POST: How I Got Pregnant Despite My Endometriosis Diagnosis
These books…they’ll only serve you if you tackle their recommendations with a sense of patience, consistency, and grace for your mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. Trust me when I say that managing your hormones isn’t a walk in the park and requires an experimental mindset with months (if not years) of trial and error. But if you stay on course, the wins will come and I can’t wait to hear about it when they do.
If you end up opening one of the above books, will you let me know what you think? And if you have any must-read recommendations for other menstrual cycle books out there, I’d love to hear about them (and then frantically run to hit the purchase button). This is one of those instances of “no such thing as too much of a good thing” and I’m hoping you agree. HALF the world menstruates, and it’s about dang time we truly understand how amazing that is.
Happy reading!
– Amanda
Disclaimer: The content provided here does not constitute medical advice, nor is it a substitute for personalized healthcare. If you have concerns about a medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment, you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional.
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure, but I have a feeling you’re gonna like what I’ve taken the time to put my recommendation behind.
