Period Repair Manual is true to its title. If you are having issues with your “monthly report card,” as Dr. Lara Briden refers to periods, and are willing to do the work to understand the root cause of your trouble, this is absolutely the right book for you. The byline of the title, “Natural Treatment for Better Hormones and Better Periods,” is a big promise, but Dr. Briden delivers. More than just that, she helps the reader understand that having a happier menstrual cycle indicates better overall health: improve your period, improve your health. If you’re intrigued, read on.
Period Repair Manual is both technical and practical and still manages to be a fun read. It may be hard to believe that a 300+ page book all about periods could be fun, but I was enthralled from the very first page. It is truly empowering to come to a fuller understanding of all that your body accomplishes for you and how to support yourself naturally. Dr. Briden says it best herself,
For too long, women’s hormones have been thrown in the ‘too-hard basket’ and managed with birth control. Now, I invite you to think differently about your hormones. I invite you to see them as a force for good that benefits every aspect of your mood and metabolism and physiology.
– Dr. Lara Briden
Dr. Briden’s training as a naturopathic doctor, experience treating thousands of patients, and conducting her own clinical research gives her both academic knowledge and practiced wisdom in helping women balance their hormones and have better periods. The first topic Briden tackles is actually not menstruation. It’s “the pill” that doctors have been prescribing for years to both avoid pregnancy and to make period problems “go away”— hormonal birth control. “The pill” shuts down a woman’s natural hormones and replaces them with synthetic hormones that work differently in the body and come with side effects, including depression.
When you understand how beneficial women’s natural hormones are when they’re in balance, turning off your hormones with hormonal birth control sounds less and less appealing. One thing should be clear: Dr. Briden is not against a woman’s choice on when to start a family. She is against the idea that “the pill” and birth control are synonymous. There are several other options for family planning. Dr. Briden lays out all those options, both natural and pharmaceutical, in great detail. She lets you know how it works in your body and arms you with the information you need to make your best choice.
For me, things got really exciting as I read exactly what leads up to my period and what it means to have a healthy cycle. If you read this book, you’ll learn about the vital importance of ovulation—and how to determine if or when it happens for you. You’ll also learn normal hormonal patterns at different times during your cycle and how they affect
your mood and many other functions in the body. Instead of using the word “hormonal” as a synonym for grumpy and overly emotional, you’ll learn why you need all those hormones—and what to do if you do find yourself feeling a little crazy!
Dr. Briden gives lots of information to help you become a detective to understand the source of any period troubles you may be experiencing. The foundational question is, “do you ovulate?” She helps you interpret (or even become aware of) symptoms that can lead you to the root cause of your overly heavy flow or the intense sugar cravings you get before your period. She dives deep into period issues like PCOS, endometriosis, PMS, menopause and much more.
The most important chapter in the book, according to Dr. Briden herself, is chapter 6, “General Maintenance for Periods.” In this chapter, Dr. Briden takes 36 pages to explain the importance of healthy lifestyle habits and how to eat a nutritious diet. If you were hoping to be able to take a couple of herbs or supplements to solve your period woes but continue life at a break-neck pace with frappuccinos and bagels as your fuel, this chapter will be very disappointing for you. There is no replacement for quality sleep, managing stress levels, or eating nourishing food.
Thinking of changing patterns can be overwhelming, but this chapter gives practical tips and scientific backing for making those changes. Dr. Briden manages to discuss hot topics like leaky gut, food sensitivities, and low-carb diets without giving one-size-fits-all advice. Believe it or not, these issues could be affecting your period health! Dr. Briden balances scientific evidence with her own clinical experience and leaves the reader with a deeper understanding of how to take the next step in resolving her own hormonal imbalances. Period Repair Manual is packed full of easy-to-navigate resources to help empower you to nurture your body back into balance. Reading this book is your first step.
About Sarah Marquez, FNTP
Sarah Marquez is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner specializing in partnering with pregnant women to find their own best pregnancy diet, as well as providing support on how to make nutrient-dense food a lifestyle for the whole family. She is passionate about cooking and loves sharing delicious food with family and friends. You can reach Sarah at sarah.heirloom@gmail.com.