What the Color of Your Period Blood Means For Your Health
Your period is an invaluable indicator of the overall health of your body. Think of it like a monthly report card providing a brutally honest evaluation of your diet, lifestyle, and environment. If you are suffering from painful periods, horrible mood swings, or perhaps not having periods at all, these are all indicators that something is wrong.
Your period is your 5th vital sign.
Your period is so important that the American College of Obstetricians and Gyenecologists (ACOG) recommends that menstrual history be used as a vital sign when evaluating the health of girls and adolescents.
The ACOG states, “by including an evaluation of the menstrual cycle as an additional vital sign, clinicians reinforce its importance in assessing overall health status for patients and caretakers.”
Observing your period blood is the easiest way to get a report on how things are going down there. There is nothing to be squeamish about, ladies. Every woman bleeds; it's a normal bodily function.
The appearance, frequency, and consistency of your menstrual blood provides a window into your overall health, and if you want to have a balanced mood, clear skin, a healthy weight, and pain-free periods, it’s time you get up close and personal with it.
Ready to get started? Check the guide below to know what category your period blood belongs to.
The color: Bright, cranberry-red
The consistency: Like jello mix that hasn’t set (medium viscosity: not too thin, not too thick)
The length: 5-7 days
What it means: This is what’s considered a normal, healthy period. Continue to eat healthy fats and lots of plant based foods, and to get appropriate exercise.
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The color: Brown
The consistency: Thin/streaky
What it means: Low progesterone. That brown stuff is old oxidized blood that didn’t make it out of your uterus last cycle and it’s caused by low progesterone levels. These low levels may be at the root of your period symptoms and may also cause you to struggle with regular ovulation.
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The color: Dark, purple/blue
The consistency: Thick with clots
The length: Longer than a week
What it means: This blueberry color is a sign of too much estrogen. Estrogen dominance causes a lot of the typical symptoms associated with problematic periods, and potentially lead to endometriosis, cysts, or fibroids. Over the long term, excess estrogen can lead to more serious health consequences
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The color: Barely-there pink
The consistency: Too light to tell
The length: 3 days or less
What it means: A super-short period and extra light bleeding may indicate low estrogen levels. Your hormones are made from the food you eat, so your low estrogen is likely due to vitamin and nutrient deficiencies from improper and extreme dieting as well as from HPA Axis Dysfunction.
For more help on your hormone balancing journey, check out my self-paced online course, The Period Solution, which can help you balance your hormones and start feeling better ASAP! This 6-module course comes with all the resources, recipes, and exercise videos you need to balance your hormones and regulate your periods.
Your partner in health,