Hi guys!
It's Cat here, from the Rock Collage team. Today's blog post is going to be a personal one, but it's something I hope will reach women who were in my position 8 months ago.
Before I start I just want to state that I am in no way a medical professional and this blog is not to be used to diagnose or treat any conditions. Everything written here is from my personal experience with my health.
Throughout high school I experienced wonky periods. It would show up when it wanted to, whether it was twice in a month, once every 3 months or not at all.
Unfortunately, womb and feminine health is not something that is openly talked about in any environment, so I just learned to deal with the irregularities and began to accept that this was just reality.
With these inconsistent periods, I would experience painful, painful cystic acne. Large and deep lesions on my face that would take days and weeks to clear up, intense mood swings, lingering anxiety and depression, extreme fatigue and more.
It wasn't until talking to the women on my father's side of the family, that I discovered there was a possible explanation for the way I was feeling:
PCOS
It was something that my aunt had and was coping with for some time now, but it was something new to my ears.
What is PCOS?
Robin Berzin, M. D describes PCOS as, " No one truly knows what causes PCOS. It's also not one single disorder but at least four independent disorders all characterized by an overlapping but inconsistent set of symptoms:
High androgen, or male hormone, levels, Acne, Facial hair growth, Irregular or absent menstrual cycles, Ovarian cysts."
The symptoms of PCOS vary woman to woman, you can check out the chart I provided below:
But like I said: the symptoms vary woman to woman. Some women have no visible acne, but experience weight gain and infertility, others don't see hair growth but experience acne. Some women also experience weight loss.
Again: if you feel like something is wrong, see your designated healthcare provider
with your concerns
So in the Fall of 2017, I decided it was time to go to the
gynecologist for some answers...
I brought up the possibility of PCOS, but wasn't greeted with much of a reaction. My doctor dissuaded me from this possibility, and simply stated that my blood work had shown I was borderline Type 2 diabetic, and that I should cook with more olive oil instead of canola oil.
*squints*
Losing hope, frustrated with my skin and my body, I asked her about birth control, and if it would help regulate both my cycle and my skin.
By the end of the appointment, I had a prescription for birth control in my hand and some high expectations.
2 Months Later..
It was now January of 2018 and I had tapered off birth control on my own.
The reason?
A mixture of seeing no progress with my cycle, skin or body, along with not wanting to have to wake up and take a pill everyday.
Exasperated and feeling just DONE, I took myself to the dermatologist. My low self esteem was stemming from my skin which felt more like acne than skin and a part of me knew that if my skin was clear, it would help boost both my overall mood and confidence.
Fast forward to now: Currently, the summer of 2019, I have minimal breakouts, minimal PMS, I now experience ovulation and I have had a consistent menstrual cycle for the past 8 months.
No birth control.
And I have been off antibiotics and topicals for my skin since the Fall of 2018.
How?
2 words: Yoni Steaming
What the Heck is Yoni Steaming?
Yoni steaming is an ancient practice, which was commonly used by Asian, African and Mayan civilizations. It is when a woman sits on top of a seat with an opening in it, as herbs burn in a boiling pot underneath her. Dressed in a sauna gown/poncho, her yoni and womb are detoxed by the natural properties of the herbs and heat, inducing a full body sweat.
This was something that I had NEVER, in my life, had EVER heard about, and I am so grateful to have stumbled across the shop (Rock Collage, you already know)!
In December, after 2 months of working at this wonderful gem of a shop, I opened up to Judith, the owner and head herbalist of Rock Collage about what I was going through.
At this point in my journey, I hadn't gotten my period for about 2 months now and I was seemingly out of options.
It wasn't until she gave me her Yoni tea to drink at home, an herbal concoction that I would also sip later on my first steam.
I drank a cup of this tea for 2 days straight, first thing when I woke up on an empty stomach.
After those 2 days I began feeling some discomfort. Nothing crazy, some chest pain and lower back pain. I've never been so happy to experience PMS!
I let Judith know about my updates and the very next day I had my first steam!
What Does A Steam Feel Like?
A steam is intense,
A steam is healing,
A steam is like a hot hug just for your body.
In short, a steam feels like exactly what it is: a detox.
As I sweated away for the hour that day, I felt anxieties melting and worries leaving. For those who cope with anxiety on a daily basis like myself, relaxing at first may feel foreign, but with practice it comes naturally!
My steam was catered to me and for me, both the herbal concoction and level of heat were all custom to ME, which made this experience even better.
4 days later, post steam...
I Got My Cycle Back!
4 days exactly! (I have the yelp review I wrote and texts to prove it haha!)
After not only months, but YEARS of menstrual frustration, it took less than a week, a tea and a yoni steam to get my period back.
I have been consistently steaming since December and I can say with confidence that it is one of the best decisions I have EVER made.
Since incorporating steaming into my health regimen (I do it once a month) I've noticed these benefits:
- Clearer skin for sure
- Minimally painful periods ( I used to have cramps that left me in tears)
- I experienced ovulation for the first time in my life.
- Higher libido
- I scarcely experience yeast infections
- Better digestion
- Non hemorrhaging periods
- Shorter cycle (5 day period length)
- Increased confidence and self love
And I'm not the only one...
I've seen women come into this shop, unable to have children, told by doctors it was physically impossible to have their first or another child.
And I've seen and heard their messages months later, pregnant and happy.
I've met women who used to call out of work because their periods were so painful, it would leave them unable to leave bed.
Those same women, now live life on their terms, even when it's their time of the month. Their period sneaks by almost undetected, no severe PMS!
For me, dropping my sugar intake, switching to distilled water, watching my consumption of processed and animal foods and adding steaming to my regimen, was exactly what my body was asking for.
I learned about distilled water at Rock Collage, was taught the truth about food and given the guidelines to start a healthy relationship with it and it's where my wombanhood was rediscovered.
Whether you decide to steam or not, to whoever is reading this, I just hope, with all my heart, that you know you're not alone. I know how scary, frustrating and dark it can feel when you're unsure of what's in store for your body.
Breathe, know that there is ALWAYS a solution in store for you, there is a plan and that pain is temporary.
If you're ready to live life on your own terms, ready for your breakthrough or just ready to learn how to live a holistic life, I suggest paying wellness coach and beautiful human being Judith Dazle a visit at her storefront, the Rock Collage Healing Gallery.
You just might find what you're looking for!
Thanks for reading this blog post, as a thank you from us, enjoy a free yoni steam consultation for first time steamers! Redeem your offer here
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