Summarize:

Many women dread the arrival of their period and think of it as something they have to suffer through. During your menstrual cycle, the actual hormones in your brain change and can affect your mood, but you can also consciously change the way you think about your period. It can be empowering to think of your period as a symbol of your womanhood and as natural part of your life. Your first period, called menarche, is often celebrated as a young girl’s entrance into womanhood. When you realize that your period can be something that is celebrated, you might stop dreading its arrival and cope with it. Tracking your menstrual cycle will not only give you a heads-up when your period is due, but it can also help you know when you are fertile and can get pregnant. Getting your period unexpectedly can leave you feeling unprepared and stressed.  You can keep track of the day your period starts and end with a calendar, in a journal, or with an app for your mobile devices.  There are several apps, such as Strawberry Pal or Clue, that can help you track your period and set reminders for when your next cycle is about to start. Remember that during your first year, periods are often unpredictable and come at random. They can also skip. This is completely normal. However, after the first year, your period should begin to follow a more regular pattern and be easier to track. Menstrual cycles vary between women. They can last anywhere from 21 to 35 days, and your period may last two to seven days. Your period may be regular and occur at the same time each month, or it may be irregular.  Keeping track of your period is very important when you are sexually active. It helps you to determine when you are the most fertile, which is important to know whether you want to avoid pregnancy or when you want to become pregnant. Keep an extra tampon, panty liner, or pad in your purse, backpack, and car. This way, if you get your period and you do not have access to other feminine products you are still protected. This is especially important if your periods are irregular and you are not able to accurately predict when your next period will begin. You should also keep a dollar in quarters with you, just in case you are caught off guard and need to purchase a pad/tampon. It’s a good idea to keep a few extra feminine hygiene products with you so you can offer one to another woman if she needs one. During ovulation, which happens 12 to 16 days before your period begins, your body is preparing for a potential pregnancy. Your body releases two different hormones, progesterone and estrogen, which tell your body that it should prepare for pregnancy.  Your metabolism speeds up during this time so you’ll need to eat more calories than you usually do. Eat plenty of iron-rich foods to help offset the iron that you’ll lose right before and during your period.  Meat, beans, lentils, eggs, and dark leafy greens are all good sources of iron. You should continue to eat iron-rich foods during your period. This can help to relieve some period symptoms, like fatigue and cramping.  Vitamin C can improve your body's absorption of iron. Try to eat foods rich in Vitamin C, such as oranges, peppers, and kale, as well.
Reframe your mindset about your period. Keep track of your period. Keep feminine hygiene products with you at all times. Eat iron-rich foods.