To say that Period Repair Manual by Lara Briden changed my life is no overstatement.
This book held the key to easing all and erasing most of the PMS symptoms I had experienced my whole life. Since reading this book a few years ago, I no longer need to lay on the couch once a month with chocolate, a heating pad, and a box of tissues while the BBC’s screen adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice plays for the millionth time. Now my breasts aren’t sore, my cramps are incredibly light, and my mood is relatively stable during the week before my next cycle begins.
This book’s life-changing lesson? (*Spoiler alert!*) PMS symptoms and irregular cycles are not normal—they are a sign that your body is unbalanced or off-kilter in some way. And, get this: You can find real relief from your symptoms.
Laura Briden is a naturopathic doctor who has published three books, several peer-reviewed journal articles, and many educational articles on women’s health. She began her career as a researcher at the University of Calgary before graduating with her N.D. (doctorate of naturopathy) from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. In the 25 years since, she has worked with women to heal their bodies through natural treatments, nutrition, and lifestyle changes. Her biggest passion is helping women achieve healthy menstruation without the use of hormonal birth control.
Who is the intended audience of Period Repair Manual?
Period Repair Manual is for menstruating women and people interested in female health. The first half of the book is designed to educate any reader on periods, why hormonal birth control is so harmful to the female body, and alternative birth control options. The second half of the book will be most impactful to readers who are not on hormonal birth control, but are in their menstruating years or are looking to come off birth control and return to natural cycles.
Readers may find some sections more relevant or impactful than others. All readers should read the first half of the book, but the second half can be skimmed if needed to find information most relevant to that reader’s body and needs.
What are the main content areas of Period Repair Manual?
The book is broken up into two sections.
The first part, “Understanding Your Period,” reframes periods as health report cards the body gives menstruating women each month. PMS symptoms and irregularity are signs that something is off, but if a woman is on hormonal birth control, her body will not be able to send health signals through her cycle. In fact, birth control can mask serious fertility or hormonal issues for years. The author goes over alternatives for birth control before moving into a discussion of what a period should be like, and how the reader can identify what might be going wrong with her cycle.
The second part, “Treatment,” discusses how to restore your cycle health, which will improve PMS symptoms and cycle regularity. Some advice is general and could improve most readers’ period experiences, while other advice is specific to symptoms or conditions. All advice is backed by science and the author’s experience working with real patients. The recommendations ranged from shifting diet to include hormone-friendly foods, adding supplements, removing toxins, and incorporating various other lifestyle changes.
None of the advice is so daunting that the reader can’t begin implementing it that very day—though the impact of it may not be seen for days or weeks. The main change I saw came from adding magnesium and zinc to my morning supplements, though I now know these two have lots of benefits related to sleep so I have switched to taking them at night. I saw results within one menstrual cycle. I have always had more mild periods with the exception of breast tenderness, which could be severe enough that just going up stairs was painful. The breast tenderness has not returned since making this small shift!
Strengths of Period Repair Manual
Period Repair Manual is a comprehensive but easy read. The author uses easily digestible language, science, and relevant examples to make a strong case for natural cycles and healthy periods. There is no pandering to sign up for some class, follow the author on social media, or any other self promotion type content. Instead, the author truly demonstrates a desire to share her knowledge and better the lives of her readers.
The greatest strength? This book has real answers. For many women, including myself, this book is the key to major life improvement through healthier cycles.
Limitations or blindspots
The greatest limitation of this book is that it really aims at restoring healthy periods in women getting off the Pill or who have been having cycles “regularly” i.e. not postpartum or breastfeeding. While the author does quickly touch on breastfeeding, she is more focused on chronic conditions, restoring cycle regularity, and decreasing PMS in non-postpartum related situations, and in perimenopause.
I remember confidently pulling out my manual at 8 months postpartum while still breastfeeding in hopes of restoring a bit more cycle regularity (and in the process, improving my natural birth control method) only to be disappointed at the lack of helpful advice. I did implement some of the general advice, such as making sure I was getting enough of important vitamins like magnesium and zinc, but it did little to increase my cycle regularity while breastfeeding.
Lara Briden wrote this book for the average woman. She is concise but exhaustive in her advice, which is organized by symptoms, making identifying needed changes simple. The suggestions are incredibly practical and many women will find them highly impactful.
The verdict: To buy, borrow, or skip Period Repair Manual altogether?
This book changed the quality of my life and how I understand my cycle, and I hope it can do the same for you. So my suggestion for when it comes to deciding whether to buy, borrow, or skip is (unsurprisingly): Buy, buy, buy!
Buy it for yourself. Then buy it again to give to all your girlfriends, your sister, your mom, and, while you’re at it, your OB/GYN probably could use a copy too.
I suppose for the thrifty gals among us, it could be a book to borrow from your local library, because once you identify your specific symptoms and their recommended “cures,” you might not need the book again. However, I have found myself going back to it quite a few times. I opened it up again when I wanted to get pregnant, when I had a weird acne flare up, and when I was postpartum. I’m sure I will need it many more times in my life as I age, my lifestyle changes, etc.
You probably will not reread this book in its entirety often, but in the same way you should probably keep that oven manual around, this is a book to have on the shelf just in case you need it.
Additional Reading:
Natural Womanhood Book Review: “Why do I get pre-period bloat?” and other PMS questions, answered
