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PMS
Natural Cures for Your Teen's Discomfort
By Laura Cone
"Honor your menses by taking a day off when you begin to bleed," Weed says. "That day you should pamper yourself and not do anything for anyone else. We often tease that PMS stands for 'patriarchal mindset,' and that patriarchal mindset is that the fact you are menstruating is meaningless, and you should act like you are not."
Weed does not think of menstruation as a cleansing. Rather, she views it like many Native Americans might – as the "moon time" to access spiritual power. "Let her take time off, do what she needs to do alone that day whether it's take a bath, go for a walk in the woods, stay in bed, read, dream," Weed says. "Tell her, 'Don't watch TV. Don't listen to recorded music. Really allow your own visions and power to come up.'"
Mothers can set a good example for their daughter by not trying to be super mom and juggling a family, career and social life every day. "Encourage your daughter to take time off by taking time off yourself and setting an example to her of a woman who takes care of herself and takes care of herself by eating well and by having set aside time to honor the menses, to honor that as central to honoring of ourselves," she says.
