“Goldstein’s previous research found that the more empathy the man showed for the woman (as measured in other tests), the more her pain subsided during touch. The more physiologically synchronized they were, the less pain she felt.

It’s not clear yet whether decreased pain is causing increased synchronicity, or vice versa.

P I N K   &   B L U E

This is for all women, but those in Texas and the Dakotas might especially benefit from it at the moment. There are a few herbs and supplements you can use to induce menstruation if you’re a bit late (up to a few weeks), and they’re generally safe and effective as long as you use them properly and in recommended quantities. I personally sometimes use Vitamin C and Dong Quai to bring on my period when it’s being stubborn during my week free of the Pill, but there can be other uses for women who truly are late and have no other options. Be careful if you already have kidney, liver, or heart disease, as some of these herbs can be rough on the body and/or cause side effects if taken in large quantities.

What you need:

Fresh organic parsley.

Vitamin C WITHOUT rose hips (Nature Made from Wal-Mart is good).

Dong Quai capsules (herb markets and natural grocers carry them).

Optional - Blue or Black Cohosh capsules (same as above).

- First, you’re going to need to take 1000mg of Vitamin C every 2 hours, day and night. This prevents the body from absorbing Progestin/Progesterone, and often this alone can bring on your period. If you’re on birth control, obviously wait until your free-week comes up since you’ll otherwise be disrupting the medication’s effects. Take the Vitamin C with water. It may make you feel hot and flushed after a while, but the excess should be excreted in your urine and won’t have much side-effect. Be careful if you already have kidney disease, as this may contribute to kidney stone formation in such cases.

- Second (can be optional, see Dong Quai below), make parsley tea. Chop/crush the parsley first so that the juices can escape, then make tea with boiling water. Allow the tea to stand for a couple hours so that it absorbs as much of the parsley as possible. I personally drink one cup to start, then half a cup a few times throughout the day for the next few days. Make sure not to drink gallons of the stuff all at once, as parsley can be toxic in excess quantities.

Another option that can be paired with the tea is inserting a sprig of thoroughly-washed parsley as far into the vagina as possible, so that it rests against the cervix. ONLY do this with organic parsley, because you really don’t want to get pesticides up there. Change out the sprig every few hours just as you would with a tampon, as toxic shock syndrome is a risk with anything left up there too long.

- Third (or second if you’d rather skip the parsley)! If your period has not begun after two days of Vitamin C and/or parsley tea, you might want to add in some Dong Quai, also known as Angelica Sinensis. This is a popular herb in Asia, and is known to be effective in both stimulating menstruation and relieving cramping. Take two 500mg capsules in the morning and another two in the evening, then a single 500mg twice a day after that until your period starts. Be careful using this herb if you have heart disease, because it affects muscle function and may make certain arrhythmias worse if used in large quantities. Headache and lowered blood pressure are two common side effects, so be extremely careful if you already have low blood pressure.

- Finally, if NONE of the above works after 5-6 days, add in a day or two of 500mg capsules of Black or Blue Cohosh, twice a day (it’s a good idea to take them a couple hours apart from the Dong Quai). These also work to stimulate menstrual contractions, but they tend to induce nastier cramping and may have more toxic side effects if used in large quantities. Don’t use these for more than a couple days at a time, as they can be toxic to your liver and can also cause muscle spasms and worsen cardiac arrhythmias.

1. Be honest with yourself, and accept how you feel. You can’t work with your feelings if you deny that they are real.

2. At the same time, don’t keep going over the negative events, or they’ll start to dominate you, or spiral, and get worse.

3. Don’t react right away – take a breath and count to 10. Make sure you keep control and don’t do something you’ll regret.

4. Try to notice what are triggers and provoke negative feelings – and when you’re calm, try to think through how to cope and deal with these.

5. Think of things that you can do to try and help improve your mood … such as going for a jog, or talking with a caring friend.

6. Remind yourself that you are valuable, and have a lot to offer … and think of all your strengths, and all the good things you have done.