Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary

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Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary

Naturopathic doctor & bestselling author of the books Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual, and Metabolism Repair for Women

I'm a naturopathic doctor, women’s health activist, and the author of the books Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual, and Metabolism Repair for Women.

18/08/2025

If you can’t access insulin-specific tests like the HOMA-IR index, you need look no further than the ALT and AST readings on your standard liver enzyme panel.

New research shows that a higher ALT-to-AST ratio is a strong indicator of insulin resistance, especially in women.

And the best part? It’s such an easy test. You don’t even need to fast.

Other clues to insulin resistance include high triglycerides (>150 mg/dL or 1.7 mmol/L), low HDL, constant hunger, reactive hypoglycemia, and weight gain around the middle.

Insulin resistance is the most common hormonal condition and a driver of many downstream problems. So it’s worth knowing if you have it, not guessing.

Links to:
- the research paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38758828/
- and my metabolism book: https://www.larabriden.com/metabolism-book/

18/08/2025

Apparently, 1985 is trending... When I searched X (Twitter) for the 1985 video my husband's high school students are talking about, it showed me my own post from a couple of years ago.

That's 15-year-old me (on the left) celebrating my father's birthday. And yes, I've got a perm and braces. 😂

17/08/2025

Pelvic pain? Consider these clues:

🔸️ Pain/heaviness worse standing, better lying down → could be pelvic venous disease (pelvic congestion syndrome).

🔸️ Burning pain at the vaginal opening with entry, pain triggered by sitting, or tenderness when pelvic floor muscles are pressed → may be pelvic floor myofascial pain.

🔸️ Painful, heavy periods and an enlarged or tender uterus → think adenomyosis.

🔸️ Pain that worsens as the bladder fills and eases after urinating → suggests bladder pain syndrome (interstitial cystitis).

🔸️ Deep pain with s*x or painful bowel movements around your period → points to deep (invasive) endometriosis.

📌 Deep endometriosis lesions can often be seen with a specialist transvaginal ultrasound. In contrast, superficial lesions found at surgery may be only an incidental finding. Not necessarily the explanation for pain.

Other causes (like fibroids or fibromyalgia) are also possible. Always check with your doctor.

Links to:

• a recent news article about pelvic venous disease: https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2025/groundbreaking-treatment-transforms-the-lives-of-women-with-chronic-pelvic-pain-.php

• my article on the same topic: https://www.larabriden.com/could-pelvic-congestion-syndrome-explain-your-pelvic-pain/?Aug

• my article/YouTube video on why superficial endo lesions might not explain pain: https://www.larabriden.com/the-hidden-story-of-endometriosis-pain-lesions-and-the-microbiome/

15/08/2025

Menopause isn’t a mistake. It’s a human superpower.

In my last post, I said the low estrogen of menopause is not a deficiency, and some asked: “But didn’t all women used to die by 45?”

That’s a myth based on averages. Historical life expectancy was skewed by high child mortality and deaths from infection, injury, and childbirth. The lucky women who managed to survive those hazards have always lived into their 70s or 80s. And have always outlived men. (Life expectancy = population average dragged down by child deaths. Biological lifespan = how long healthy humans can live.)

Furthermore, science suggests that a longer human lifespan (for both s*xes) may have evolved so women could spend decades in a post-reproductive life phase, sharing care and knowledge with their family groups.

Modern twist? Estrogen therapy can still help some (myself included). Both things can be true.

Links to:
• the brilliant book The Slow Moon Climbs: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691171630/the-slow-moon-climbs
• the paper "Postmenopausal Health and Disease from the Perspective of Evolutionary Medicine": https://anthro-age.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/anthro-age/article/view/8

12/08/2025

A few things to know about estrogen:

• It rises and falls each cycle and always drops to menopausal levels during the period. That pre-period drop can trigger mood changes, migraines, or night sweats at any age, but more so in perimenopause because…

• In the early phases of perimenopause, estrogen swings higher than before, not lower. That can result in symptoms of high estrogen (breast pain, headaches, heavy periods) PLUS symptoms of estrogen withdrawal (mood changes, migraines, night sweats). The higher estrogen goes, the further it has to fall.

• Later in perimenopause (when you start skipping periods), estrogen is generally much lower than during your reproductive years.

• Humans evolved to spend decades in a low-estrogen post-reproductive life phase. So, the low estrogen of menopause or post-menopause is NOT a deficiency.

• That said, many menopausal women feel better on estrogen (myself included). One reason could be that modern women are exposed to (and therefore USED TO) higher estrogen than our ancestors. Which is not a good thing.

Thinking about ESTROGEN THERAPY?

• It’s often most helpful later in perimenopause when there are long gaps between periods.

• It's less helpful earlier when estrogen is high, though sometimes it can help during the premenstrual drop. (Note: Estrogen therapy CANNOT reduce or "even out" the high estrogen peaks.)

• Natural progesterone is also great, especially for sleep and heavy bleeding.

Note: All of this is true even if your uterus has been removed. If you still have ovaries, you will still be making plenty of estrogen in the early phases of perimenopause.

Check out my perimenopause book, Hormone Repair Manual: https://www.larabriden.com/hormone-repair-manual/

And if you want the science behind how menopause evolved, see my next post. Women did NOT use to all die by 45.

11/08/2025

As I wrote in my metabolism book, different body types really do thrive with different styles of movement. Some people love high-intensity workouts, while others feel best with group fitness, endurance running, or heavy lifting.

And some of us need yoga.

When I first read the description of my ectomorph (Sensor) body type in the PH360 system, I laughed out loud. Apparently, we’re “all nervous system,” and do best with hot baths, warm food, and regular yoga. That’s me to a tee.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I only do yoga. I’m also a keen walker, and I’ve even been doing a little “yoga with weights” lately — though honestly, I still prefer classic Vinyasa.

What is your preferred style of movement? Not the one you THINK you should be doing, but the one that truly feels good?

Links to:
- my book: https://www.larabriden.com/metabolism-book/
- PH360 HealthTypes system: https://healthtype.org/the-healthtypes/

P.S. Anyone can do yoga! I don't mean to suggest there are body types who shouldn't do it, only that they might be more drawn to other styles of movement.

09/08/2025

Dr. Mariza Snyder has put together another great perimenopause summit, with some of the top experts, including Sara Szal Gottfried, Mindy Pelz, Sarah Hill, Gabrielle Lyon, and more!

Topics include:

● Why maintaining muscle is necessary for strength and longevity

● The connection between trauma and autoimmune disease in midlife

● The physical and psychological impact of hormones & hormonal birth control in perimenopause

● And many more!

My interview (Hormone repair after 40) is first up on Monday, August 11th. As usual, it's completely FREE to register and attend.

Link: https://www.thrivinginperi.com/?utm_medium=affiliate&aff-id=Briden&a_bid=f32bd3a0

09/08/2025

New research suggests the cervix could be an active player in period pain, adenomyosis, and endometriosis. 🧩

If the internal cervical os is unusually narrow or stiff (or if the uterus is tilted sharply forward), then menstrual flow is slowed, intrauterine pressure rises, and that can:

⭕️ Increase pain
⭕️ Push menstrual tissue back through the fallopian tubes → possible endometriosis (or at least, superficial lesions...)
⭕️ Push tissue into the uterine wall → possible adenomyosis

(p.s. I know retrograde menstruation isn’t the whole story for endo, but flow dynamics may still matter.)

Link to the EndoNews article (which links to the paper): https://www.endonews.com/cervix-as-a-missing-link-in-endometriosis-pathogenesis

And I’d love to hear your experience: Have you ever had your cervical anatomy or uterine angle assessed?

07/08/2025

I'm delighted by the early feedback for Ona, the AI health expert I helped to develop.

Users say her advice is spot-on, and they’re (happily) surprised when their suggestions to improve the app are implemented almost overnight. That’s the magic of a young product + a passionate development team.

If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s the perfect time. Download Ona, ask her your questions, and see how she can help. You can even try Ona Premium free for 7 days—risk-free, cancel anytime.

Link: https://ona.health/

And if you're an influencer, please email me at lara@larabriden.com to learn about the affiliate program.

06/08/2025

Is estrogen inflammatory or anti-inflammatory? It depends.

Estradiol (our main ovarian estrogen) is generally anti-inflammatory in many tissues, including the joints, brain, and cardiovascular system.

At the same time, it can stimulate histamine and prostaglandins and worsen some autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and endometriosis.

Plus, some of estradiol’s metabolites (such as 4-hydroxyestradiol) are actively inflammatory.

Meanwhile, the synthetic estrogen in the pill (ethinylestradiol) can promote inflammation.

And so can estrone (E1) — the type of estrogen made in visceral fat, especially common with PCOS and menopause.

💬 What have I missed? Share your knowledge in the comments 👇

04/08/2025

🫀 Women with fibroids are more likely to develop atrial fibrillation (AF), a heart rhythm disorder.

In a study of over 2.5 million women, those with fibroids had double the risk of AF, especially if they hadn’t had surgery.

Why the link? Likely because AF and some types of uterine fibroids share deeper drivers like inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. That means addressing those underlying issues could benefit both uterus and heart health. ❤️

💡 This may not apply to all fibroids because there are different types, depending on hormone receptor status and the degree and nature of fibrotic changes.

Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-12954-z

And chime in with your fibroid knowledge!

01/08/2025

I'm increasingly concerned that (for at least some women) a diagnosis of “endometriosis” based only on superficial lesions could be a massive distraction from the REAL cause of symptoms.

Link to my podcast/YouTube video/article: https://www.larabriden.com/the-hidden-story-of-endometriosis-pain-lesions-and-the-microbiome/

And chime in with your thoughts.

Address

Addington

Telephone

+6439749200

Website

https://www.larabriden.com/

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