The Top 5 Things Women Should Know About Their Body

Our relationship with our bodies is so important — even more so now that social media and ads distort our perception of how we should look and feel. And there are many ways you can strengthen your body relationship.

In fact, getting to know your body can help you understand and catch when something health-wise goes a bit haywire. It can further foster self-love and body love, improving your relationship with your body and yourself.

So, what are the top five things you should know about your body? What do you need to watch out for? Let’s find out!

5 Things You Should Know About Your Body

If you’re thinking: “My relationship with my body? What relationship?” This article is for you.

It’s time to really tune into what your body needs. Knowing this, again, comes down to truly knowing yourself. So, let’s get to know ourselves a little better.

1. The Date Your Period Starts

If you are a person that experiences your period, it is incredibly important to understand the complicated process associated with this time of the month.

A woman’s body has a monthly cycle, and ideally (when pregnancy doesn’t occur), this cycle should happen on cue each month.

While from one woman to the next, the menstrual cycle may vary in length and timing, generally, each woman should know when their period is going to happen and, typically, what they can expect.

Then, there are other tell-tale signs here. Your period can offer so much insight into your overall health and well-being. This is why your body relationship is so important. Knowing when something is outside the norm can help you make adjustments in your life accordingly.

For example, if your period is more painful and heavy than normal, this could signify stress.

If your cycle becomes irregular, this could also indicate that something is off. In fact, these early signs can help catch illnesses, like cervical cancer, before they become more serious health threats.

Getting friendly with your period (as strange as that may sound) can also help you determine if new methods of contraception are working for you. Usually, there is an adjustment period. Some changes can be expected, but having a baseline can help you decide whether or not certain birth control is right for you.

2. Your Bathroom Frequency

Now, we’re getting a little bit more into the weeds. And yes, we’re going to be talking about urination and bowel movements. Let’s not shy away from this. These are completely natural and normal processes that help your body eliminate toxins and waste (when these things build up, they tend to get in the way of healthy and normal functioning within the body).

Some questions you may want to ask yourself (and know the answers as well) include:

• How frequently do I have a bowel movement? (1-2 times a day is considered normal and healthy, although this can vary.)
• How frequently do I urinate each day?
• How does what I drink or eat impact this?
• Is there any abnormal pain or smells?
• Is there any blood? (If so, book an appointment with your doctor immediately.)

Yes, these questions might feel kind of gross to go over. But like your period, they offer so much insight into your internal functions.

They can indicate gastrointestinal problems, nutritional deficiencies, dehydration, overhydration, and more.

3. Your Skin Type & Mole Location/Appearances

In their later years, most people might look back and wish they had taken better care of their skin.

Knowing your skin type can help you develop an effective skincare routine that helps you combat aging. It can also help to pay attention to what your skin needs throughout your monthly cycle.

On top of this, you should know how any moles or freckles normally look and ensure that you regularly check to see that they haven’t changed. If a mole has grown, is raised, or looks abnormal, it might be time to get a professional to take a look to prevent cancerous cells.

Read this article next: How to Love Your Natural Skin Again

4. How to Check Your Breasts

Many women know this is something they should regularly be doing. When push comes to shove, many of us forget to even do this on the regular. And it’s so easy and so worth it! You can quickly do this in the shower or while getting changed.

Doing so can help you detect abnormalities that may lead to breast cancer (something that impacts over 27,000 women each year).

For a thorough inspection, do this:

• Look at your breasts in the mirror with a straight posture and assess how they look. Are there any abnormalities?
• Raise your arms high and do the same thing by looking in a mirror.
• Look for signs of discharge coming out of the nipples.
• Look for changes in texture.
• Feel for lumps or thickening within the breasts.
• Plan to do this at least once a month!

5. Your Weight

Your weight should by no means be something you obsess about! For those with disordered eating or dieting backgrounds, this one can be a hard one to wrap your head around. But accepting that weight fluctuates can help.

All women experience daily weight fluctuations and monthly weight fluctuations (with some reporting five pounds or more changes). This is completely normal!

What you want to watch out for is sudden and big changes in weight, such as gaining 15 pounds in one month. These can signify hormonal imbalances and other issues. The same can be said about weight loss. Sudden weight loss can mean you have an overactive thyroid or digestive issues.

This is something you want to keep an eye on — but not obsess about!

Show Yourself Some Body Appreciation & Get to Know Your Body a Little More!

Stay in the know with your monthly and daily body processes. Doing so can help you catch health issues early on, ensuring you don’t face a more serious health situation.

Plus, your body is amazing!

Just think about what it does for you each and every day. Begin appreciating that more and showing your body some love and self-care. Practice gratitude when it comes to your body. It truly is an incredibly intelligent and beautiful machine.

Related article: How to Love Your Body Right Now