Looking back, I genuinely wish I’d been taught more about my own body while I was actually going through all of these changes. I remember experiencing changes in my mood, energy, skin, appetite and emotions without really understanding WHY they were happening. I just thought that was… being a woman. Why aren’t we taught this? And importantly, why isn’t this taught to BOTH girls and boys? Understanding the menstrual cycle shouldn’t be something girls have to discover for themselves years later. And boys should understand it too — not just so they can better understand the women in their lives, but because health education should actually teach us how the human body works. The menstrual cycle is more than just “having a period” once a month. It’s a complex hormonal cycle involving four phases, with fluctuations in oestrogen, progesterone, LH and FSH that can influence how we feel and function throughout the month. We deserve to understand what is happening inside our own bodies — while it’s happening, not 20 years later on Instagram. - @doctorserena