Why every teen, parent and educator should understand the full story - from first period to menopause.
Periods are about so much more than a few days of bleeding each month - they’re part of a powerful, lifelong cycle that affects how we feel, think, and grow.
To dig deeper into this, we spoke to Liberty Mills, an international integrative health and wellness coach who helps women navigate everything from fertility and menopause to autoimmune conditions and hormone balance.
After being diagnosed with Lupus in her thirties and told she’d never conceive again, Liberty turned her health story around - achieving full remission and naturally conceiving her second child at 43. Her work now focuses on helping women and teens reconnect with their bodies, understand their hormones, and listen to what their cycles are really saying.
Below, Liberty answers some of the most important questions about periods, hormones, and breaking the silence that still surrounds them.
Why do you think it’s so important for young people to understand the entire menstrual journey - not just what happens when periods start, but what happens when they stop?
Before diving into the practical stuff - products, cramps, mood swings - Liberty reminds us that the big picture matters most. Understanding your menstrual cycle is about recognising your body’s messages throughout life, not just when you start bleeding.
Liberty says:
“I think it’s important for us to understand where we’re heading so we can protect ourselves along the way. When we understand the full menstrual journey, we’re better able to look out for warning signs rather than just being told, “Periods are awful and painful.”
We can ask: Are we bleeding for too long? How regular is our cycle? If we’ve started our period and then it stops, could stress be affecting us, or our diet? Our menstrual cycle is a great indicator of our overall health, and it's important to look at it and what it's trying to tell us.”
Understanding your cycle this way makes period care less about “getting through it” and more about staying connected to your health. Tools like reusable period pants help you do that - giving comfort and confidence so you can focus on what your body is communicating, not what it’s leaking.
You talk a lot about the mind-body connection. What do you wish you’d known as a teen about the role hormones play - not just in periods, but in everything from mood to sleep to fertility?
Hormones don’t just control your period. They affect your energy, motivation, relationships, and even how well you sleep. Liberty’s answer is a reminder that what we eat, how we rest, and how we treat ourselves all influence our hormones - and vice versa.
Liberty says:
"Actually, I would like to flip your question here and suggest to the reader that we ask what role our lifestyle has in our hormones. Like many teenagers, I partied hard and with a slim figure, I was one of those who could eat what I wanted, which meant low-nutrient-dense foods, irregular eating patterns and at university, working very late hours often until 4 or 5 am the next morning. Then, in my 20s, as a model, I focused on being skinny, and when my periods became very irregular and I often missed a bleed, I thought and was told by my model agency that it was good, as it meant I would not bleed on the clothes on a shoot, and I could still do underwear and swimsuit shoots.
This is how the media and society treat women's hormones, as something to be hidden, an inconvenience. It’s important to teach that hormones affect energy, mood, sleep, and fertility and vice versa, and they all need to be in balance to support each other's optimal function.”
Liberty’s story shows how lifestyle choices can shape our hormonal health more than we realise. For teens, it’s a great reminder that balance - sleep, good food, rest - is as essential as maths homework. And if you’re managing your cycle, WUKA Teen period pants take one stress off the list — so you can focus on building healthy habits, not hiding your period.
How do we get boys in on this conversation, too - and why does that matter?
If periods affect half the population, why are we still only talking to girls about them? Liberty believes boys should be part of the conversation from the start - because education builds empathy, respect, and equality.
“This was my favourite question, because it extends beyond girls; boys need to understand this too. Boys have sisters, mothers, girlfriends, future partners and maybe future daughters. They should know how to support and honour the women in their lives, not dismiss them as “moody” or “overreacting.”
That’s why menstrual and hormonal education should be taught in schools - for everyone, the teachers included. I often speak in companies about menopause, especially to men, to help them understand their female colleagues better. When workplaces are informed, women don’t feel they have to hide symptoms or even leave jobs because of hormonal challenges.
We also need to educate men about their own fertility. For too long, infertility has been seen as a “woman’s issue,” when nearly half of unexplained infertility cases are due to male factors. Understanding both sides of the equation helps create empathy, equality, and informed choices.
Boys need to be included from the start, in schools, in families, in conversations at home. It helps them grow into empathetic partners, fathers, and colleagues. If they understand what’s happening in women’s bodies, they’re less likely to perpetuate stigma and more likely to offer support and, most importantly, respect.”
When boys learn that menstruation, fertility, and menopause are natural, not shameful, they become allies. It also helps create healthier relationships and workplaces in the long run.
Bringing boys into the discussion helps shift the culture for everyone. It’s not just about understanding menstruation — it’s about raising a generation that sees equality, empathy, and support as the norm.
In your coaching work, do you see the impact of “generational silence” - the way some people weren’t taught anything about their bodies growing up?
For many of us, the way we think about our bodies comes from what we weren’t told. Liberty sees that silence every day - and how it shapes confidence, relationships, and health.
Liberty says:
“Absolutely. I still have clients who can’t even say the word vagina, and it’s not a cultural or religious thing. It’s just a silence and stigma that’s been passed down through generations. When young toddler boys play with their genitalia, everyone laughs and says Boys will be boys, If a girl did the same, she would be told to stop and her hand taken away and shamed. This gender disparity starts off very young,
I talk openly with my six-year-old about my menstrual cycle, tampons, and even about the chemicals that might be in them. I explain why I bleed, that an egg wasn’t fertilised, and if it were, it might become a baby one day. She understands the reason behind menstruation, and she knows it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
We need more of that openness. I encourage teens to find someone they trust or ask their school to bring in a health coach or educator who can talk about this in their language, not just in clinical terms.
Some schools require a “period pass” to go to the toilet, which can be mortifying for a student. No one should have to announce they’re menstruating in front of the class. These systems reflect how far we still have to go in normalising something so natural.”
Breaking that silence starts at home - by calling things what they are, by normalising conversations about bodies, and by giving teens the tools to manage their periods confidently.
You've lived through lupus, menopause, fertility challenges, and healing through integrative wellness. What would you tell a teen just starting their period journey, who’s feeling overwhelmed or disconnected from their body?
For young people navigating their first periods, it’s easy to feel confused or out of sync with your body. Liberty’s advice is grounded, hopeful, and deeply human.
Liberty says:
“I’d tell them to talk to a trusted female relative, a teacher, or someone who can help them understand what’s normal and what’s not. When we don’t share our experiences, we lose the opportunity to learn what’s healthy. Just because it's our norm does not mean that it's biologically or mentally healthy, but if it's all we know and don't share, we don't know any different and can't access support for change.
Pay attention to your cycle. If your periods are very heavy, long, or painful, there are ways to support your body. I love the book Beyond the Pill by Dr Jolene Brighton — it explains what’s happening in simple, empowering language.
And know this: you don’t have to do everything all the time. I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, when sanitary ads told us we could roller skate, cheerlead, and win gold medals on our period bleed, but that’s not realistic or respectful to our bodies.
We’re not meant to function like men. If we try to push through every cycle phase the same way, we risk burnout. Instead, we should celebrate our cycles. Getting your period isn’t something to dread — it’s a sign your body is working beautifully.”
Periods can feel like a lot - but they’re also your body’s way of showing you how strong and capable you are. The more you understand your cycle, the easier it gets to work with your body, not against it. And with WUKA Teen period pants, you can do it all comfortably, leak-free, and with a little less stress each month.
Closing Thoughts
Liberty’s message is simple but powerful: our cycles are not the enemy - they’re the guide.
By understanding our hormones, breaking silence, and talking openly (with everyone), we can change how the next generation sees periods - from something to hide to something to honour.
Because when we know our bodies, we protect them. And when we talk about them, we free them.
About Liberty Mills
Liberty Mills is an international integrative health and wellness coach specialising in fertility, menopause, autoimmune disease, and holistic healing. After being diagnosed with Lupus and told she might never conceive again, she achieved full remission and conceived naturally at 43. She now empowers women and teens to reconnect with their bodies through education, lifestyle medicine, and self-compassion.
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