that time of the month, the Crimson Tide, Shark week, just to name a few.

每月的那個時候，深紅潮，鯊魚周，僅舉幾例。

It gets a lot of attention in health class, and it must be said, the period has gotten a pretty bad rap—

它在健康課上得到了很多關注，而且必須說，這一時期得到了相當糟糕的評價--

but these days, more people are cluing into the entire menstrual cycle, rather than just that most visible part of it.

但這些天，更多的人開始關注整個月經週期，而不僅僅是其中最明顯的部分。

Because as it turns out, there's a lot to discover and to celebrate.

因為事實證明，有很多東西值得發現和慶祝。

Just before we dive in, when we're talking about the menstrual cycle we're not just talking about women. Because people of all gender identities have periods,

在我們深入討論之前，當我們談論月經週期時，我們不只是在談論女性。因為所有性別身份的人都有月經。

so that's why I'll be using terms like 'people who menstruate' rather than just 'women'.

是以，這就是為什麼我將使用 "有月經的人 "這樣的術語，而不僅僅是 "婦女"。

Periods may often be seen as an inconvenience. Like we discussed in our last episode, those without a menstrual cycle have long been considered

月經可能經常被看作是一種不便的事情。就像我們在上一集討論的那樣，那些沒有月經週期的人長期以來被認為是

the health 'norm', while those of us with a menstrual cycle have to like compensate for it, as if it's a weakness we have to work around.

而我們這些有月經週期的人卻不得不像補償它一樣，好像它是我們必須要解決的一個弱點。

But that is changing. Take the U.S. Women's soccer team, for example.

但這種情況正在改變。以美國女子足球隊為例。

They partially attributed their 2019 World Cup win to training programs that were tailored around each player's menstrual cycle.

他們將2019年世界盃的勝利部分歸功於圍繞每個球員的月經週期制定的訓練計劃。

Cycle tracking apps are more popular than ever, and back in 2018 the FDA even approved one for contraceptive use.

週期跟蹤應用程序比以往任何時候都更受歡迎，早在2018年，FDA甚至準許了一個用於避孕的應用程序。

We know that paying attention to your menstrual cycle can help you do things like prep for your period,

我們知道，關注你的月經週期可以幫助你做一些事情，比如為你的月經做準備。

improve your chances of getting—or not getting—pregnant, or just help you better understand what your body may be trying to tell you.

提高你懷孕或不懷孕的機會，或者只是幫助你更好地理解你的身體可能試圖告訴你的東西。

So your menstrual cycle is a key indicator of health. And getting to understand it and being aware of it and changes

所以你的月經週期是健康的一個關鍵指標。瞭解它並意識到它和變化

allows you to discuss it as well as share anything that's atypical with a provider, if needed be.

允許你討論它，並在必要時與醫療服務提供者分享任何不典型的情況。

But before we can talk about how you might be able to use this info to like 'hack' your menstrual cycle...what is it, exactly?

但在我們談論你如何能夠利用這些資訊來 "破解 "你的月經週期之前......它究竟是什麼？

The menstrual cycle's essential job is to prep the body for pregnancy.

月經週期的基本工作是為懷孕做準備。

It starts on the first day of your period, and lasts until the first day of your next period. The average cycle lasts about 28 days,

它從你月經的第一天開始，一直持續到你下次月經的第一天。平均週期持續約28天。

but everyone is different, and one person's cycle will change over the course of their lifetime.

但每個人都是不同的，一個人的週期會在其一生中發生變化。

Cycles that regularly fall anywhere between 21 to 40 days are normal too. And by tracking the details of our cycle,

週期經常在21至40天之間，也是正常的。而通過追蹤我們週期的細節。

people who menstruate can better understand what is normal, or not normal, for our bodies.

月經的人可以更好地理解什麼是正常的，或不正常的，對我們的身體。

Now, what actually happens between one period and another is a wicked exciting roller coaster that involves the ovaries, the uterus, the brain,

現在，在一個時期和另一個時期之間實際發生的事情是一個邪惡的令人興奮的雲霄飛車，涉及卵巢、子宮和大腦。

the circulatory system, and lots of hormones.

循環系統，以及大量的荷爾蒙。

Estrogen and progesterone are the two you've probably heard the most about, and they're produced by the ovaries.

雌激素和孕激素是你可能聽說得最多的兩種，它們由卵巢產生。

We've also got the follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH, and luteinizing hormone, or LH, both of which are made by the pituitary gland.

我們還有卵泡刺激素，即FSH，和黃體生成素，即LH，這兩種物質都是由腦垂體制造。

All of these hormones are interacting with each other to prep the body for pregnancy once per menstrual cycle, which is a lot of hard work.

所有這些激素都在相互作用，在每個月經週期為懷孕做一次準備，這是很辛苦的工作。

You know, we have this sort of symphony, if we want to think of it that way of different instruments, and different hormones come in signaling different things to do:

你知道，我們有這樣一種交響樂，如果我們想這樣想的話，不同的樂器，不同的荷爾蒙都會發出不同的信號來做。

shed the lining, release an egg, start building the lining.

脫離內膜，釋放一個卵子，開始建立內膜。

There are four phases of the menstrual cycle: menstruation, aka the period, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase.

月經週期有四個階段：月經，又稱經期，卵泡期，排卵期和黃體期。

And it all starts on that first day of menstruation, which is also when the follicular phase begins.

而這一切都始於月經的第一天，這也是卵泡期開始的時候。

During this time, estrogen and progesterone levels are low and the uterus is shedding its lining, resulting in bleeding that typically lasts between 2 to 7 days.

在這一時期，雌激素和孕激素水準較低，子宮內膜脫落，導致出血，通常持續2至7天。

Oh, and also comes with those frustrating symptoms like back pain and cramping.

哦，還伴隨著那些令人沮喪的症狀，如背痛和痙攣。

And after your period ends, the follicular phase continues.

而在你的月經結束後，卵泡期繼續。

Right smack in the middle of your brain is the hypothalamus, which sends out gonadotropin-releasing hormone every 60-120 minutes,

就在你的大腦中間是下丘腦，它每隔60-120分鐘就會發出促性腺激素釋放荷爾蒙。

depending on what point you're at in your cycle. This causes the pituitary gland to make FSH, revving up follicle growth in the ovaries.

這取決於你處於週期的哪個階段。這將導致腦垂體產生FSH，使卵巢中的卵泡生長加快。

And a follicle is a fluid-filled sac that's surrounding an undeveloped egg. It's kind of like a nice padded envelope that says “FRAGILE: HANDLE WITH CARE”.

卵泡是一個充滿液體的囊，圍繞著一個未發育的卵子。它有點像一個漂亮的軟墊信封，上面寫著 "易碎：請小心處理"。

As the follicular phase winds down, FSH levels fall, and usually just one dominant follicle-wrapped egg is 'chosen' to continue developing.

隨著卵泡期的結束，FSH水準下降，通常只有一個優勢卵泡包裹的卵子被 "選中 "繼續發育。

I did not know this, but those of us with ovaries are actually born with millions of eggs, and we're losing a couple thousand of those

我不知道這個，但我們這些有卵巢的人實際上生來就有數百萬個卵子，而我們正在失去其中的幾千個。

every month throughout our lifetime as a way to make sure only the healthiest eggs remain available.

在我們的一生中，每個月都是如此，以確保只有最健康的雞蛋仍然可用。

Meanwhile, we have had an estrogen buildup during that phase which has created a nice lining within the uterus.

同時，我們在這一階段有一個雌性激素的積累，在子宮內形成了一個很好的內膜。

Around day 14 of the cycle, estrogen levels are at their peak, causing the release of more LH.

在週期的第14天左右，雌激素水準達到高峰，導致釋放更多的LH。

And this tells the mature follicle that it's go-time.The follicle starts talking to the fallopian tube, and the fallopian tube

這告訴成熟的卵泡，是時候了。卵泡開始與輸卵管對話，而輸卵管

scooches closer to surround the follicle, until the follicle goes—BLOOP, kind of like a bubble bursting, releases the egg into the abdominal cavity.

靠近包圍卵泡，直到卵泡 "砰 "的一聲，有點像氣泡破裂，將卵子放入腹腔。

And then, the fallopian tube actually like reaches out with its fingerlike tips and scoops up the egg.

然後，輸卵管實際上就像伸出它的指尖一樣，舀起了卵子。

And that's ovulation for you! Some people might experience a little twinge or cramp on one of their sides as the follicle bursts during an ovulation.

而這就是你的排卵期!有些人在排卵期間，由於卵泡破裂，他們的一側可能會有一點抽痛或痙攣。

And after it's big debut, your egg hangs around in your fallopian tube, just poking around for about 12 to 24 hours

在它首次亮相後，你的卵子會在你的輸卵管內徘徊，大約12至24小時。

to see if any sperm are gonna join the party, so if one isn't already waiting, it better hurry up.

看看是否有精子要加入這個聚會，所以如果有一個人還沒有在等，最好快點。

At my advanced age of 28 I did not know that eggs get fertilized in the fallopian tubes, so you learn something new every day.

在我28歲的高齡，我不知道卵子會在輸卵管中受精，所以你每天都能學到新東西。

And if an egg and a sperm do happen to meet in that little window of opportunity, they'll fuse

如果一個卵子和一個精子碰巧在那小小的機會之窗中相遇，它們就會融合。

and they'll make their way down the fallopian tube towards the uterus, dividing into a multi-celled clump as they go.

它們將沿著輸卵管向子宮方向移動，在移動過程中分裂成一個多細胞團塊。

And that's just the first half of the process. Remember that follicle that released the star of our show, the egg?

而這只是過程的前半段。還記得那個釋放了我們節目中的明星--卵子的卵泡嗎？

It actually still has some work to do as we move into the luteal phase.

隨著我們進入黃體期，它實際上仍有一些工作要做。

That burst follicle temporarily becomes a gland that produces progesterone, which is what sparks what happens next.

那個破裂的卵泡暫時成為一個產生孕酮的腺體，這就是接下來發生的事情的導火索。

It's all comin' together.

這一切都在一起。

The progesterone from that follicle is what thickens the lining of the uterus, producing all that good, comfy blood and tissue

來自該卵泡的孕酮使子宮內膜增厚，產生所有良好、舒適的血液和組織。

that would keep a fetus happy if a sperm would happen to fertilize an egg and they implant in the uterus.

如果精子碰巧與卵子受精並在子宮內著床，這將使胎兒保持快樂。

But if pregnancy doesn't occur, the levels of estrogen and progesterone drop sharply, triggering menstruation,

但如果沒有懷孕，雌激素和孕激素的水準會急劇下降，引發月經。

the beginning where we started, that shedding of that uterine lining, and the cycle begins all over again.

在我們開始的地方，子宮內膜的脫落，週期又開始了。

If that sounds like a lot, it's because it is. I've been having my period for like, 13 years now, and every month I'm like...we're doing this again?!

如果這聽起來像很多，那是因為它是。我的月經已經來了13年了，每個月我都覺得......我們又要這樣做了？

We just did this, like, last month—oh, right.

我們剛剛做了這個，好像是上個月--哦，對。

Now the luteal phase is when premenstrual syndrome, aka PMS, comes into the picture.

現在，黃體期是月經前綜合症（又稱PMS）出現的時候。

Cramping, back aches, headaches, nausea, fatigue, sore boobs, mood swings, acne breakouts, super fun stuff, said no one, ever.

抽筋、背痛、頭痛、噁心、疲勞、乳房痠痛、情緒波動、痤瘡爆發，超級有趣的東西，沒有人說過，從來沒有。

But PMS and periods do affect everyone differently, and hopefully, as the research community learns more about all these complex dynamics

但經前綜合症和經期對每個人的影響確實不同，希望隨著研究界對所有這些複雜動態的進一步瞭解

that make the menstrual cycle go 'round, we can understand why there's so much variability and what we might be able to do

我們可以理解為什麼會有如此多的變化，以及我們可能會做什麼。

about symptoms that can really disrupt peoples' lives.

關於能夠真正擾亂人們生活的症狀。

There's actually been an explosion of exciting research into things like how brain function changes throughout the menstrual cycle,

實際上，對於諸如大腦功能在整個月經週期中如何變化的問題，已經有了令人興奮的研究爆發。

and what that means for your health and your lifestyle at different points in your cycle.

以及這對你的健康和你在週期不同階段的生活方式意味著什麼。

People are looking more into the links between irregular periods and heightened risk of developing certain diseases.

人們正在更多地研究月經不調與患某些疾病的風險增加之間的聯繫。

And as more people track their cycles through apps, some of that data is being put to use.

而隨著越來越多的人通過應用程序追蹤他們的週期，其中一些數據正在被利用起來。

Harvard University, the National Institute of Environmental Health Services, and Apple released initial results from a study involving 10,000 people;

哈佛大學、國家環境衛生服務研究所和蘋果公司發佈了一項涉及1萬人的研究的初步結果。

6,141 of whom tracked their period symptoms.

其中6,141人追蹤了他們的經期症狀。

This long-term study hopes to uncover new information about menstrual symptoms across all kinds of demographics,

這項長期研究希望能發現有關各種人口統計學中的月經症狀的新資訊。

and ideally, also break down some of the stigma that still surrounds periods, while we're at it.

理想情況下，我們還可以打破一些仍然圍繞著月經的恥辱感，同時我們也可以這樣做。

One really important challenge in this ara is that sex education, which can include topics like puberty, STIs, contraception,

在這個問題上，一個真正重要的挑戰是，性教育，可以包括青春期、性病、避孕等話題。

is still, shall we say, not the best. In the U.S. for example, federal oversight of sex education is extremely limited, and that means that

我們可以說，它仍然不是最好的。例如，在美國，聯邦對性教育的監督是極其有限的，這意味著

different states can exclude certain subjects. And only some states even require the material to be medically accurate.

不同的州可以排除某些科目。而且只有一些州甚至要求這些材料在醫學上是準確的。

I mean, I went to high school in rural Virginia. They didn't teach us how to put a tampon in, much less tell us that seeing clumps of tissue in your period is normal—

我的意思是，我在弗吉尼亞州農村上的高中。他們沒有教我們如何使用衛生棉條，更沒有告訴我們在月經中看到組織塊是正常的。

which it is, by the way and could've saved me a teenage freak out or five if they had some comprehensive, medically relevant information, my goodness!

如果他們有一些全面的、與醫學相關的資訊，我的天啊！這就是，如果他們有一些全面的、與醫學相關的資訊，我就可以拯救我一個或五個青少年的怪胎了。

And it's a question of priorites, whether it's in education, whether it's in our pop culture,

這是一個優先權的問題，無論是在教育方面，還是在我們的流行文化方面。

whether there are songs written about it, like there, how many songs are there written about menstruation?

是否有關於它的歌曲，比如有，有多少歌曲是關於月經的？

I mean at least half the population experiences it. So it's not prioritized culturally, it could be.

我的意思是，至少有一半的人經歷過這種情況。所以它在文化上沒有被優先考慮，它可以被優先考慮。

And that's just it. Hopefully a more open conversation about periods and the menstrual cycle as a whole will inspire more research and

而這只是它。希望關於月經和整個月經週期的更開放的對話將激發更多的研究和

better answers to all of the questions we still have about them.

更好地回答我們對他們仍然存在的所有問題。

And on a more individual level, connecting with exactly what's happening in your body as you ride out that menstrual cycle

而在更多的個人層面上，當你度過月經週期時，與你的身體所發生的確切情況相聯繫。

can help you make decisions about your everyday and long-term health—

可以幫助你做出有關你的日常和長期健康的決定。

like what contraception to use, what impacts other medications may be having on your body, and more.

如使用什麼避孕措施，其他藥物可能對你的身體產生什麼影響，以及更多。

Thanks so much for watching Seeker's new series Body Language. I hope you've enjoyed this video.

非常感謝您觀看Seeker的新系列《身體語言》。我希望你喜歡這個視頻。

And if there's another women's health topic you want us to cover, leave us a comment. I'll see you next time!

如果你想讓我們報道其他的女性健康話題，請給我們留言。我們下次再會!