Over half of women who menstruate experience period pain (dysmenorrhea) for one to two days every month. Even though period pain can mean headaches or general discomfort, the pain is typically caused by menstrual cramps.
Menstrual cramps occur when your uterus contracts to shed the uterine lining. This can cause pain in your stomach, lower back, groin, or upper thighs. Dealing with cramps every month can be as frustrating as it is painful. Luckily, there are many remedies that might help you relieve period cramps. One of the remedies is the Monthly Calm, a soft gel to provide period pain relief, and calm premenstrual tension.
Monthly Calm is a remedy of Create Better Days CBD, founded by Tracy Wogman. It contains Cramp Bark, Chamomile, Fennel, and Magnesium, all contained in a 25mg CBD capsule. A natural alternative to over the counter painkillers. How does it work? How did she start with this? That’s what we will talk about in this article.
Firstly, could you tell us what CBD is and how you first get interested in it? How did this lead to you founding your business?
Little did I realise about 3 years ago, that a trip to visit my sister in America and two hastily picked magazines grabbed at London Heathrow airport would lead me to founding Createbetterdayscbd.
My sister lives in California and as I live in London, we decided that we would meet up halfway in New York for a girly week together.
I got on the plane, settled into my seat, (not so comfortably it transpired), and started to read the magazines. Both it turned out had articles about what was then the emerging CBD market and its numerous wellness benefits. By the time I had landed at JFK my interest had been piqued about cannabidiol oil, which I learned is naturally present in hemp leaves and has been recognised as possessing calming, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. This is due to its interaction with receptors in the brain but without the intoxicating element associated with cannabis.
I met up with my sister at the hotel and I complained to her about my sore neck due to the way that I had been sitting on the journey. She suggested that I tried some of her CBD oil that she had found helpful after a minor gym injury. I couldn’t believe the coincidence that I had just been reading about CBD and its benefits on the flight over and here was the opportunity to try some for myself! The benefit that I received from those not too pleasant tasting drops spurred me on to investigate CBD further and the founding of Create Better Days Ltd.
What makes your brand or product unique in this emerging industry of CBD?
Having had brutal period pains and PMT throughout my adult life, I’ve always been on the lookout for the best period pain relief product on the market. Since learning about cannabidiol, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, I came to the realisation that while there were a ton of CBD products out there and an abundance of period pain products, there was a gap in the market that hadn’t yet been explored: a natural CBD product alternative to over the counter pain killers that would be able to reduce period discomfort and soothe tension. I developed Monthly Calm for that specific reason.
Whilst CBD oil is predominately sold in liquid form, I consciously decided that Monthly Calm should be in the form of a small-sized soft gel capsule that would make it easier for the body to absorb and use it more effectively. Each capsule contains cramp bark, magnesium, fennel, chamomile and a measured accurate dosage of 25mg CBD.
I chose these ingredients because they are known to help balance emotions, ease tension, and in the case of magnesium, reduce food cravings.
The great thing about it being in a soft gel capsule is that it eliminates any worries about spilling the contents of a liquid tincture or exceeding the recommended dosage. It also means that there is no odour and no horrible aftertaste!
Our slimline packaging fits through your letterbox and is also fully recyclable making our product environmentally friendly.
In terms of the market for your product, what would you say is your target demographic?
Women between the ages of 18- 45 years of age.
Women have approximately 450 periods in their lifetime and whilst some are never bothered by their periods, others are affected badly by unpleasant to very severe symptoms. It is these women that experience those same issues every month, just as I did, whom I want to help.
What are some of the challenges you have had to face with marketing CBD in the UK?
CBD marketing and its use is tightly regulated. The most challenging aspect of selling CBD in the UK currently is that we cannot make any references to medical claims or suggestions. We have to reiterate that our CBD products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Where do you see the use of CBD in ten years?
What is particularly exciting about CBD is its infinite uses: it’s a product that easily finds application in multiple industries at once. Its numerous wellness benefits appeal to health businesses, beauty brands as well as to food & beverage producers – not to mention for your pets. I am hopeful that over the next ten years as CBD moves further into the mainstream, more people will be much educated with regard to the benefits of CBD. I see the compound will be much more established and I hope that there will be a trade body set up to regulate the market which will help to shake off some of the stigma of this ingredient.
I expect also more chic packaging of CBD goods to emerge – I think that we can do a whole lot better than the green and brown tones of the packaging that predominate with images of cannabis leaves!
Tell us something about your background. Share with us some advice from your work experience that has helped you where you are right now
I worked as a Trader in the City of London and loved the challenges and opportunities that the job brought with it. However, with the long hours I found it hard to navigate a career alongside motherhood and reluctantly had to leave.
I have learnt that the best career opportunities often came out of interactions outside of the office and quickly learned to join the guys for an afterwork drink, whether I felt like one or not. I also learnt not to be too easily offended. Working in a male dominated industry some very close to the mark comments were often banded around. I learnt to stay cool and have a few witty repartees that I could fire back at them.
Being the only woman trader on the desk, I was once asked by one of the directors about the teams’ morale and whilst initially I thought the only reason that he asked me was because being a woman I would be more understanding, I soon realised the he valued my opinion which lead to a better position within the company. Listening to people, empathising with them and preventing potential problems are useful qualities, both in the workplace and outside of it.
How do you start your day?/Do you have a special routine to keep you in top form – physically and mentally
Having a good morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. I treat myself to about 10 minutes of snuggling up under the covers before I get out and once up, immediately open the blinds to let in the daylight. I have learnt not to dive straight into e-mails, texts, and social media as I found it too much of a hectic way to start the day but to have some breakfast with a lovely cup of tea. Once energised, I answer my emails, make a few phone calls and set myself some achievable goals that I would like to accomplish for the day.
Working from home these past few months due to the coronavirus pandemic, has made me realise the need for structure and breaks throughout the working day in order to be productive.
My new routine is to work in the morning and have a long break at lunch time – I either go to the gym, go horse riding or some days I just go for a walk around the block. I return, with renewed vigour for an afternoon of zoom meetings with colleagues.
I log off at the same time each day and look forward to chatting with my husband about his day in the office. In the evenings I tend to batch cook, participate in an online course, watch copious amounts of tv or try to improve my crochet and knitting skills – one day I hope to make a project with less than 3 mistakes in it!!
Tell us about your proudest achievement?
I am proudest of the way my husband and I have parented our 4 sons – we have wonderful children!