Each month, menstruating individuals undergo hormonal fluctuations impacting physical and mental well-being. The cycle parallels seasons: menstrual phase (days 1-5, winter), follicular phase (days 6-13, spring), ovulation (around day 14, summer), and luteal phase (days 15-28, autumn) with PMS. This Blog delves into these phases and offers strategies to optimize well-being throughout the cycle.
What are hormones? Hormones are the chemical messengers of the control centres in the brain and body. Hormones control everything regulating our bodily functions, from our ability to cope with stress, to our sleep cycles, to how much energy we have, and often to those pesky sweet cravings that we experience. Hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream where they exert their effects by binding to specific receptors. They maintain balance and homeostasis within the body.
We all know that a day has 24 hours. Normally, we wake up in the morning with a rise in cortisol, which starts to drop through the day. In the evening, melatonin kicks in, telling our bodies its time to rest. Women also have an additional rhythm, our monthly cycle. This cycle is controlled by our hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone.
Our monthly cycle has as much influence on our body as the daily cycle, and just as you can optimize your day and sleep with specific protocols, you can also optimize your monthly cycle to feel your best.
A menstrual cycle begins with the first day of menstruation and ends with the beginning of the next menstruation. Cycles vary and a normal cycle can be anywhere between 24 and 38 days but the length can vary from cycle to cycle and can also change over the years, for example during times of stress or as you are in the peri-menopause transition.
When we look at our monthly cycle, we can divide it into 4 phases - like the 4 seasons.
We start in winter: Just as the year begins for us, the female cycle also starts afresh. The woman gets her period. That's why it's called the menstrual phase. During this phase, estrogen & progesterone, our sex hormones, are at a minimum. During this phase, the uterine lining that had built up during the month in preparation for a possible pregnancy, breaks down and these tissues are removed through the vagina. During this time, we get cold - literally - with our body temperature dropping by half a degree. This phase is an energy intensive time where you may experience food cravings, cramping and want to stay home and get under the covers. Just like at the turn of the year, this is the perfect moment for reflection and change.
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After the cold winter, a new time slowly awakens and grows: spring. This is our follicular phase. Estrogen levels rise as a follicle in one of the ovaries becomes the dominant follicle and is the one that is prepared to be released during ovulation. During this time, the body's resilience and desire for activity rises. (literally and metaphorically... spring feelings). Calorie demand is at its minimum, energy levels rise, and you are stress-resistant. The body behaves in this phase close to that of a man. So, revving up is allowed!
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From spring comes... summer. This is our ovulation phase. Ovulation is the release of an egg. The moment when a woman can get pregnant. This is in the middle of the cycle. Estrogen, the active hormone, is at its maximum. This is when women have the highest chance of passing on genes and as a result, evolution favours social behaviour and lots of energy, and logically a top libido. During this time, the uterine lining releases or secretes chemical substances that either promote pregnancy or break down and release the membrane that is eventually released during menstruation if no egg has been fertilised.
Recommendations:
Eat this
Include sources of fibre - think plants! Fruit, veggies, legumes, pulses, nuts, seeds and fresh herbs.
When the peak phase, our fertile ovulation, is over, autumn begins - the so-called luteal phase. The corpus luteum is the smart name for the yellow body, from which progesterone, the yellow body hormone, is then formed. And progesterone is the antagonist to estrogen, damping and protecting the body - because now it's about protecting the fragile possible pregnancy in the body. Body temperature rises, the basal metabolic rate increases by 10%, and energy is needed to build up the uterine lining - the home for the baby. Hence the insatiable hunger and craving for chocolate. To avoid gaining weight, it's even important to indulge this hunger and eat.
Before hibernation, animals increase their food intake. And you should feel inspired to do the same. Choose healthy, nourishing, whole-food options to sustain your energy levels. It’s also an idea to cut back on caffeine and alcohol around this time since they can exacerbate PMS symptoms. Because something else happens too: progesterone makes you more prone to stress. And stress (cortisol) plus a lack of food gives the body the feeling of famine, and then it wants to protect itself with fat storage. So: eat more, sleep more, less action.
Recommendations:
Eat this
Many women have found that implementing the strategies included here have helped to decrease the negative symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle, feeling more resilient and able to cope with their daily needs.
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