Phases of the menstrual cycle
In honour of International Women’s Day on 8th March, let explore the phases of the menstrual cycle.
Women are incredible, and so are our bodies. We wax and wane as we go through cycles, which makes us different women on any given day.
When we understand and respect this cycle, we learn how to adapt our lives to utilise our potential at the right times, and nourish ourselves when needed.
The menstrual cycle is made up of 4 phases; Menstruation (our period), pre-ovulation (follicular phase), ovulation, and pre-menstrual (luteal phase).
Menstruation - “Dream Phase” (Days 1-7)
Season: Winter. Moon Phase: New moon. Movement: Stretch, walk, go slow. Eat: Smoothies, soups, broths, carbs and foods rich in iron and B vitamins.
This is the time for rest, to nurture and nourish yourself to restore and going internally to reflect. Sleep in. Allow yourself to dream about what you want to grow and give life to, and what you want to let go of to create space. Minimise workload and social engagement.
Follicular Phase - “Do Phase” (Days 7-12)
Season: Spring. Moon Phase: Waxing moon. Movement: New and challenging, Pilates and yoga. Eat: Fresh, colourful fruits and vegetables, lightly cooked. Lean protein and wholegrain.
Explore new things and be bold, have fun, organise, plan and write down goals to put in action. Time for growing self-esteem. Try not to overcommit yourself as it can lead to feeling overwhelmed.
Ovulation - “Give Phase” (Days 13-16)
Season: Summer. Moon Phase: Full moon. Movement: High impact physical activities, group classes. Eat: Fresh, colourful fruits and vegetables, lightly cooked. Plenty of fibre and less carbohydrates.
Turn your ideas into action. With your energy high and abundance around to give to others, communicate, socialise, connect and celebrate. Schedule meetings and events. Remember to not give all your energy away.
Luteal Phase - “Take Phase” (Days 17-28)
Season: Autumn. Moon Phase: Waning moon. Movement: Dance, run. Eat: Cooked meals, increase complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Plenty of leafy greens and cruciferous veggies.
Listen to your intuition that may be telling you to slow down and go inwards. Nest, lots of self-care and self-love. Set boundaries, express yourself with grace. Be gentle with yourself and to those around you.
It may seem like sometimes you are on a rollercoaster of emotions that you have no control over, but keep in mind that women are made different, and this is our strength.
Listen to these inner cycles and live your life accordingly. Give yourself some grace, don’t expect to smash out an F45 workout while on your menstrual phase but instead do the things that make you feel good and supported. Eat the right foods to fuel these phases and prepare for the next.
Symptoms like PMS, low energy, mood swing, insomnia, anxiety, depression, cravings, fluid and weight retention, breast tenderness and period cramps can all be signs that your lifestyle choices, exercise or nutrition may not be supporting your menstrual phases, or even your daily hormonal cycles (for another blog post).
If you want to learn more about your menstrual cycle and what you can do to support these phases, reach out and work with The Modern Naturopath in clinic or via an online Zoom consultation.