The Embody your Cycle Series || Part One
Prepping for your Internal Winter
Hello my loves & welcome back! Today’s post is part one of the Embody your Cycle Series. This series is for anyone with a menstrual cycle looking to become more in tune with the natural rhythm of their body. Syncing my nutrition and movement with my cycle has been something I have been working with for about nine months now and let me tell you, it has completely changed the game for my period and digestive health. This time last year, I was struggling with a face full of hormonal acne, severe bloating, and painful periods. While I still experience some degree of hormonal acne, the bloating and painful periods have diminished.
Luteal phase is the longest phase of the menstrual cycle beginning at about day 15 and ending around day 28. Luteal phase is associated with our internal fall so it is all about tying up loose ends and preparing our bodies for our internal winter. As you begin to track and follow your cycle, you will notice a significant change in the way you look and feel during this time. This is because at the beginning of your luteal phase, your sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone) are at their peak and by the end they significantly drop, leading to menstruation when they are at their lowest point. This profound decrease in our sex hormones causes a noticeable decrease in energy, desire for productivity, and socialization.
Since we were little girls, we were taught by the females in our families that the luteal phase can be the worst 1-2 weeks of our month. Also known as PMS, luteal phase gets a bad rep for moodiness, insatiable hunger, and exhaustion. And while I can attest to all of these symptoms, it is important that we are aware that these are just symptoms meaning it is our body's way of telling us that something is wrong. PMS symptoms are not supposed to be a monthly occurrence, however, they have been increasingly normalized to the point where we don’t even question them anymore. So then why do a majority of us experience PMS symptoms? Because we are not properly honoring each phase of our cycle through nutrition, movement, and productivity.
The world that we live in was intentionally designed to honor the 24 hour hormonal cycle of a male and while that may have worked hundreds of years ago when women were only nurturers and caregivers, it no longer supports the world we live in today. Women were not designed to move, eat, and work the same exact way every single day. Women are meant to structure their lives in accordance to their 28 day cycle. Do you ever notice towards the end of your cycle that your 9-5 is draining you? Do you ever dread a high intensity workout right before your period? That is because you are not meant to move through these highly intense stressors right before menstruation. By not honoring this, we are causing an increase in unpleasant PMS symptoms.
So how do we fully support our bodies during the luteal phase & prepare for menstruation?
First things first: we have to slow the fuck down. Unless you are self-employed, this may not be possible in your work life. When it comes to your job, do the best that you can to slow yourself down. That means, finish up any big projects you are working on, avoid beginning new projects, say no when you can, don’t skip your lunch, and take breaks when needed. Something that really supports me at my 9-5 during this phase in my cycle is taking a short walk after lunch. This gets me outside, in the sun, and away from my work. It also allows me to rest and recharge so I can go back into work feeling motivated and refreshed.
Not only should we be slowing down at work, we should be slowing down with our movement. This means, replace Orange Theory or Soul Cycle for pilates, power yoga, and weight training. At the tail end of your luteal phase, listen to your body as much as possible. If you are nearing exhaustion, skip the power yoga class and go for a walk. One of my favorites during this time is a restorative yoga class on AloMoves (your first month is free). This allows you to get in some slow intentional movement without needing to leave the house.
The final way we should be preparing our bodies for menstruation is through nutrition. During the luteal phase, we should be heavily focused on iron-rich foods and complex carbohydrates. During menstruation, we lose between 30-40 milliliters of blood. Consuming an adequate amount of iron prior to menstruation ensures that we don’t become iron deficient once we bleed. Our metabolism during this time is also at its peak, meaning we need to consume more complex carbohydrates to avoid sugar cravings and binge eating. Avoiding alcohol during this phase of your cycle will have a significant impact on your PMS and on the health of your period that month. I notice a complete difference in my period (little to no cramping and a lighter flow) when I avoid alcohol during my luteal phase.
While this may seem like a lot of information and not a lot of time to implement it, the health of your menstrual cycle carves the path for how you will feel physically, emotionally, and energetically all month long. Once you begin to implement these steps, you will notice how small changes to your diet, movement, and productivity impacts how you look and feel all month long. Cycle syncing is a concept that I teach in both my 1:1 and group coaching programs. If you are interested in learning more, I have a few spots left for Aligned – my group coaching program for creating conscious rituals. Send me an email or shoot me a DM on Instagram & let me know if you are interested!
xoxo ~ b
