Why hello there! This blog is for the curious females who want to know the rhyme to reason to their physiology. Although I am not an expert on the subject of reproductive health, it is essential for me to explain as much as I can to my clients, and to you, so that you may move forward empowered in understanding the why’s behind your energy, moods, inclinations, etc.
This blog will be broken down into 4 parts, essentially highlighting the 4 phases of the female reproductive cycle. I understand that some of you reading may not find this directly relatable to you (perimenopausal or postmenopausal), however it may give you a few ‘light-bulb; moments as to why at certain times in your reproductive years you experienced a disconnection from your innate mechanisms. More importantly, if you’re a mom or a mom-to-be, you can be ready for when your daughter needs this information so that she may thrive when it’s time for her to enter womanhood. I also implore you to read my blog post Women’s Health Crisis Part 1: The Pill, which speaks on topics surrounding the negative effects of birth control. Knowledge is power, and if you can take in the information and help those closest to – it’s a win in my book.
Menstrual Phase
The menstrual phase, according to the majority of health professionals, is considered Phase 4 of the cycle (some say Phase 1). Alisa Vitti describes it as your ‘second clock’ (infradian rhythm), which highlights the hormonal changes in a women’s cycle and how interconnected they are with our ‘first clock’ (24hr circadian rhythm in which we sleep, eat regular meals, interact with the sun, etc.).
We are starting here because this is what most women are familiar with. Their period comes, and that is our sole reminder than we are female & experience life & physicality different than men. However, we’ll see throughout these informational posts that our functions, energy, & capabilities still differ greatly from males during the other 3 phases of the cycle.
Here are some general facts that you may already be aware of:
Menstrual Phase
Duration: 3-7 days
REST
‘winter’ season
New Moon
Hormones are at an all-time low. Can you feel it? Low energy, lethargy, ambition has left the body. Leave me alone.
Your body finally does what it was gearing up to do in the luteal phase. The corpus luteum gets reabsorbed & progesterone leaves the building. Thereafter, the endometrial lining of your uterus is shed over the course of 3-7 days. There is a rise & fall in estrogen right before the menses, which signals to the hypothalamus that you’ll embark on another cycle.
Jessica Ash Wellness says that your period is your monthly report card. It can tell us by the consistency, volume, color, and duration how well you nourished yourself & respected your circadian and infradian rhythm during the other weeks of the month (and months before).
You don’t need me to tell you that this is your REST Phase. I am guilty of ignoring my hormonal pleas to rest, but it’s seriously important to lean into this feeling, avoid stimulants, and decline plans on top of what you already have to do.
This is a perfect time to slow down and look inward. The thoughts & feelings that arise during this time have intelligence to them, but I will also note that a heavy amount of intense emotions could also signify hormonal imbalance (or a great need for emotional RELEASE). During your menses, the right & left hemispheres of the brain have open communication with each other. Using your right feeling side and your left analytical side, you can more effectively analyze certain relationships & aspects of your life to perhaps make some changes when you’re ready to bloom out of your menstrual-cocoon.
If you’re in a balanced place, you can reflect & recharge & sleep to your hearts delight, especially during the beginning when your energy may feel the lowest. As far as my social decisions, I tend to want to withdraw & be alone. If I do socialize, it’s with friends who are like-minded & know I am not going to be outgoing Bee – I just want to have meaningful conversation in a chill setting.
NUTRITION
So, what do you eat? The answer may be obvious – because it’s usually where your cravings align.
One time, I ordered 20 chicken wings the day before I got my period. When I woke up to see that I entered into Phase 4, I was relieved that my animalistic behavior made sense. And this is what these blog posts are all about. Understanding that women aren’t inconsistent because we lack will power or can’t seem to commit to one thing. It’s that we are inconsistent because our hormones are – and riding the flow of them instead of subduing them is KEY to being a healthy, lively, well-rounded lady in society.
If at the time I was more in-the-know, I would have eaten more sufficiently in my luteal phase in so that I didn’t order inflammatory fried protein in high volume. You live & you learn!
Since hormones are low, you will feel more inclined to receive energy from protein-rich foods & increase stabilizing sources of healthy fats. This will really assist in keeping your mood & energy stable as your body goes through the tremendous effort of shedding that lining.
-WARMING FOODS (cooked foods; don’t make your GI work harder than it has to!)
-NUTRIENT-DENSE FOODS
Iron-rich foods (grass-finished red meat)
Antioxidant rich-seasonal fruit (berries, watermelon, pomegranate, grapes)
Variety of fish + seafood (oysters, salmon, etc.)
Kelp, nori
Avocado
Bone broth
Organ meats
-FIBER-RICH FOODS (to support digestive functions, keep blood sugar steady, etc.)
Buckwheat
Wild rice
Chestnuts
Pumpkin + flax seeds
Beets
Sweet Potatoes
Kidney Beans
Shiitake mushrooms
-TEAS
Ginger
Red raspberry leaf
Nettle leaf
Chamomile
Turmeric
-COMFORT FOODS
Dark chocolate (sweetened with stevia or natural sweetener)
Dates (magnesium + potassium rich, enjoy with nut butter to reduce glucose spike)
Nutritionist-recommended menstrual phase foods consist of stews, curries, warm bowls (kidney beans or rice on bottom, some kale, strips of steak, a simple dressing, etc.), raw milk heated with some black strap molasses, soups, teas, etc.
When you focus on your amino acid intake during this phase, it can actually set you up for success for the ovulatory phase. Dietary fats & fatty acids can increase the release of progesterone & estrogen, as well as improve egg & embryo quality.
Drink plenty of quality water to help in hydration. What you DON’T want to do is over-drink or under-drink. Over-consumption depletes minerals in the body, and under-consumption has many consequences that will affect your cycle and quality life. If you’re still drinking tap water or have a lame Brita filter, please see my Affiliates Page for water filters I recommend (Therasage has TheraH20 which is better for smaller families, and Vollara has Living Water better for larger families). Filtered, structured water is best.
HERBS + SUPPLEMENTS
There is a lot out there and it is easy to get overwhelmed. With my clients, I focus on the basics first & foremost. Here are my top 3 favorite supplements to balance those hormones. Note, supplementation does not replace a quality diet.
Magnesium
Magnesium is the cofactor for over 600 different enzymatic reactions in the body. So, duh, it’s important. It’s also one of the most common mineral depletions in America, as over 80% of us are depleted since our food sucks, our soil is depleted, and we live a stressed/busy lifestyle.
When a client comes to me and they are not taking a quality magnesium, one of the first things I do is recommend one that’s in alignment with their biological needs. (Aka, if someone leans towards constipation, I recommend a type that can promote healthy bowel movements. If someone has difficulty in concentration, I recommend a type that crosses the blood-brain barrier for optimal efficiency!).
Of course, you can also increase magnesium-rich foods in your diet at this time, such as salmon and dark leafy greens.
If you’re a female who experiences difficult menses (cramps, pain, mood swings, etc.), it will greatly help you to bring your magnesium levels to an optimal place. See my Fullscript account to have access to medical-grade supplements at 30% off.
Chaste Berry Extract, or Vitex
A Functional Doctor friend of mine reminded me how powerful this supplement is at safely balancing female hormones, especially when trying to rebalance after years of birth control use.
For help in achieving a healthy estrogen-to-progesterone balance, this is a safe & effective supplement to promote overall female hormonal health.
Omega 3’s
To ease any PMS symptoms, Omega-3 supplementation might be your answer.
It’s been shown to reduce the common symptoms of breast tenderness, headaches, joint pain, fatigue, bloating, etc. If you struggle mentally around your period, omega-3 supplementation can greatly relieve feelings of anxiety, depression, and irrational moods.
This is basically a much more safe & beneficial version of ibuprofen – but our body does require patience + consistency. Ibuprofen blocks prostaglandins which cause pain…but, they also have other important roles in the body which is why it’s important not to inhibit this pathway. It may take 3 months for omega-3 to have a greater impact in the body. There are no such thing as overnight fixes!
My favorite Omega 3 supplement is OmegAvail Ultra by Designs for Health (high potency, and no fishy aftertaste!). Nordic Naturals and Metagenics (liquid OmegaGenics) are also ones I recommend.
These are general recommendations, not medical advice!
MOVEMENT
So, you don’t actually have to be a couch potato during Phase 4. However, you definitely should not be doing intense exercises. I was always very frustrated as a collegiate athlete; it did not matter if it was the hardest day of my menstrual cycle – athletes have to push through & ignore the absence of hormones & energy.
Now, having more control in my adult years, I can do what feels good. Here are some examples that you can choose when you’re in Phase 4:
-LIGHT CARDIO
-LOW IMPACT PILATES
-WALKING (30min per day)
-SWIMMING
-FOAM ROLLING
-STRETCHING
-BREATHWORK
Circulation is very important. Stagnation is disease! The more we move, the better our filtration / detoxification pathways can do their job. Women, through menstruation, have the miraculous ability to detox. Next time your period comes, thank your body for its ability to perform such a feat. God made us special & it’s a blessed mechanism – we just have to learn how to work with it instead of against it.
WITH THE FLOW: What this post highlights. Alignment with Diet & Lifestyle with supportive supplementation.
AGAINST THE FLOW: excessive + forceful exercise, a ton of refined carbs, caffeine + sugar (energy drinks), ibuprofen, lack of sleep/rest, lashing out at others instead of taking alone time, birth control, fasting
Thank you for joining me in learning about the least-riveting of the phases. Truly, there’s not much to do here except ignore your responsibilities, eat, breathe, & relax. If your Phase 4 is not as simple as this, you may want to consider working with me to get to the root cause of your PMS symptoms.
If you are a women who feels that she could benefit from Holistic Nutritional Counseling, please feel comfortable enough to shoot me a text at 845-389-6252, and I can talk to you more about what great things to expect out of working one-on-one with me.
Ready to dive in? Head to my Services Page to book directly with me, Bee Westwood, MScN.
Health Coaching Session – If you’re looking to ‘brush-up’ your diet & lifestyle for a specific goal.
Nutrition & Lifestyle Plan – If you’re a problem child with a whole lot of health concerns, questions, & complications. I’ll make you a customized integrative plan & you’ll see amazing breakthroughs as we work closely together!
