Hormone Cycle Series: The Meaning of Menstruation
Menstruating women know firsthand how periods can affect mood, appetite, energy levels, and body temperature, but have you wondered what is actually going on inside the body?
Periods are vital markers of health, and our bodies invite us to tune in through diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Women have the amazing ability to tap into the uniqueness of each phase of their cycle to benefit not only their mind and body but their overall health.
But let’s start at the beginning with the menstrual phase.
Menstruation
The first day of bleeding (your period) marks day 1 of a new cycle and the first day of the menstrual phase. It typically lasts 3-7 days. Even though it may be the most dreaded phase, it is the perfect time to focus intentions inward. This sacred time of the month is when the membrane between the left and right hemispheres of the brain thins, making them more connected. In turn, this leads to increased communication between the hemispheres, allowing for deeper thinking.
In order for a period–or shedding of the uterine lining–to begin, there is a rapid drop in the hormone levels of progesterone and estradiol. The loss of these hormones causes the muscles of the uterine lining to contract before it is vaginally passed.
Due to the hormonal crash the body endures, many women experience overall feelings of fatigue, low mood, and breast/skin sensitivity. With the contraction of uterine muscles and the possibility of the uterine lining irritating the uterus in the shedding process, many women also experience lower abdomen and back cramping.
Menstruation: inner winter
Viewing the phases of menstruation through the lens of seasons, menstruation is the inner winter—a season (or phase) of rest, rejuvenation, introspection, and self-care. Menstruation is all about hibernation! Find ways to slow down and reflect by journaling, snuggling up with a good book or show, taking a bath, or cooking a new nourishing meal at home. There are many ways to support your inner winter and embrace the balance of living in tune with your body and with nature.
How to Support Your Menstrual Phase
We are able to unlock streams of communication with our bodies when we take the time to listen. Tuning into key markers our bodies are giving us through hunger cues, energy levels, and motivation allows us to live in alignment with our internal seasons and enhance well-being.
diet
As a functional nutritionist, I view food as a powerful tool to heal the body inside and out. Just as hormones fluctuate depending on the phase you are in, so do a woman’s nutritional needs. Focusing on foods that aid the body in each phase of your cycle will optimize hormone balance, stabilize energy, and enhance overall health!
When it comes to supporting menstruation through diet, focus on warming and nourishing foods while always prioritizing whole foods. Foods rich in iron and zinc help the body replenish lost nutrients while foods high in vitamin B and magnesium help with energy and mood balance.
Red meat
Liver
Eggs
Spinach
Kale
Broccoli
Lentils
Chickpeas
Dark Chocolate
Sweet potatoes
Avocado
Flax seeds
Chia seeds
Try out my chocolate pistachio bark recipe rich in iron from the dark chocolate and high in antioxidants and fiber from the pistachios; it is a sure-fire way to satisfy those sweet cravings!
Exercise
Along with slowing down and hibernating, menstruation involves low-impact movement. If you’re feeling particularly low in energy, that’s okay! Listen to your body and give it the rest it needs.
Stretching
Pilates
Walking
Yoga
Light resistance training
Hormones
As you have read, hormones are big controllers of our overall mood, energy, and health. Taking care of our hormones through diet, exercise, and lifestyle shifts such as seasonal living, allows us to live in tune with our mind, body, and spirit.
In order to support them, we need to understand them. My program, Root Cause Hormone Package, does a deep dive into your hormones to pinpoint symptoms and imbalances using the comprehensive DUTCH test. After receiving your results, I create a personalized plan that will help optimize nutrition and digestion, improve immune health, balance hormones, and detoxify your body so you can function at your best.
Are you ready to get to the root cause of hormonal imbalances and reveal how they impact your cycle?
Tap below to learn more!