Everything “Cycle Syncing” but first…

Women get a “Bad Rap” and I think we all know why. Women are often considered to be too “emotional”, “moody”, “hormonal”  and other sexist terms that just aren’t meant to be flattering. 

Urban Dictionary even describes “Emotional” as:

 “Emotional describes someone who has shown a valid human response to a situation. This word is often misused to describe emotionally intelligent women in the workplace. There is a well-documented history of women being labeled as ‘emotional’ and ‘hysterical’ and therefore not equipped to lead.”

Even presidential candidates fear being judged as emotional:

“It’s a really delicate balancing act—to be yourself, to express yourself, to let your feelings show, but not in a way that triggers all of the negative stereotypes.” –Hillary Clinton

After a difficult client meeting, Jane became emotional. One of her male colleagues rolled his eyes and the other went over to see if she was okay.

There’s this pervasive idea, at least in Western culture, that steadiness and unchanging-ness are the norm, and what’s more, they’re the standard of goodness. 

Women throughout history have tried, and often failed, to live up to societal expectations of steadfastness. Those who do live up to the standard are usually just naturally low-key individuals who don’t express their emotions as dramatically as some other their sisters might (insert me 🙋🏻‍♀️)

Ladies, I’m here to tell you, and your gentleman too, that we’ve been done a disservice. Yes, our moods change throughout the month. Yes, our hormones aren’t the same everyday like men. And guess what?! There’s not a damn thing wrong with this! 

Our moods aren’t simply “emotional” changes that come from being “weak,” “fragile,” or “easily influenced,”. Very often our moods signify physiological changes from our hormones that bring about perceivable differences in our bodies and minds. 

So, not only is it ok to not live on a twenty-four hour cycle as if every day was the same, it’s healthy. 

Ok, rant over! Let’s get into it. 

Well… That Was A Lot! What’s This Cycle Syncing All About Anyways?..

We’re talking cycle syncing, that’s the practice of women taking their monthly cycle into account when planning their daily, weekly, and monthly calendar events, workouts and meals. 

We’ll learn together what the phases of our monthly cycle are (in case you’re unsure) and how they impact our minds and bodies. We’ll discuss how these phases can change our preferred activities and why it’s important to listen to those bodily cues. 

Finally, we’ll get into ways that women can learn to live more at one with their bodies. It ain’t just a man’s world, it’s ours too, and our biology deserves its own place in our cultures and schedules. 

Cycle Syncing, Let’s Get To It

A woman’s monthly cycle has 4 phases: Menstrual, Follicular, Ovalutory, and Luteal.

Each of these phases is (are) marked by distinct hormonal changes  that drive the cycle through each stage, but they also drive the body through other changes as well. Depending on what phase of your cycle you’re in, you may feel more or less energetic, creative, hungry, emotional, sexual, anxious etc…

The goal of cycle syncing is to help your body move through the difficult periods with grace and kindness, and to harness the energy of the more pleasant periods. This type of specialized attention can help your body feel more cared for and function more effectively. 

For Example: During your menstrual phase you’re losing blood, therefore, energy, oxygen, iron etc… Choosing foods high in protein, iron, and complex carbs can help you to stay nourished and energized. 

On the other hand during your ovulatory phase, you may feel energetic, playful, and even sexy! Choosing light foods such as, fresh veggies and smoothies may help you hold onto those feelings and keep you from getting unnecessarily weighed down, in an otherwise pleasant hormone period. 

Now that we’re equipped with this tidbit, let’s get into the phases and how you can improve your experience with them through cycle syncing.

Menstrual Phase & Cycle Syncing

I think most people are familiar with the menstrual phase, it’s when Aunt Flo comes to visit. There’s more to this phase than tampons and chocolate though. 

During the menstrual phase, a woman’s body is shedding the uterine lining that she has spent considerable energy developing over the past weeks. In this process of shedding, the uterus must heal all the points of blood vessel contact between the shed lining and the uterus, so inflammation is naturally high in the body at this time. 

In addition to the physiological implications of this process, there are hormonal effects as well. Both estrogen and progesterone are low at this time, which is likely to make you feel tired, and uninspired, on top of the physical symptoms of cramps, bloating, fatigue, etc. 

We know that women vary dramatically in their ability to cope with this particular phase of the cycle. Fortunately, there are ways we can improve our experience of Aunt Flo’s visit with cycle syncing.

• Stay hydrated. Our bodies use a lot of fluid to generate inflammation for healing and we also lose a lot in our menses. Dehydration can worsen feelings of tiredness and even contribute to period-related constipation, which worsens menstrual cramps and bloating.
  
  

• Eat to combat inflammation and promote healing. Choosing to eat anti-inflammatory foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices can help lessen the inflammation and pain that accompany this time of the month.
  
  

• We should also make sure that we’re getting plenty of iron and B vitamins, since bleeding, regardless of the cause, depletes these nutrients and can contribute to fatigue or even cause anemia. To get more of these nutrients, choose foods like mushrooms, fish, walnuts, peanuts, and dark leafy greens. You can also choose to supplement with a B-vitamin complex and/or an omega-3.
  
  

• Many women find it helpful to choose warm, cooked foods at this time, since they are easy to digest and absorb. It’s just one more way to take it easy on your body and treat it gently. So, if you notice that large salads and other raw foods just don’t sit well during your menstruation phase, this can be a very soothing way to care for yourself.
  
  

• Don’t do any huge, creative projects unless you have to. You’re unlikely to feel inspired, energetic, or creative. If you can, choose to complete tasks that take less creative power, and the simpler the better.
  
  

• Take it easy on your body when it comes to exercise. Your body is already working really hard during the menstrual phase, so exercise should be gentle and slow.  Many women find that walking, yoga, stretching, or very light weight training are best at this time. Save the cardio and heavy lifting for later.
  
  
  
  

Follicular Phase & Cycle Syncing

Ah, the follicular phase. That golden time of flat tummy and boundless energy. If only every day were a follicular day. 

The follicular phase is the time when the body is preparing an egg for fertilization. One of the many eggs in a woman’s body is selected to be matured, so that she can ovulate and become pregnant later in her cycle. 

During this time, estrogen is rising and progesterone is low. Since the female body loves estrogen, you’re likely going to feel very good during this phase. You may feel more energetic, inspired, creative, and social.

As with all phases of the cycle, there are ways that you can alter your lifestyle to maximize benefits and minimize unwanted effects.

• If you’re trying to conceive, or even if you’re just leaving it up to fate, now is a great time to nourish your developing egg to give it the best chance at a healthy life, should it turn into a pregnancy. To improve your egg quality, focus on getting lots of healthy fats and antioxidants. This means eating foods like eggs, nuts, seeds, fish, berries, cruciferous vegetables, and leafy greens. Color is key right now!
  
  

• Many women find it helpful to lean into that light, energetic feeling by choosing to eat a lot of salads, smoothies, and other raw, light foods. You may also find that you crave less carbs during this time and prefer to eat more lean proteins and non-starchy vegetables. Go for it! 
  
  

• If you really want to cash in on the estrogen phase, you can increase the effects by eating a diet rich in phytoestrogens during this time. Phytoestrogens are molecules found in plant foods that are very similar to human estrogen and many of them produce similar effects in the body when we eat enough of them. Foods high in phytoestrogens include soy products such as edamame, tofu, tempeh, and soy milk, flax seeds (not flax oil), strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, peaches, wheat bran, cruciferous vegetables, and dried fruits.
  
  

• Now is a chance to harness your creative energy and work on projects that require lots of thought and collaboration. This is a great time to prioritize work that takes a lot of energy, creativity, and focus. So, write that blog post, paint that portrait, or fine-tune that recipe. You can do paperwork later.
  
  

• You’re probably gonna have energy to move your body right now, so party on! This phase is a time for long runs, HIIT workouts, and strength training. You’ll probably have better endurance and are likely to make bigger gains. (Studies show that strength training in the follicular and ovulatory phases builds more muscle than in the luteal phase). 
  
  
  
  

Ovulatory Phase & Cycle Syncing

The ovulatory is the best and shortest phase. It’s technically the end of the follicular phase, and in this time the mature egg is released from the ovary and into the fallopian tube where it waits for sperm to come and fertilize it.

Estrogen peaks in this phase and progesterone remains low. Most women feel frisky, sexually aroused, energetic, creative, and social during this time.

In this phase, recommendations will be very similar to the Follicular phase, but with a couple of distinct differences. 

• Continue eating to nourish your egg and your reproductive system. Choose to eat healthy fats like olive oil and omega-3s, and antioxidants like berries and leafy greens. In this phase you’ll want to start increasing your water intake to support the coming luteal phase as well.
  
  

• You can continue to prioritize light, bright foods like salads and smoothies, but if you find that you’re starting to crave warm, cooked foods, listen to your body and give it what it’s asking for. Some women find it helpful to start transitioning in this time by including more cooked, starchy vegetables in their diet such as carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, and winter squash.
  
  

• Our estrogen is peaking at this time, so this is the last chance to really cash in on that high for the month. If you’ve been reaping the benefits of including lots of phytoestrogen foods, you can continue that for just a little bit longer.
  
  

• Now is the time to finish up your creative, high-energy projects. Your ovulatory phase signals the last 2-3 days of this highly productive time, so you might want to finish things up before your body starts to slow down both mentally and physically. 
  
  

• Even if you’re trying for a baby, don’t be afraid of those high intensity workouts at this time. Your body has lots of energy, so use it! You can continue to enjoy the same exercises as in the follicular phase.
  
  
  
  

Luteal Phase & Cycle Syncing

When you enter the luteal phase, your body is preparing for a possible pregnancy. The lining of your uterus is growing thick with tissue and blood, so that a baby can implant and feel all cozy and safe. 

When you exit the ovulation phase and enter the luteal phase, your estrogen levels drop like a rock. Then, estrogen and progesterone rise together, with progesterone being the dominant hormone. You’re likely to have less energy both physically and mentally, and you’ll likely be feeling bloated as well. 

This is also a time when you’re likely to be feeling hungrier than before and you’re also likely to want more carbs. Thou shalt not come between a woman and her pizza!

Fortunately, taking good care of your body during this time can help to minimize unpleasant side effects.

 

• As stated above, you may be feeling hungrier than usual, and that’s totally normal. If you’re hungry, then eat! Your body is working hard and you are burning more calories in this phase of your cycle. 
  
  

• Start incorporating more complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, peas, and corn. These nutrient rich, energy rich foods will help keep the fatigue and cravings at bay.
  
  

• If you find that you often get cramps during this phase, you can continue to prioritize omega-3s and antioxidants to help keep your pain levels down. And, of course, since bloating is usually a part of this phase, avoid eating lots of salt, which will aggravate any bloating you experience.
  
  

• If you haven’t done so already, start transitioning to more cooked foods and fewer raw ones. The extra fiber you’ll get from these foods may also help to rid your body of any excess estrogen that could make the luteal phase more unpleasant and less balanced.
  
  

• Since progesterone is the dominant hormone at this time, you’re going to want to try and accomplish as many tasks as you can early in the day, since you won’t have the same kind of mental stamina you had in the follicular and ovulatory phases. You’re likely to feel slow and kind of foggy. In fact, progesterone is the hormone that contributes most heavily to “pregnancy brain” since it’s dominant in pregnancy as well. We ladies are susceptible to “luteal phase brain.”
  
  

• Now is the time to return to a more gentle exercise routine that focuses on activities like walking, gentle yoga, and light weight lifting. Remember, your body is doing a lot, so don’t feel the need to compensate for extra calories by going on long runs or doing crossfit. Be kind to yourself.
  
  
  
  

Cycle Syncing, Embrace Your Womanhood 

Whether you’ve decided cycle syncing is the path for you or not, I hope that this post has inspired you to embrace your femininity in all its phases and changeability. 

The heart of cycle syncing is to listen to your body and to give it what it needs in order to thrive and move through life with grace. It’s a practice that owns who we are as women, and no birth control or irregular cycle can take that opportunity away. 

So, let’s make a move to support ourselves and our sisters emotionally and physically as we acknowledge our unique physiology and strive to make space for it in our lives and culture. 

In parting, remember that eating healthy, whole foods, and lots of plant foods is one of the simplest, safest, and most effective things we can do to promote good health in our bodies. As with every preventative/restorative measure though, sometimes these changes alone are not enough to help our bodies function the way we want or need them to. If you are struggling with health problems, please contact your doctor or other healthcare provider such as a Naturopathic Doctor, Dietitian, or Mental Health Professional, to see if they can offer appropriate guidance and care.