Ditch the hustle, it’s time to flow!
The secret to living your life in sync with your cycle to optimize productivity & reduce PMS!
Do you ever wonder why some days you wake up inspired, energized and on top of your game productive, whilst other days you lack motivation to go to the gym, have low self-esteem and all you want to do is curl up in bed and watch Netflix?
Sound’s pretty familiar right? Well the good news is, there is nothing wrong with you - there is a reason that women experience these natural fluctuations throughout the month, and it’s all to do with your menstrual cycle.
When I used to think of the menstrual cycle, I just thought about it in terms of my period showing up once a month. But in reality, the menstrual cycle is SO much more than the days of your period - it affects you every day of the month!
Our hormones fluctuate from week to week creating four very distinct phases of our menstrual cycle: the menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulatory phase and luteal phase. Heard of them?
Each phase brings shifts in our bodies physically, mentally and emotionally impacting our energy levels, mood, motivation, libido, creativity, our ability to communicate, appetite & hunger, drive for life..the list goes on. No two days are ever the same.
Yet as women, we often place unrealistic expectations and demands on ourselves to show up at the same level every single day - whether it be at work, at the gym, as a mother or partner, and when we lack the energy to do so, we blame ourselves and feel guilty.
But guess what? It’s just not possible to live this way sustainably and expect yourself to be consistently healthy and thriving!
Current society is built around the 24-hour, 9am-5pm work day and neglects the natural shifts in the female menstrual cycle and it’s the pressure to keep doing, keep working, and keep pushing that sets us up for stress, fatigue, anxiety, break down and is a big driving force behind hormonal imbalances causing menstrual symptoms such as heavy, irregular periods, PMS and cramps. If you struggle with any of this, keep reading!
Why do over 90% of women suffer from monthly period problems? Because women are never properly educated about their hormones, menstrual cycles or how to support their bodies!
This is one of the main reasons I created my business My Moonbox, to empower women with all the essential knowledge & support we should have been given when we got our first periods!
So, how do we learn to live our lives in support of our bodies and work with our hormones?
Introducing: Cycle Syncing.
A practice where you learn to align your lifestyle with the four phases of your menstrual cycle.
Do this, and you’ll improve your productivity, confidence, moods, energy, period health & every area of your life. It’s time to become more connected to your cycle and use it to your advantage instead of fighting against it.
How to sync your life with the four phases of your cycle:
Phase 1: MENSTRUAL PHASE
Productivity: Your period is an invitation to release all expectations on yourself, press the pause button and allow time to rest and reset.
Nutrition: Eat warming, iron rich, anti-inflammatory foods such as soups, stews and slow cooked meals and curry. Skip the coffee as it may worsen cramps and drink a soothing adaptogenic Turmeric Latte instead.
Exercise: Rejuvenating exercises such as yoga, walking, stretching and pilates. If your body needs to rest here, rest!
Phase 2: FOLLICULAR PHASE
Productivity: As your hormones rise, your energy levels rise too. This is the phase to make to-do lists, embrace creativity and plan for the month ahead.
Nutrition: Support estrogen metabolism and blood sugar regulation by eating more leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, as well as sprinkling seeds over your meals. Blood sugar imbalances can disrupt approaching ovulation, so be mindful of refined sugars, processed foods and alcohol.
Exercise: This is the best phase for high-intensity work-outs, HIIT, & heavy weights.
Phase 3: OVULATORY PHASE
Productivity: This is the phase where energy, motivation, confidence, mood and sex drive are at their highest (when hormones are balanced). Collaborate, initiate new projects, run meetings, solve problems and be assertive. Go after your dreams and get things done!
Nutrition: Eat lighter foods such as fresh salads, fruits, veggies, juices, smoothies. Eat foods high in vitamin B & zinc which will support ovulation - whole grains, nuts, seeds, meat.
Workout Recommendation: Do things that make you sweat. Dance, run, skip, do burpees, get your PB!
Phase 4: LUTEAL PHASE
Productivity: This is the last phase of your cycle before you enter menstruation again. Begin to wind down, do solo deep work, finish up projects and increase self-care as you’ll feel less likely to socialize during this phase.
Nutrition: Increase healthy fats such as avocado, salmon, olive oil, nuts, seeds. You may be prone to mood swings, anxiety and period pain during this phase so increase magnesium intake by eating rich foods such as spinach, legumes, cacao, and banana and by spraying magnesium oil onto your belly. Ditch the coffee which may exacerbate premenstrual mood swings and cramps, and sip on herbal teas such as raspberry leaf and cramp bark instead.
Exercise: Aim for more gentler exercises such as swimming, bike riding, brisk walking or running, or pilates.
Living in sync with your cycle leads to less stress and burn out and welcomes more flow and long-term health!
Want to discover your Period Health Type? Take this 2-minute quiz and discover what’s causing your period symptoms and a natural path to optimizing your menstrual health.
