If you are an adult woman, you have probably wondered how to balance your body through the different phases of your monthly cycle.
Perhaps you have experienced PMS or other challenges related to these natural rhythms – which are actually the source of life itself for all humans and therefore deserve all the respect, knowledge, and understanding available to us.
Here we share an overview and some tips on how you can give yourself (or a woman close to you) the best possible support to live in harmony with your body.
Four phases of wisdom and creative flow
A woman’s hormonal system moves in 28-day cycles divided into four phases: Menstruation, Follicular phase, Ovulation, and Luteal phase.
These phases affect us not only physically but also emotionally in a way designed by nature to provide the best conditions for creating new life.
If we are in balance with these phases, they don’t have to disrupt our lives – instead, they can give us a stronger connection to our body, our creativity, and to nature.
1. Follicular phase
From the end of menstruation until ovulation, we develop an egg and prepare – at least symbolically – to create new life.
Many women experience having more energy and feeling creative from the start of their menstrual cycle. It can be a good time to focus on new projects and creative ideas that come from within ourselves.
2. Ovulation
Ovulation, which occurs in the middle of the cycle, is accompanied by a sudden increase in the hormones estrogen and testosterone, which in turn affect how we feel.
During this part of the cycle, we are often more receptive to new ideas. Sexual desire also peaks for many women in this phase, and our bodies release pheromones to attract sexual attention. This is a good time for those who want to become pregnant, but also a natural time to complement our ideas with feedback from the outside world.
3. Luteal phase
The weeks after ovulation are a more evaluative and reflective time when we can look back on what has been created and on the negative or difficult aspects of our lives that need to be changed or adjusted.
This also applies to our health. During this time, you may undergo a kind of “stress test” internally that brings your imbalances to the surface. This gives you the opportunity to find solutions to your health problems. If we are especially mindful during this period, it can provide insights and healing that strengthen our entire being.
In this phase, it can be very helpful to use herbs and nutrients that support various processes. Here are some suggestions:
- PMS: Tulsi, Yarrow, Lemon balm, Chamomile, Dandelion, Ginger
- Low energy (exhaustion): Nettle, Rhodiola, Russian root, Schisandra, Astragalus, Red clover.
- Anxiety, worry, and palpitations: Lemon balm, Reishi, Schisandra, Tulsi.
- Stress: Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Russian root.
You can naturally increase the body’s progesterone level with vitamin C. Vitamin C at doses of at least 750 mg per day has been shown to raise progesterone in women. Vitamin C is a fantastic product for many different functions in the body and can also support PMS.
Studies have shown that PMS symptoms may be linked to low levels of the neurotransmitters GABA and serotonin as well as low magnesium. GABA is available as a supplement. Also, L-theanine raises levels of GABA, as well as serotonin and dopamine. If you experience stress, i.e., difficulty relaxing, L-theanine is a good idea.
The neurotransmitters GABA, dopamine, and serotonin play a major role in our mood and emotions. You can raise both serotonin and dopamine through exercise as well as sunlight, meditation, yoga, massage, sleep, and a balanced diet. So relaxation combined with the right exercise and diet plays a very important role.
4. Menstruation
Menstruation itself starts when the egg is released and cleared out (instead of, as a fertilized egg, beginning cell division). Emotionally, it is a period of rest and recovery. In many older cultures, it is completely acceptable for women to slow down during this period and rest more.
It can also be a good time, if energy allows, to organize or clean up some aspect of life; to “Kon-Mari” your home or workplace to make more room for the next creative phase.
Here too, there are simple nutritional and herbal remedies that can be helpful for:
- Menstrual pain: Turmeric, Cinnamon, Ginger, Peppermint, Fennel.
- Heavy bleeding and menstrual cramps: Lady’s mantle, Parsley, Nettle.
Magnesium helps our body relax and can relieve menstrual pain. It also helps with anxiety and stress and has many important functions in the body.
- Hot flashes: Sage, Red clover, Dandelion.
- Genital problems such as itching and yeast infections.
- Urinary tract health: D-mannose, Berberine, Lactic acid bacteria, Cranberry.
- Kidney support: Birch.
Other tips on herbs/vitamins that can positively contribute to specific challenges:
- Hormone balance: Red clover, Maca, Shilajit.
- Joint pain: Nettle and Turmeric.
- B vitamins are always worth considering. Preferably a high-quality B-complex. B-12 supports energy levels.
- Digestion: Yarrow, Peppermint, Wormwood, Dandelion, Anise, Cumin, Fennel, Artichoke.
Digestion affects our overall health. Therefore, it is important to have a well-functioning stomach. That’s where friendly gut bacteria (lactic acid bacteria) and enzymes come in, which we usually recommend to most people.
Strengthening your liver — that is, having a well-functioning, happy liver — greatly affects our health. Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol that supports the liver’s detoxification of estrogens. Indole-3-carbinol is also available as a supplement.
Herbs for the liver: Dandelion, Milk thistle, Burdock, Turmeric, Celery juice, Livatrex.
We hope you have found something that gave you inspiration and knowledge. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need advice about your specific situation and your health!
