All About Your Cycle
Living a more natural lifestyle is a big component of leading a more intentional/ mindful life. As a woman I think I have struggled the most with my cycle. Firstly, it was being told that this “pill” would make my cycle normal. Secondly, it was the feeling of taboo for wanting to adjust my life around my already given body cycles. The more I researched leading a more natural life, I found many women did not understand their cycles at all. Which gets me to this post; All About Your Cycle.
This post is for women out there that that are trying to understand their bodies better and what it is doing. Additionally, it is for the women that are sick of hormonal contraceptives, and hope they regulate your cycle when they don’t. Finally, the goal of this post is to help women with cycles to help them understand what their bodies are doing and what it is trying to tell them.
Phases
There are four phases of the menstrual cycle. Most everyone knows 2, the time we actively bleed and the time we ovulate. The luteal and follicular phase are the other two phases. Each phase is our body gearing itself up for a potential pregnancy.
There are risings and fallings of hormones. Our body prepares an egg in the ovary to travel the fallopian tube, where conception happens, to make its way down to the uterus. That egg will come to rest on the uterine wall where our body will determine if the egg is fertilized or not. If it is well, then congrats your pregnant! If not, your body will start the process of shedding the uterine lining with our, you guessed, period!
This cycle continues for our teenage, young adult, and middle adult life. Some women have a regular cycle. Others have a range of days they expect their cycle. (This is me.) It is okay if your cycle isn’t exactly on time! I never had a set day in my cycle where I got a period.
Menstrual Phase
Days 1-6 (ish)
Ground Zero. (I’m joking sort of..) This is the first day we experience our period. When you first experience signs of your period, it is day 1. Typically, a period can last from 3 to 7 days.
The ovulated egg was not fertilized. The uterus is now shedding those nutrients (blood), it will create a new lining for the next egg that is fresh with more nutrients.
Please note, if you are on birth control many women experience during the last week of their pills what we thought as a “period”. It is not, it is a withdrawal bleed from the hormone contraceptives. (When I realized this, it actually shocked me.)
If you are looking for a natural way to support your cycle that is quick and easy drop an email and get my easy Herbal Teas Recipe! There is a cheat sheet with beneficial herbs that help you all cycle long to improve not only your physical state but your mental one! Let’s make nourish our bodies with beneficial ingredients!
Follicular Phase
Days 6-10
Usually starts at the very tale end of the menstrual bleeding. Estrogen and Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) increase at this time.
The work is all in the ovary, the body picks out about 20 eggs and separates them from the others in follicles. These eggs are nourished more than the rest to mature them for their upcoming journey. Out of the many that are picked our bodies will determine the best one or two eggs that will complete the full journey.
The other eggs that were not developed to their entirety will go into thickening the endometrium and in turn help with nourishing the egg(s) that do fully mature.
Ovulatory Phase
Days 11-17(ish)
- Rise of Estrogen and Luteinizing hormone
Estrogen helps the egg to continue to mature while the luteinizing hormone helps the egg to detach from the follicle and come out of the ovary to travel through the fallopian tube.
This is the time when conception happens, and many women need to be careful if sexually active that are not using birth control methods. The egg becomes fully mature and is released from its follicle, it starts its journey down the fallopian tube.
The journey down the fallopian tube typically takes about 24-48 hours but sperm can live inside of the body 5-7 days. So that means if you are having unprotected sex around a week before your expected to ovulate you could conceive.
- Your basal body temperature will rise.
Many women track their cycles using the basal temperature method, the slight uptick in first morning temperature is a sign that your body has released the egg and it’s currently traveling. You may also feel cramping at this time, personally I do either on my right or left lower side of my belly, whatever side the egg is traveling out of.
Luteal Phase
Days18-27(ish), felt right before the menstrual phase.
This is the time where your body recognizes if your pregnant or not.
- Estrogen levels fall, Progesterone levels rise
At this time the progesterone levels rise to help the uterine lining thicken even more. If the egg was fertilized in the fallopian tube by sperm then it will come to rest on the uterine wall. The thick uterine lining will start to nourish the fertilized egg and that is the start of your newborn baby!
Progesterone also helps relax the body and muscles around the uterus to help increase the chances of keeping the conception. Many women right before they menstruate experience looser stools, this is why!
However, if you did not conceive then your body will recognize the egg is not fertile. the progesterone levels will fall instead, and it will cause your uterine lining to shed. This is your period!
- PMS are experienced here
During the rise and fall in progesterone can cause symptoms. Women can experience mood changes, dietary cravings, and cramping. These are just a few of some of the symptoms women experience.
Want to view another post that will could help you relieve those pesky PMS and period symptoms? Read this post on How Raspberry Leaf Tea Helps Your Period! This tea helps support and nourish your body during the time it has to work the hardest. Filled with antioxidants, minerals, and nutrients this tea is not only soothing but packed with tons of nourishment!
Considerations
It is okay if your cycle is not exactly 28 days. The phases with dates referenced above are just a rough estimate of timing.
It is okay if your cycle is longer or shorter than 28 days. In fact, mine typically runs in the 30-day range, and I never experience my cycle directly on set days like some women.
If you are missing months with your cycle or if you feel things just aren’t right, you should talk with your obgyn for additional support. This post is educational only.
Conclusion
I hope you have found this post helpful and educational! If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to email, or get a freebie like the Herbal Tea Recipe above!
Thank You Folks, -Sarah
I’ve been developing more time towards learning about the different phases of my cycle and balancing my hormones. This was very helpful to read, thanks for sharing!
This was really interesting. Thanks for sharing.