Did you know that your menstrual cycle changes every month just like our four seasons? Yes, it is not for nothing that women experience much more hormonal fluctuations than men. Our hormonal system is simply much more complex than that of men. If we start to understand more about how our bodies work and take this into account, our bodies will function much better. And we are all looking for this balance now.
A healthy menstrual cycle
Many women experience their cycle mainly as a burden: menstruation complaints, fatigue, mood swings. Often, our daily lives, our work, and our social contacts are affected by the complaints we experience from our menstruation. But actually, your cycle is a powerful compass, where your hormones move in a rhythm. The rhythm that resembles the four seasons of the year. By living more with this rhythm, you support your hormones, experience more balance, and can even improve your fertility and health.
Let's delve deeper into this.
Winter – Menstruation: time for recovery
The first days of your cycle, when you menstruate, you can see as the winter. Your hormone levels of estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest. That hormonal dip explains why you often feel tired, a bit slower, and more introverted.
Your body is literally busy with breaking down and starting over. The uterine lining is shed and your whole system is in recovery mode. Taking rest in this phase is not a weakness, it is exactly what your body asks for.
Lifestyle: listen to the signals. This is the moment not to overfill your agenda, wear warm clothes, retreat with a book, or do yoga.
Nutrition: choose warm food: soups, stews, herbal tea, fresh mint tea, or ginger tea. Iron and magnesium are important now, because you lose iron with your menstruation, and magnesium helps with muscle relaxation and can reduce menstrual cramps (EFSA, 2011).
Spring – Follicular phase: new energy
After menstruation, the spring breaks in your cycle. Estrogen rises again and you feel it: you get into new things, feel your energy increase, and often have more optimism. So you actually often feel good in your skin and feel yourself becoming yourself again!
Your body is in a building phase: egg cells are ripening in your ovaries and your uterine lining is getting thicker to later be able to receive a fertilized egg. Estrogen is the main player here: it gives you energy, often makes your skin a bit more radiant, and your brain more alert.
Lifestyle: this is the moment to make plans, start new projects, exercise more intensely, or plan social activities.
Nutrition: lighter, fresh meals fit well now: salads, raw vegetables, fruit, and high-protein dishes. Choose food that is rich in B vitamins, because they support your energy metabolism and cell division (PubMed, 2012).
Summer – Ovulation: your peak
The summer of your cycle is your ovulation. Around day 12-16, your estrogen rises to a peak and your ovulation is triggered by the luteinizing hormone (LH). This is often the period in which you feel the most energetic, social, and confident. Many women notice that they have more desire for intimacy and radiate more attractiveness, that is nature so beautifully put together.
So in the summer you are fertile. You notice this yourself because you often feel good in your skin, you are cheerful. You can also get some thicker slimy discharge. This is also a signal that your body is preparing itself for a possible fertilization.
Lifestyle: use this energy! Plan important appointments, presentations, or creative projects. Also intensive sports or social events fit well here! And of course, do you want to get pregnant? Then check our Calculate Ovulation tool. With this tool, you calculate exactly your fertile days. With a 98% reliability, you increase every month your chance to get pregnant.
Nutrition: this is the moment for antioxidants and omega 3 – think of berries, nuts, salmon, flaxseed. Antioxidants protect your egg cells against oxidative stress (Agarwal et al., 2012), while omega 3 is important for your hormone balance and cell membranes.
Autumn – Luteal phase: turning inward
After ovulation, the progesterone rises. This hormone provides calm and stability and prepares your body for an eventual pregnancy. If no fertilization takes place, estrogen and progesterone fall again and your menstruation follows.
Many women notice in this phase that their energy turns more inward. You may feel less need to be social and can be more sensitive to stress or stimuli. This is the phase in which PMS complaints can occur if your hormones are out of balance.
Lifestyle: consciously plan more moments of rest, choose relaxation, journaling, or walks. Overfilled agendas lead to overload here more quickly.
Nutrition: warm meals, proteins, healthy fats, and fibers are indispensable. Often you get more the need to eat unhealthy (especially due to your mood), but in this phase it is actually important to avoid sugar and fast carbohydrates, but to eat as healthy and organic as possible. Think of the following nutrients: magnesium (relaxation), vitamin B6 (hormonal balance and mood, EFSA, 2010) and tryptophan-rich food such as bananas, nuts, and seeds.
Why living according to your cycle makes so much difference
When you align your life more with the seasons of your cycle, you work with your hormones instead of against them. This can lead to:
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fewer PMS and menstruation complaints
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more stable energy
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a healthier cycle and better fertility
Women who apply this often experience that they get more grip on their body, instead of feeling surrendered to their hormones.
Why are the pre-conception supplements from MomPwdr so good?
Besides nutrition and lifestyle, supplements also help you support your cycle and fertility. With the MomPwdr Preconception vitamins you get everything your body needs in the phase before pregnancy:
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Folate (Quatrefolic®) supports cell division and early pregnancy
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Magnesium & B6 help with hormonal balance and reduce fatigue
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Zinc & Selenium contribute to egg quality
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Omega 3 (DHA & EPA) supports hormones and cell health
- Co-enzyme Q10 supports energy production in the cells
No loose jars or synthetic variants, but an expertly composed package that offers support in every phase of your cycle.
Discover the Preconception supplements
Your menstrual cycle is not a burden but a natural rhythm that you can use as your own compass. By living according to the seasons of your cycle, you come more into balance, increase your fertility, and support your health. And with the right nutrition, lifestyle, and supplements, you give yourself, and your future child, the very best foundation.
