The week before your period, it’s not unusual for many women to experience an unwanted transformation from Doctor Jekyll to Ms. Hyde. As our hormones shift, some of us will fall apart into sensitive sleep-deprived puddles. Other simmering souls will find themselves raging without warning. Then there are the mopey bloated hermits who will choose to wrap themselves in a blanket and binge-watch Netflix until Aunt Flow takes a hike. Whoever your PMS alter-ego might be, it’s hard not to feel out of control. But it’s just a part of womanhood we all have to accept, right? Wrong.
Sure, hormones will always shuffle, but we don’t have to be held hostage by their fluctuations. You have the power to overcome many common PMS symptoms and maybe even prevent them from happening!
What Are The Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle?
First, let’s take a moment to revisit Sex Ed 101 to understand the different phases of your menstrual cycle. Once you get to know your natural rhythm, you can begin to accommodate a few healthy habits that will help each phase go more smoothly. In a standard 28-day menstrual cycle, our bodies go through four different phases:
Release
This begins the first full day of your period when your womb lining is released. During this phase take time to slow down, keep workouts short and be kind to yourself, your body needs it and deserves it!
Rise
Days 8 to 14. As the title suggests, estrogen levels rise during his stage to continue the cascade of hormonal triggers. This is the time of the month ovulation usually happens, and is accompanied by good moods, energy and feeling powerful.
Plateau
Days 15 to 21. Estrogen stops surging now and is naturally flushed out of the body as your hormone levels begin to shift. This is a good time to start supporting your body as it detoxes by drinking plenty of water and eating your veggies.
Pause
Days 22 – 28. During this final stage just before the next period some women experience cravings, cramps and irritability. You are still detoxing, and adding a little cardio into your exercise routine here can help your body to cope better.
Seed Cycling for Balanced Hormones
Seed cycling is just as it sounds. It is a way to optimize your health by ingesting seeds that contain the right hormone-helping oils for each part of your cycle. Because the length of the moon’s lunar cycle perfectly aligns with an ideal monthly menstrual cycle, women with irregular periods, postpartum moms and postmenopausal women can also benefit from the hormone supporting powers of seed cycling to help bring balance and regularity. Simply initiate the practice on the first day of the new moon, then switch to the second phase on the first day of the full moon (day 15), and repeat.
Follicular Phase – Pumpkin & Flaxseed
The first half of your cycle, the Release and Rise phases (Days 1 – 14), fall into what is known as the Follicular phase. This is when your estrogen increases and an egg is prepared for ovulation. During this time, you will want to help boost your estrogen levels by incorporating pumpkin and flaxseed into your diet. Rich in fatty acids, 1 – 2 tbsp of freshly ground flaxseed or pumpkin seeds a day can help improve your estrogen to progesterone ratio. Other benefits of these seeds include a healthier metabolism, reduced breast tenderness, and a decreased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.
Luteal Phase – Sunflower & Sesame Seeds
The second half of your cycle, the Plateau and Pause phases (Days 15 – 28), are grouped together into the Luteal phase. During this time of your cycle, progesterone levels rise and peak. Adding 1 – 2 tbsp of freshly ground sunflower and sesame seeds to your diet each day can support your progesterone levels and help to ease PMS symptoms that may occur during this time. Full of lignans and essential fatty acids, these seeds are beneficial for helping hormones even beyond our reproductive years.
If you find yourself suffering from PMS-type symptoms all the time, bigger hormonal imbalances might be at play. Our hormones naturally shift throughout our lives, so it is a smart decision to have your levels checked by a healthcare professional from time to time. The sooner you can identify any potential issues, the sooner you can get your body back to normal.
Don’t let your hormones ruin your life — or even just the week before your period. You have more control than you think!
Book an appointment with the button above and we can get you started on a completely customized hormone balancing plan right away
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Yours in health,
