Normally, I am of the belief that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Health is universal- we ALL need more water, eat more veggies, and get enough exercise… At this point, you know the drill. However, when it comes to our hormones, we are drastically different, we men and women. Men have a 24-hour cycle, women have a 28-DAY cycle. Men are controlled by testosterone, and women are estrogen and progesterone ran. (Although both genders also have all 3, they are obviously in different quantities.)
A “one-size-fits-all” mentality doesn’t work in this scenario, as we are so drastically different: the times of day we have our biggest spike of energy or when we are the most mentally productive, the list goes on! So, this week we are going to do things a little differently and addressing each properly, so you can get the best information to suit your body!
Ladies let’s start where this story has to, with our menstrual cycle. We have been led to believe our whole lives that PMS, terrible periods, headaches, mood swings, acne, cramping… the whole lot is just a part of being a women and we just have to live with that. But I have had a life-changing, revolutionary app come into my life recently, and being the week of hormones, I feel it is of germane importance that I need to share this information. Please know we are unaffiliated, but I have recommended this to all of the women in my life and we have all noticed wonderful changes in our moods, periods, and all the other fun business that comes with being a women.
Great for the Endocrine System - Learn More
Every week I do lots of research, find multiple sources, and talk with our nutritionist so as to get you the best information I can, but this week I want to recommend you to the women and the app that has spent YEARS researching just this topic. Why recreate the wheel when the experts have already made a car? MyFlo app and website will change your life. Alissa Vitti is the creator of the app, and I would like to direct you to her phenomenal work: Flo Living - Natural Healthcare for Your Female Hormones. Every time I look at this website, I learn something new. Much of her philosophy is eating your way to hormonal health through each phase of your cycle. One of the things I have found so wonderful about her work is how much it will correlate with what we have already talked about these last 23 weeks. Eat lots of fruits, make sure you are getting enough probiotics, and good carbs are all concepts she covers- which we are already doing! This just gives a little more direction as to which weeks you should maybe step up the green juice and which week sprouted bread is going to be your BFF.
Our menstrual cycles are composed of more than just ovulating and a few weeks later we start our periods. There are actually 4 phases of our cycles: follicular, ovulation, luteal and menstrual. During each of these phases our body goes through shockingly drastic phases hormonally. Our estrogen levels change dramatically throughout this 28-day, or however long your cycle is. Sometimes we have a high levels of estrogen right after the egg has passed and it can lead to us experiencing PMS symptoms. Other times when estrogen levels are low we can have mood swings, hot flashes, fatigue and even depression; so creating the hormonal balance is so important. Even odd things that would seem like they weren’t related such as hair loss or UTIs can be an indicator of a hormonal imbalance.
Supports Healthy Hormones - Learn More
The reason I have liked this app so much is because their whole goal is to help us women find a balance and lead an amazing life totally in-sync. As much as we may not like to admit it, our cycles have a lot of say in our lives. But when we can embrace those internal changes and then use it to our benefit, imagine not only what we could accomplish but also how good we can feel through the whole process! It’s been wonderful to learn little hacks, like we most likely experience cramps when our progesterone levels are low and the fix for that can be as simple as upping our B6 intake! So, some B-Complex and a nice salmon dish can help stave off cramps! The whole point of this Health Marathon is to feel good, inside and out. To not let our health hold us back from the things we want to do, and especially as women, our hormones really have to be included in that change!
Do yourself a favor and download the app, even if you’re not tracking for period or pregnancy, the information provided for each phase of our cycle, which affects everyone of us for LITERALLY YEARS regardless of when/if we are/want to be mommies. A sweet potato today could be the different between a good and bad mood! (And yes, this is a real thing! The luteal phase needs root veggies to help process extra estrogen that can lead to a sour disposition!)
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