Live To The Rhythm Of Female Hormones
Female health depends on a “dance of hormones.” Knowing it is key to providing the body and mind with everything it needs at every moment of the month. By marta león
Hormones sneak into us from every corner and are manifested both in our way of thinking and in our way of eating, digesting or managing emotions. They can make us feel stressed or listless. The changes that female biochemistry undergoes make us who we are. Understanding the changes will help us to recognize what we need at all times and with this we will enjoy better hormonal balance and better physical and mental health.
From the onset of menstruation, during pregnancy or menopause, hormones play a fundamental role in female health. The key is to adapt the lifestyle to the internal rhythms. We can decide what food we need at all times, when it is better to exercise and when to rest. If we go in favor of our biology, health is strengthened.
Menstruation is a cleansing system
To menstruate for the first time is to start a journey towards female cyclicality. Despite social and scientific advances, menstruation is still viewed as annoying, dirty, and uncomfortable. However, in reality, in each menstruation the uterus is renewed and the organism is cleansed through menstrual blood.
Menstruation is a self-cleaning system that only the female body has and that renews us physically and energetically. It is a gift of nature that protects us against the pollutants with which we are in contact on a daily basis.
What happens in each phase of the menstrual cycle?
Menstruation occurs due to the decrease in the levels of estrogens and progesterone that causes the shedding of the endometrium. This phase is the beginning of the cycle and usually lasts between 3 and 5 days. Observing our rules, their duration, the color and volume of the blood, whether they are accompanied by pain or not, helps us better understand our body and detect any signs of disease.
The pain is so frequent that it has come to be considered normal, but it can be related to poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, toxic habits, intestinal permeability and, in general, an unhealthy lifestyle.
It is also important how the discomfort is experienced. If you understand that your period is a sign of health, if you see it as something positive, it may hurt less, as many women do.
During the bleeding phase we feel more reflective and want to rest. Instead, in the next phase, the follicular one, we want to move and face challenges. The swelling goes away and the skin looks brighter. All this is due to the rise in the level of estrogens.
In the diagram you can see the hormonal, emotional and mental changes that occur naturally with each phase of the cycle. Use it to keep a menstrual diary, where you write down everything that happens to you on a physical, mental and emotional level.
Why is natural hygiene important?
It is important to avoid as much as possible exposure to chemical compounds (endocrine disruptors), which act in the body like female hormones and can interfere with the biological cycle. They are bisphenols, phthalates, parabens, benzophenones, and pesticides.
Some of these compounds are found in pads, tampons, cosmetics, and hygiene products that we use every day. Therefore, we must avoid them or choose products with a natural or organic certification that do not contain them. Menstrual cups are an excellent alternative (remember to boil them before each use).
The next stage is ovulation. The main hormones are estradiol and progesterone, which are powerful managers of health and metabolism, because mood, energy, libido, response to insulin, thyroid function and much depend on their balance. plus.
Maintaining adequate levels of these hormones when we are young will protect us from osteoporosis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
After ovulation, progesterone takes over and menstruation is prepared again. We slow down and we are more intuitive, we are able to see, smell, dream and feel things that we do not perceive the rest of the month. It is the best time to ask ourselves what we need. If we respect our needs, we will see how the cycle has helped us to stay healthy and vital.
- Marta León is the author of the book Feeding and Feminine Health.
