Updated: Feb 17, 2020
Hey doll! We made it. The final phase of our cycle optimizing series. The Luteal Phase. This is my least favorite phase and it might be yours too. During this phase it can go really well or really terrible depending on how well you took care of your body and hormones all month.
This is your bodies report card and when you will start showing signs of PMS if you are going to have them.
This is days 18 through 28 of a 28 day cycle.
Even though this phase isn’t my favorite with the right prep and tweaks you can make your luteal phase work for you and then some.
Read below to learn all my tips and tricks for making your luteal phase work for you.
Check out my other three blogs on these topics here –
Cycle Optimizing | Menstruation Phase | Phase 1,
Cycle Optimizing | Follicular phase | Phase 2 and
Cycle Optimizing | Ovulation phase | phase 3
This phase is broken up into two weeks
1.First week your hormones are still high and as you come off ovulation your energy and mental clarity are still high too. Once those hormones start to dip again and you enter your menstruation that is when things can go down hill.
2.Second week- PMS starts. If you have managed your hormones all month you won’t have hardly any symptoms if you have any at all. I haven’t had PMS or symptoms of my period other than a little spotting in 20 years.
Progesterone increases which is relaxing so energy shifts and you feel more tired and sleepy. Estrogen and progesterone are off so you might will feel bloated, have headaches, feel moody and irritable.
How you take care of yourself all month will determine how you feel during the PMS week (premenstrual week).
This will become predictable so you can prep for it and schedule your time. Some women love to work independently during this time
Every woman is different.
You don’t have to struggle with these symptoms if you can start today healing your body from within then it won’t be sounding alarms and saying something is wrong.
This isn’t about controlling life its about flowing with it. Don’t control, just flow.
Business:
This is a great time for large tasks. Launch a new course, a big project at work, work through to do list. It’s so rewarding when you move through your to do list.
This is also a great cleansing time for emotions and for nesting You will notice all the dirt that you didn’t before during the follicular phase. Things like the fridge shelves and your car interior or those bookcases in your office. You will be nesting and cleaning. Might be a great time to hire a house cleaner.
Also look at anything that isn’t serving you and cleanse it from your life and calendar.
FOOD FOCUS: GIVE YOUR BODY WHAT IT NEEDS
Period tells you some things. Are you listening?
- How well are you taking care of yourself
- How are your food habits
- How is your exercise regime benefiting you
- Is your self care on pare where it should be?
These symptoms aren’t normal. It’s your bodies way of saying, something is wrong.
Here are a few natural tips on releasing excess estrogen and feeling better
- Cardio and sweat
- Sauna
- Epson salt
- Hot yoga or bigram (anything you can do to sweat and pull those toxins out)
Drinking a detox juice can help you to flush your tissues. I drink mine all month to keep my tissues and organs clean.
If you don’t remove your hormones you can recycle them causing all sorts of issues throughout your body.
You can also eat diuretic, detox and nourishing foods such as flax, lemon, celery, and fennel
My Favorite Detox Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 beet
- 1 carrot
- 1 green apple
- 4 celery stalks
- ½ cucumber
- 2 stalks kale
- ½ bunch cilantro
- Juice of 1 lemon
Preparation:
- Juice everything and serve immediately. It’s that easy.
Luteal Phase Shopping List Ideas:
- Cauliflower
- Cucumber (water retention)
- Squash
- Caffeine- free herbal teas
- Sesame seeds
- Spinach
- Brown rice
- Protein of choice: tofu, chicken, lean meats, fish and seafood
- Berries
- Turmeric latte blend
- Dark chocolate
Your brain during the luteal phase is active and has lots of energy so do your to do list. Productivity is high, plan your month around your luteal phase. This is when the heart and the body align.
A PMS symptom that most people don’t talk about is body dysmorphia. This is when you look in the mirror and see yourself as fat or different than you did before. This is because your serotonin levels have dipped and it can lead you down a rabbit hole. Your doctor prob doesn’t talk to you about this but it is a real symptom. Can last up to a week. You are so hard on yourself. Your hair doesn’t look the same, my skin looks bad. Be objective in your mental thoughts. You might be over exercising because you might think you are fatter than you actually are. This can really drive your habits and can make you just give up and not want to even try. Show yourself some grace and be kind. You deserve it.
That concludes our series on cycle optimizing. As I explained in this blog as well as previous ones on this topic, cycle optimizing can be a game changer when it comes to managing PMS symptoms, balancing hormones, fighting infertility or just looking and feeling your best.
I know it can feel super overwhelming and is so much planning but if you can learn to implement 1 small step a day until your entire cycle is optimized. I promise you will be thanking me.
If you are still confused and need a little help, book a call with me. Let’s get you cycle optimized! www.calendly.com/kelahealthcoach
Love and Health,
Coach Kela
