Written by Guest Blogger: Dr. Halie Schoff, a licensed and practicing Functional Chiropractor & Integrative Health Practitioner.
Understanding your cycle and the various hormonal fluctuations during your cycle will help you get to know your body and what it needs.
A typical cycle length can be from 25 to 35 days which is from the first day of your period or bleeding up to the first day of your next period or bleeding. You can use free apps to track your cycle such as Flo, Apple Health, Clue or more advanced tracking apps like Tempdrop or Natural Cycles.
Follicular phase is from Day 1 of your cycle which is the first day of your bleeding through ovulation or Day 14. This is when your body is building back up your endometrial lining and you experience a rise in estrogen. It is a great time to be productive during this phase. You can take on extra work and events, and do workouts because your energy is typically high and your body is more resistant to stress. This is also the time of the month when your skin is clear and glowy! Foods you can add in your meal to support the follicular phase are flax and pumpkin seeds, grass-fed beef, bone broth, wild caught salmon, celery, olives, chickpeas and cashews.
Mid-cycle is when you typically ovulate or your most fertile time. This is when you have the biggest surge in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. During ovulation your body produces progesterone. In this phase you may notice an increase in your libido and energy. You might even experience a bump in hunger and metabolism. Some people can also experience having breakouts or acnne because estrogen and testosterone are also surging during this phase.
After ovulation, if your body released an egg there will be a rise in progesterone which also increases your heart rate and metabolic rate. This is called the luteal phase. During this phase you should consume foods like sunflower and sesame seeds, cruciferous veggies, green bananas, sweet potatoes,squash, sprouts, beets and carrots.
Right before your period your hormones will all dip to signal the body to shed the uterine lining. Things to consume during the week before your period are turmeric and anti-inflammatory foods.
Hoping this can make you feel more educated and empowered about your monthly cycle.
Guest blogger,
Dr. Halie Schoff
Dr. Halie Schoff is a licensed and practicing Functional Chiropractor, Integrative Health Practitioner, and Podcaster with a Master’s in Applied Clinical Nutrition. She is a former collegiate athlete who has a passion for teaching people how to bridge the gap between fitness and holistic health. With a focus on women’s hormones and gut health, Dr. Halie has worked with thousands of people all over the world regain their health through lifestyle, optimal diet, movement, and functional practices. Dr. Halie is incredibly outspoken about informed consent around birth control and aims to help those that she works with understand the root cause of their hormone imbalances. Her main goal is to help you be the alpha of your health by understanding what being optimally healthy means for YOU.
P.S. Catch Dr. Halie’s interview in this week’s episode of The Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E Podcast – Post Pill Healing. You can also find the episode on this podcast page as well as Spotify, and Stitcher. Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, and write us a review on Apple Podcast (if you LOVE it).
