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By Hanne
We, women, are cyclical beings, as our Menstrual cycle also tells us. Cyclicality is evident not only on the physical but also on the energetic and emotional levels. Unfortunately, cyclicality is wholly ignored in our modern society. It, of course, doesn’t support health and affects the hormonal system, often keeping us in a mode of survival instead of thriving. Fortunately, everyone can take control into their own hands and listen to the body’s needs every day of the month. So let’s dive into the actual topic, how to balance hormonal functions?
A month as a woman:
How to balance hormonal functions?
Hormones – What Are They? Hormones are messenger molecules in the body and responsible for communication within the body. The word hormone comes from Greece, and it means “to wake up.” The answers to the questions about your state of mind right now (depressed or excited), what kind of environment you are in right now tells you about the state of your hormonal activity right now.
The food you eat and the beverage you drink cause the secretion of hormones. And in turn, it affects your emotional state. A depressed state can be a sign of unbalanced hormonal activity.
Your Body is Intelligent
The body is intelligent, and your mind controls it. How your hormones are built depends on your diet. Among other things, fertility problems can be caused by poor nutrition and hormonal imbalances. However, the body always tries to maintain a hormonal balance. The reason behind an imbalance can be sudden or prolonged exposure to stress or chemicals and toxins loaded into the body by the environment and, among other things, the chemical load of cosmetics. Despite all this, the body always strives towards balance.
An imbalanced state of the body causes the hormonal function to disrupt because an imbalance in the secretion of one hormone affects all hormones. Hormone imbalance can occur due to, e.g., stress, poor sleep, obesity, poor diet, or medication. Hormone levels and their direction affect in many different ways. They affect mood, energy, love life, and sleep quality, for instance.
Knowing all this and how to combine this into womanhood is a story in itself, and I will focus on it next.
A month as a Woman
One significant difference between men and women is the greater monthly hormonal fluctuations experienced by women. These fluctuations directly affect energy levels, mood, and the physical body. When we know all this, we can influence how each month develops in our hormonal activity. We know when to rest and what kind of things to do when energy levels naturally rise because of hormones.
1: Menstrual phase: Winter (3-7 days)
This phase of the month could be compared to winter. It is a time of rest and cleansing both physically and mentally. Cleansing allows you to let go of what no longer serves you.
Low levels of hormones during this period affect energy levels. What else there is to know? Your intuition is at its strongest. It is the time to connect with nature. Body movement with a grounding soothing yoga practice (Yin) and a peaceful walk are apposite ways to pamper your body.
What about nutrition? What would be the good nutritional choices? If you are used to eating vegetables raw and cold, during this stage the recommendation is to cook them. In general, good alternatives on the plate are e.g. mushrooms, kale, beets, and kidney beans. If smoothies are part of your diet, choose dark berries like blueberries and add flax seeds. For meat-eaters, pork or duck are good options. Personally, I also recommend the use of magnesium and zinc especially at this point in the month.
2. Towards ovulation: Spring (7-10 days)
As spring arrives in your body, energy levels rise. The period invites you to design and create something new. As your body prepares to ovulate, it’s a good idea to focus your thoughts on new beginnings, trying new things, and simply enjoying increased energy.
The increase in energy also brings a new kind of capability to move the body. Hormone-supporting foods for the body in the spring are light and fresh such as broccoli, avocado, spinach, romaine lettuce, sauerkraut, citrus fruits, cashew nuts, eggs, and chicken.
3. Ovulation: Your inner summer (3-4 days)
It is time to shine! Do you know when you are ovulating? It may feel like twitching or cramping in your stomach. This inner summer raises your energy levels and makes you radiate confidence. In the “business world” this time is perfect for meetings and negotiations.
Good choices on the plate include eggplant, okra, spinach, red lentils, cucumber, strawberries, tomato, fig, turmeric, almonds, and sesame seeds. Carnivores from sheep and fish-eaters from tuna and salmon.
4. Luteal phase: Withdrawing into autumn (12-14 days)
After ovulation, the time of slowly turning inward begins. The time is right to seek and obtain clarity and to find answers. This time of month works well to complete postponed things, finalize projects, and getting into all sorts of details. At this stage, it is not worth beginning on any significant and essential (projects).
Instead, it is time to turn the focus slowly more on yourself and your well-being. Allow physical exercises to become more gentle in intensity. Minimize stressors, and thus you support your hormonal balance. If you experience PMS symptoms, you can, for instance, practice calming yin yoga to soothe your mood.
Choices suitable on the plate in terms of hormone well-being include sweet potato, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, pumpkin, ginger, garlic, apple, pear, banana, sesame seeds, chickpeas, Tahini, and Medjool dates, as well as turkey and cod. Especially at this point, You should eliminate white sugar and alcohol.
Your Body Deserves to be Embraced
Because your hormones follow the same predictable formula each month, it means that their effects are the same every month. Your body goes through four seasons each month. It allows you to take advantage of hormonal fluctuations that affect your energy levels.
Knowing the different stages of the month and listening to your own body will help you get to know yourself and treat your body graciously. Your body does a tremendous job every single month, entirely automatically and with days of precision, to make all of this possible.
That’s it; this is how to balance hormonal functions. Are you already familiar with these steps? Do you support your cycle and well-being at different times of the month in the ways above?
Kaisa Jaakkola: Hormonitasapaino
Alisa Vitti: Woman Code
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Hanne Nousiainen
Yoga teacher • Personal Trainer
Hanne Nousiainen
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