How Tracking Your Menstrual Cycle Can Help You Befriend Your Body
The following blog post was contributed by a guest author, Allison McNelly.
At the time of publication, McNelly attends Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona as a grad student pursuing her Masters degree in Public Health and Nutrition. She has worked with me (Liz) in the Telehealth Clinical Nutrition rotation of her dietetics internship.
Tuning into your menstrual cycle is an ultimate act of self-care.
Tuning into our bodies natural rhythms and flows can help us gain self-appreciation and self-compassion. Premenopausal bodies move through complex hormonal and physiological changes throughout the month. When individuals who menstruate track their cycle and understand their biology it can lead to a better understanding of physical and emotional needs from phase to phase.
Tuning into the menstrual cycle is great for everyone but can be a bit more challenging for individuals with irregular cycles. Individuals with irregular cycles can still track their cycles and more importantly their ovulation to understand what part of the cycle they are experiencing. Many menstruating individuals have irregular cycles, so if that’s you, you are not alone! Here is a link to better understand how to track an irregular cycle.
The body’s energy needs and nutritional needs differ in each phase of the menstrual cycle. Individuals who menstruate may notice an increase in appetite and crave certain foods as they get closer to starting menses. In order to tune into the menstrual cycle, it’s important to better understand the physiology of each phase. The menstrual cycles consist of 4 main phases; menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal. However, I like to think of the luteal phase as two phases and characterize the second half of the luteal phase as the premenstrual phase.
Phase 1
The first day of the menstrual cycle and the start of the menstrual phase is always the first day of menses (or the first day of your period when you start to bleed). This part of the cycle is characterized by low levels of both estrogen and progesterone. These low hormones can result in low energy and call for extra rest and self-care. When individuals track their cycle they can plan for when menses is coming. This can lead to planning for some extra guilt-free rest. Selfcare before menses might mean avoiding plans for social gatherings or canceling a big hike because you understood that your body has low energy for a reason and needs some extra rest. During this phase incorporating more iron-rich foods can support the body while bleeding. One of my favorite go-to iron-rich recipes for the menstrual cycle is a ground turkey and spinach casserole.
Phase 2
After menses comes the follicular phase. This part of the phase occurs after menses and before ovulation. This part of the cycle is characterized by an increase in estrogen and follicular stimulating hormone. The literature suggests that estrogen may have an appetite-suppressing effect, so during the follicular phase, individuals may experience decreased appetite and fewer food cravings.1 During this phase we see a steady rise in energy associated with the rise in hormones. A simple way to track energy levels might be to rank your energy level on a scale of 1 (no energy) to 10 (high energy).
Phase 3
The middle of the menstrual cycle is characterized by ovulation phase. Ovulation is when the egg is released from the ovary. In this part of the cycle, individuals may notice a peak in energy levels and libido. This time of the month is a great time to conquers fitness goals or plan a weekend getaway with your significant other. Additionally, the ovulation phase of our cycle is when we are most fertile and can be an important part of the cycle for individuals trying to conceive.
Phase 4a
After ovulation and before menses is characterized as the luteal phase. In the luteal phase our progesterone levels peak. The literature suggests that progesterone may have appetite-stimulating effects, so during the luteal phase, some individuals may have an increased appetite and more food cravings.1 Additionally, we have found that in this part of the cycle the body has increased energy needs.2 Lastly, one study found a decrease in amino acids (protein building blocks)and fat molecules in blood samples of participants in the luteal phase, this may indicate we have increased protein and fat needs during the luteal phase.2 So, that increased appetite individuals experience during this phase of the cycle is for good reason!
Phase 4b
As we get closer to menses we move into the premenstrual part of the luteal phase. In this phase, we see decreased energy due to the fall in both our progesterone and estrogen levels. This drop-in hormones can leave you feeling tired and with a low libido. In this part of the cycle women often have more symptoms of chronic disease like diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome.2 Women may also experience poor sleep, bloating, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), and PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder).
As we can see the menstrual cycle greatly impacts our energy, appetite, and even our libido. When we understand these fluctuations throughout the month we can give ourselves grace and understanding. We can give ourselves compassion when we are low on energy and have an increased appetite at the end of our cycle. When we understand the impact of our cycle to communicate our fluctuations in mood family and friends; when we can communicate our fluctuations in libido with our or significant other, it can help support and even improve relationships. We live in a society that makes living in a cyclical living a challenge. However understanding our cycle can be a great act of self-care.
Menstrual Cycle Tracking Options:
FDA approved cycle tracking mobile application Natural Cycles.
Even individuals with irregular cycles can track their cycles with technology like Tempdrop.
References:
Gorczyca, A. M., Sjaarda, L. A., Mitchell, E. M., Perkins, N. J., Schliep, K. C., Wactawski-Wende, J., & Mumford, S. L. (2016). Changes in macronutrient, micronutrient, and food group intakes throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy, premenopausal women. European journal of nutrition, 55(3), 1181-1188.
Draper, C. F., Duisters, K., Weger, B., Chakrabarti, A., Harms, A. C., Brennan, L., ... & Van der Greef, J. (2018). Menstrual cycle rhythmicity: metabolic patterns in healthy women. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1-15.