Your Cycle Explained: What to Know About Your Menstrual Cycle and Natural Ways to Support It

Our menstrual cycles can be complex but let's break it down so it doesn't have to be.

The average menstrual cycle is anywhere between 28-30 days in length. The menstrual cycle can be divided into 4 main phases: menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulation phase and luteal phase.

Phase 1 - The Menstrual Phase

The menstrual phase is known as the phase where you get your period and usually lasts around 3-7 days. So this phase starts off as Day 1 of bleeding until bleeding has stopped. This phase begins when an egg from the previous cycle doesn’t get fertilized and in turn estrogen and progesterone levels drop as a result from no pregnancy taking place. The thickened endometrial lining of the uterus that is used to support a pregnancy is no longer needed and is shed, this is your period. Common period symptoms include cramping, pain, bloating, mood swings, tender breasts, headaches, irritability, fatigue, low back pain, increased food cravings, etc. Though having period pain is super common, your period should actually be pain free and shouldn’t interfere with daily activities of life. Having period pain and other symptoms that affect your daily activities prompts us to discover why you may be experiencing that and to establish strategies to combat those symptoms and to further improve your menstrual cycle. 

Phase 2 - The Follicular Phase

The follicular phase actually begins simultaneously on Day 1 of the menstrual phase and ends when you ovulate. In this phase your brain releases a hormone called follicular stimulating hormone, FSH, which stimulates your ovaries to produce multiple follicles within the ovary. Each follicle will contain an immature egg. Typically only one follicle will become large enough to become the dominant follicle and the rest of the follicles will be reabsorbed back in the body. This dominant and mature follicle produces estrogen which thickens your uterine lining which helps to support an embryo to grow if pregnancy occurs. Estrogen is the main and dominant hormone during this phase. The follicular phase lasts about 16 days but can last up to even 25-27 days depending on your cycle length.

Phase 3 - The Ovulation Phase

The ovulation phase typically happens around Day 13-15 in a 28 day or 30 day cycle and is adjusted based on your cycle length. For example, if you have a shorter cycle you may ovulate earlier around Day 11 or if you have a longer cycle you may ovulate later around Day 19 or 20. Ovulation occurs when the dominant follicle bursts, a mature egg is released from the ovary and travels down to the fallopian tube toward the uterus where if pregnancy occurs will be fertilized by sperm. The continuous rise in estrogen in the follicular phase triggers your brain to release a hormone called luteinizing hormone, LH, which is what is required for our body to drop that mature egg or dominant follicle from the ovary. After this takes place, estrogen begins to go down. The ovulation phase is the time in your cycle where you can get pregnant. Common symptoms that help identify if you are ovulating can be a slight increase in basal body temperature, thicker and an increase in cervical discharge consistent in the texture of uncooked egg whites.

Phase 4 - The Luteal Phase

This phase happens after ovulation and before the next period bleed, usually 14 days in length. After the follicle releases its egg, it turns into the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum releases hormones, mainly progesterone and a little bit of estrogen. Progesterone is the dominant hormone in this phase though estrogen rises too, just to a lesser amount. The rise in progesterone and estrogen allows your uterine lining to remain thick and ready for a fertilized egg to implant. If pregnancy occurs, the body produces a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG, which helps maintain the corpus luteum and allows the uterine lining to remain thick. If someone is not attempting to get pregnant then the corpus luteum starts to break down and be reabsorbed. This triggers estrogen and progesterone to decrease which causes the onset of your next period bleed.

Our period is considered to be our 5th vital sign and is an important indicator for our overall health and well-being. If you are struggling with irregular cycles or significant amount of pain or symptoms or not sure where to start, book in an appointment with Dr. Kathryne, ND to help you optimize your health!

Natural ways to support your menstrual cycle:

Nutrition

• Fuelling your body with good quality foods and ensuring each meal is balanced with a source of protein, carbohydrate, healthy fat and fiber is critical to balance hormones and support a healthy menstrual cycle. It is also very important to eat regularly and not to skip meals. When we skip meals, this can cause a hormonal imbalance and can lead to irregular periods, painful periods, heavy periods, mood swings, headaches, etc.

• Getting adequate amounts of protein for your needs is another important factor to support hormonal balance and a healthy menstrual cycle. Protein is needed to produce hormones and help support optimal levels of energy, as well as protein can help manage cravings and reduce premenstrual symptoms (PMS). On average, we are trying to aim for minimum 25-30g of protein per meal to reach target protein goals.

Sleep

• Prioritizing sleep and making sure you are getting adequate amounts of good quality sleep each night will have a huge impact on your menstrual cycle. Studies have shown that poor quality sleep is linked to having heavier periods and irregular cycle lengths (longer or shorter cycles). Aim to get 8 hours of good quality sleep every night. One of the ways you can improve your sleep quality is by having a consistent sleep schedule, for example go to sleep by 10pm and wake up by 6am every day.

Movement

• Move your body! Regular physical activity is important for healthy hormone function and regulation. The best type of movement is choosing a form of movement that you enjoy because that will create a level of consistency and help make it a part of your regular routine. I also encourage people to exercise with a friend as it helps to keep you accountable.

Stress

• Increased levels of stress is one of the most common causes people can experience changes to their menstrual cycles. Stress is often unavoidable, so finding ways to manage our stress is important. Effective strategies to reduce stress include exercise, getting outside, breath work, journaling, meditation, reading, relaxing, having hobbies, etc.

Comprehensive Bloodwork

• Getting comprehensive bloodwork done can help assess hormone imbalances and screen for vitamin deficiencies. Common tests to run to improve your menstrual cycle include: thyroid function tests, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, complete blood count, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, inflammatory markers, estrogen, progesterone, and many more.

Every menstrual cycle is different, it is important to be familiar with your cycle. I recommend using a period app to help keep track of your cycles and the symptoms you may experience throughout your cycle.

If you have any questions or wish to learn more about your menstrual cycle and the ways we can optimize your health, book a complimentary call with Dr. Kathryne, ND.

Book Your Call With Dr. Kathryne Here