Supporting Your Body In The Follicular Phase
It will come as no surprise to anyone – especially the ladies out there – that the female reproductive cycle is a complex process that plays into so many facets of an individual’s physical health and mental wellness.
We all have an awareness of the dreaded PMS symptoms and everyone’s least favourite “time of the month”, but how well do you really know what’s going on in your body?
Let’s dive in to the second phase of your menstrual cycle, the luteal phase, which starts after ovulation. Read on to find out what it is and how to best support your body during this time.
Engage in moderate-intensity exercises like walking, swimming, or cycling to reduce symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, and mood swings. Adjust the intensity or duration of exercise based on individual energy levels. Your body may have a harder time cooling down so it’s important to stay hydrated and add electrolytes to your water.
The Luteal Phase
Once the egg is released it develops into a corpus luteum. The corpus luteum releases progesterone and some estrogen. This is what triggers the development of the menstrual lining. If you get pregnant, the level of HCG rises dramatically to support the lining, if not, the corpus lutem shrinks/resorbs which causes the levels of progesterone and estrogen to drop. The fall in estrogen and progesterone is what triggers the lining to shed. The rise and fall of these hormones is the source of “PMS” symptoms.
You may feel fatigue, mood lability, food cravings, breast tenderness, bloating.
You can track energy level and mood as a biometric in your Cronometer account. Gold subscribers can also track additional symptoms by creating a Custom Biometric.
Diet Considerations During The Luteal Phase
- Your body is slightly less insulin sensitive, so try an increased focus on protein, fat, and fiber while you’re eating during this phase.
- Maintain a balanced diet with complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, B vitamins, calcium and magnesium to support energy levels and stabilize mood.
- If you can, try to reduce your intake of refined sugar, which increases the urinary excretion of magnesium, and the retention of water, leading to bloating.
- Your body may have a harder time cooling down during this phase so its important to stay hydrated and add electrolytes to your water.
- Increase Zinc intake to support progesterone levels. Try eating raw sunflower seeds, raw sesame seeds, or organic soy.
- Increase iron, calcium, vitamin E and fiber intake to support hormone metabolism.
- Make sure you’re getting plenty of essential fatty acids to help decrease inflammation.
- Try your best to be mindful of portion sizes and reach for healthier alternatives while experiencing food cravings.
Consider Increasing
- Complex carbs
- Lean proteins
- Healthy fats
- B vitamins
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Iron rich foods
- Vitamin E
- Fiber
- Zinc
Sleep Considerations During The Luteal Phase
As progesterone rises you may experience an increase in body temperature, this can affect your sleep. Also how you metabolize your hormones can influence sleep in this phase. Practice good sleep hygiene, manage stress levels, and incorporate relaxation techniques to support better sleep quality during the luteal phase. Here’s a list of nutrients shown to improve your sleep quality and things to consider steering clear of if you want better zzz’s.
Exercise Considerations During The Luteal Phase
Engage in moderate-intensity exercises like walking, swimming, or cycling to reduce symptoms such as bloating, fatigue, and mood swings. Adjust the intensity or duration of exercise based on individual energy levels. Your body may have a harder time cooling down so it’s important to stay hydrated and add electrolytes to your water.
Cycle Tracking In Cronometer
We’ve recently released a Cycle Tracking feature which leverages Cycle Insights data via our ŌURA integration.
We’re currently working on extending our Cycle Tracking feature to all users. For the time being, those who don’t have an Oura Ring can track symptoms by adding a daily biometric like mood, energy or even stool. Cronometer Gold subscribers can create any Custom Biometric, allowing you to track cycle day, phase or symptoms such as cramps, flow rate and discharge. These can then be plotted in a Chart to help identify any trends or relationships against certain nutrients, exercise or other biometrics.
Also Think About Tracking
- Your Women’s Health Nutrition Score: Cronometer Gold subscribers have access to our Nutrition Scores feature, which includes a Women’s Health score. It bundles nutrients together such as iron, calcium, magnesium and gives you an overall score for how well you’re hitting your targets for the nutrients which women are typically lacking in.
- Basal Body Temperature Data: Monitor BBT to observe any changes in temperature patterns during the phase. This data helps in tracking hormonal patterns and identifying potential concerns.
- Flow Rate/Type Data: Continue tracking flow rate and type to identify any changes or abnormalities, which may provide insights into hormonal balance and overall menstrual health. Gold subscribers can create a Custom Biometric in Cronometer to help keep track of this.
