Part of Summer of Love Vol. III
By Stephanie Ray, BCN
Calling all those who have irregular, dark, or uncomfortable periods. Are you one of the 85-90% who experiences a cluster of emotional, physical and behavioral symptoms that arise around your menstrual cycle?
85-90% of all women experience some premenstrual symptoms.
Symptoms can come on slowly or with a bang, leaving women to wonder “what is wrong with me?!” or highly annoyed with those closest to them. BIORAY’s Before The Flow and After The Flow are here to help. Arming you with some answers and ideas of what can support you, we aim for you to have an amazing summer of love and smooth flow. Read on to understand more about what makes a great menses cycle and its relationship with fertility.
The Physiology Behind A Women’s Menstrual Cycle
Ideally a woman’s period is a 28 day cycle, lasting 5 days, with the blood appearing bright red in color, without clots, throughout those 5 days. A healthy menstrual cycle has a profound impact on our neurology, metabolism, immune system, gut and reproductive health and fertility.
When PMS symptoms occur, in eastern medicine, it’s a sign that the liver’s ability to balance hormones effectively is not 100%. It is temporary, yet there is no need to suffer with moodiness, tender breasts, irritation, skin eruptions, feeling blue, and more.
4 Phases of the Menstrual Cycle In Detail & How to Support It
Phase 1: MENSTRUATION | Day 1-5
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The uterine lining discharges from the body – your period. The first phase of your cycle is menstruation when your uterus sheds its uterine lining.
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Supplement: Blend Before the Flow, and After the Flow, 2 droppers full, 2x a day in water, tea, or juice, for 5 days. This will disperse any PMS symptoms and give replenishment, to help focus and build the blood.
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Lifestyle Vibe: Your energy will be naturally focused inward, there tends to be more dreaming. Increase your rest and spend time alone or with people you love, and decreasing extracurricular activities. Engage in gentle exercise only.
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Things to Eat: warm comfort foods such as stews, casseroles, whole grains and root vegetables. Herbs good in this cycle: Goji berries, and Jujube. Eat foods high in omega-3s, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatories to reduce symptoms, as well as foods high in iron.
Phase 2: POST MENSTRUAL | FOLLICULAR BUILDING | Day 6-12
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As estrogen rises, this causes the uterine lining to thicken and a new follicle in the ovaries. This phase of growth focuses on rebuilding blood, substance and nourishment, to support the regrowth of the uterine lining, follicles, and fluids.
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Supplement: Continue After the Flow, 2 droppers full, 2x a day in water, tea, or juice, to help prepare for ovulation.
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Lifestyle Vibe: As estrogen peaks, women tend to feel more outgoing, happy and have increased creativity in this phase. This time of the month is good for vigorous exercise, new projects, being extroverted and having sex.
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Things to Eat: Protein-rich foods to build reserves and the blood. Beans, fish, eggs and meat are all good choices. Cooked leafy greens and shellfish such as mussels or oysters are excellent in the early part of this phase to remineralize the body after bleeding. Foods high in vitamin D and A, as well as zinc and selenium, to help the uterine lining thicken and prepare for ovulation.
Phase 3: OVULATION | Day 13-15 | Only lasts for 3-4 days
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During ovulation, hormones surge (LH & FSH), triggering the release of the egg from the dominant follicle. Fertile cervical mucus – sometimes having an “egg-white” consistency – increases, and the cervix is open. There is also a short spike in testosterone at this time.
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Supplement: Stop Before The Flow. Begin Lady Passion, 2 droppers full, 2x a day in water, tea, or juice, for 4 days. You can include Loving Energy if you notice stress. Take 2 droppers full 2x a day mixed with Lady Passion.
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Lifestyle Vibe: Verbal skills are at their peak- verbalize your thoughts and feelings, engage in creative activities.
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Foods to Eat: lighter foods such as fish, quinoa and salads. In general, Chinese herbalism recommends avoiding too many raw foods since they have a cold nature and can be difficult to digest, but if you eat some raw foods together with cooked foods this will help balance it.
Phase 4: LUTEAL PHASE | POST-OVULATION | Day 14-28
- In this phase, progesterone rises and becomes the dominant hormone, promoting the growth of the uterine lining to support a potential pregnancy if fertilization occurs. The body mobilizes all its resources to prepare for this possibility. If pregnancy doesn't happen, progesterone levels drop, triggering the start of the menstrual phase and beginning a new cycle. The smooth functioning of this cycle relies on ample and unimpeded flow of energy. When energy is disrupted in the liver, it can lead to symptoms like PMS.
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Supplement: Begin Before the Flow, up to two weeks before your period is to start, to diminish PMS symptoms and have a smooth, red flow. Intake Suggestion: 2 droppers full, 2x a day in water, tea, or juice.
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Lifestyle Vibe: Feeling more introverted, intuitive. Premenstrual symptoms such as irritability or crying easily are your body’s clues to slow down. Decrease vigorous exercise, get a massage, journal your thoughts and feelings.
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Foods to Eat: Warming foods help to support the warm energy. Increase protein intake again, cooked vegetables, brown rice. Avoid inflammatory foods that are high in refined sugar, highly processed, greasy, as well as alcohol which can make incoming period symptoms worse.
Continue using Before the Flow and After the Flow for a minimum of 3 cycles or until your period is a 28 day cycle, lasting 5 days, with blood appearing bright red in color, without clots, throughout those 5 days.
Taking time to recover from each phase of your cycle helps to ensure smoother and healthier cycles in the future. Try to tune into your energy levels during each phase, but remember that daily life can sometimes interfere, and our schedules may not always align perfectly with our body's natural rhythms.
Bioray
