Understanding Your Cycle 

Your menstrual cycle has 4 distinct phases and we have created a unique tea blend to help to honour and support each phase and the hormonal changes that come with it.

Periods, bleeds, “Aunt Flow,” that time of the month...chances are if you’re here that you have a menstrual cycle or know someone who does. But what exactly is a menstrual cycle?

People who have menstrual cycles are always somewhere within the 4 phases of the cycle. The menstrual cycle is more than the days of menstruation, or the period. It consists of four phases: menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase.

In most cycling people, these four phases will repeat regularly (around every 21-35 days) until levels of the reproductive hormones decline in perimenopause and menopause. These phases provide a roadmap for life, creativity, productivity, and rest, whether we are using the current menstrual cycle to conceive a child, birth a business, grow personally, or bring about collective change in the world.

Menstrual Phase starts on day 1 of your bleed and finishes when your period does.

The cycle begins with menstruation, or the first day of the cycling person’s period. For those tracking their cycles, the first day of a period bleed is the day to begin charting and sipping the Flow tea blend. During menstruation, hormones are at their lowest as the body sheds the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) to begin a new cycle. Many bleeding people feel more introverted during this time and may feel low energy levels. Depending on personality, personal values, hormones, life situation and circumstance, relationships, etc. this introversion can manifest as everything from irritation, moodiness, sadness, anger, or grief to intuition, vision, and inspiration, and everything in between. Generally menstruation can be considered a time of release, for body, mind, and energy. It is a great time of journaling & introspection and to tune into your intuition. Also a great time to slow down and get grounded. 

Many compare this phase to our "Inner Winter", a time for rest, comforts and turning inwards, and menstruation is similar.

During this phase your nourishment needs can shift towards warming grounding foods like nourishing broths, extra hydration & teas. Foods high in zinc + iron  including beets, berries, oysters, leafy greens, pumpkin seeds. 

Shop our Flow Tea Blend here

Follicular Phase

The follicular phase is the second phase of the menstrual cycle, though in reality it begins with menstruation but typically outlasts the period bleed. The period is an event in the cycle, and the follicular phase is a phase that encompasses that event. The follicular phase can be considered the “first half” of the menstrual cycle, though the two "halves" of the cycle may not be the same number of days for every person, every cycle. During the follicular phase, the body employs hormones to stimulate the growth and maturation of eggs (and their “shells,” called follicles) to prepare for the release of one or more eggs at ovulation. Hormone and energy levels rise during this time, creating a phase during which many people feel more active and energetic.

Going back to the seasons, the follicular phase can be thought of as "inner Spring". We likely begin this segment of time resting and laying low while the body mends, heals, and sheds during sleep, and then eventually wake up as our energy builds and we rise into our full energy. 

During this time rising estrogen levels can suppress your appetite which makes you feel lighter. You may also want to increase your fibre intake via leafy greens to support digestion and elimination

CLICK: Shop our Refresh Tea Blend here

 

Ovulation Phase

Like menstruation, ovulation is more an event than a phase. Ovulation itself may only last for a few minutes, and the egg(s) live in the body for 12-24 hours. During ovulation, hormone levels peak to prompt the release of the mature follicle(s) and these high, ideally balanced, levels of hormones typically contribute to heightened sex drive and energy. Many people love how they feel around ovulation and notice the effects of heightened hormones, energy, and sexuality in their bodies and minds. However, it's also the case that this high energy can be overwhelming or frustrating. There's no prescribed way to feel or experience any event or phase of the menstrual cycle, so tuning into your body and experience is key.

Many refer to ovulation and our "Inner Summer". During ovulation things are bright, peaking, and often intense. Pelvic pain and twinges are common during this phase.

Nourishment during this time is focused surrogating blood sugar balancing foods and incorporating  protein, fat, and fibre at every meal.

CLICK: Shop our Energize Tea Blend here

 

Luteal Phase

The final phase, or “second half” of the menstrual cycle is the luteal phase. This phase begins after ovulation and lasts until the first day of the next menstrual bleed. During this time, if egg(s) have been fertilized by sperm, implementation of an embryo leading to pregnancy may occur. During the luteal phase, hormone levels rise and then begin to fall. As they drop, cycling people may notice intense effects in their bodies, emotions, and energy levels. Premenstrual Syndrome, or PMS, may occur during this time. PMS may be physical, emotional, or behavioral, and can include everything from bloating, breast tenderness, and cramps to anxiety and mood swings to forgetfulness and exhaustion. Though some people experience an inner knowing or intuition from the earliest days of conception and may experience signs or symptoms of implementation, it’s worth knowing that many of the symptoms that occur during the luteal phase occur whether a pregnancy is underway or not. During the luteal phase, the body prepares to shed what it no longer needs.

Many compare the luteal phase to "Inner Fall" as the phase starts with peak energy levels, and winds down and head towards rest and release with the coming menstrual phase. It is a great time to decrease obligations and prune a busy schedule and prioritize sleep and rest.

Nourishment during this phase is focused on leafy greens, hearty vegetables and fibre rich food. 

CLICK: Shop our Balance Tea Blend here