The menstrual cycle is a very important phase of women's lives and has a huge impact on women’s health. We often prefer to work against our menstrual cycle rather than working with it, because we fall for the misconceptions we hear from society. 

Every woman must be aware of how your menstrual cycle functions, and be informed about the phases of your menstrual cycle and how these phases affect your productivity. 

There are in total four phases of the menstrual cycle and each phase has a different effect on your body. It depends on you, on how you take care of your health during this time. Nutrition for menstrual health is very essential to maintain your hormonal balance.

Work With Your Menstrual Cycle, Not Against It

We women are very familiar with the changes that happen to our bodies during the menstruation cycle, but somehow we don’t know how to tackle them. Our current medical standard tries to suppress a woman’s natural cycle by providing medications that contain synthetic hormones. 

We need to educate ourselves on the necessity of nutrition, stress management, and regular exercise which can promote improved hormonal balance naturally.

During the four phases of the menstrual cycle, our body has different productivity and energy levels and we must learn to work with it. It depends on the female hormones as well, the two main hormones in a woman’s body are estrogen and progesterone, surprisingly the third important hormone is testosterone.

Let me tell you how you can do this, by discussing the four phases of the menstrual cycle.

Phase 1: Menstruation Phase

Menstruation is the phase starting from the first day of your bleeding to the last day of bleeding, it lasts up to 7 days or sometimes less. During this period you have a very low level of hormones, which in turn reduces your productivity level.

This is what you must do:

•    Give yourself some time and get a lot of rest and sleep.
•    Avoid having social meet-ups during this time.
•    Allow yourself to work at a slower pace.

Phase 2: Follicular Phase

The follicular phase starts when your bleeding stops and your uterus is getting prepared for the potential pregnancy. This phase usually lasts up to 16 days. During this phase, there’s a rise in your hormones and you have a high energy level. 

This is what you must do: 

•    You are more proactive at this time. Complete all your creative work.
•    If you have any complex or difficult task pending, complete it now.
•    Get your hands on the tricky projects.

Phase 3: Ovulation Phase

This is the middle point of your cycle, during this period your ovaries release an egg which is ready to get fertilized. The chances of you getting pregnant are high. Though this phase lasts only for a day (24 hours), your hormones are at their peak.

This is what you must do: 

•    Schedule an important meeting if you have any, and face the tough talks.
•    You can complete a project that’s gonna take a lot of your time.

Phase 4: Luteal Phase 

This is the last phase and occurs when your egg doesn’t get fertilized and your uterus lining is ready to shed, meaning your menstruation period is about to start.
During this time both your hormones will rise, especially the progesterone, which has a calming effect and makes your brain work at a slower pace. At this time do not stress yourself and focus on your health.

This is what you must do:

•    Give importance to self-love
•    If possible, reduce your workload.
•    Decrease your social time and focus on solo work.
•    Focus on simpler tasks.