Inflammation
Inflammation isn’t commonly talked about in the context of the menstrual cycle…but it’s an incredibly important aspect of healing and making your life fabulous.
What’s the Deal With Inflammation?
Here’s the thing: getting your period is a CONTROLLED inflammatory response in the body. It’s the body’s way of shedding what it no longer needs and beginning to rebuild something highly functional again.
Too Much Inflammation
When we have symptoms like painful periods, missed periods, hormonal acne, endometriosis, PCOS, or any other endocrine disease or syndrome, there’s an exaggerated and UNCONTROLLED inflammatory response in the body.
Once the inflammation becomes rampant, systemic problems arise and turn into frustrating symptoms (like fatigue so dense you can hardly imagine making it out of bed!) Long-term, unbalanced inflammation can lead to numerous problems throughout the body.
Too Little Inflammation
On the flip side, sometimes the body can’t muster an appropriate inflammatory response. This can be caused by health problems like chronic infection, immune system problems and nutritional deficiencies. That’s why it’s important to optimize the inflammatory cascade instead of just “lower” it.
Boosting the protection your body provides for you goes a long way in making you feel your very best. We’re talking lots of energy, clear skin, and feeling connected with (instead of fearful of) your lady cycle.
Addressing Inflammation
Whether you’re dealing with PMS, spotting, endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, hormonal acne or the like, supporting optimum and balanced inflammation at the right time of the cycle is extremely important.
Though there are 4 Phases of the Feminine Cycle, the 1st (Release) and 2nd (Rise) phases are the most important times to focus on a healthy balance of your inflammation system. This is also known as the “follicular phase”, or from the start of your period to ovulation.
By focusing on optimizing inflammation in the first half of the cycle, we set ourselves up for improved blood sugar regulation, better hormonal signaling and creation, and we allow our bodies to function optimally.
Some work upfront in the first two phases (Release and Rise) goes a loooong way in making the rest of your cycle – and even the next one! – a lot smoother.
When you think about how modern living pushes our inflammatory systems into imbalance (think: high sugar intake, stress and poor nutrition), it’s not surprising our body craves a little extra support in this department.
For most of us, it means help with hormonal acne, fatigue, moodiness, low libido, endometriosis and PCOS, among others. Our bodies are already great at healing, we simply need to give them the correct tools and resources.
The 4 Phases of Your Cycle
If you haven't already read about The 4 Phases of Your Cycle, make sure you do so, before you get further in implementing these changes.
Further Reading on Inflammation
Alternate Schedule for Progesterone in Women with HPA Underactivity
Before you read this post, make sure you check out this article on the HPA axis and how it works. You’ll want to understand how this important hormone balancing system functions, so you can learn how to work it to your advantage! The...
Moon cycles and your period
Talking about the moon in a series on common hormonal imbalances most likely sounds a little weird. But what can we say: we believe in the power of nature and our place as animals immersed in it! We originally brought in moon cycles to our 4 Phase Cycle approach,so...
Low ovarian reserve in younger women
This article in our series is by Alex. As a long-time endometriosis sufferer and someone who has had most of her ovaries destroyed by undiagnosed endometriosis. I gave myself a diagnosis in medical school, which my doctors chose to ignore. I have a soft spot in my...
Blood sugar regulation during your cycle
Blood sugar regulation is an interesting beast. Lots of people are interested in this topic and for many different reasons! For our purposes, we’re going to stick to the most pertinent blood sugar issues we see in our ladies, so be aware this isn’t intended to be a...