The menstrual cycle is a rather complex and fascinating biological process involving changes in hormone levels, the release of eggs and the breakdown of the uterine lining.
Interestingly, the menstrual cycle also creates changes in your feminine energy. So, to best utilize and nurture her feminine essence, a woman must be aware of the stages of the menstrual cycle and the changes that occur during that time period.
This article will give you a clear understanding of your menstrual cycle and how it is deeply connected with your feminine energy.
The Menstrual Phase
The very first stage of a menstrual cycle is the menstrual phase which is characterized by the shedding of the uterine lining.
This phase occurs when the egg from the previous cycle is not fertilized, indicating there is no pregnancy. In this case, the uterine lining of the uterus, which had thickened in hopes of sustaining and supporting a pregnancy, is of no use.
That is why the menstrual stage involves the shedding of the thickened lining consisting of blood, mucus and tissue.
The menstrual phase usually lasts between 3-7 days. In this phase, the level of hormones progesterone and estrogen drop, causing the uterus to contract and expel its endometrium.
Cramping, headaches, body aches and fatigue is common during this phase of the menstrual cycle.
The Follicular Phase
Some days of this phase overlap with the menstrual phase, as the follicular phase begins on day 1 of your period and lasts for approximately 14 days (when you ovulate).
The pituitary gland is signaled by the hypothalamus to release the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These hormones stimulate the growth of follicles in your ovaries. Every follicle contains an immature egg. Out of these multiple immature eggs, one egg finally matures enough to be fertilized by a sperm.
The growth of the follicles in your ovaries produces estrogen, which causes the lining of the uterus to thicken and prepare for a possible pregnancy.
The Ovulation Phase
This phase of the menstrual cycle marks the beginning of ovulation. Interestingly, it is also the shortest stage of the overall cycle lasting for 24 to 36 hours.
In the ovulation stage, your ovary releases a mature egg into the fallopian tube. The egg then travels from the tube down towards your uterus, where it can be fertilized by a sperm.
This phase is also called the most fertile stage of the cycle, and women who wish to conceive can make use of this window of time to get pregnant. Therefore, many women keep track of this stage using ovulation sticks.
This stage is also characterized by a rise in the basal body temperature and a thick white discharge.
The Luteal Phase
The luteal phase begins right after the ovulation stage and lasts for approximately 14 days.
Once the follicle has released the egg, it turns into the corpus luteum. The Corpus luteum produces the hormone progesterone to keep the lining of the uterine wall thick, thus making it an ideal environment for a fertilized egg to implant.
However, if the egg is not fertilized and pregnancy doesn’t occur, the corpus luteum breaks down and gets reabsorbed into the body.
This causes a decline in hormones – estrogen and progesterone leading to the beginninga of a new menstrual cycle.
The Impact of Your Menstrual Cycle in Your Life
We live in a world that praises masculine energy, doing, hustling, achieving. And always be on the go, regardless of what time of the month it is.
Whilst men can do this easily because they have so much more testosterone than women, and because they don’t have monthly cycles, the reality for us women is different.
We have all these hormonal changes and cycles each month. So we cannot ignore them and try to be in masculine energy always on the go, because that will mess up our hormones and will make us feel exhausted and depressed, bringing all sorts of health problems.
We need to honour our monthly cycles and changes.
We need to know how our body works each month, and connect with how we feel. That’s what living from our feminine energy is.
We listen to our body and to what it needs.
There are times of the month when we have more energy, there are times when we need more rest. And we follow that rythm because that is what honours our feminine essence.
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