Introduction

Hello love, did you know that every woman has four hormonal phases her body moves through every month? Many women are only familiar with menstruation and ovulation (as they are the most talked about), but just like the Earth has four physical season, so does the female body. These four phases are known as Menstrual, Follicular, Ovulatory, and Luteal. 

Circadian and Infradian Rhythms

We've all heard of Circadian rhythms, or cycles that occur every 24 hours, these are the consistent cycles that govern the physical world such as the sun rise and sun set. Many of us haven't heard of Infradian rhythms, or cycles that are longer than 24 hours, and yet these also govern the natural world, such as the moon cycle and the four seasons. 

Men's bodies operate on a 24 hour (circadian) hormonal cycle, with their testosterone spiking to its highest level in the morning and dropping in the evening; their bodies are like clock work and move through this cycle everyday. Women's bodies however, operate on both a 24 hour (circadian) hormonal cycle and a 28-32 day (infradian) cycle, with our hormones fluctuating throughout the day and over the course of our month. 

Seasons of the Cycle

When diving into the phases of the cycle its helpful (and fun) to look at the external seasons, for they offer a wonderful picture of what is happening inside our bodies. When comparing them to seasons the phases look like this: 

  • Menstrual ⇢ Winter
  • Follicular ⇢ Spring
  • Ovulatory ⇢ Summer
  • Luteal ⇢ Autumn

 

The reason this example works and is so often used is because the physical energy in our bodies is very similar to the energy of the season its likened to. For example, during Menstruation your body is doing incredible amounts of work, for this reason it is the part of your cycle where you have the least amount of energy and the biggest desire to sleep or nest, very similar to how you feel in winter.

Physiology of Your Cycle

To orient us, let's take a peek at the menstrual cycle on a whole. 

Most cycles last between 28-32 days, with each cycle being unique to the woman. Your cycle begins with the arrival of your Menstrual bleed (inner Winter), which generally lasts 3-7 days. 

As your bleed comes to an end you move into the Follicular phase (your inner Spring); during this phase your body creates a hormone called FSH that tells the egg-containing follicles in your ovaries to begin to mature (in preparation for Ovulation). Your follicular phase lasts the 7-10 days leading up to Ovulation (your inner Summer).

During Ovulation (inner Summer), an egg is released from the ovaries and sent on an epic mission in hopes of fertilization (so marvelous)! The Ovulatory phase is around 3-4 days long. 

Next comes your Luteal phase (your inner Autumn), when estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone levels begin to rise. This phase lasts for the 10-14 days leading up to your bleed, and is the longest of your phases.

The first full day of your bleed (not the day you get it, but the first entire day you have it) marks the beginning of your next cycle, and the process begins again. How incredible is the female body that it naturally moves through this epic cycle every single month!

Lets zoom in on each of the four phases and get to know them a little better.

The Four Phases in a Nutshell

Menstrual 

Length: 3-7 days

Season: Inner Winter

Moon phase: New Moon

Word: Rest

The dark days of your inner Winter have arrived, bringing with them a stillness in body and spirit; this is a time of deep rest, rejuvenation, abundance, and healing. The first 3 days of your bleed are known as The Dark Sub-phase and are the most hibernation-like days of your bleed; this is the least social time of your cycle, so be sure to take quiet space to nurture yourself. This is a good time for luxuriating in abundance, taking naps and baths, watching movies, reading books, and reflecting on your last cycle. Try gentle movement like walking, stretching, or yoga. To support your body, increase magnesium and iron-rich foods (like dark chocolate and red meat), teas such as red raspberry leaf (for menstrual support), ginger and turmeric to support inflammation, and essential oils like Rose Geranium and Clary Sage (for hormone and reproductive support). Physically this is the time of your cycle you will feel the coldest, as your body's energy is going toward Menstruation, so wear an extra layer and focus on eating warming foods like soups and stews (or warming spices like ginger). 

Follicular

Length: 7-10 days 

Season: Inner Spring

Moon phase: Waxing moon

Word: Plant

The delicate, vibrant blossoms of your Inner Spring are beginning to push through the frost of Winter and herald-in a song of new life and fresh beginnings. In this phase your hormones begin to surge and your energy rises, your social desires begin to increase and so does your creativity. Your inner Spring is the time to plant, dream, and sew seeds of change. Be sure to give yourself time to emerge from the cocoon of Winter, but once you do its time to connect to vision for your month, start new habits, and increase physical exercise. You may feel more open-hearted, romantic, and child-like in this phase; give yourself space to go with the flow, express emotions, marvel, and engage in play. 

Ovulatory

Length: 3-4 days 

Season: Inner Summer

Moon phase: Full Moon

Word: Cultivate

The long hot days of your inner Summer have arrived! In this phase your energy is at its peak, your communication skills are increased (due to the increased connection between the right and left hemispheres of your brain), your social abilities are high, and your sexual energy is magnetic (thank you Ovulation)! You may feel like superwoman, able to offer huge amounts of energy to projects, friends, and adventure; follow your instincts during this phase and focus your energy into cultivating the dreams and vision you connected with in your inner Spring. It's time to increase physical exertion, have difficult conversations, and make bold choices.

Luteal

Length: 10-14 days 

Season: Inner Autumn

Moon phase: Waining Moon

Word: Harvest

The fiery contrast of your inner Autumn has arrived, bringing in a season of harvest, abundance, strength, honesty, and intensity. During this phase you have a natural affinity for completing projects, tying up loose ends, and cleaning out the "cob-webs" of your life. Your inner critic has arrived on the scene to help you see what is working in your life and what is in sore need of change; this can be a difficult aspect of inner Autumn, but if engaged with well this can become a powerful time of wisdom, self-revelation, and direction. Near the second half of your Luteal phase, as your body begins to prepare once again for Menstruation, your social energies will begin to wain and your focus will begin to shift inward, so be sure to take time for yourself as your spirit requires. 

Eating for you Cycle

There is a lot of detailed information out there about how to eat to best support the phases of your cycle, and while this can be helpful it can also feel incredibly overwhelming at first. A good (and fun) rule of thumb if you want to begin eating for cycle-support, is to eat the way you would in each akin season. For example, in your Menstrual phase (inner Winter), practice eating the types of foods you would gravitate to in Winter, so things like soups, stews, curries, hearty root vegetables, red meat, and warming teas and herbs. When Spring and Summer come around we begin to lighten up our meals with berries, melons, stone fruit, in-season vegetables, salads, and cooling drinks/desserts, which in turn is a wonderful way to eat to support your cycle during Folliculation and Ovulation. In Autumn we begin again to move toward hearty root veggies, fruits like apples, and warming savory spices and herbs like cinnamon, sage, and rosemary. For fun and enlivening recipes check out The Mooncycle Cookbook. 

Important Notes

While every woman has a cycle that contains the four hormonal phases, it's important to know that the exact lengths and experience of each phase will differ from woman to woman. You can see the cycle framework like the bones of a skeleton, it's made up of the same parts but the details are unique. The real power in Cycle-work lays in the process of getting to know your own unique cycle and the way it plays out in your body through each phase. 

It's also important to note that while each cycle will indeed be unique, if your cycle is wildly different from the framework, or if you don't get a monthly bleed at all, it may be a sign that something else is at play. If you suspect an underlying issue such as PCOS or endometriosis, please do find a women's wellness doctor if you don't already have one; if you are near Portland OR I recommend an intimate and caring Wellness and Midwifery studio called Flourish (where I go). 

In future blog posts we will dive deeper into the beauty of the Cycle and how to harness its power to create more balance and abundance in our lives! In the meantime, if you want to dig deeper I recommend a few resources below that have been a great joy and aid to me on my own Cycle journey. 

More Resources

Books

  • In the Flo by Alissa Vitti (physiology and biology)
  • Wild Power by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer (emotional and spiritual journey of the cycle)
  • The Mooncycle Cookbook by Devon Loftus and Jenna Radomski (food and rituals)

Podcasts 

✴︎ be sure to check out the rest of the blog for detailed posts on each of the four phases, recipes for wellness, teas and tinctures for cycle-support, how to build cycle-centered systems for life, and much more! ✳︎